“Illegal Tender”!

Yes, that’s what Rs.500/1000 currencies turned out to be in a matter of hours. Who thought even after having some notes stacked up to sustain long enough, we would look around in panic to get over this “cash full” yet hapless situation? May be this is why we need a paperless life!

Yes, we are talking about the recent announcement by the government to scrap Rs.500 and 1000 currencies to curb hoarding of black money. This post is not about the significance or usefulness of this step. Rather, we would focus on the benefits of cashless transactions to stay unfazed even amid currency shortage.

When You Need the Cash Most?
The answer is simple; you need cash when you buy something, be it stockpiling essential grocery items, clothing, or electronics, cash is a major mode of all these transactions. If you visit your nearest grocery store and buy some items, you would probably pay by cash. On the other hand, if you order something online, you may prefer cash on delivery (COD) where you keep the amount ready with you or your family to pay off when the order arrives. You surely get the benefit of home delivery by paying cash; however, did you think about its flipsides?
Amid the buzz of demonetization when Rs.500/1000 currencies became just pieces of paper, people accustomed to cash transactions put their shopping plans on the backburner for some time. You need not take such a drastic step. By using a debit or credit card you can do all the required shopping without having to shell out physical currency. That’s where digital transactions prove to be handy.

Move Over COD and Embrace Cashless COD
Ordering an item and the long wait for the delivery personnel is painstaking. On top of it, you need to have ready cash with you or leave it with your family to pay off and receive the package. Instead, you can opt for Card Swipe on Delivery or CSOD mode of payment.

The CSOD ensures faster COD settlement. How? Well, you make payment much quicker just by swiping your debit or credit card. One of the most convenient places to use Cashless COD is automated parcel terminals. For instance, all of the Smartbox parcel terminals are equipped with the secure CSOD facility where you can use all major debit and credit cards. Smartbox is India’s first integrated network of automated parcel lockers, and provides delivery solutions to reputable e-commerce and omnichannel companies. To make payments at these terminals, all you need to do is swipe your card and enter your pin. It is as easy as using an ATM machine. With this self-service payment capability, you can eliminate the hassles of arranging the exact amount of cash or waiting for balance to be returned.

CSOD is a key transaction method when it comes to online retailing. This mode of payment offers great convenience to online shoppers by reducing the headache of handling cash. You can now easily do online shopping without having to opt for COD, and pay for your parcels through card swiping in a secured environment. This is a win-win situation for both consumers in terms of transactional convenience; and for eTailers as CSOD/Cashless COD keeps their logistics cost to minimum and there are zero missed deliveries.

CSOD – A Smart Integration by Smartbox
The “last mile” delivery has been a persistent problem for e-commerce companies. Smartbox has eliminated this issue from the equation by bringing up automated parcel lockers.

Moreover, the integration of these lockers in the supply chain ensures excellent consumer experience by accepting deliveries and making cash-on-delivery (COD) cashless. Smartbox terminals are like automated machines, and work like ATMs or lockers. If you buy something online, you don’t have to co-ordinate with a courier person to accept your delivery anymore. This resolves the issue of delivery instances when you are not at home. All you have to do is select the ‘Smartbox’ option when checking out online. Subsequently, your order will be delivered to your chosen Smartbox terminal and you can it pick it up as per your convenience.

Smartbox is installing approximately 125 automated parcel delivery terminals across the Delhi/NCR region including major metro stations, apartments, community centres, and colonies. Online shoppers can select any of these terminals and pick up their parcels by swiping any major credit or debit card to make an instant payment. To learn more about smart parcel lockers, you can check https://smartbox.in/.