NFC TIMES Exclusive – With the widespread use of Uber and launch of the Amazon Go experiment, some payments industry observers are predicting it might not be too long before invisible payments comes to brick-and-mortar stores.
Under this concept, consumers could walk into a store, put their purchases in their handbags or backpacks and walk out. But experts say the so-called “Uberization” of in-store payments in supermarkets, department stores, retail pharmacies or stores in many other retail categories would take years to be rolled out–especially if merchants wanted to introduce the full Amazon Go experience.
The experts believe the industry will adopt this type of concept eventually and say it already has taken small steps in this direction or will soon, if you count order-ahead apps from fast-food restaurants and coffee shops and the coming of the connected car that will automatically pay for purchases at drive-through restaurants and gasoline stations without the driver having to leave his vehicle.
