How to Set Up QR Code Payments for Your Physical Shop in Nepal

Why QR Payments Matter for Your Shop

Walk-in customers in Nepal increasingly prefer digital payments. Whether it's a regular buying groceries or a customer stocking up before Dashain, many will reach for their phone before their wallet. If your counter only accepts cash, you're leaving sales on the table.

FonePay, eSewa, and Khalti together cover the vast majority of digital wallet users in Nepal. Setting up QR codes for all three takes less time than you think — and once they're up, transaction costs are lower than card swipes.

Understanding the Three QR Systems

FonePay QR

FonePay is a payment network that links multiple Nepali banks and wallets. When a customer scans your FonePay QR, they can pay from their bank's mobile app (NIC Asia, Nabil, Global IME, and many others), from eSewa, or from Khalti. This makes FonePay QR the most versatile option — one code, many payment sources.

eSewa Merchant QR

eSewa is one of Nepal's most widely used digital wallets. A dedicated eSewa merchant QR allows customers to pay directly from their eSewa balance. The money lands in your merchant account within seconds.

Khalti Merchant QR

Khalti is similarly popular, especially among younger shoppers. A Khalti merchant QR lets Khalti wallet users scan and pay instantly — no card reader or change required.

Step 1: Register as a Merchant

Before you can display any QR, you need merchant accounts. Here's what each provider requires:

FonePay

• Contact your bank (any FonePay member bank) and ask to activate the FonePay Merchant QR service
• You'll need: business name, PAN/VAT registration if applicable, bank account number, and a copy of your citizenship or business registration
• The bank generates your static QR code, usually within 2–5 working days
• No monthly fee; FonePay typically charges 0.5–1% per transaction — confirm the current rate with your specific bank

eSewa

• Apply through the eSewa merchant portal or contact their merchant onboarding team directly
• Documents needed: citizenship copy, PAN certificate if registered, and your mobile number
• For VAT-registered shops, providing your VAT number ensures proper invoice generation for customers who need receipts
• eSewa generates a merchant QR downloadable from your merchant dashboard once approved

Khalti

• Apply through the Khalti business portal or the Khalti business app
• Requirements are similar: citizenship, optional PAN/VAT documents, and a bank account for settlements
• Settlement to your linked bank account typically happens T+1 (next working day)

Step 2: Get Your QR Codes Printed

A QR code on your phone screen works in a pinch, but a printed, laminated QR at the counter is far more practical — customers can scan without asking your staff to hold up a phone.

• Download the highest-resolution version of your QR from each merchant dashboard
• Print at A5 or A4 size — small QR codes frustrate customers when scanning
• Laminate the printout so it survives counter spills and daily handling; use matte lamination, not glossy
• Arrange all three QRs side by side with clear labels showing which networks and wallets each one accepts

Step 3: Train Your Counter Staff

QR payments fail most often because of a process issue, not a technical one. Walk your staff through this exact flow:

1. Customer says they want to pay digitally
2. Staff states the total clearly in NPR
3. Customer scans the QR and enters the amount themselves (for static QR)
4. Customer shows the confirmation screen or transaction ID
5. Staff checks the merchant app notification before handing over goods

Always verify payment confirmation before releasing stock. A screenshot of a pending transaction is not a completed payment — pending means the money has not arrived yet.

Step 4: Track and Reconcile Payments

With three payment channels, end-of-day reconciliation can get messy without a system. Here's a practical approach:

• Check each merchant dashboard at end of day — FonePay via your bank app, the eSewa merchant portal, and the Khalti business app
• Export the daily transaction list and compare against your sales records
• Keep a small notebook at the counter where staff log every digital payment: time, amount, and platform — 10 seconds per transaction saves hours of confusion at closing time

If you're running Saauzi for your store, your digital payment transactions appear alongside your physical sales in one dashboard, so you don't have to manually cross-reference three separate portals at the end of every day.

Settlement Timelines and Tax Obligations

• eSewa and Khalti settle to your linked bank account, usually T+1 on working days
• FonePay settlements depend on your member bank's schedule — confirm the timeline when you register
• If your shop is VAT-registered, digital payment receipts count as taxable sales the same as cash — record them in your VAT register without exception
• For PAN-registered businesses under the presumptive tax regime, digital payments are still income — don't omit them from your ledger because no physical cash changed hands

Common Problems and Fixes

QR not scanning: The printout may be too small, creased, or laminated with a reflective finish. Reprint at a larger size and use matte lamination.

Transaction stuck on pending: Usually a network issue on the customer's side. The transaction will complete or auto-reverse within 24 hours. Ask the customer to check their wallet app for a debit notification before assuming it failed.

Customer entered the wrong amount (static QR): Process a refund through the respective merchant portal — both eSewa and Khalti support merchant-initiated refunds — then have the customer pay again with the correct amount.

Settlement not received after 2 working days: Check both your bank account and the merchant portal. Contact merchant support with your merchant ID and the specific transaction reference number; don't call without those two details ready.

Preparing for Dashain and Tihar

Digital payment volumes spike during festival season. Shoppers move fast, carry less cash, and often split purchases across multiple wallets. Before the rush:

• Do a small test payment on all three QR codes to confirm they're active and receiving correctly
• Reprint fresh QR posters if the existing ones are worn, faded, or damaged
• Enable push notifications in all three merchant apps so your staff catch real-time payment confirmations during a busy counter
• Brief everyone on the verification process — especially temporary staff brought on for festival sales

Actionable Takeaway

This week: start with FonePay QR through your bank — it covers the widest customer base because it works with most Nepali bank apps as well as eSewa and Khalti wallets. Complete the merchant registration, print your QR at A4 size, laminate it with a matte finish, and place it at eye level at your counter. Once that's running smoothly, add the eSewa and Khalti merchant QRs. Three QR codes, three more ways for every walk-in customer to pay you — no cash, no card reader, no declined transactions.