Payment Kiosks Alternative Payment Methods 2021

Payment Kiosk Methods

Payment kiosks are increasing in number and in the verticals where they are used. Many grocers and big box stores have implemented self-checkout to keep lines short, provide shoppers with greater convenience, and make the most of labor – one associate can manage multiple checkouts equipped with kiosks that accept payments rather than one traditional checkout lane.

Additionally, kiosks that accept payments are appearing in quick service and fast-casual restaurants, healthcare provider offices, utility and local government offices, and in a range of locations for accepting nonprofit donations.

1. Kiosk Payment via Facial Recognition with PopID

Drive-thru, quick service, and counter service restaurants in California have been the first to implement payment by facial recognition technology. PopID, a Cali Group company, developed this alternative kiosk payment option. Customers can sign up for a PopID account, link their credit or debit card, and then opt-in to start a facial recognition scan at any PopID-enabled business; successful scans process the payment instantly.

These kiosk payment solutions began popping up on college campuses. Cali Group CEO John Miller explained, “Young people that have grown up taking pictures of themselves and posting them on the internet have no problem with facial recognition.” Soon after gaining on-campus popularity, restaurants like Daddy’s Chicken. For businesses, implementing the solution has added benefits, including increased speed of service as well as lower payment processing fees for credit and debit transactions.

2. QR Code Payments

Another alternative kiosk payment option — and one that is quite affordable for small businesses– is QR code payment. Mobile phone camera technology enables customers to automatically read codes from several feet away and make a payment without requiring them to download apps. QR codes that direct customers to a payment page can be accessed from a customer display or printed onto a receipt.

With distanced, touchless payment experiences in demand since the COVID-19 pandemic began, QR code payment adoption has seen a significant increase, driven in part by the high-profile partnership between CVS and PayPal.

3. Text-to-Pay Solutions

It’s no secret that mobile ordering increased due to COVID-19. For example, Yum Yum Brands saw a 40 percent uptick in mobile and kiosk ordering, representing 40 percent of sales in Q2 2020. However, for a first-time customer, downloading an app and setting it up with the personal information required to process the transaction may discourage them from the process. Text-to-pay solutions are designed to decrease this payment friction.

A text-to-pay solution allows a business to send a text message to a customer placing an order on a kiosk or a smartphone. The customer uses the link in the text to pay remotely. The solution can also trigger a real-time notification when the customer arrives to pick up the order.

Omnichannel Payments Grocery

Solutions Grocers Need in 2021

Mobile devices for delivery drivers and staff managing curbside pickup
Mobile devices for staff that picks and fills orders
Mobile printers to print tags and labels that organize the picking, packaging and delivery processes
Mobile device management to ensure employees have functional devices throughout their shifts and that those devices are secure
Kiosk solutions for self-checkout and check-in for order pickup
Add-on solutions for delivery and route management
Robust inventory solutions that provide online shoppers with real-time information
Payment solutions capable of accepting contactless “tap-and-go” payments as well as mobile wallets

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