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Pay cash for your Google apps

Categories : Costs of cash versus costs of electronic payment instruments, Innovation contributes to the efficiency of cash
May 29, 2019
Tags : Innovation, Mobile Payments, Technology, User-friendly
Google is now enabling users to pay for Android apps using cash with the latest release of its ‘Pending Transactions’ payment option.
Communication Team / Equipo de Comunicación

This post is also available in: Spanish

Users of Android mobile phones and avid fans of mobile applications have reason to celebrate as  Google Play app store is giving us the option to pay for apps with cash! The announcement was made last 8 May 2019 during Google’s annual I/O developers conference.

Lack of access to credit and online banking is one of the many reasons why users choose free-to-play and ad-supported applications rather than in-app purchases, TechCrunch reports. Millions of consumers depend on cash for everyday transactions and moving forward with this decision would gravitate more users and position the company in a competitive, emerging market.

The new payment method, ‘Pending Transactions’, is what Play Store engineering director Aurash Mahbod would describe as a “new class of delayed form of payment – like cash, bank transfer and direct debit”. This option gives an Android user a payment code which they can use to pay for their purchase at a nearby store by presenting the code to the cashier. The user will then receive their purchase followed by an email confirmation as proof of payment. Refunds are available, although it should be noted that they won’t be receiving it in cash, but in the form of Play Store credit instead.

Pending transactions are currently available in just two countries – Mexico and Japan. It is still unclear as to when they will expand their payment option but what is clear is that having this payment method available will more likely turn free-app-using consumers into paying ones – a win-win situation for both the developer and cash-dependent citizens.

Google is not the first internet giant to accept cash payments.  Uber has been  expanding its cash-acceptance policy as a means to respond to customer needs and increase profits. Amazon recently announced they would take cash in their new Amazon Go stores – that do not have checkouts – and already takes cash for its online purchases.

This post is also available in: Spanish

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