Mobile payments get easier with new Visa product

Visa is delving further into the mobile payments field with the release of a digital 'swipe' product that enables shoppers to complete online purchases by sliding a virtual image of their credit, debit or prepaid card across the screen of a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

"The dynamic, new interactive button brings an engaging new way to pay with Visa Checkout, especially on mobile devices with smaller screens," the company says in a statement.

In 2014, Visa first introduced the Visa Checkout lightbox, which lets consumers pay online, on any device, without being redirected from the merchant's site or app.

The new interactive button streamlines this payment experience. Now, instead of a lightbox, a consumer sees a picture of their card on the Visa Checkout button, swipes it to the right, and enters their password inside the button itself to authenticate.

The interactive button is available globally to merchants selling digital goods and services – such as music, movies, airline seats, and tickets – or items that customers purchase online and pick up in a physical store.

Visa will extend the interactive button functionality to Visa Checkout merchants who ship goods in the coming months.

"Visa Checkout's new interactive button is yet another way we are designing the future of online checkout and delivering on our promise to bring the simplicity of the swipe to any device," explains Sam Shrauger, senior vice president of Visa's digital solutions.

"This new experience brings digital payments one step closer to the ease, trust and familiarity that consumers have long valued from Visa in the physical world," says Shrauger.

A recent regional survey commissioned by Visa showed more than half (53%) of New Zealand respondents have stopped an online transaction on desktop, laptop, mobile or tablet because filling in information, such as billing and shipping details, was too much hassle.

A top frustration also felt by Kiwis when paying online was having to repeatedly enter shipping, billing and payment details every time they make a purchase (35%)^.

"This design-led innovation is proven to increase conversion, helping merchants reach new customers," Shrauger adds.