Contactless Payments

A faster, safer way for customers to pay

Overview

Benefits

How it Works

Tools

Touchless Options

Resources

Overview

84% of merchants agree that using contactless is safer for personal health than using cash, swiping a card or inserting a chip card.*

Contactless payments—where customers simply hover their card, smart watch or mobile device over the card reader until they get the ok—are not only a faster way to pay, they keep the checkout process cleaner by reducing exposure to health risks for both customers and employees. It’s one quick tap.

It’s safer, easier and keeps transactions secure.

Benefits

How do touchless, tap-and-go payments improve the checkout experience?

Fast

Tap-to-pay takes less time than exchanging cash or swiping/inserting a card. So transactions are quicker and interactions are shorter.

Safe

No signatures, no touching the terminal, and less time spent between customer and cashier.

Secure

Protected by proven encryption, contactless payments are as secure as chip technology.

Promotes Choice

Customers can pay the way they want—with a contactless card or their mobile wallet.

How it Works

Here’s what customers do:

Here’s what you do:

See the Business Owner Guide in the tools section below to help ensure a cleaner payments environment for your business.

Tools to help you get started.

Contactless Education—Cashier and Business Owner Guide

Frequently Asked Questions: Contactless

Cleaner Payments Webinar

Touchless options: Give your customers what they want

Tips and guidance for creating a safe and touch-free customer experience

Your customers are looking for a safe and easy buying experience. By implementing an end-to-end touch-free strategy for your business, you can put your customers and your staff more at ease. Here's how:

Implement acceptance of touchless payment options, such as contactless, digital wallets, QR codes and/or Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) to give customers the flexibility to choose how they want to pay.

Explore other options, such as online and in-app purchases, payment kiosks, in-store and curbside delivery and touch-free loyalty programs to take touchless beyond the register.

How it works

See an example* of a successful end-to-end touchless strategy

Juan, Coffee Shop Owner

Juan serves a variety of customers with unique needs. Some like to spend time working or reading in his shop and others want to just pick up their morning latte and be on their way. He also operates a food truck, which he brings to local events. To meet the unique needs and comfort level of all his customers, he implemented a touch-free strategy that includes:

Upgrading to a contactless terminal to allow customers to tap their contactless Cards or wave their mobile phones or wearable devices with digital wallets.
Implementing QR Codes® to offer another seamless touch-free payment option from his food truck.
Enabling Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) and Software Point of Sale (SoftPOS) to process touch-free sales on the road using his mobile device.
Offering in-app and online purchases and in-store pickup.
Implementing a customer loyalty program with “perks” to keep customers coming back.

*Illustrative example only; results may vary.

Business outcomes:

Give customers more ways to pay and shop

Help promote a safer touchless environment

Process sales more efficiently

Make checkout faster and easier

Build customer loyalty

Meet customers where they are

Download our free Touchless Payment Strategy Guide to learn more about the above solutions and how to implement them in your business.

Take the convenience and safety of touchless beyond the register

American Express is committed to helping you create an experience that works for you and your customers. To learn more about how to build a holistic touchless payment environment in your industry, check out these helpful resources. Or, contact your American Express Representative.

Restaurant industry

tips for a touchless payment environment

Download the PDF

Healthcare industry

tips for a touchless payment environment

Download the PDF

Retail industry

tips for a touchless payment environment

Download the PDF

Additional Resources

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*The Amex 2020 Digital Payments Trendex survey was conducted online among a sample of 400 business leaders in the U.S. who have responsibility for making decisions regarding customer payment options, IT/data security, or online sales strategy and planning. The sample for the study came from an online panel. Fieldwork was conducted between July 30-August 7, 2020.

² You are not required to collect American Express Card Member signatures on any card-present transactions. You will not be held liable for fraud chargebacks for not having a signature on card-present transactions, and signed receipts are no longer required as supporting documentation for disputes.