Do I scan the shop’s QR code, or do they scan mine?

At a glance

• Alipay’s official guide names Scan for the merchant’s code and Pay/Receive for your payment code. [1]
• WeChat’s guide shows the top-right + → Scan, or + → Money to display a code for the cashier. [1]
• Linked international cards support merchant purchases; Alipay excludes person-to-person transfers and red packets. [2]
• Alipay English support is +86 571 2688 6000; Weixin Pay English support is +86 571 95017. [1]

What to do next

1. Look at the checkout rather than guessing from the wallet logo. A printed code beside the till usually gives you something to scan; a cashier holding a scanner is asking you to present a code. Ask which direction they want if both are available.
2. To scan the shop in Alipay, tap Scan and point the camera at the merchant’s payment code. In WeChat, use + → Scan. Read the recipient and the next screen before typing or confirming an amount.
3. If you enter the amount, compare it with the bill and check the decimal point. Show the cashier the amount if you are uncertain. Select the card you intend to use, read any displayed fee and approve only once the purchase details are correct.
4. If the cashier scans you, open Alipay’s Pay/Receive screen or WeChat’s + → Money payment screen. Let the cashier scan the live payment code and enter the shop’s charge. Keep your phone with you while the transaction completes.
5. Check the completed amount in the wallet and ask the cashier to confirm receipt. Keep the transaction reference for a purchase you may need to return or query later. If the result is unclear, resolve that purchase before producing another code.
6. If scanning opens a transfer to an individual rather than a business checkout, ask the cashier for the shop’s merchant payment route. Use another accepted payment method if that is the only collection method offered.

If your situation is different

The sticker is a menu or ordering code: complete the ordering flow if that is what you intended, then find its payment step or ask the cashier to take your order. A QR code on a table can start a service other than immediate payment.

Your selected card disappears at checkout: return to the transaction type and the card setup. Ask for a business checkout, then inspect any message about the card or identity. Do not keep scanning the same personal-transfer code expecting a different funding option.

The cashier says they cannot scan your code: ask whether you should scan theirs instead. If neither merchant route completes, move to a working wallet, card terminal or cash. Keep the failed transaction screen available until receipt is settled.

The amount is wrong before approval: cancel or ask the cashier to correct it. If the payment has already completed, open the transaction and request the correction or refund against that order, rather than sending a second informal payment to balance it.

Common mistakes

• Showing a code for receiving money when you intend to pay: open the payment screen specified by the wallet and tell the cashier you want to make a purchase.
• Assuming the colour of a QR sticker identifies the payment type: read the actual checkout and recipient after scanning.
• Sharing a screenshot of your live payment code in a chat: show it briefly to the cashier for the purchase in front of you.
• Paying again because a screen is slow: first ask the merchant whether the original transaction reached them.

Quick questions