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How to Accept Customer Payments When UPI Is Unavailable at Checkout

When UPI is unavailable, offer only alternatives enabled for the sales channel. Learn what to check for online orders, in-person sales, fees and uncertain payment status.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
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If UPI is unavailable, offer another payment method that is already enabled for the checkout: commonly a credit card, debit card, bank-account payment or supported wallet for online orders. For eligible deliveries, cash on delivery (COD) may also be an option. For a physical sale, check the store’s actual terminal or acceptance setup; an online alternative does not automatically work in person.

First, identify where the payment is failing

Online checkout and in-person sales use different acceptance arrangements. Before suggesting a workaround, check which payment methods are active for that specific channel. Do not promise a card, wallet or other option unless it appears in the merchant’s checkout or is supported by the point-of-sale setup.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) describes credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, wallets and UPI as possible means of payment in online transactions. Which ones a customer can use depends on the merchant’s provider and account configuration. RBI’s report on payment intermediaries also describes gateways and aggregators as services that can help merchants accept different instruments and connect with acquirers.

For an online checkout, offer an enabled alternative

Check cards, bank-account payments and wallets

Show only payment options currently supported by the checkout and provider. If the option the customer wants is unavailable, explain how to select an enabled alternative and where to retry. If several payment methods are needed, ask the acquiring bank or payment gateway/aggregator which instruments are enabled for the merchant’s account and what configuration or integration changes are required.

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Confirm the first attempt before asking the customer to pay again

A failed or delayed checkout screen does not by itself establish whether a UPI payment succeeded. NPCI’s UPI FAQ says customers should see a successful transaction in the app and receive a bank SMS. If confirmation is missing, its guidance is to contact the customer’s bank if the issue remains unresolved. Give the customer a way to check the order or payment status before starting another payment, so they do not inadvertently pay twice.

Consider cash on delivery only if operations support it

COD is an e-commerce model, not an automatic fix for a UPI outage. Offer it only for orders and delivery areas the business can handle, taking account of fulfillment, returns and the merchant’s own customer and payment risks. The RBI report identifies COD as a model but does not establish when it is suitable or profitable for a particular shop.

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For an in-person sale, verify the actual acceptance setup

For UPI acceptance, NPCI says merchants work with an acquiring bank and lists QR, intent, application-based and collect modes. That guidance is about enabling UPI; it does not establish that the same arrangement accepts cards or wallets, or specify a fallback terminal. Ask the merchant’s acquirer or provider which alternatives the store can accept, then test the actual customer flow before advertising that method.

Compare alternatives on the details that affect the business

When more than one alternative is viable, compare each against the needs of the sales channel and the merchant’s operations:

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The RBI report discusses instruments, intermediaries, fee disclosures and complaint or dispute handling, but it does not give current prices or settlement timelines for individual providers. Get those details from the provider’s current documentation and the merchant’s contract.

Check fees before adding a customer charge

Do not casually add a surcharge to replace a payment method that is temporarily unavailable. The RBI report states that gateways and aggregators must not pass debit-card merchant discount rates (MDR) on to customers, and says other charges, such as convenience fees, should be displayed before payment. These are general points from the report, not a merchant-specific legal opinion or a substitute for checking current rules and contract terms. Review the RBI report and confirm the applicable requirements with the merchant’s provider before setting or changing a fee.

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Keep payment instructions safe

Use only the provider-approved payment flow. Staff should not ask customers to share a UPI PIN, card PIN, password or one-time authentication credentials. If a transaction’s status is unclear, use the provider’s or bank’s approved support and confirmation process rather than requesting credentials.

What to confirm with the provider

Before making an alternative part of the checkout recovery path, get clear answers for the relevant channel:

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  • Which payment instruments are enabled for this account and channel?
  • What configuration, integration or hardware is needed?
  • How will a successful payment appear to the merchant, and how is it matched to an order?
  • What are the applicable charges, settlement terms, refund process and dispute or complaint route?
  • What should the merchant and customer do if the payment status is pending or uncertain?

For UPI checkout placement, an NPCI circular dated October 11, 2017 addresses positioning of UPI/BHIM at merchant checkout; it is not a complete outage-recovery guide or proof of current compliance by itself. See the NPCI circular for its specific scope.

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