If UPI is unavailable, offer only a payment method your checkout or point-of-sale setup currently supports. For online orders, that may be a credit card, debit card, bank-account payment, or wallet; eligible shipped orders may also be offered cash on delivery (COD). For in-person sales, check the actual terminal or acceptance setup—an online fallback does not automatically work at the counter.
First, identify where the payment is failing
Online checkout and in-person payment use different acceptance arrangements. A method enabled on a website may not be available at a store terminal, and a physical terminal may not be connected to an online checkout. RBI describes credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, wallets, and UPI as possible online payment means, but which ones a customer can use depends on the merchant’s provider and setup. RBI’s report on payment intermediaries describes how gateways and aggregators facilitate payment instruments and connect merchants with acquirers.
Offer an online alternative the customer can complete
Check enabled payment methods
Show only options that are active in the merchant’s checkout and supported by its provider. Check whether credit-card, debit-card, bank-account, or wallet payments are enabled for the account and the relevant checkout flow. If several alternatives are needed, ask the acquiring bank or payment gateway/aggregator which instruments are available and what configuration or integration changes are required.
Consider cash on delivery only when operations support it
COD is an e-commerce fulfillment model, not an automatic fix for every UPI outage. Offer it only for orders that can be delivered and collected under the shop’s own rules. The merchant must decide whether its fulfillment, returns, and customer-risk processes make COD workable; the RBI report identifies COD as a model but does not establish when it is suitable or profitable.
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Give customers a safe retry path
- Ask the customer to check the result of the first attempt. NPCI’s UPI FAQ says customers should see a successful transaction in the app and receive a bank SMS after a UPI transaction.
- If confirmation is missing, do not ask them to pay again immediately. Have them check their bank or app status first. NPCI advises contacting the customer’s bank if the issue remains unresolved.
- Offer a different enabled method only after the first attempt’s status is clear. Tell the customer which options are available and how to select one in the checkout.
- Keep authentication in the customer’s hands. Never ask customers to disclose a UPI PIN, card PIN, password, or one-time authentication credential to staff. Use only the provider-approved payment flow.
For an in-person sale, verify the actual acceptance setup
Do not assume that a website’s card or wallet option is also available in a shop. Confirm with the merchant’s acquirer or provider which fallback methods are enabled at the physical point of sale, whether any terminal or other setup is required, and how staff can recognize a completed payment. Test the real checkout flow before telling customers that an alternative is available.
NPCI’s merchant guidance concerns setting up UPI: it says merchants work with an acquiring bank and lists QR, intent, application-based, and collect modes. That does not specify an in-person card or wallet fallback. NPCI’s UPI merchant information should therefore not be treated as confirmation that another payment method is enabled on a merchant’s setup.
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Compare alternatives against the needs of the business
When more than one fallback is viable, compare the practical details with the provider before promoting the options:
- Channel fit: Is the method available online, at the physical point of sale, or through delivery-time collection?
- Customer access: Can the intended customers use it?
- Setup: Does it require onboarding, checkout integration, an acquiring relationship, or hardware?
- Cost and fee disclosure: What does the merchant pay, and is any customer-facing fee permitted and clearly shown before payment?
- Confirmation and reconciliation: How will the business confirm success and match the payment to the order?
- Settlement: When will funds be available under the merchant’s contract?
- Refunds and disputes: Who handles customer complaints, refunds, and payment disputes, and how can they be escalated?
The RBI report discusses fee disclosures and complaint and dispute handling, but it does not provide current provider-by-provider prices, settlement times, or contract terms. Obtain those details from the merchant’s own provider documentation and agreement.
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Be careful about adding customer-facing fees
The RBI report states that payment gateways and aggregators must not pass debit-card merchant discount rates (MDR) on to customers, and says other charges, such as convenience fees, should be displayed before payment. The report is general guidance rather than a merchant-specific legal opinion. Before adding a charge, check current rules and the terms that apply to the merchant’s arrangement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep UPI setup guidance separate from outage recovery
NPCI’s UPI merchant guidance explains acceptance setup, while its October 11, 2017 checkout-placement circular addresses the positioning of UPI/BHIM at merchant checkout. Neither source is a complete procedure for recovering from a UPI outage or proof that a particular fallback is enabled. The NPCI circular is dated guidance, not a substitute for checking the merchant’s current setup and applicable requirements.
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