Amazon has announced ‘Amazon Cash’, a new service which allows consumers to use cash when shopping through Amazon’s online store. In spite of Amazon being an extremely large online retailer, it still faces issues when it comes to online shopping. One of the most obvious is those consumers who are cautious about making purchases online. Amazon Cash appears to be a service partially aimed at those customers, by allowing them to make purchases on the site with cash.
In creating Amazon Cash, the company partnered with a number of retailers such as CVS, Speedway, Family Fare Supermarkets, D&W Fresh Market, Kum & Go, Sheetz and VG’s Grocery, and the way the feature works is that when visiting any of these stores, customers will be able to top up their Amazon accounts using cash. Customers are able to charge anything between $15 and $500 in one transaction to their Amazon account and the process is as simple as showing a barcode on their phone to the cashier. While the current list of named retailers is a little limited at the moment, Amazon has confirmed that it is in talks with a number of other retailers to expand the service. Regarding how customers get access to their barcode, customers have two options. The first option is through the Amazon website and navigating to the Amazon Cash section, while the other is directly through the Amazon app.
In many respects, this is not that different to purchasing an Amazon gift card from a third-party retailer and then loading the balance to an Amazon account. Although, the new method does come with some added benefits – the most obvious of which is that Amazon Cash is instant. As soon as the transaction occurs, the associated Amazon account is topped up and the balance is ready to use. In addition, Amazon has also waived any charges that other services might apply, meaning customers will be able to spend the full amount they pay when purchasing through Amazon Cash. To try and sweeten the launch, Amazon is currently offering those who top up a minimum of $50 through Amazon Cash, an additional $10 in digital credit for nothing.