News Roundup 4/8: Messenger preps for payment, Amazon Payments partners, & more
Amazon Payments expands reach
For once, the week hasn’t heralded major headlines about Apple Pay or Samsung Pay or … or Android Pay or Walmart Pay.
Nope, this time it’s Amazon Payments, upping its game in a crowded market of payment platforms looking to be the most convenient option for consumers shopping online. In a release, the e-commerce giant announced the Amazon Payments Partner Program, which aims to extend the option to “Pay with Amazon” beyond single merchants and to entire e-commerce platforms including Shopify, PrestaShop, and Future Shop (with more to come, by invitation).
It’s understandable that individual merchants might balk at partnering with Amazon, given that – well, they’re Amazon. Would you really want your customers’ data being shared with the e-commerce Goliath?
Big-ticket items don’t play well with mobile
Have you ever tried to read lengthy product specifications on your mobile phone? Or compare two expensive kitchen appliances side-by-side to see if you really need that sixth speed?
When it comes to buying something pricey, most people feel more comfortable on a desktop computer.
Or so suggests new data from ComScore, revealing that although mobile commands 60% of online shopping and browsing time (vs. 40% for desktop), people spend much more when they’re using desktop devices. As Quartz reports, there’s a lot of reasons why this might be, including performance issues, screen size, and usability. Instead of buying sofas and scooters, people tend to make smaller and more impulsive purchases when they’re on their phone.
How long until shoppers are paying with Facebook Messenger?
Based on several news reports, it could be really soon. Apparently, code for the iOS app is already hinting that payments are on the horizon for Messenger. And on April 7, Facebook announced updates that make it easier for people to connect with businesses using the chat app. The new tools include usernames that will show up more prominently on Facebook Pages, as well as Messenger Links and Messenger Codes – two ways to quickly start a message thread with a business.
As PYMTS.com points out, QR codes already provide an alternative way for folks to pay for stuff in some shops…so could this be part of Facebook’s answer to buying via Messenger?
