This story was delivered to BI Intelligence "Payments Briefing" subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here. Microsoft has begun testing the Payment Request API, a developer solution for easier in-browser payments, in its Microsoft Edge web browser, according to a company blog post. Right now, the company has put the API into preview builds, with more definitive support and implementation on the horizon for next year. The move could make it easier for developers to allow Windows 10 users across devices to make e-commerce payments through Microsoft Wallet. The API helps solve pain points associated with digital buying. It’s challenging for customers to buy in-browser, especially on mobile phones, thanks to pain points associated with smaller screens and slow connections. That’s because consumers are often unwilling to go through complex checkout processes on these screens — 46% of cart abandonments occur at the payment stage, and others happen at address entry points or checkout login. Payment Request API, which was developed by a consortium, helps solve those problems, by using information that users have already entered into mobile wallets to fill checkout information feeds, which could ultimately lead to better conversions and higher sales. And because it’s an API, it can build a consistent experience across websites, which pleases both consumers and merchants alike. That could push more users to adopt Microsoft Wallet, ultimately making it a more competitive product in the ecosystem. Time will tell if this API ultimately helps alleviate pain points and improve the user experience while shopping. BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on shopping cart abandonment that explains what leads a shopper to abandon an online purchase and how retailers can begin to combat rising shopping cart abandonment rates. The report collects and analyzes data from top e-commerce companies, as well as thoughts from industry experts whose job it is to reduce abandonment rates and boost conversions, to come up with a number of solutions that can help retailers recover lost sales. Here are some key points from the report: In full, the report: To get your copy of this invaluable guide, choose one of these options: The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of why consumers are abandoning their carts.
Microsoft Wallet has commenced trials of its Payment Request API technology designed to make in-browser payments easier with Microsoft . The Microsoft Wallet has been put into preview builds, with further support and full implementation planned in future. The technology could help developers enable e-commerce payments through Microsoft Edge web browser in Windows 10 . Complex checkout systems put customers off paying, but Microsoft aims to make the process easier with Microsoft Edge automatically filling in data from mobile wallets. It is hoped that the API will encourage Microsoft Wallet adoption and browser shopping on desktop.