Amazon Introduces PayPhrase Shortcut

Online retail giant Amazon offers customers a quicker, yet no less secure, way to pay with the "Payphrase" shortcut service.

Amazon Payments, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, introduced PayPhrase, a shortcut for paying on Amazon and other websites. The service allows online shoppers to choose a customized phrase, Amazon provides "Knick Knack" as one potential example, and then enter that phrase along with a PIN to preview their order and complete their purchase. The company said PayPhrase was deigned to help Amazon.com customers to checkout across the web with their preferred payment and shipping methods stored at Amazon.com, but without having to share payment information with multiple websites. All websites accepting Checkout by Amazon, including clothing retailers like DKNY and Patagonia as well as online shopping sites like Buy.com, J&R Electronics, and Car Toys, will be offering PayPhrase as a checkout option.

Customers on Amazon.com find the item they want, type their PayPhrase into the PayPhrase button on the product's page, and click to preview the total cost of their order, including shipping and tax. By using the service there is no "Add to cart" or "Proceed to checkout" sign in, or need to type in credit card information. With participating websites that accept Amazon PayPhrase, Amazon.com customers do not need to register or create a new account in order to make a purchase.

"PayPhrase solves the headache of trying to keep track of all the different usernames and passwords people use to shop on various sites across the web. With PayPhrase all you need is one phrase and one PIN to pay online," said Matt Williams, general manager of Amazon PayPhrase. "We think customers will enjoy the simplicity that Amazon PayPhrase offers, and we hope they'll have some fun choosing their own personal phrases."

The company is also touting the service as a way to help curb online spending by minors. By creating a PayPhrase for their teenager or student away at college, parents can set monthly spending limits and monitor or approve purchases. "Amazon PayPhrase also makes it easy for parents to set up an online allowance and monitor their teens' purchases," read a company release. "With PayPhrase, parents have the flexibility to preview every order placed, including the ability to approve or decline each order via e-mail or mobile phone text alerts."

Merchants can accept PayPhrase orders immediately by using Checkout by Amazon, which automatically supports PayPhrase. The company said by offering PayPhrase, merchants can benefit from the familiar Amazon.com checkout experience. PayPhrase is available through all Checkout by Amazon merchant websites starting immediately, and on additional websites as new merchants join Checkout by Amazon.