Monday, December 23, 2024

Google Pay streamlines online shopping with new features

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Google Pay, the wallet and payments platform and not the standalone app that will be discontinued in the U.S. next month, has rolled out a trio of new features aimed at enhancing the online shopping experience for its users. The company, prioritizing security, convenience, and smart spending tools for its users, is introducing improvements that address these concerns.One of the most notable additions is the ability to view card benefits at checkout. This feature aims to simplify the decision-making process for consumers who own multiple credit cards with various rewards and benefits. For instance, American Express and Capital One cardholders using Chrome desktop can now see select benefits for specific cards in the autofill dropdown. Google plans to expand this feature to more cards in the future.

Credit: Google

Another significant update is the expansion of “buy now, pay later” options. This increasingly popular payment option is now available on more merchant sites and Android apps across the U.S. Shoppers can link their existing buy now, pay later accounts or sign up with a provider during checkout.

A shopper is checking out from their mobile phone and when they tap “GPay, Pay Later” they are shown buy now, pay later options including Affirm and Zip.

Credit: Google

Finally, Google Pay has revamped its autofill feature on Chrome and Android. Users can now verify their card details using biometric authentication methods like fingerprints, face scans, or PINs, instead of manually entering their security code. This update aims to make the checkout process faster and more secure. Additionally, users can set up device unlock, which requires them to unlock their device before their full card details are revealed, adding an extra layer of security.

A mobile phone that shows the checkout flow using Google Pay; the user verifies the payment using their biometric (fingerprint).

Credit: Google

These new features are a welcome addition for online shoppers, providing a more secure, convenient, and rewarding checkout experience. By addressing common pain points and offering practical solutions, Google Pay continues to evolve as a valuable tool for consumers in the digital marketplace.

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