PayPal has launched a new peer-to-peer payments service called PayPal.Me targeted at the instant messaging generation.
PayPal lets users create custom user links – such as PayPal.Me/digital – so users can send a personalised link to friends to request payment.
The links generate simple payment forms, so users don’t need to share intimate account details.
The links can also be sent through all manner of social and instant messaging services, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, text and email.
It’s easy to request specific sums, for example adding a ‘/20’ suffix to a will auto-generate the desired amount (£20) in the form.
“PayPal.Me makes requesting money from groups of friends, family and colleagues suddenly so much easier and faster. Rather than following up individually, you can email your PayPal.Me link to co-workers to chip in for an engagement present for another co-worker. Or stop asking each of your fellow bridesmaids for bachelorette party payments and just send a group text message with your PayPal.Me link,” said the company’s post.
The PayPal.Me service for now is available in 18 countries – the US, UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, Russia, Turkey, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria.
The company, according to its recent survey, said that “adults worldwide are owed more than $51 billion in IOUs (unpaid, small debts) from friends and family[…]These billions of dollars go unclaimed simply because people hate spending the time to chase down debts, and have those awkward face-to-face conversations. That same study found that over 50 percent of Americans find it awkward to ask their friends or family to pay them back. But PayPal.Me changes everything about getting paid back.”