American Express Introduces Checkout, Includes Stripe Tie-In
American Express launched a checkout service to rival PayPal today.
Buy buttons are a hotly contested space, with Google, Amazon, Visa, Venmo, and MasterCard, among others, jockeying for space on checkout pages. American Express’s option is somewhat different — a result of watching and learning, according to the company.
For one thing, users will only be able to use their Amex cards to complete the purchase, rather than choosing from among the cards in their wallet. Another significant difference is that Amex will pass along customer information to the merchant, if the customer give permission. This should sweeten the deal for merchants, who are not always Amex’s greatest boosters.
The service incorporates Stripe for small businesses, so that web businesses that incorporate the Stripe service can also offer American Express Checkout.
The service will be promoted with a $10 credit toward the first purchase, American Express said.
Amex also updated its mobile apps for both iOS and Android this week, adding alert functionality and a refreshed design.
