New phone app takes the wait to pay out of shopping

A new phone app will make shopping more convenient and less onerous, by taking away the torturous wait at the payment counter. And what is even more 'cool' – you can make payment 'on the go' even as you try on the clothes in the fitting room.

With the 'InStore' app from online payment firm PayPal, shoppers can now purchase goods on the shop floor in less than 30 seconds.

Shop assistants carry portable scanners with them to read the barcodes on customers' goods wherever they are in store.

Users then enter a passcode in their PayPal app, which produces a unique barcode on the screen of the phone, which is then scanned by a shop assistant, to complete the sale. 

Also, customers need not wait for receipts either, as they are sent to a shopper's email. The app was launched at 230 branches of fashion stores Oasis, Warehouse, Coast and Karen Millen today and the payments are expected to be accepted at more stores later.

With the barcodes stored in the phone, the app can also be used to issue refunds.