The Gen XY Lifestyle
Switching to Contactless: Ways to Practising “Payment Distancing”
The spread of COVID-19 in the last few months has seen everyone trying to minimise contact points and practice social distancing. This has led to dramatic shifts in consumer behavior — from staying home more frequently and stepping up hygiene practices to using contact-free options when out on essential grocery runs.
With the need to stay “touch-free” now more than ever, here are some simple ways to get your day-to-day tasks done safely with minimal contact and peace of mind:
Go contactless when grocery shopping
In addition to wearing a mask and washing hands, one simple way to reduce contact between people and surfaces is to use tap-and-go payment options. With contactless cards, you have complete control of your card at all times, without ever needing to hand it to the cashier or touch a payment terminal. In fact, according to a recent Mastercard Contactless Study, the shift is already evident at the checkout counter, with nearly 9 in 10 people in Singapore using contactless payments and almost half (48%) reducing their use of cash.
You also don’t need to worry about contactless transaction limits. In Singapore, the limit is $200 per transaction – more than enough for one round of grocery shopping!
What’s more, contactless payments are up to 10 times faster than other in-person payment methods, enabling you to get in and out of stores faster.
Settle bills from the comforts of your home
For those used to paying your bills at the AXS machine, there’s no need to worry! You can settle your bills directly from your phone with banking apps or mobile apps such as AXS, wherever and whenever. You simply need to key in your Mastercard credit or debit card details on the app to handle bill payments, fines, top-ups and eServices – all from the comforts of your home and in double-quick time! Other apps such as DBS PayLah! OCBC Pay Anyone and POSB digibank can also be used to settle bills online.
Use your e-wallet if you’re out to tau-pau food
If you’re craving for some Char kway teow or Hokkien mee and are worried about handling cash at the hawker center, don’t forget to keep a lookout for the QR code on display at selected stalls. Then all you’ll need to do is scan the code using your preferred e-wallet to pay for your food! In the last two years, due to government initiatives to digitalize small businesses, many hawker center stalls and restaurants have this payment option available for customers.
Use digital banking services for peer-to-peer transfers
If you’re operating a micro-business at home and need to transfer money to your suppliers or receive payment from customers, you can easily do that with digital banking services such as PayNow or GrabPay to transfer money with your mobile phone. It’s a convenient way to transfer money without stepping out to visit a bank or ATM or having to come into contact with PIN pads.
Use online delivery services to send care packages
During this period, it’s important to stay connected while staying away from public places. Besides using various apps and platforms to make calls, have a video chat or stay connected, you can enhance a close connection by sending a gift from the comfort of your home. Care packages include home spa kits, flowers, cakes and many other goodies for your friends and family. Courier and logistics platforms such as GrabExpress offer door-to-door delivery with contactless payments that are fast, convenient and safe.
This article has been provided by Mastercard.
