How long does a PayID payment take?

Usually under a minute between participating banks, including on weekends. Some banks hold a first payment to a new payee for a security check, which can add time; that hold is set by your bank.

What reference should I use for a PayID payment?

Your order number. It lets us match the payment to your order straight away.

How do I know I am paying the right PayID?

Your bank shows the name registered to a PayID before you confirm. If it does not match the business you expect, stop and contact us before sending anything. Only use details you received in reply to your own order request.

Do I have to pay a fee or upgrade my account to use PayID?

No. Messages asking you to pay extra or upgrade an account to release a PayID payment are a known scam pattern.

Paying by PayID: How It Works for Online Orders

PayID is one of the two ways to pay for an order with us, and for most customers it is the faster one. If you have not used it before, it can feel unfamiliar — you are sending money to an email address or phone number rather than a BSB and account number. This guide explains what is actually happening, how to do it, and what to check before you press send.

What PayID is

A PayID is a simple identifier — usually an email address, mobile number or ABN — that a business or person has linked to their bank account. When you pay a PayID, your bank looks up the account it is linked to and shows you the name registered against it before you confirm.

PayID runs on Australia's New Payments Platform, the same infrastructure behind Osko fast transfers. That is why a PayID payment between participating banks usually arrives in under a minute, at any time of day, including weekends — rather than waiting for overnight processing like an older bank transfer.

PayID is offered by most Australian banks, credit unions and building societies through their normal app or internet banking. There is nothing to sign up for to send a PayID payment.

How to pay your order by PayID

Place your order and choose PayID at checkout. Nothing is charged at this point; the order is reserved and you get an order number.
Request payment details from your order confirmation page. We send you the PayID to pay and the exact total.
Open your banking app and choose to pay someone. Look for an option labelled PayID (some apps show it as "pay to mobile/email").
Enter the PayID exactly as we sent it.
Check the name your bank displays. This is the most important step — see below.
Enter the exact order total, and put your order number in the description or reference field.
Confirm the payment, and keep the receipt screen or screenshot until your order shows as confirmed.

Once the payment is matched to your order, it moves from pending to confirmed, and dispatch happens within one business day.

The name check

When you enter a PayID, your bank shows the name of the account holder it belongs to before you confirm. If that name does not match the business you expect to pay, stop and contact us before sending anything. A mismatch is exactly the situation PayID's name display exists to catch.

Only use payment details you received in reply to your own order request. Never pay a PayID sent from a number or address you have not dealt with, even if the message mentions your order.

Why a payment is sometimes held

Most PayID payments land straight away. Occasionally a bank will hold a payment for a security review, most often when:

it is the first time you have paid that PayID,
the amount is larger than you usually send, or
your bank has added new checks on payments to new payees.

Holds are decided by your bank, not by us, and the length varies. If your banking app shows the payment as pending or under review, your order stays reserved — just send us the receipt with your order number so we know it is on the way.

Common mistakes

Leaving out the order number. The payment still arrives, but it takes longer to match. Always include it.
Paying a rounded amount. Pay the exact total shown for your order. A short payment cannot be confirmed until the difference arrives.
Splitting a payment across days. Some banks cap daily PayID transfers. If your total is above your limit, tell us before paying part of it.

A note on scams

PayID itself does not charge you fees, and you never need to "upgrade" an account or pay an extra amount to release a PayID payment. Messages claiming otherwise are a known scam pattern that the ACCC's Scamwatch has warned about. We will never ask for your banking password, a one-time code, or remote access to your device.

Keep reading

Sources & further reading

PayID (official site), Scamwatch.

For adults 18+ only. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. General information only, not financial or legal advice.