Earlier in the year, online retailer Amazon received criticism for not giving its customers the option to pay in cash. However, the company has now announced that, going forward, it will be allowing cash payments for all online and in-store purchases.
As pointed out by lawmakers, stopping cash payments at Amazon Go stores alienated many customers, particularly those in lower income groups.
The new system, Amazon PayCode, will allow online shoppers to pay for purchases on Amazon through one of 15,000 Western Union locations. We ship your order directly to your delivery address,” Amazon explains on its website.
When shopping online, consumers will simply need to select “pay with Amazon PayCode”. They will then receive a QR code which can be used to pay at Western Union within 24 hours to complete the purchase.
Amazon PayCode is currently available in the USA, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Federated States of Micronesia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Kenya, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, and Uruguay. Amazon says it’s looking to extend it to more countries in the future.
In addition, Amazon has announced it will also include an “Amazon Cash” service, which is completely separate and will allow customers to pre-load cash onto their accounts. This will be offered at over 100,000 locations in the US.
Ben Volk, Director, Payments at Amazon, said in a statement: “Customers have told us they love the convenience of paying in cash. Together with Western Union, we’re able to offer customers more shopping choices, enabling them to pay for their online purchases in a way that is convenient for them.”
San Francisco District Five Supervisor, Vallie Brown, added: “For many City residents (for example, those who are denied access to credit, or who are unable to obtain bank accounts), the ability to purchase goods and services depends on the ability to pay for those goods and services in cash. This is especially true of the very poor.”
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