How to accept Alipay+ and WeChat Pay in your physical store?

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Digital payments become the norm, are you ready to meet customer expectations?

Alipay+ and WeChat Pay are the preferred payment methods for Chinese consumers, both locally and abroad.

Accepting these platforms is essential for merchants looking to attract Chinese tourists and expatriates.

In 2024, China’s outbound travel rebounded, with Europe as a top destination. Chinese tourists spent billions, favoring mobile payments over credit cards. 

Now it’s the ideal time to integrate Alipay and WeChat Pay in your store! And we will show you how to do that step by step in this article.

Tip💡: Merchants integrating Alipay+ and WeChat Pay will be able to potentially reach more than 1 billion mobile payment users and will be well positioned to capture this high-spending market.

This article defines Alipay+ and WeChat Pay before explaining how they help merchants attract customers from all over Asia. We will also explain different cost-effective options merchants can integrate Alipay and WeChat Pay through in their physical store: POS terminals, Silkpay App, and printed QR codes.

Understanding Alipay+ and WeChat Pay

What is Alipay+?

Alipay+ is a system created by Ant group that allows merchants to accept all major Asian e-wallets in one solution. 

To put it simply, if you integrate Alipay+ as a payment method in your store, you will be able to automatically accept more than 16 Asian e-wallets such as Alipay from China, KakaoPay, Naver Pay from South Korea, Boost from Malaysia, GrabPay from Singapore and many more.

The main goal is that merchants will not need to integrate each payment method apart. And the most advantageous part is that this is at no additional cost for merchants. 

Tip💡: Merchants who open an account with Silkpay will be able to benefit from the best rate in the market. Additionally, with Silkpay, merchants can benefit from all Alipay+ advantages and get access to 16+ payment methods at the same rate as Alipay. 

If you are an existing merchant, all you need to do is contact your account Manager and request Alipay+ integration. 

If you are a new merchant, open an account and choose Alipay+ in the payment methods.

What is WeChat Pay? 

WeChat Pay, embedded within the WeChat super-app, allows over 1.2 billion active users to make payments while interacting with brands and businesses. 

Unlike Alipay, WeChat Pay operates within China’s most popular social media platform, so that makes itself a powerful tool for customer engagement and marketing.

You can accept QR code payments, in-app transactions, and mini-program purchases, these functions makes WeChat Pay ideal for social commerce and brand interaction.

What is the difference between Alipay and WeChat Pay

While both platforms lead China’s payment ecosystem, they cater to different business needs. 

Alipay+ is great for cross-border transactions, as it supports 16+ e-wallets, making it ideal for stores with many foreign customers.

WeChat Pay gives you access to a 1 billion customer base and focuses on social engagement, which helps brands connect with customers through mini-programs, official accounts, and in-app promotions.

Tip💡:For merchants, your choice depends on your strategy:

Alipay suits retailers targeting a broad Asian market, while WeChat Pay is best for brands targeting Chinese customers.. 

Regardless of the platform, Silkpay provides merchants with smooth integration, allowing them to accept both at the most competitive rate.

How to integrate Alipay and WeChat Pay with Silkpay?

POS machine integration

For merchants looking for an in-store payment solution, Silkpay offers the latest model and the most performant POS terminal:The Pax a920 pro that supports both QR code scanning and contactless payments.

Our PAX a920 Pro payment solution  allows you to receive Alipay+, WeChat Pay, and other major payment methods such as Visa Mastercard and UnionPay.

It’s ideal for retail stores, restaurants, service providers, businesses on the move no matter what is the size of the business. 

With Pax a920 pro, you can start accepting anywhere and everywhere.

QR code payments

Silkpay also enables merchants to receive Alipay and WeChat Pay QR code payments via a printed QR code.. 

We provide merchants with a printed QR code that customers can scan using their mobile wallets at the checkout counter to complete the payment. 

For this solution of Alipay and WeChat Pay integration in-store, we offer:  

An Alipay or a WeChat pay static QR code: It is a printed QR code that merchants can put at the checkout counter and ask your customers to scan it. 

Tip💡: Your customer needs to open their Alipay or WeChat Pay app and scan the printed QR code, type the transaction amount, and validate the payment. The transaction is then successful! 

Note💡: This is the lowest cost solution and the easiest to implement.

Silkpay App

Through the Silkpay app, merchants can easily accept Alipay+ and WeChat Pay through the Silkpay App. Additionally, merchants can also generate and send secure payment links to their clients.

Merchants can download the Silkpay app and use only their smartphone to accept in-store payments. 

The app supports multiple payment methods, including Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay Yunshanfu. 

Tip 💡: The merchant opens Silkpay App, types the transaction amount, choose the e-wallet (Alipay+, WeChat Pay or Unionpay Yunshanfu). Then the merchant chooses to scan the customer’s QR code or to generate a QR code for the customer to scan. After scanning the code, the payment is successfully completed.

On the other hand, merchants can create payment links via the Silkpay app and send them to their customers via email, sms or social media. Customers can then pay via Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard or IDEAL.

FAQ about Silkpay app

+ Where can I download the Silkpay app?

App store / Google play 

+ What can I do in the Silkpay app?

With a user-friendly interface, you can accept Alipay+, WeChat Pay, UnionPay QR and Paybylink payments. You can also manage accounts, view transaction history, and make refunds.

+ In what languages the app is available?

The app offers multiple language options, so you can choose your preferred language or display the payment interface in different languages for customers.

+ Do I need to have an account at Silkpay to accept payments through the app?

Yes, after opening an account at Silkpay, our team will provide you with your login details to start accepting payments through the app.

Faster transactions for good shopping experiences

Speed and efficiency are critical for Chinese customers. 

Unlike traditional card transactions, Alipay+ and WeChat Pay allow customers to complete payments instantly by scanning a QR code. 

This eliminates unnecessary delays at checkout, wait times and helps you to serve more customers in a shorter period. 

The convenience of an efficient payment process improves the overall shopping experience, leading to greater customer satisfaction and potential repeat visits.

Secure transactions with advanced technology

The fraud detection systems of Alipay+ and WeChat Pay ensure a nearly nonexistent fraud rate. 

Nowadays, security is a major concern in digital transactions.

Both Alipay+ and WeChat Pay have established themselves as two of the most secure payment solutions in the world, so they can provide merchants and customers with confidence in every transaction. 

Both platforms support QR code scanning and biometric authentication, like facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, to improve security and ease of use.

These advanced security features reduce fraud risks and protect you from chargebacks and unauthorized transactions.

Customer spending growth

Offering familiar payment options helps customers complete purchases instead of abandoning their carts.

Studies show that accepting Alipay+ and WeChat Pay increases customer spending per transaction.

These trusted platforms make payments easy, reducing hesitation and encouraging larger purchases.

Customer retention and loyalty building

Beyond just facilitating transactions, receiving Alipay+ and WeChat Pay helps merchants build long-term customer relationships. 

These platforms are a key part of users' daily lives.

Merchants that accept them can engage customers through promotions, personalized offers, and loyalty programs.

Features such as cashback rewards, and exclusive member benefits make customers more likely to return, and this will foster a strong sense of brand loyalty. 

By integrating Alipay and WeChat Pay, businesses can retain valuable customers and create a more engaging shopping experience.

Conclusion

Digital payments take over consumer transactions.

It’s a must adapt to meet customer expectations, especially for consumers who rely on mobile payments.

Alipay+ and WeChat Pay have become the preferred payment methods for millions of Chinese users, both at home and abroad. 

By receiving Alipay+ and WeChat Pay, you can attract more Chinese customers, provide faster and more secure transactions, and ultimately increase sales.

With Silkpay, you can receive Alipay+ and WeChat Pay through POS terminals, Silkpay app, and QR code payments. 

And you will have a smooth and cost-effective payment integration. 

Our solutions not only simplify the payment process but also offer you an easy way to enhance customer satisfaction and build long-term loyalty.

Get started with Silkpay today and receive the full potential of Alipay+ and WeChat Pay for your business!

About the author: Silkpay

Based in Paris, Silkpay provides omnichannel and secure payment solutions to help physical stores and e-commerce in Europe and the Americas accept more than 30 of the world's most popular payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, CB, UnionPay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay as well as Asia-Pacific’s major e-wallets.

Silkpay is a winner of the LVMH Innovation Award. The company was also selected as a finalist for the "Money 20/20" Best Startup and in the "MPE Berlin” Startup Awards. Silkpay also won the "Best Fintech" awards from Capgemini and BPCE.

Silkpay helps merchants deliver the smoothest payment experience to their customers. We are a talented and international team driven by a single goal: to improve the customer experience and make payments simple and secure.