PayPal has released an update to its Android and iOS apps to foster a more seamless paying experience. The update includes three new features. The first new feature allows users to find shops or restaurants nearby that accept PayPal payments. The second new feature enables consumers to order food and drinks ahead of time at local restaurants and cafes. (This feature is currently available for approximately one thousands locations, with more restaurants and cafes coming soon.) The third new feature enables users to check-in a restaurant and pay their bills through the PayPal app. With these new launches, PayPal hopes to make a major push towards the physical store market. 

 

PayPal’s entrance to the in-store payment space could be a result of its positive view on the future of retail stores. Although the eCommerce market is expected to continue to boom in the next few years, many experts still find retail stores an essential element in the global retail market. According to Paul Roth, president of retail sales at AT&T, retail stores have three attributes that online stores can’t replace: highly personalized services, solution-centrism, and emotionally engaging experiences. Retail stores can showcase how a product works and how it can benefit a consumer. Online stores on the other hand, can only describe the attributes of a product but can’t truly showcase how the product can remedy a consumer’s problems.

 

Read the whole article at TechCrunch.