Paytm, PhonePe Explore Audio Advertisements On Retail Sound Boxes

You know those little sound boxes you often hear beep when you make a payment at a store? Well, they might start doing more than just making that sound soon.

According to a report by ET, Paytm and PhonePe are trying something new with those sound boxes at retail stores. They're testing out playing short audio ads after every few transactions. Big companies like Cadbury's parent Mondelez and Tata Consumer Products are getting in on the action too, trying it out as part of a trial run.

The idea is to have these quick ads play after you've made your purchase, alongside the usual confirmation message. It's like a little commercial break while you're waiting for your receipt.

These ads could be a smart move for the payment companies. With millions of these sound boxes all over the country, they could become a huge advertising platform. Imagine, these ads could potentially reach hundreds of millions of people every day! Plus, they can be tailored to different locations and income groups, so what you hear in a small neighborhood store might be different from what plays in a big city supermarket.

However, there are some challenges. Similar attempts to make money from large platforms like this haven't always worked out. Remember how Ola tried putting ads in their cars? That didn't last long. Also, since these ads play after you've paid and are about to leave, they might not lead to as many impulse purchases as advertisers hope. And it might be tough for them to figure out if the ads are actually working.

But Paytm and PhonePe seem optimistic about it. If this trial run goes well, they could be onto something big. These sound boxes were initially introduced to help prevent payment fraud, but now they might just become a whole new way for companies to advertise. It's a unique idea that could pay off big time in the end.