After beating the competition in mobile payments and successful entry in e-commerce segment, now Paytm is working to enter in the instant messaging segment with a new chat option.
Paytm already has 230 million users and this chat app aims these users to have a platform for communication. Paytm will automatically bring all payment users to messaging app and help business contact users easily.
There will be no separate app for now and it will be rolled out as a section on existing Paytm app. Like WhatsApp, it will also work on the Phone number.
Paytm got an idea of rolling out instant messaging from WeChat. WeChat came as an instant messaging app but also became a popular payment service in China. If WeChat can do both payments and messaging, Paytm thinks it can also do the same. It is worth to note that WeChat is backed by Tencent that is competing with Alibaba in China. Alibaba backs Paytm in India.
WhatsApp is also preparing to bring mobile payments service by the end of this year. Paytm’s new announcement can also be seen as a preparation to counter WhatsApp and retain its customers.
In past, Paytm tried a messaging option in its shopping on where buyers could negotiate with sellers. Flipkart also failed with its in-app chat service called Ping.
Now Paytm is aiming big with its new messaging option. Paytm claims that the Messenger service would help connect its ecosystem of sellers and consumers and will also build a larger ecosystem for its users. I am not sure how exactly they are planning, but it should be simple by keeping the users’ privacy in mind.
What do you guys think about Paytm’s upcoming messaging service? Are you excited? Let us know your views in the comments.
