No credit card, no debit card? No problem, says Amazon

Amazon has launched a new way for customers to shop its site without using a bank card or credit card.

Called Amazon Cash, the service allows consumers to add cash to their Amazon.com balance by showing a barcode at a participating brick-and-mortar store, with the cash then applied immediately to the consumer’s  online Amazon account. Notably, Walmart already offers a similar type of service for customers without a credit or debit card, as does PayPal.

The initial retail partners for the service are CVS Pharmacy, Speedway, Sheetz, Kum & Go, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare Supermarkets, and VG’s Grocery. Other stores will be added in the future, according to Amazon.

Prior to Amazon Cash, which has no fee, consumers who wanted to shop on Amazon without a bank or debit card  had to  buy gift cards or prepaid debit cards.



To use the service, customers show their barcode to the store cashier, and tell them how much cash they want to apply to their Amazon account. The cashier then scans the barcode and the customer pays with their cash.