Online payment solutions provider SafeCharge has announced that it will now offer its Paylink technology for free to qualified merchants.

Paylink is device agnostic, PCI compliant, requires no integration and enables merchants to quickly trade safely and legally. SafeCharge offera fast onboarding to qualified merchants so they can start accepting payments within days.

How does it work? Paylink offers small business owners two options to initiate payments directly from SafeCharge’s Control Panel.

1. QR or Payment Link Generator. The merchant generates a QR code with a unique link through SafeCharge’s Control Panel and shares it with their customer. The link redirects the customer to a secure payments page where they can immediately pay. A notification is sent to the merchant in real time about the customers payment completion.

2. Payment Page (Virtual POS/Terminal). The merchant generates a secure payment page via SafeCharge’s Control Panel and completes the card details during a telephone call with the customer and places the order.

Furthermore, the merchant has real time access to all transaction information through the Control Panel.

SafeCharge stated that it believes that what began as a short-term trend in response to a public health crisis will in fact continue long into the future as a result of consumers becoming used to the convenience of such innovative, contactless payment methods.

SafeCharge said that it is proud to offer this practical yet innovative solution during a time of crisis and continues to support our merchants during the good times and bad.

The company noted that COVID-19 is unquestionably changing the existing business environment, and perhaps also the future of how it does business. Social distancing and lock downs globally have led to supply chain issues and many businesses at all points in the chain are vulnerable. Small brick-and-mortar businesses and sole traders are amongst the most at risk, particularly those without an online presence.

The majority of SafeCharge’s clients are e-commerce merchants, such as online retail, games, and non-contact business models; they are best-placed to adapt and thrive as a result of the crisis. Nevertheless, the company recognised the current economic landscape and said it felt morally obligated to help small, traditional business and service providers struggling to survive, particularly those who provide essentials to their communities, such as local manufacturers, farmers, suppliers, restaurants and wholesalers.

SafeCharge said it is is in a perfect position to support these local suppliers and sole traders. In collaboration with Visa it is offering a new initiative: SafeCharge Local. Merchants without a website can now accept payments using SafeCharge Paylink, thus providing an alternative digital revenue stream to facilitate payments.