Amazon brings cash payment option to the US

Amazon will let customers buy something online, then visit a Western Union in person to pay with cash.

Amazon announced “Amazon PayCode” on Wednesday, which lets shoppers buy something online, then show up at one of 15,000 Western Union locations in person to pay in cash, reports CNBC. That option was already available in 19 countries, but is rolling out in the U.S. in coming weeks, the company said.

It also unveiled “Amazon Cash” — way for users to load cash into their Amazon balance in person, so they can make online purchases later. That is now available in over 100,000 cash-loading locations nationwide.

“Customers have told us they love the convenience of paying in cash,” Ben Volk, Director, Payments at Amazon, said in a statement Wednesday. “Together with Western Union, we’re able to offer customers more shopping choices, enabling them to pay for their online purchases in a way that is convenient for them.”

Despite the rise of mobile payments, cash is still a leading payment method in the U.S. Last year, 79% of consumers used cash for purchases. PayPal, by comparison, had 44% of consumer purchases. Apple Pay made up 9%.

At checkout, customers can select the “Amazon PayCode” option to get a QR code and a number, which they show to a Western Union agent. They have 24-hours after the order is placed to show up at a location. In the event of a return, customers get cash back.

According to Vox, Amazon PayCode  is just the company’s latest attempt to appeal to lower-income shoppers in the US who have long turned to low-price retail chains like Walmart instead of Amazon.

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