PayPal has launched payment by QR codes in the UK and 27 other markets around the world, providing a touch-free way for businesses to receive payments and for consumers to make purchases during Covid-19.
From local takeaway coffee shops to selling secondhand goods – the rollout of the QR code functionality in the PayPal app allows customers to buy or sell in in-person, without the need to exchange cash or key in PIN codes, according to a report in finhextra.com.
John Kunze, SVP of branded experiences, PayPal, says: “The rollout of QR codes for buyers and sellers not only incorporates the safety, security and convenience of using PayPal in-person but also takes into consideration ongoing social distancing requirements, even as we start to see some restrictions be lifted around the world.”
Recent research from product and design agency Foolproof suggested that touch-free shopping and payments could be one of the lasting legacies of the Covid-19 outbreak, as consumers shy away from devices – like ATMs and PIN pads – that require manual keying.
Using QR code technology, there is no technology to touch or purchase – users just aim a smartphone camera at a QR Code that is printed or present on another screen.
Lisa Scott, senior director, PayPal, says: “Covid-19 has changed the shopping experience in the UK as we know it. The need for security and convenience is there, as always, but we now need to be able to sell and buy in a way that is quick, safe and involves limited social contact.”
