PayPal Just Gave The Deckchair A Tech Glow Up

Brits love a deckchair. Stripy, squeaky and impossible to fold away gracefully, the humble seaside seat is a national treasure. But this summer, PayPal has decided it’s due for an upgrade – and not just a new lick of paint. Think WiFi, wireless charging, and even a built-in seagull deterrent. Welcome to the age of the tech-chair.

For a limited time, Brighton Beach is playing host to these futuristic loungers designed to keep mobile shopping smooth in the sand. Alongside built-in chargers and glare protection (because squinting at checkout is not chic), the deckchairs even come with microfibre fabric so you can wipe away sunscreen smears and sticky ice-cream drips before tapping “buy now.”

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It’s all part of a retail trend experts are calling “b-commerce” – that’s beach-commerce, the rise of seaside shopping sprees via smartphone. According to new research from PayPal, one in six Brits say they’re hitting the beach more than they did five years ago, and a fifth are now browsing and buying online while they’re there. Fashion tops the shopping list (37%), followed closely by food and drink (34%) and gifts (24%). Almost one in five admit they splash between £51–75 on a beach browse, with 3% going all out and spending over £200.

But let’s be real: shopping on the sand isn’t always seamless. PayPal’s survey found that the top bugbears include overheating phones (43%), dodgy WiFi (36%), lack of shade (31%) and sand creeping into the charging port (23%). Sunscreen-slick fingers were another gripe – one in four said they’ve struggled to check out because of greasy smudges.

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Dave Jones, Head of Consumer at PayPal UK, summed it up: “We can see from our research that more and more people are bringing their phones to the beach, and their shopping habits too. That’s why we’ve reimagined the classic deckchair with a modern twist, making it easier to stay connected and even earn cashback while soaking up the sun.”, as reported by Retail Times.

To sweeten the deal, PayPal is also offering 3% cashback on eligible online purchases this summer – a perk for anyone who manages to complete an order between building sandcastles and dodging seagulls.

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Dr Khan, consumer behaviour expert, sees it as part of a bigger shift: “Smartphones have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, from how we navigate our cars to how we manage our health and shop for essentials… even on the beach, positioning it as the next frontier for a tech refresh.”

From buckets and spades to solar-powered loungers, the seaside has always evolved with the times. And now, thanks to PayPal’s glow-up, even the trusty deckchair is going digital.