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Amazon Eyes In-Store Payment

Written by Evan Schuman
November 4th, 2009
What do Amazon execs have in store for their company’s new PayPhrase payment system? Apparently, in-store itself. The service today is an interesting means of allowing consumers to, in effect, subdivide their payment authorization so that a child or an employee can make purchases, but with specific dollar limits and related controls.

It also allows consumers to have different addresses (home, work, the in-law residence where the holidays will be spent, etc.) associated with different phrases and potentially different payment methods (the corporate credit card for office deliveries, a personal card for home, etc.). But Amazon's vision for PayPhrase goes beyond online; it includes mobile and, especially, in-store options, said Matt Williams, the general manager for Amazon PayPhrase. "We want [PayPhrase] to be used anywhere they want to pay, anywhere a customer happens to be," Williams said.

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Posted in E-Commerce, IT Strategy/Industry, Mobile/Wireless/Contactless, Payment Systems, Premium Content, Security/Fraud
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