Shopping on your smartphone can be convenient, but, unless you're using a service like PayPal, cramming your credit card number into a digital keyboard can become cumbersome. Visa is looking to provide its own instant-buy option with its new Visa Checkout service, which aims to speed up online payments on both your phone and PC. If you want to make impulse purchases even easier or don't like PayPal, here's what you need to know about Visa Checkout.
How does Visa Checkout work?
If you've used digital wallet services like PayPal, you'll be familiar with the setup process for Visa Checkout. After setting up an account (your old V.me Visa account will work with checkout), you can register any debit or credit card for instant access. Once you're on a website that supports Visa Checkout, you simply tap or click the Visa Checkout logo in order to pay for your products instantly.
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Do I need a Visa card to use Visa Checkout?
Nope. Visa Checkout works with any major credit or debit card.
What devices does Visa Checkout work on?
Visa Checkout works on just about any device that can access the web, so you can use it on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
How secure is Visa Checkout?
According to the service's official FAQ, Visa uses industry standard encryption and multilayer authentication to protect your data.
What stores support Visa Checkout?
As a new service, Visa Checkout's store selection is small, but there are a few big retailers on the list. You can currently use Visa Checkout online at Neiman Marcus, Plndr, Telefora, Rakuten, Petco, Wine Enthusiast, Beyond the Rack, Kazbah, Karma Loop and Cymax. Visa claims that more shops will be joining the roster each month.
How is Visa Checkout different from PayPal?
Visa Checkout and PayPal function very similarly, though Visa Checkout is only used for making purchases while PayPal is a fully-featured service that also lets you pay friends and transfer money between accounts.
Visa Checkout doesn't have nearly the amount of supported stores that PayPal does, but there's a slight convenience benefit to using the service. While clicking the "Check out with PayPal" option on most online stores redirects you to a separate login page, selecting the Visa Checkout icon simply brings up a pop-up window that allows you to stay on the checkout page.
