Do you carry your phone around more frequently than your wallet or purse? If so, using your phone to make purchases might be the most practical choice.
In addition to ease and coolness, there are other useful benefits to using a mobile device for payments. One of them is security. Compared to conventional magnetic-stripe cards, which are vulnerable to data breaches and skimming, mobile payment solutions can offer greater security (although this benefit diminishes as chip-and-PIN cards take over). Additionally, having several cards accessible makes it simpler to select the preferred payment option without having to carry a bunch of cards with you.
Learn how to use your phone to replace the debit and credit cards (and occasionally cash) you currently use to make purchases at brick-and-mortar stores.
You can use your phone to make electronic payments in a variety of ways. For instance, you might need to pay a contractor who lacks a payment terminal or send money to pals. These mobile payment methods are discussed in this article: ways to send money.
What you need
Compatible Technology
You might need a phone with Near Field Communication (NFC) features enabled in order to make payments. With NFC, your phone may communicate wirelessly with a merchant’s payment terminal. Newer phones are likely to come equipped with NFC hardware. You may be able to conduct payments totally online with some merchants, so you don’t necessarily need NFC. Find out exactly what the stores you frequent need to sell their products.
Phone Wallet
You normally need to save payment information in a mobile wallet in order to make purchases with your phone. Enter your bank account, credit card, or debit card information into the wallet to accomplish this (by typing it in or taking a photo of the card). A wallet may also be connected to another payment account as an alternative. Several well-known mobile wallets consist of
- Google Pay
- Gmail Pay
- Galaxy Pay
How to Use Your Phone to Pay Merchants
You can start making purchases after setting up a mobile wallet (or multiple of them) on your device.
Most of the time, you go as usual to a cashier or self-checkout machine. When it comes time to make a payment, abide by the seller’s guidelines. You frequently hold your device close to the payment terminal or lightly touch it with your phone. You might or might not need to “wake” the phone or open your wallet initially, depending on your device and mobile wallet. You must first authenticate your identity (with a PIN, a fingerprint, or another technique), and only then will the payment be completed.
You might need to ask a cashier for assistance because some retailers are not set up for mobile payments. It’s advisable to do your homework before you want to make a payment because some businesses only accept payments through particular mobile wallets.
Safety: Is it secure?
Is using your phone to make purchases secure?
Mobile payments are equally as secure as credit card transactions, if not more so.
All of the aforementioned mobile wallets shield your personal information from retailers. Although you might use a credit card to make a purchase, the merchant never sees your actual credit card details (like the card number, expiration date, or security code). Instead, they authenticate your payment using random “tokens.”
You should keep the following in mind to protect yourself:
- Devices that have been “jailbroken” or “rooted” run a higher risk of malware infection, which could compromise your credit card information.
- Consider using a long PIN, a strong password, or a biometric feature for identity verification.
- Utilize security tools that let you “wipe” a lost or stolen device or that assist you in finding a misplaced device.
Challenges with Mobile Payments
Your life could become much simpler thanks to mobile payments. However, you might wait a little while before leaving the residence without alternative forms of payment. You may occasionally need to pay in the old-fashioned manner since retailers have not fully embraced the idea. Another issue is a dead battery; the more reliant we are on technology, the more powerless we are when it malfunctions.
Even with a dead battery, you can still use your cards, cash, and checks.
In the end, you might decide to use the mobile payment option when it is offered. It’s conceivable that over time, competition will enhance these systems, and the world will catch up to your desire to pay in this manner. Swiping a card right now might not be all that horrible.
Questions and Answers (FAQs)
How can you use a phone to pay at a vending machine?
Mobile payments may be accepted at self-serve locations such as vending machines, gas pumps, and other pumps. Look for any NFC compatibility symbols there may be. The area of the machine where you tap to complete the transaction will have these NFC symbols. Not all gas stations or vending machines will accept smartphone payments.
How do you use your phone to pay for the bus?
You can use the same technology that lets you make purchases using your phone to take public transportation. Ask your local transportation agency if it has an app that uses NFC technology to track tickets and collect ride fares. Depending on the locale, this technology will be implemented differently in public transportation.
