Google on Thursday announced the availability of Google Pay SoundPod for small merchants across India over the coming months. The SoundPod is an audio device that helps merchants track QR code payments with audio alerts when a payment is received.
Announcing the SoundPod for SMBs, Ambarish Kenghe, VP- Product at Google Pay wrote that it reduces the reduces checkout time.
Google Pay SoundPod was introduced last year as pilot to compete against PhonePe’s and Paytm soundboxes.
The Google Pay SoundPod features a mini display and four buttons to control audio (up/down), power, and menu. The battery-powered soundbox can also be plugged in a power source to continue.
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The SMBs can order it from their Google Pay Business app for free but they will be charged as per two plans. ₹499 Rupees one-time fee, then ₹5 Rupees per day is deducted for 25 days in a month from your settlement account. Or, ₹1499 Rupees for one year (save ₹500 Rupees) is deducted from your settlement account.
To incentivise small businesses, Google will give₹125 guaranteed cashback when 400 payments are received in a month via GPay QR codes.
The payment settlement will be done on daily basis as well as on-demand. Businesses can link any bank account of their choice.
In January, Google also collaborated with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) to make UPI payments possible outside India and to facilitate the adoption of UPI-like frameworks in countries beyond India.
However, the U.S. version of Google Pay app will no longer be available for use from June 4, informed Google. It is shifting to Google Wallet which is used five times more than the Google Pay app in the U.S., it claims.
