MakeMyTrip to introduce partial payment option for customers

In a bid to enhance user experience and make it more convenient, MakeMyTrip is planning to soon allow customers to partially pay cash for some purchases of flight tickets and hotel packages in the next few months.

According to Economic Times, the company is currently revamping its desktop website after announcing the acquisition of Goibibo’s India business.

Speaking to ET, Anshuman Bapna, chief product officer, MakeMyTrip said, "Desktop is a significant part of the game plan. There is cross-device behavior because travel is a more considered purchase than fashion. Certain users and travel products are more amenable to the desktop website."

The travel website is working on redesigning including a live stream of hot deals to be rolled out for all users. They are also trying to make hotel searches more relevant to people’s needs. Bapna said this idea involves getting more information and understanding the user better and the desktop allows this structure.

The next plan of action pertains to payments. "We are going to make it easier to check out and avoid the whole back and forth of making sure you have booked the right dates. We also have UPI now, with a couple of banks and we are looking at cash-on-delivery," Bapna said.

According to Bapna, cash-on-delivery becomes important because many people are not comfortable in transacting big sums on an internet connection. The company is planning to take a nominal charge at the time of booking and rest over the next couple of weeks at customer’s convenience.

Though Bapna says the company is currently figuring out how to handle the know-your-customer regulatory norms and courier services for these cash transactions, but we seriously doubt the feasibility of this feature in the new phase of demonetization with ever increasing cash crunch.