The age of voice payments has arrived, Paysafe

57% of shoppers would use voice-activated technology, such as Amazon’s Alexa, to pay for low-value goods and services, according to research by Paysafe.

The company surveyed 6,197 people from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Austria and Bulgaria. It also found that one in ten have used voice to confirm their identity when purchasing goods online. 53% believe that doing so is quicker and more convenient than traditional payment methods. 62% further said that a greater choice of verification methods, such as voice and fingerprint, make them feel more secure about making payments online. Although 81% still feel most comfortable if a password is included in the process.

Consumers are, however, still in two minds about making larger purchases. For example, only 18% would be happy to pay for a vacation or book flights using voice recognition. From a security perspective, 37% trust that their financial information is secure when using voice activated technology and 45% said they don’t want companies having access to their personal biometric details.

Danny Chazonoff, COO, Paysafe Group, says: “The age of voice has well and truly arrived with the advent of affordable and highly functional smart speakers in the home. As consumers become more comfortable using voice to access services and control their home, it’s only a matter of time before ordering goods and making payments by voice enters the mainstream both via smart devices and mobile.”

“Understandably with a nascent tech like voice activation, consumers are still apprehensive about security. Our research indicates that consumers are likely to start experimenting with low-value shopping and services, but this will inevitably change as people become more comfortable using voice. Once a user base is established, it can take a couple of years before we see a rapid increase in usage.”