Kenyan shoppers can now pay for Amazon purchases online through a partnership with money transfer service, Western Union.
Kenyans can now pay for purchases on e-commerce platform Amazon through Western Union. The newly launched payment option will now be accessible to clients who have been excluded from making their purchases via the platform due to unaccepted payment methods like credit cards.
The new mode of payment is currently available in 10 countries namely; Chile, Columbia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. The inventive will now make it possible for Kenyans to pay using their local currency- the Kenyan Shilling.
“We’re helping to unlock access to Amazon.com for customers who need and want items that can only be found online in many parts of the world,” said Khalid Felleahi, SVP and General Manager of Western Union Digital in a press release.
The move by Amazon to provide a convenient payment option for Kenyans is part of a new initiative called Amazon PayCode which aims at providing easier payment options for clients who do not have access to international credit cards.
The PayCode processes the complex foreign exchange, settlement and money movement requirements for international and e-commerce transactions.
How Amazon Paycode Work
To use the new payment service, customers should visit the Amazon.com page and select PayCode. They will then be sent a code and instructions on how to make the payment at a Western Union agent.
The agent will ask for your code and will ask to see your photo ID. The ID you show to the agent must match the information you provided during checkout on Amazon. The agent will take your payment and then provide you with a receipt. You will also receive a payment confirmation email from Amazon, followed by a shipment notification when your order has shipped.
Millions of customers across the world have for a long time been hindered from shopping on international e-commerce platforms owing to the inaccessibility of acceptable and convenient payment options.
Duration of Amazon Paycode
A shopper has 48 hours to pay for their order. If you do not make payment within 48 hours, the order will be canceled. You will need to re-order your items on Amazon and receive a new pay code to use to pay at a Western Union agent location.
Forester Research had earlier estimated that cross-border shopping would make up to 20% of e-commerce by 2022, with sales reaching USD 630 Bn. The new initiative will increase the number of online purchases from the current 1.66 billion people annually.
