Everywhere you look, new developments and changes are being made because of COVID-19. In order to minimize the risk of infection and ensure the safety of costumers, and in efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Amazon has decided temporarily pause cash payment. Along with Amazon, such companies like Flipkart, Net Med, Pharm Easy, and delivery firms such as 1MG have also stopped accepting cash payment.
If not cash, then what?
Cash payment has just disappeared from the list of payment methods. From now on when purchasing on Amazon you can only pay by using credit cards, debit cards, UPI or online wallets. This is why most of the Amazon’s vendor shipment services are suspended due to the global outbreak. Amazon has also doubled-up the shipment of household staples, and prioritized the shipping of the essential products which are most useful for the shoppers. However, all the shipments which were created before would be processed at Amazon’s Fulfilment Centers. Until things are back to normal, Amazon will not process new orders. How long this is going to last depends on how the pandemic progresses.
The goods prioritized by Amazon are as follows:
- Grocery
- Home Cleaning products
- Health Products
- Beauty and Personal Care
- Fitness Products
- Pet Products
Products outside of these categories cannot be sold until the end of pandemic.
Other businesses are also encouraging people to reduce cash payment and try to make cashless payments.
On Amazon’s website it is stated
that the “Pay on Delivery” option is deactivated on a temporarily basis.
Deliveries in select pin codes of select cities are also resumed by Amazon. The
biggest part of these deliveries might be delayed because of the restrictions
in movement.
What is No-contact Delivery?
This basically means the Amazon worker who delivers your order puts the order at your doorstep, instead of handing it over to you. It may sound silly, but it helps to minimize the spreading of the virus and it is something that most businesses are opting for, especially Amazon. It has recently been hit with criticism over not imposing stricter policies for protecting its workers.