Reports suggest Amazon is planning to offer a checkout system based on the Kindle Fire to the merchants and physical retailers for processing payments.
The new Kindle checkout system will probably be ready as soon as this summer, reported The Wall Street Journal. The Seattle based company plans to offer the checkout system initially to small and midsize retailers by giving them Kindle tablets and credit-card readers. The company also might offer merchants other services including website development and data analysis.
Last year, Amazon acquired payments business, GoPago, a San Francisco start-up that offered checkout systems linked to a smartphone app fanning rumour mills that the company was entering into mobile payments service. GoPago was acquired by DoubleBeam Inc. last month.
Amazon, through this new project, is ready to enter into the realm of physical retail stores, where 90 percent of business still takes place.
Amazon’s entry into an already crowded mobile payment service space with rivals Paypal and Square leading the industry won’t be so easy. Apple too is planning to move into mobile payments and is busy meeting with top industry executives to discuss options for physical goods payment on its devices.
Amazon, in order to attract retailers, is also considering offering promotions or discounts through Amazon.com or its Amazon Local daily deals offers.
People familiar with company’s plans also claim that if things don’t work in Amazon’s favour, the company may delay its Kindle checkout plans or change course entirely.
