Flipkart on Monday launched a contactless, QR-code based payment facility for all its pay-on-delivery shipments. Consumers who earlier opted for cash on delivery can now use this facility, scan the QR code attached to their purchase and make a digital payment for their order through any UPI app at the time of delivery, the company said in a statement.

"While the pandemic has urged several consumers to make a shift to online shopping, some trust deficit during checkout remains in pockets. With ‘pay-on-delivery' technology, we want to ensure that customers have peace of mind with their payments and at the same time can shop within the safety of their homes," said Ranjith Boyanapalli, Head, Fintech and Payments Group at Flipkart.

The number of UPI-based payments has witnessed a steady rise over the years. The pandemic has also accelerated the adoption of UPI payments, with 2.64 billion transactions recorded in April this year -- a 100 per cent increase over the previous year, according to data by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). 

The new QR-based payment facility by Flipkart is expected to further reinforce consumer trust in digital transactions, enhance consumer safety and contribute to an overall increase in the adoption of digital commerce. "The payment constructs and in-house fintech innovations of Flipkart are empowering new-to-internet customers and helping bring the next 200 million users to the platform," the company said. With a registered customer base of over 300 million, Flipkart is offering over 150 million products across more than 80 categories.