<strong>By: Ozow</strong>

<h2><strong>Payment company Ozow is the first to offer zero processing fees</strong></h2>

Payment company Ozow Secure Payments (Ozow) launched 4 April, becoming the first local payment processor to offer zero processing fees to emerging businesses, NGOs, and NPOs accepting automated electronic transfers (EFTs) for payments or donations through its gateway.

Start-ups, youth-run businesses and SMMEs of all kinds processing under R1 million in online transactions monthly can enjoy zero processing fees for the first 12 months, enabling them to be part of the digital economy by providing a world-class online payment option to consumers. All qualifying charitable organisations will also enjoy zero transaction fees for as long as they accept payments through Ozow.

Ozow, formerly known as i-Pay, believes that igniting free access to payment mechanism in South Africa benefits business owners and consumers alike, ultimately contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

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“By zero-rating the costs of accepting this form of payment, we are presenting more entrepreneurs the option of establishing their own businesses, which means more opportunity for financial autonomy, job creation, a competitive retail environment, consumer choice and an entrepreneurial, diverse economy,” says Ozow CEO, Thomas Pays.

Industry researcher World Wide Worx forecasts that between 2018 and 2020, local online retail sales will <a href="https://onlineretail.co.za/docs/Online Retail in South Africa 2019 By World Wide Worx with Platinum Seed and Visa.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onlineretail.co.za/docs/Online%2520Retail%2520in%2520South%2520Africa%25202019%2520By%2520World%2520Wide%2520Worx%2520with%2520Platinum%2520Seed%2520and%2520Visa.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1554532619398000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHXmLuiPrIGM8h7f3y7lMB4dixZjw">more than double from sales tracked in 2016</a>, reaching almost R20-billion. Already online retail is projected at about 1.4% of total retail in South Africa, based on an estimated R1-trillion spent via traditional channels in 2018.

The company’s exponential growth in the value and count of transactions processed from 2017 to 2018 alone reaffirms this, with respectively 85% in value and 132% in count increases recorded.

“There are many reasons why an online store is the smartest option for emerging business owners whether they sell products and services, such as allowing customers to shop 24/7 and the ability to analyse the purchase funnel,” he says. “Eliminating the initial capital outlay for retail premises also substantially reduces the costs and potential risks for a start-up business.”

“Attracting as many potential customers as possible to an online store or physical store is critical, and our research confirms that the selection of payment choices has a marked impact on retailers’ completed sales. Any merchant offering alternative payment option such as automated EFT payments opens themselves up to more potential customers, it’s that simple,” Pays’ says.

Payment by Ozow automated EFT is available to anyone with access to online banking. Online or in person purchases can be completed with credit, savings, or cheque accounts, even with access bond accounts if that is the consumer’s or business’s preference.

Pays points out that while lengthy card details can be difficult to recall, online banking logins are usually top-of-mind. This makes automated EFT an easier, faster, and trusted payment option for online shoppers.

Ozow’s launch comes with the release of a new, enhanced payment flow that emphasises user experience, and enhanced security.

“An intuitive, well-designed payments page with prominent security information reassures consumers and increases merchant credibility. The result is fewer abandoned carts for the merchant, and more comfort with shopping generally which benefits all retailers,” says Pays.

Pays’ anticipates that merchants and consumers will increasingly recognise the advantages of automated EFT payments.

During last year’s Black Friday sales, for example, one South Africa’s largest online retailer <a href="https://www.htxt.co.za/2018/11/23/takealot-disables-credit-card-payments-on-black-friday-2018/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.htxt.co.za/2018/11/23/takealot-disables-credit-card-payments-on-black-friday-2018/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1554532619398000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHZ96WwNfn44mdveYDJPs2G-VW9tg">encouraged consumers to use alternative payment methods such as EFT</a> to maintain service.

“EFTs are reliable, quick, and completely trusted and secure,” he says. “Our merchants have reported that consumers are embracing them over more traditional methods such as credit or debit cards, particularly during busy shopping periods.”

In its almost five years of operation, the company has invested considerably in technology and system enhancements, building a hyper-available platform that boasts the ability to process thousands of transactions concurrently with negligible downtime and no reported incidences of fraud to date.

Commenting on the shift from i-Pay to Ozow, Pays says that the company’s ambitions of expanding into Africa prompted the rebrand.

“We established that competitors with the same name already trade in some countries we wish to enter. We’re taking years of industry-leading experience, innovation and technology into Africa and so we required a unique, distinctive identity to match,” he says.

Ozow is already available in Namibia, with plans to expand to Mauritius and Ghana by the end of 2019, and additional countries including Nigeria and Kenya in 2020. Pays says that the change marks a pinnacle in the company’s journey and its readiness to meet the challenges of the future.

“As technology and the digital economy evolves, we need to keep leading innovation,” says Pays. “We look forward to sharing new services and innovations with local and African merchants and consumers, sustaining the reputation of our world-class, inclusive instant payment solution.”