Specialist sock retailer Stance is enabling customers to pay for products on their mobile phones from anywhere in its stores — without them having to visit a physical checkout desk, talk with a shop assistant or download an app... More
Want Walmart to help you grocery shop? With our new voice capabilities, just say the word — Walmart — “Beginning this month, customers can say: ‘Hey Google, talk to Walmart’ and the Google Assistant will add items directly to their Walmart Grocery cart. Best of all, customers can be extra confident that we can quickly and accurately identify the items they are asking for with the help of information from their prior purchases with us. The more you use it, the better we’ll get.”
Johns Hopkins University (JHU) has become the fifth university in the US to enable its students to load their campus card onto their iPhone or Apple Watch... More
iPhone users want the Apple Card — here’s why its appeal could propel Apple Pay — Business Insider — “42% of iPhone users are ‘extremely interested’ in applying for Apple Card… Nearly 8 in 10 customers would be more likely to pay with their phones if they had Apple Card.”
Apple has launched a credit card to link with Apple Pay... More
Apple is expanding its support for transit systems, enabling travellers in the US to use Apple Pay as a replacement for travel tickets... More
Chipotle Rewards launches by giving fans a quarter of a million dollars on Venmo — Chipotle Mexican Grill — “Chipotle is using Venmo payouts to give away up to a quarter of a million dollars… For a chance to receive anywhere between $1 and $500, consumers submit the phone number associated with their Venmo account at chipotlerewardsme.com. Within 24 hours, recipients of the payouts will be alerted of the payment in the Venmo app with a payment note from Chipotle, along with a custom Chipotle pepper emoji.”
Introducing Android Q Beta — Google — “In Android Q we’re extending support for passive authentication methods such as face, and adding implicit and explicit authentication flows. In the explicit flow, the user must explicitly confirm the transaction in the TEE during the authentication. The implicit flow is designed for a lighter-weight alternative for transactions with passive authentication. We’ve also improved the fallback for device credentials when needed.”
Make room Millennials, Zelle study finds Generation X and Boomers driving broader adoption of person-to-person (P2P) payments — Early Warning Services — “52% of Generation X and 46% of Boomer respondents said that they ‘trust’ P2P payments, and are interested in using available solutions. 76% of Generation X and 74% of Boomers surveyed ranked ‘offered through a financial institution they use’ as a top reason to trial P2P payments.”
Sam’s Club files patent for next-level Scan & Go test — Sam’s Club — “With the upcoming test, we’ll enhance the experience with the launch of a technology using computer vision and machine learning. Rather than having to locate the barcode and scan it just right, the camera in the app will identify the product with a simple hover and add it to the member’s shopping list.”
Two-thirds of consumers favour single mobile app for banking and payments over cash and physical cards — Entersekt — “More than two-thirds (68%) of regular banking app users in the US would ‘like to do all banking and payments via one single mobile app’. A similar majority (67%) claim they would be less likely to use cash or physical credit cards if they had such an app. The lure of an all-in-one combination app is stronger among younger adults (18 to 44 years) who regularly used banking apps: just over three-quarters (76%) want one, compared with only 50% of those aged 55 and over.”
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has started final testing of a new contactless ticketing system which it announced in 2017... More
Apple, Goldman Sachs team up on credit card paired with iPhone — The Wall Street Journal — “The card will be rolled out to employees for testing in the next few weeks and officially launch later this year, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies hope to lure cardholders by offering them extra features on Apple’s Wallet app, which will let them set spending goals, track their rewards and manage their balances, the people said.”
Chip technology helped reduce counterfeit fraud by 80% — Visa — “Since the EMV shift, the adoption of chip technology has reduced card present (CP) counterfeit payment fraud by 80% at chip-enabled merchants… Over 3.1m merchant locations are now accepting chip cards… 98% of overall US payment volume in December was on EMV cards.”
The main reason for Walmart’s decision to cancel its Scan & Go mobile self-checkout project last year was high levels of shopper theft, rather than low levels of consumer adoption, a former Walmart executive has revealed... More
Kroger introduces Kroger Pay and Kroger Rewards debit card — The Kroger Co — “After a customer enters their custom PIN or biometrics, the app provides customers with a single-use QR code to scan at the terminal to quickly communicate payment and loyalty card information, which includes digital coupons and personalized offers… Kroger Pay recently launched in the retailer’s Columbus, Ohio division. The service will roll out to 10 additional markets in the spring, with plans to go nationwide later this year.”
The US Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is testing Android phones which continually verify the identity of the person using the device... More
Atom Tickets introduces new digital payment options for movie tickets — Atom Tickets — “Atom Tickets is among the first to use the Save to Google Pay feature… After a user has purchased tickets using Google Pay, they can save them in the Android app’s new Passes tab. When it’s showtime, use a phone as a ticket.”
T automated fare collection system expected to be completed by May 2021 — Curbed — “The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority expects to complete the T’s switch to an automated fare collection system by May 2021, but will begin rolling it out on a limited basis in late 2019… Riders will use a fare card, a smartphone app, or a contactless card to tap and board. Riders will be able to reload the fare cards and apps online and at vending machines in all T stations and at select bus stops.”
Keeping a wrong Venmo payment could send you to jail if NJ bill passes — Philly.com — “Under the New Jersey bill, those who mistakenly receive an electronic payment but fail to return the funds after being told the payment was erroneous would run afoul of an existing law that deals with theft of lost, mislaid, or mistakenly delivered property… Penalties for theft in New Jersey range from a $1,000 fine to a decade of jail time.”