Minimized user wallet input method for webstore and walk-in store transactions
Today I was thinking about how I would want to setup a simplified store checkout that would receive payment from a stellar wallet. like maybe a websocket to the store to perform the needed handshakes to complete a purchase transaction. I'm trying to think of a minimal user input method to pay an online or walk in store. I guess after you have all your items picked out and are ready to pay, the store can ask for your public address. with that the store can send you the presigned tx envelope that you can sign and submit with your wallet. This is all easy with URL links with a web wallet but what if your using say an android or other device in a web store or walkin store, how do you send and receive this info?
Maybe the store at checkout time generates a qr-code that contains a URL and port address for a websocket that also contains a random token to point at this transaction. with this qr-code the wallet sets up a websocket bidirectional coms link. the first thing the wallet then sends is it's public address and the token provided by the store in the qr-code. the store then takes this info and creates the needed transaction to make payment for the items. it then sends back over the websocket the unsigned tx to the wallet. the customer can then analize the payment tx and choose to sign or not sign to authorize the payment and submit it. the webstore or walk in store detects payment and your done. (edited) sacarlson
We can skip the websocket if we just get the customer to manually send his public address with federation lookup to shorten it. then maybe the store can just generate the tx envelope in qr-code that the android reads, analyse,signs and submits. but typing your public address manually on an android is not always an easy thing to do. Also we might begin to see problems with trying to put longer tx transactions into a qr-code to start with. (edited) sacarlson
Before I start this I want to hear some other possible solutions for minimal customer input for a store payment. maybe this tx envelope idea isn't worth the trouble. sacarlson
I'm looking at the walmart solution that sounds like it works much the same way or at least as viewed by a users perspective http://news.walmart.com/news-archive/2015/12/10/walmart-introduces-walmart-pay name Walmart Introduces Walmart Pay (498KB) (edited)
1. Open: Visit any register, open the Walmart app and choose Walmart Pay. Activate the camera.
2. Scan: At any time during checkout, simply scan the code displayed at the register. Walmart Pay is now connected.
3. Done: Associate scans and bags the items… and it’s done. An eReceipt will be sent to the app and can be viewed at any time.
I also noted in the walmart article above “Twenty two million customers actively use the Walmart app each month and it ranks among the top three retail apps in the Google and Apple app stores.” so from that I guess people are ready for this type of user interface.
