Paytm has just launched an integrated, multi-brand shopping app for iOS. Labelled Paytm Mall, the app works much the same as the Paytm App. Although the company claims to have over “65 million products” on the Paytm Mall app, it’s pretty much the standard Paytm app without the ability to recharge your phone/tv/etc.
Side-by-side comparison of Paytm app and the new Mall app. On the left is Paytm, on the right is Paytm Mall. As can be seen, they are virtually identical.
Gadgets360 reports —
The Paytm Mall consists of a plethora of brands including electronic item ones such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Oppo, Sony, HP, Lenovo, JBL, Philips; and clothing lineup brands such as Puma, Allen Solly, Lee, Pepe, Levi’s, Vero Moda, Van Heusen, Woodland, Catwalk, Sketchers, Red Tape, Crocs, and Fossil among others.
The app will, like any other e-commerce site, deliver your products to your home. Cash on delivery is only available for a few addresses. Of course, you can pay directly via your Paytm wallet. Other means of payment include Debit/Credit card, Net Banking, EMI, UPI, or RuPay/Maestro ATM cards. Obviously, you can’t pay using any of the other wallets such as Mobikwik or FreeCharge!
Speaking of the idea behind Paytm Mall, the COO of Paytm Mall, Amit Sinha said in an interview with NDTV:
“Our mission is to build the trusted shopping platform where consumers can buy genuine products and get them delivered from their neighbourhood brand authorized local retailer. We believe working with a million retailers is a much bigger purpose than creating one single, large online retailer. We invite shopkeepers and brands looking to build technology-integrated businesses to partner with us. We are on a mission to create India’s largest trusted retail ecosystem.”
The Paytm Mall app is an addition to an already overflowing set of options for e-commerce. What can be safely considered as the home arena of Amazon, is today flooded with a plethora of cheap knockoffs and under serviced apps. I have only looked at the app for now, and so far, it looks uninteresting at best and frustrating at best.
I am willing to grant its one-and-a-half star rating a benefit of the doubt, as the app has only recently launched. However, it’s hard to overlook why it doesn’t support TouchID or why it doesn’t come for iPad!