During my research for another PayU project (EMI via QR), I spoke with several offline merchants who couldn’t afford traditional POS hardware. Many were still logging transactions in notebooks or handling payments through disjointed tools like UPI apps, WhatsApp, and manual ledgers. They wanted better tools, but without the financial or technical overhead.
User Research - Field InterviewsDiscovered the need for digital alternatives to expensive POS systems by observing real-world merchant behaviors
Product Vision DesignDual-solution strategy, ePOS for mobile-only users and mPOS for card-handling capability, within the same ecosystem
Collaboration & LeadershipDirected a small design team, managed weekly sprints, delegated design tasks, led brainstorm sessions
Stakeholder AlignmentCollaborated with design, product, and engineering teams to keep priorities aligned with business goals
To inform this solution, we extended the insights from the EMI via QR research, where store owners across retail chains expressed the need for more control, visibility, and flexibility in their payment handling.
Top insights that shaped our thinking:
Store managers juggled cash, QR, UPI, card payments and tracked all manually
They valued voice confirmations and instant transaction logs for accountability
Device cost and maintenance were a barrier to entry for standard POS machines
Many expressed interest in adding digital tracking and receipts for cash transactions too
market researchIndia's POS market is projected to double by 2029, reaching over $63 billion, with mPOS alone expected to hit $20 billion by 2027.
UPI payments are up 42% year-over-year, with strong consumer preference for digital, low-value transactions
63% of merchants now accept digital payments under ₹1,000 to retain customers
Only 39% use POS software today, but 95% plan to adopt by 2029, 56% within six months
Government incentives and growing smartphone usage are accelerating adoption, especially among small businesses
ePOS (Quick Payments Mode)I designed a new mode in the PayU app—Quick Payments Mode—that merchants can toggle into with one tap. This interface allows:
QR code generation
Sending payment links
Recording cash transactions
Viewing recent transactions
Getting voice confirmation for all payments
mPOS FlowTo add card acceptance, I extended the existing flow:
Merchants can order the mPOS device directly from the app
Setup is guided via app walkthroughs and phone support
mPOS integrates into the same Quick Payments Mode, with a smooth flow to swipe, PIN entry, and instant confirmation
Key Screens & Features Designed
Dashboard toggle to switch into Quick Payments
Transaction logs with badges
Voice alerts on payment completion
iFrame flow for device integration
Home screen shortcuts for fastest access
I worked with my team to structure the ePOS and mPOS workflows into a single cohesive experience, balancing product goals with user feedback and technical feasibility.View full project in FigmaWe transformed a basic app into a full-fledged payments hub for small stores—without increasing their cost or complexity.
During my research for another PayU project (EMI via QR), I spoke with several offline merchants who couldn’t afford traditional POS hardware. Many were still logging transactions in notebooks or handling payments through disjointed tools like UPI apps, WhatsApp, and manual ledgers. They wanted better tools, but without the financial or technical overhead.To inform this solution, we extended the insights from the EMI via QR research, where store owners across retail chains expressed the need for more control, visibility, and flexibility in their payment handling.
Top insights that shaped our thinking:
Store managers juggled cash, QR, UPI, card payments and tracked all manually
They valued voice confirmations and instant transaction logs for accountability
Device cost and maintenance were a barrier to entry for standard POS machines
Many expressed interest in adding digital tracking and receipts for cash transactions too
I worked with my team to structure the ePOS and mPOS workflows into a single cohesive experience, balancing product goals with user feedback and technical feasibility.We transformed a basic app into a full-fledged payments hub for small stores—without increasing their cost or complexity.
What I Learned as a design lead
Simplicity drives adoption: Every extra step meant a drop-off risk for non-tech-savvy users.
Voice feedback played a crucial role in merchant trust—many relied on it more than visual confirmations.
Designing for "shared devices" (phone used by multiple staff) added edge-case challenges around visibility and privacy.
Learned to balance hands-on design with mentoring, ensuring team members had ownership while aligning with the overall product vision.
Built frameworks that allowed the team to move faster across evolving product requirements without compromising clarity or usability.
what i planned for next steps
Introduce automated SMS receipts and analytics dashboards.
Add multilingual support for regional merchants.
Improve visibility of payment trends across transaction types.
market researchIndia's POS market is projected to double by 2029, reaching over $63 billion, with mPOS alone expected to hit $20 billion by 2027.
UPI payments are up 42% year-over-year, with strong consumer preference for digital, low-value transactions
63% of merchants now accept digital payments under ₹1,000 to retain customers
Only 39% use POS software today, but 95% plan to adopt by 2029, 56% within six months
Government incentives and growing smartphone usage are accelerating adoption, especially among small businesses
ePOS (Quick Payments Mode)I designed a new mode in the PayU app—Quick Payments Mode—that merchants can toggle into with one tap. This interface allows:
QR code generation
Sending payment links
Recording cash transactions
Viewing recent transactions
Getting voice confirmation for all payments
mPOS FlowTo add card acceptance, I extended the existing flow:
Merchants can order the mPOS device directly from the app
Setup is guided via app walkthroughs and phone support
mPOS integrates into the same Quick Payments Mode, with a smooth flow to swipe, PIN entry, and instant confirmation
