Small businesses often face challenges in providing convenient payment options that cater to diverse customer preferences, especially in areas with many tourists or local shoppers using alternative payment methods. Shopify Payments has expanded its in-person payment options by integrating five new local payment methods directly into its POS system. This update can help reduce checkout friction and increase sales by accommodating popular payment preferences without requiring additional integrations. Source.
Key takeaway: Shopify Payments now supports Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, Scalapay, and GrabPay for in-person sales, allowing eligible stores to enable these options immediately within their Shopify Payments settings. Customers pay by scanning a QR code, streamlining the checkout process and broadening payment accessibility.
New Local Payment Methods Supported by Shopify Payments
Shopify Payments has integrated five additional local payment methods into its POS system for eligible stores. These are:
- Alipay: Widely used by Chinese consumers, especially tourists.
- WeChat Pay: Another popular payment method among Chinese shoppers.
- Satispay: Commonly used in Italy.
- Scalapay: A buy-now-pay-later option popular in several European countries.
- GrabPay: Popular in Southeast Asia.
These payment options are enabled directly within Shopify Payments with no need for additional integrations, simplifying the process for small businesses to accept diverse payment methods. Availability depends on the country where the store operates.
Benefits of Offering Local Payment Methods In-Store
Accepting local payment methods can significantly reduce friction at checkout. Customers can pay quickly by scanning a QR code, which is familiar and convenient for many users, especially tourists who may not have local credit cards or prefer their native payment apps. This convenience can lead to higher conversion rates and improved customer satisfaction.
Additionally, offering these payment options can differentiate a small business by demonstrating cultural awareness and inclusivity, attracting a broader customer base.
Limitations and Checks
- Check the availability of each payment method in your country before enabling.
- Ensure your Shopify POS and Payments settings are up to date to access these features.
- Understand that while these methods are integrated, transaction fees and payout schedules may vary.
- QR code payment requires customers to have the respective payment app installed.
Cover photograph by stevepb / Pixabay. Illustrative stock photograph.
Worked example (illustrative)
Scenario: A small boutique in Milan wants to attract more local customers and tourists from China and Southeast Asia. The store owner enables Satispay (popular in Italy), Alipay, WeChat Pay, and GrabPay through Shopify Payments settings.
Inputs:
- Shopify POS system updated to latest version.
- Store located in Italy where Satispay and Scalapay are available.
- Enabled Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, and GrabPay in Shopify Payments admin.
- Customers have respective payment apps installed.
Expected output: Customers pay by scanning QR codes displayed at checkout, completing transactions smoothly without cash or card. The boutique sees increased sales from tourists and locals who prefer these methods.
Exception: A customer without any of these apps or QR code capability must use alternate payment methods like credit cards or cash.
What to do next
Check your country’s eligibility for these local payment methods on Shopify’s availability page. Then, update your Shopify POS system and navigate to your Payments settings in the Shopify admin to enable the desired payment options. Train your staff to assist customers with QR code payments and promote the new payment options to attract more customers.
Sources and editorial notes
This article is based on the Shopify changelog post titled “Accept five new local payment methods in store with Shopify Payments” available at https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/accept-five-new-local-payment-methods-in-store-with-shopify-payments. It supports the integration of Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, Scalapay, and GrabPay into Shopify POS for eligible stores. The examples and checklists here are editorial suggestions by AutoSmallBiz and have not been tested with actual customer data.
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