amazon to support local payment

[LukeSavenije]

credit to @AluminiumTech for the sources

sources: amazon westernunion

 

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You can now use cash to pay for millions of Amazon.com products from across the globe at your local Western Union^® agent location.

 

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it's a interesting move to be sure, yet one that has a good reason: closing the gap between amazon being a webstore and a real life one

[givingtnt]

9 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

sources: amazon westernunion

it's a interesting move to be sure, yet one that has a good reason: closing the gap between amazon being a webstore and a real life one

I don't see the appeal tbh.

[LukeSavenije]

2 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

I don't see the appeal tbh.

it's more a appeal to wu users that it is supported. I'm not one either

[porina]

I wonder if this is specifically targeted at regions where credit/debit cards are still less common than cash. Or maybe there is enough of an untapped market that can't/wont use card they want to try and get in on?

[themctipers]

in India this is very similar to something called 'cash on delivery' or something like that

@WikiForce

[Teddy07]

Amazon is the most restrictive webshop when it comes to payment. Only credit card or bank accounts can be used.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Teddy07 said:

Amazon is the most restrictive webshop when it comes to payment. Only credit card or bank accounts can be used.

and they added this to that small list as you can see

[LukeSavenije]

22 minutes ago, porina said:

I wonder if this is specifically targeted at regions where credit/debit cards are still less common than cash. Or maybe there is enough of an untapped market that can't/wont use card they want to try and get in on?

i guess so, a lot of those places do have a wu in their region...

[LukeSavenije]

5 minutes ago, themctipers said:

in India this is very similar to something called 'cash on delivery' or something like that

@WikiForce

sounds interesting...

[Radium_Angel]

Western Union?

I foresee the resurrection of the old "You have money waiting at WU!" e.mail scams from a few decades back

 

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Radium_Angel said:

Western Union?

I foresee the resurrection of the old "You have money waiting at WU!" e.mail scams from a few decades back

 

probably... but that'll happen with any payment solution unfortunately

[captain_to_fire]

COD is popular here in Southeast Asia so I can see this would appeal to some people who want to buy something from Amazon but don’t have a credit card.

 

Though it wouldn’t change that customs tax suck. 

[paddy-stone]

Not bad I guess, even the UK has a fair amount of branches in big towns/cities. Personally though if you don't have a debit card in 2019, or an online bank, can't see how? Most if not all people nowadays get paid into a bank account here in the UK, even homeless as they can get a basic bank account that has a debit card with no charges incurred, and no overdraft services etc. If you have ID, such as passport/driving licence (photo), then you can get an online bank account very easily, and administer with phone if you have hot-spot/wifi access/data. You can also get pre-pay cards with little to no identity required, which can be topped up at post offices/banks pretty much anywhere, they do incur a fee for top-ups IIRC though.

 

For me, Western Union would be really bad, nearest branch to me is around 20 miles away. But I guess more services are a good thing in today's age, as more and more banks and post-offices are getting closed in the UK, the nearest bank branch (any) to me is now 10 miles away... we're lucky we still have a post-office in our village, as we have a high elderly population in and around us, that just don't want to use cards and bank accounts even though they are easy to use... I regularly go with my mother shopping, and sometimes have to help her with the card machine, LOL - for some reason she doesn't look at the screen telling her what to do, so she puts the card in too early, a LOT. And sometimes forgets her pin number, even though I've told her multiple times that she can change it at an ATM to something else if she wants. These people would NOT be helped by being able to use Western Union though IMO, as it's another step that they would have to remember, rather than storing card/bank details and paying online. I just can't imagine a demographic that WOULD be helped by this really.

[mxk]

come to think of it, I can't think of a place in my town that has a western union. 

[Bitcolbyin]

kinda cool for people without cards or dont want anything on their bank statement.

[williamcll]

Remember that not everyone have a bank account or card that can do online payments. However, how much extra will western union charge? 

[LukeSavenije]

1 minute ago, williamcll said:

Remember that not everyone have a bank account or card that can do online payments. However, how much extra will western union charge? 

probably enough to make it available for amazon...

[Hellion]

Why the hell would anyone shopping online for reasons of convenience and cost savings want to physically walk into a western union location, wait in line, fill out the form and then be charged the outragous fees to wire the money?

 

It completely condtradicts the entire point of an online purchase....

 

Seems like a pretty retarded move by anyone taking part in this.

[LukeSavenije]

3 minutes ago, Hellion said:

Why the hell would anyone shopping online for reasons of convenience and cost savings want to physically walk into a western union location, wait in line, fill out the form and then be charged the outragous fees to wire the money?

because there are people that simply doesn't have a way of online payment?

[Hellion]

7 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

because there are people that simply doesn't have a way of online payment?

Then stop being a degenerate and get a bank account?

 

As muich as I don't trust banks, modern society is designed in such a way that you can't even find a job if you don't have an account for the money to be deposited into. It's literally a requirement for employment at most north american companies.

[aezakmi]

1 minute ago, Hellion said:

Then stop being a degenerate and get a bank account?

It's easy to talk when your banks surely don't have ridiculous monthly maintenance costs

 

 

OP do you know if it works outside the US and EU?

[Kawaii Koneko]

I mean, I guess it is good for people without any kind of debit or credit card but I don't see why you don't just get a reloadable card at that point. At least you can load the card when you are out doing your shopping instead of making a separate trip to WU.

 

You can get an Amex Bluebird card at Wal-Mart and it is almost completely fee free. No maintenance or reloading fees. It seems a lot more convenient to just keep some cash on there and load it up when you are out shopping...

[Andreas Lilja]

Who the frack uses cash money these days except people evading taxes.

[Kawaii Koneko]

49 minutes ago, Raskolnikov said:

Who the frack uses cash money these days except people evading taxes.

I try to avoid it but it's always a good idea to keep a $20 bill in your glove box or something. You never know when your card might not work or there is some other problem.

 

I went to Wal-Mart at like 3 AM a few months ago and didn't have any cash on me and didn't even bring my debit or credit card with. So when I got to Wal-Mart and tried to use Wal-Mart pay, it wouldn't go through. Turned out they were having some issues on their end. So I had to leave, drive to a gas station, buy a pack of gum and use Google Pay so I could get cash back for my purchase, and then drive back to Wal-Mart. I wish I had just had some cash in my car then.

[Andreas Lilja]

4 minutes ago, Kawaii Koneko said:

I try to avoid it but it's always a good idea to keep a $20 bill in your glove box or something. You never know when your card might not work or there is some other problem.

 

I went to Wal-Mart at like 3 AM a few months ago and didn't have any cash on me and didn't even bring my debit or credit card with. So when I got to Wal-Mart and tried to use Wal-Mart pay, it wouldn't go through. Turned out they were having some issues on their end. So I had to leave, drive to a gas station, buy a pack of gum and use Google Pay so I could get cash back for my purchase, and then drive back to Wal-Mart. I wish I had just had some cash in my car then.

Yeah I understand as a backup, but I mean as actual everyday currency.

 

I put everything on my CC even if it's $1.