No longer does one need to use credit card over the Internet for shopping, with the innovation of a new pay card that can substitute debit and credit cards at least risk.

A team of Bangalore-based innovators has devised a card that can be bought off-the-shelf for a pre-fixed amount that can then be used to transact over the Net. The "green" card launched today will be available in denominations of Rs 100, 250 and 500. Behind the card is imprinted a key number using which the user can buy off the Net equivalent to the card amount in any of the three denominations. Smartee.com, the company which has developed the card, has tied up with small retail outlets on the Net, including fabmart, musicworld4u, Rediff, bargainsbazar and the like. The card-user has to log on to smartee.com, register usage and click on to the required site for shoping. According to Smartee chief Divyanshu Mishra, the "green" (named after the colour of money, or greenbucks) card is unique and would find great utility in developing countries where there was hesitation to get on to the Net and e-shop for fear of compromising security.

"This card will work very well in developing countries including India, China and Latin America," he said, adding that it may not serve the purpose in advanced countries like the United States where credit cards were already in high use for e-shopping.

According to estimates worked out by Smartee, there are one lakh e-shoppers in India, which is a small number. While PC sales have crossed one million per annum, there are 13 lakh Internet connections and 40,000 cyber-cafes in the country.

Over 65 lakh Internet users spend over two hours per week on the internet.