SAN JOSE, Calif.—PayPal quietly launched a service for customers to make purchases or send money to other users from a mobile phone.
The world’s largest supplier of online payment services is testing the offering, which allows users to send a text message indicating the amount of money to be sent and the recipient’s phone number. The sender then receives a call from PayPal requesting a PIN number to complete the transaction.
The company hopes to drive usage of the service with a “Text to Buy” marketing campaign hawking CDs, DVDs and other goods in print, on the Internet and through TV commercials, according to its Web site. Ads will include an item code that can be sent via text to purchase goods.
“PayPal does not charge you to send money by phone, or to receive money into a PayPal Personal account,” according to the company’s Web site.
PayPal also offers a voice option for those who opt not to send a text message. The company, which is a subsidiary of eBay Inc., boasts more than 100 million accounts.
