Credit card companies to launch ‘finger vein’ payment system — The Korea Times — “Three major card companies — Shinhan, BC, and Hana Card — announced on Sunday that were developing a biometrics payment system that authorizes transactions by scanning fingertips… The companies said the payment method would be available at convenience store chains across the country in October.”
FPOS
McDonald’s to roll out self-service kiosks across the US
McDonald’s to add self-order kiosks to 1,000 stores each quarter — CNBC — “McDonald’s will upgrade 1,000 stores with kiosk and mobile order technology every quarter for the next eight to nine quarters. International markets like Canada, Australia and the UK are already fully integrated with kiosk service and mobile ordering. McDonald’s has also been exploring delivery in the US in an attempt to meet customer demand and changes in how consumers want to get their food.”
Retailers raise concerns over card networks’ plans for a single buy button
Visa, Mastercard push for one-click ordering. Retailers say ‘not so fast’ — The Wall Street Journal — “Representatives of large retailers including Walmart Inc and Home Depot Inc met with federal regulators this week to raise concerns about a new online payment initiative that Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc are preparing to roll out… Retailers’ main concern with combining the buttons is that merchants won’t be able to route their debit card transactions to lower-cost networks.”
South African retail giant Shoprite moves into mobile payments and banking
Banking services now more accessible with Shoprite Money — Shoprite — “This new service will enable customers to deposit, withdraw or send money as well as buy groceries at any of the till points in all Shoprite, Checkers, Checkers Hyper or Usave stores across South Africa… Shoprite Money is set to roll out in multiple countries in Africa over the next 12 to 18 months, which will hold additional benefits for customers including seamless and cost effective cross-border remittance.”
Amazon uses QR codes to let Prime members access discounts in Whole Foods Market stores
Amazon serves up new benefit for Prime members at Whole Foods Market — Amazon — “Prime members can now get an additional 10% off sale items, typically hundreds of products throughout the store, plus weekly deep discounts on select best-selling items… To get started, customers download the Whole Foods Market app, sign in with their Amazon account and then scan the app’s Prime Code at checkout. Or, customers can opt in to use their phone number to save at checkout.”
Walmart cancels its scan-and-go payments pilot due to ‘low adoption’
Phasing out the checkout line: Retailers race to make shopping more seamless — CBC — “Walmart has abandoned mobile scan-and-go shopping at its US stores… The retailer rolled out the test project in about 120 US locations starting this past August. Walmart spokesperson Ragan Dickens said in an interview this week that scan and go had a ‘low adoption rate’.”
Amazon to open cashierless stores in Chicago and San Francisco
Amazon will open checkout-free stores in Chicago and San Francisco — Engadget — “Amazon has posted job listings for store managers in both Chicago and San Francisco, making it clear where the automated stores are headed next… Amazon has a building permit for a store in Chicago’s Loop, while a San Francisco Chronicle report claimed that a store would open near Union Square. An earlier Recode scoop asserted that Amazon would open as many as six more stores in 2018, with one possibly coming to Los Angeles.”
Shake Shack rolls back its cashless store plans
Shake Shack first quarter 2018 earnings call — Shake Shack — “Some of the things we’ve clearly seen is that our guests do often want to pay with cash. In the first rollout at Astor Place, we did not accept cash at all. And there are people who have told us very clearly, ‘We want to pay with cash’. So in this next phase, we’re going to go ahead and have cashiers as well as kiosks.”
Amazon begins delivering parcels to consumers’ cars
Buckle up, Prime members: Amazon launches in-car delivery — Amazon — “Millions of Prime members with Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Volvo cars can now use Amazon Key to have their Amazon packages delivered inside their vehicle parked at home, work or near other locations in their address book. In-car delivery is available at no extra cost for Prime members — customers simply download the Amazon Key App, link to their connected car and start ordering on Amazon.com; no additional hardware or devices required.”
Walmart equips garden centre staff with mobile checkout devices
Walmart launches Check Out With Me, a new service designed to save customers time — Walmart — “A Walmart associate scans a customer’s items with the Check Out With Me mobile device, swipes their credit card and provides them with a receipt – printed or electronic options available. Customers just pay and go. It’s as simple as that.”
US supermarket chain Meijer to launch mobile self-checkout service
Meijer to launch self-scanning app to speed grocery checkout — Chicago Tribune — “The Shop & Scan service allows shoppers to scan products as they shop with a Meijer app downloaded on their phones and bag the groceries on the go. To check out, shoppers hold their phones up to a self-checkout register, then walk out the door.”
Dutch supermarket chain opens cashless store
Spar Netherlands opens first cashless store — Retail Systems — “Called ‘Skippen’, or Skipping in English, the new concept enables students who download the accompanying app to purchase goods in-store without having to queue for a cash register. Shoppers simply scan items into their shopping cart via a QR code, before completing the payment with Tikkie — ABN Amro’s online payment solution.”
Vehicle vending machine lets drivers book, pay and drive away a test car from their mobile phone
Ford, Alibaba roll out test-drive services via ‘auto vending machine’ — China Automotive News — “Users can book a test drive via the Alibaba’s Taobao mobile app or the Tmall platform. Entering a key word of ‘super test drive’, users can follow the instructions from the interface to select the vehicles they want and the time to have the test drive. To schedule a test drive, users should submit their basic information and upload their selfies on the platform. Besides, they need to pay some test drive fees and the money for vehicle purchasing intention. After all these done, consumers can pick up their test vehicle via a facial recognition at the ‘super test drive center’ in Guangzhou to enjoy a three-day ride.”
Supermarket giant Carrefour rolls out its own NFC mobile payments service
Carrefour steps up its digital transformation with the in-store roll-out of ‘Carrefour Pay’ — its mobile payment solution — Carrefour — “Carrefour Pay is quick and easy and has no payment limit — customers can use it to pay for their shopping at all terminals which have NFC contactless technology… It can be used in 3,000 Carrefour stores in France and in all stores which accept contactless payment. All bank cards will be added in 2018, as well as all Carrefour e-commerce sites in France. Carrefour Pay can be accessed via the Carrefour&Moi mobile app and also features a loyalty card and coupon facility.”
Walmart applies for multiple automated shopping patents
Walmart files patent applications for drone shopping assistants and smart shopping carts — The Verge — “One of the patents is clearly for the in-store experience, and proposes a sensing device to make shopping carts smart and communicate with a mobile device… There’s also a patent that tracks users through wearables, and several for managing/sensing inventory levels. Walmart has also filed a patent for drones that would assist customers shopping in-store… There are also two patents for autonomous tech. One outlines a method for detecting items placed in a container.”
Macy’s brings mobile self-checkout to department stores
Macy’s to add mobile checkout to all stores by year’s end — CNBC — “The platform allows shoppers to scan barcodes on items (apparel, home goods, etc) with their phones, as they add merchandise to their baskets in stores. Relevant discounts and rewards will also be applied, via a shopper’s loyalty account, throughout. When customers are finished shopping, they will head to a special counter for mobile checkout, where an associate will remove security tags and make sure the number of items scanned adds up to those paid for. Then, they’re ready to go.”
Auchan lets Italian supermarket shoppers scan and pay on their mobile phone
Auchan launches mobile payment app In Italy — European Supermarket Magazine — “Through the use of the AuchanSpeedy app, customers can scan products in-store and pay for them on their phone. The service, available to the members of the retailer’s customer loyalty programme LaTua!, is in addition to the traditional and self-checkout systems, and aims to provide more payment solutions for shoppers.”
UK supermarket rolls out in-aisle checkout and rewards
Convenient future in store as Co-op dials-up pay in aisle technology — Co-op — “The innovative move, which harnesses the latest technology, allows customers to scan products on their own device as they walk around the store — known as a ‘frictionless shopping experience’. When they have finished shopping, the amount they owe will then be deducted from their account with a single click… The technology also links information from a customer’s Co-op Membership account — telling shoppers how much they have saved and, how much the Co-op will donate to local good causes following the transaction.”
Rakuten to use blockchain for global loyalty and payments program
Rakuten will roll its $9bn loyalty program into a new blockchain-based cryptocurrency, Rakuten Coin — Techcrunch — “The company is planning a new cryptocurrency called Rakuten Coin — built on blockchain technology and the company’s existing loyalty program, Rakuten Super Points — which it plans to use to encourage loyalty services globally and to help customers to buy goods across different Rakuten services and markets… The news was announced by Rakuten’s CEO Hiroshi “Mickey” Mikitani on stage at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where he described Rakuten Coin as a ‘borderless’ currency.”
Barclaycard tests on-table ‘totems’ that let customers check themselves out of a restaurant
Dining on demand: Barclaycard launches first ‘Dine & Dash’ restaurant — Barclaycard — “Barclaycard has developed ‘Dine & Dash’, a new solution enabling diners to simply walk out after eating — bypassing the traditional bill-paying process — which will be unveiled with a consumer trial at high-street chain Prezzo. The launch comes in response to 38% of diners who want to avoid waiting for the bill and 67% of restaurant owners who are in favour of an ‘invisibill’ way to pay to improve service and customer satisfaction.”