For many Amazon Pay users in India, a convenient and cost-saving payment option is coming to an end. Amazon recently announced that it will no longer allow users to combine their Amazon Pay Wallet balance with other payment methods (credit cards, UPIs, etc.) for a single transaction.
A Popular Strategy for Savings
Previously, users could leverage this “partial payment” feature to their advantage. Here’s how it worked: Let’s say you have a high-value transaction of ₹25,000. You could utilize your Amazon Pay balance (say, ₹5,000) to benefit from cashback offers associated with the “Amazon Pay Gift Card Wallet” and your “Amazon ICICI Card.” Additionally, you could leverage a bank offer providing a 10% discount of up to ₹2,000 on a minimum transaction of ₹10,000.
By strategically splitting the payment, you could maximize your savings. In this scenario, you’d pay ₹5,000 using your Amazon Pay balance, ₹20,000 via your bank card, and ultimately save ₹2,000 (bank discount) + ₹250 (5% cashback)—a significant advantage, especially for larger transactions.
The Discontinuation and Its Impact
Unfortunately, this strategic partial payment option is no longer available for most users. Amazon has already phased it out for select users in the past few months, and a complete shutdown is imminent in the coming weeks.
This change primarily affects users who used the partial payment feature to save on recurring bills and utility payments. Now, you’ll need to ensure your Amazon Pay balance fully covers the transaction amount. If not, you’ll have to add money to your wallet before proceeding. This adds an extra step to the payment process, especially considering that payment sessions on merchant websites often have a short time limit.
Convenience vs. Savings
While the partial payment option offered clear benefits for budget-conscious users, it likely presented complexities for Amazon’s payment processing system. The company may be prioritizing a smoother and more streamlined user experience, even if it comes at the cost of reduced flexibility for some users.
Looking Ahead
The discontinuation of partial payment functionalities might prompt users to re-evaluate their payment strategies on Amazon and other platforms. It’s crucial to stay updated on available offers and explore alternative options to optimize your savings.
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