When it comes to contactless ways to pay, customer expectations are shifting, and merchants are adapting to a digital world in which the payment experience is faster and more convenient than ever. The option to pay using a secure link sent via SMS text message, email, WhatsApp or other channels was born out of convenience and modernization, and continues to accelerate as eCommerce grows.

Merchants want to provide customers with preferred payment options and complete more transactions with reliability and traceability. In this blog, we will highlight some of the benefits of generating and sending payment links and how they can enhance payments orchestration.

A payment link is essentially a URL or QR Code that directs the customer to an online payment page when clicked on or scanned. Once on the payment page, customers can complete the transaction using their debit or credit card information, or choose an alternative payment method such as crypto, digital wallet or ACI PayAfter. Unique one-time payment links can be set up for each good or service being sold.

Once a payment link has been generated, it can be distributed through a variety of different channels. Here are some examples:

SMS and Chat

Send payment links through your most popular conversation channels such as SMS or WhatsApp.

Email

Payment links can be embedded in emails, which is especially useful for abandoned cart reminders.

Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for driving sales. Why not offer payments acceptance there, too? Merchants can share a payments link through social media messaging or in social feeds.

eCommerce

Payment links on ecommerce websites are becoming more common. Buttons like “Order Now” and “Buy Now” can be added to digital storefronts, expediting the checkout experience with less clicks.

Call Center

Send a payments link during customer calls for greater checkout security instead of taking credit card information over the phone.

Invoicing

Add payment links to invoices to get paid directly. These channels are ideal for closing transactions in a quick and efficient manner; merchants can distribute payment links through any channel that works best for their business.

Merchants and customers can rest assured that ACI Pay by Link is secure and is considered a PCI DSS-compliant method of taking payments.

Payment links are flexible and usable through a variety of channels and can be beneficial for merchants of all sizes and in most industries. Merchants who want the option to get paid through the channels where they do business can simply create payment links that direct customers to an online checkout page with ACI Pay by Link.

ACI Pay by Link helps merchants easily accept online payments without the need to build out any other digital infrastructure. Soon, ACI will release a solution that turns shoppers’ phones into a point of sale terminal where shoppers can tap a card to their device to make online, contactless payments.

Drive more digital transactions and accept payments through secure payment links, all within payments orchestration.

Visit ACI Pay by Link to get started.

Sr. Product Manager, Payments Orchestration Platform