Local Businesses Embrace Touch-free Payment Technology to Make Holiday Shopping Safer
Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent demand for touch-free payment technology. For example, 26 percent of consumers will only be comfortable shopping at brick-andmortar retailers that accept touch-free payment while 57 percent indicated that they’ll choose merchants partly based on the payment options offered.
Meanwhile, many small businesses are struggling to reopen and attract customers back to their stores. Although 19 percent of shoppers plan to purchase more from local businesses this holiday season, almost half of them say that they’re only willing to shop in-store if retailers offer touch-free payment methods.
For small businesses that have gone through many challenges during the year, this holiday season represents a tremendous opportunity to make up for lost revenues and elevate their local presence if they can make consumers feel safe shopping with them in-person using touch-free payment technologies.
How a Local Business Implemented Touch-free Payment to Drive Sales During COVID
To drive sales this holiday season, local merchants face a few challenges:
With only weeks left before holiday shopping goes into full swing, businesses have to get ready to accept touchfree payment. The tight timeline means they need a solution that requires minimal setup time and low implementation costs.
Meanwhile, many merchants are trying to capture consumers from the older generations who are less tech-savvy, more skeptical about new payment processors or technologies, and want a payment solution that’s simple to use, provided by a brand they trust.
As such, local businesses need an easy-toimplement, user-friendly solution backed by a well-established payment processor to meet customer demand. Here’s how a local business used a touch-free payment solution to serve its customers safely:
Finest Edge, which offers precision mobile sharpening service in the Bay Area, had to switch from predominately cash transactions for services performed in customers’ homes or at farmer’s markets to touch-free payment method when the pandemic hit.
They chose Paypal QR Code, which has become popular amid the pandemic. “We have been using Paypal at farmer’s markets for a while. When COVID hit, we tried the QR Code [touch-free] payment solution and it was exactly what we were looking for,” said Finest Edge’s husband-and-wife team, Mike and Liana Uno.
“It’s reliable and gotten great responses from our customers. Even those who are reluctant to use new technologies embraced it. Everyone has a smartphone — customers are comfortable with downloading an app and some already have the Paypal app installed. We’d definitely recommend Paypal QR Code for anyone looking for a [touch-free] payment solution.”
To serve customers safely at farmer’s markets, Finest Edge put up signs with their QR code near the booth so customers can make payments while they wait without crowding around the booth.
Finest Edge was able to gain new customers by offering a touch-free payment option during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some customers are even spending more with them because the transactions are easy and safe. Today, Finest Edge receives 2025% of their payments through Paypal QR Code, which they promote on their website and via email to their customers.
QR Code Touch-free Payment Solution is Leveling the Playing Field
By providing a touchfree payment solution that’s easy to set up and affordable to implement, Paypal is making touchfree payment technology available to small businesses so they can attract more customers and become more competitive in today’s economy.
In addition, the Paypal QR Code payment technology has been implemented by prominent retailers such as CVS. Not only are consumers familiar with the process but they also trust Paypal, an established brand name in payment processing.
To start using Paypal QR Code, merchants can simply generate their unique QR code in the Paypal app. They can then place a printout of the QR code on the store window and at the point of sale, use the seller kit to show the QR code on stickers and tabletop displays, attach the QR code to deliveries and packages, or even use it to accept tips. Customers simply need a smartphone with the Paypal app installed to send payments.
To support local businesses, Paypal is waiving seller transaction fees for QR code payments until 2021 (does not apply to Paypal Here QR Code transactions. Other fees may apply and are subject to change.) Merchants can learn more about Paypal QR Code, download their codes, and order a seller kit on Paypal.com.