Online payments enable people to gain access to services and while under quarantine or when in need of social distancing. In the year 2003, it was the SARS epidemic that had expedited the path of China in its launch of e-commerce and online payments. For online payments to be widely accepted, the requirements include reliable internet access, mobile devices that are capable of making transactions, and trust in online payment systems.

Keeping the economies running

During the height of the 2020 health crisis, and up to now, online payments have been unfailing in keeping some economies running and aiding people to reduce the risk of having contact with the virus. There are contactless payment terminals for the POS using various methods to initiate a payment transaction such as near-field communication, QR codes, or facial recognition. These do make it a lot less risky to be infected by the virus when making a payment transaction with a prepaid card, unlike cash that needs to be held and handed over.

About contactless payment terminals

For those who have not experienced making a payment transaction at a contactless terminal, there is a bit of a learning curve. The first requirement is to have a mobile device that is connected to the internet, which has the right payment application with enough funds for the transaction. This payment app has to be accepted at the retail store. Then, follow the steps for the app to initiate the payment transaction, which is usually by hovering the device in front of the contact payment terminal for it to retrieve the payee’s required data for sending payment. Then, the amount is keyed in to be submitted. When you have clicked submit, the transaction is completed. There might be a person there to give you the item, the item might be automatically dispensed, or you can get the service such as riding a bus.

Limiting in-person payment transactions

Cash exchanges are in-person transactions unlike that of online and digital payments that do away with having to face a person and get close. By using mobile payments and online payments, we get to limit those in-person payment transactions such as that of cash and handing over physical debit and credit cards. By using an advanced payment solution, it may be able to aid in making consumers transact with social distancing measures and being able to do their payment transactions so from their house or wherever they may be.

Keeping consumers safe

Online payments and mobile payments keep consumers safe in many ways. Aside from enabling the user to keep their distance and avoid contact with the virus through cash or physical card payment transactions, it provides accuracy. At times, we have money but cannot count all the coins. When we use a payment app, the balance reflects the total amount we have. When we make a payment transaction, we can input the exact amount, down to the last penny and no longer have to look for coins. Our balance is updated in real-time when the funds get sent or go into our account.