In 2012, 10% of the total transactions through Alipay were from mobile end and a doubling were expected in this year, according to the company.
Alipay revamped its mobile app and relaunched it as Alipay Wallet at the end of 2012. Now consumers can not only make payments through the app but also manage e-coupons, itineraries, movie tickers and other e-tickets, or split bills or buy anything from a vending machine with its acoustic payment capability. Alipay also want, for merchants, to help complete more transactions that otherwise cannot be easily conducted with mobile devices. He Yizhi, general manager of Alipay’s B2C division, shared at ChinaBang 2013 about what they were working on there.
App for Collect on Delivery
A large number of Chinese, with no credit card or worried about risk associated with advance payments, pay for online purchases on delivery. To retailers, the ratio of the total orders is 30% – 50%, according to Mr. He. It takes time for online retailers to receive the cash — low liquidity. A worse case is many users would reject receiving goods arriving — most Chinese online retailers promise to accept goods returned unconditionally. Not only are those failed transactions, it also cause delivery fees on merchants as the items need sending back.
An app under development tries to solve the problem. Online retailers only need to add a button on their sites that they’d receive payments immediately when consumers pay with the app on delivery.
Solution for Payments at Each Booth in Department Stores
In department stores in China there are only a couple of cashiers on each floor to receive payments for dozens of booths. Consumers need to make payments there with invoices. It is said that 30% of the invoices didn’t got paid finally after consumers left. Reasons include they don’t want to wait in line at a cashier or simply change their mind afterward. Partnering with Shopin in Beijing, Alipay has enabled each booth there to receive payments on site with any devices that can connect to the Internet, PC, Pad or mobile phone.
A QR Code would be generated with the software in the device of a shop assistant’s whenever a user decides to buy an item. By scanning it, the Alipay app in the user’s phone would conduct the payment.
E-coupon platform helps channel traffic for merchants.
Alipay Wallet has added an e-coupon management feature that e-coupons from third-party providers can be stored and managed in one place. DDMap, a Alibaba-backed lifestyle e-commerce service, has integrated its e-coupon product DDCoupon into Alipay Wallet. Soon users can make payments for DDCoupons directly within the app. More features will be added too, according to Mr. He.
Apart from convenience it brings consumers, Alipay promises to help merchants who join in the platform by channeling traffic to their sites.