How to make payments on WhatsApp

Meta has approved what could be a new system to make payments over WhatsApp in the near future.

While Meta tests out its soon-to-be go-to system for in-chat payments, here are some alternatives powered by innovative thinkers to help service a cashless ecosystem in business.

Earlier in April, Meta announced it was testing out a system on the Brazilian market where users would pay local small businesses directly through a chat on WhatsApp.

Mark Zuckerberg announced that people across Brazil can pay local small businesses right within a WhatsApp chat.

Game changer

The system is set to be a game changer considering users use third party services currently for payments over WhatsApp.

WhatsApp’s incoming service will allow people, businesses looking to buy and sell on WhatsApp to exchange payment without having to go to a website or open another app or pay cash.

“On WhatsApp in Brazil, you can search for a business, browse goods and services, add them to your cart and make a payment all with just a few taps,” Meta said in their blog.

Use Mastercard, Visa debit, or credit cards issued by local banks to make payments simply by creating an order to get paid.

How to create order for payment

In order to get paid on the WhatsApp Business app, you will need to create an order for a customer. To create an order for a customer:

• Tap > Order > Create order
• From here, you can select existing catalog items to add to the order.  If you haven’t created a catalog, you can tap Add custom item to add a new item or service and its price. Once you’re ready, tap Add to order.
• Tap Add tax, fees, or discount if you wish to add any.
• Tap Send Order to send the finalized order to your customer.
• You can also create an order from a cart sent to you by a customer. When a customer adds items from your catalog to their shopping cart, they can send the cart to you to create an order. The customer can then pay for the order in WhatsApp.

How do you make payments today?

The was a payment solution Nedbank including Ukheshe came up with that let small and micro business receive secure in chat payments from their custormers via WhatsApp.

Sound familiar yet?

The system was introduced around April in 2021, where Nedbank lauded the solution as a first of its kind in the country.

The system allowed business to send an invoice requesting payment to any custormer through WhatsApp.

The customer in turn can then settle the payment directly from the platform.

You could swear that Meta…

The business owner would send a payment request message to the customer.

For first time system users, an SMS is sent to the customer in order for them to register for the service.

The customer registers using their name, surname to enable secure card payments.

Accessing the paid transaction is easy. Business owners need only a valid ID document and valid South African bank account.

Nedbank says Merchants will need to first register for the service before a payment request can be initiated.

Ukheshe answers several questions in terms of chat commerce and its apparent growth.

A definite different channel to reach the end user.

A money system to help merchants with innovative solutions to increase sales while nurturing business owners with the ability to request digital payment on WhatsApp in order to retain customer loyalty.

PayShap

Payshap also entered the market as alternative to payment systems.

Backed by the South African Reserve Bank, Payshap is an instant payment service that allows customers to transact without a bank account number.

Users will be able to use the instant money platform on the messaging application WhatsApp.

Payments can be made directly to the bank account or a phone number linked to an account wallet at any bank.

Either Nedbank knows how to spot incoming trends or they know just how to bet on the right horse especially when it appears to be sound innovation.

What a time to be alive.