PayPal, the online and mobile payments arm of eBay Inc., has updated its mobile app for iPhones and Android smartphones, giving the app a new look and adding features designed to make it easier for consumers to make in-store mobile payments.
“More and more of us are turning to our mobile phones to make purchases,” writes Hill Ferguson, vice president of global product at PayPal, on the company blog. “Today we’re launching our completely reimagined PayPal app on iPhone and Android so our customers can get what they want, when they want it.”
Consumers now can apply to finance their PayPal purchases from inside the app by selecting the Bill Me Later option. App users also now have access to flexible financing and promotional offers such as “six months to pay on purchases of $99 or more” from participating PayPal retailers. PayPal says thousands of restaurants, cafes and retail stores in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Canada accept PayPal in-store via mobile device.
The new version of the app improves and streamlines the in-store mobile purchasing process, PayPal says.
“The app has a new tab called Shop, which you can use to find shops or restaurants nearby that accept PayPal payments,” Ferguson writes. “You can then Check In and open a tab with just a swipe. You can change how you want to pay right on the Check In tab, meaning you’ve got access to your entire wallet in the app. After you’ve paid, you’ll see a confirmation alert and our usual PayPal e-mail receipt.”
The PayPal mobile app offers smartphone users a variety of services. With Order Ahead, consumers can place an order from the full menu of a participating restaurant or cafe and have it waiting when they arrive.
Pay at Table allows consumers to Check In at a participating restaurant and view and pay their bills. Offers enables app users to consolidate mobile coupons and offers in one place and redeem the offers automatically when paying with PayPal.
“Instead of thinking about that stack of paper coupons in your desk drawer at home, the new app has the offer waiting in your wallet the second you step into a store,” Ferguson writes. “Starting today, $100 in offers is available in your PayPal app from local U.S. businesses. You can save the offers to your PayPal wallet and they are automatically redeemed at checkout.”
PayPal’s net total payment volume in 2012 was $145 billion, 10% of which was mobile.