What's New in Payments

Aeon to identify customers with face recognition at 80 self-serve stores

Aeon to use facial recognition at 80 China self-serve stores — Nikkei Asian Review — “Aeon, Japan’s largest retailer by sales, will soon debut a chain of self-serve smart stores in China that can anticipate what a customer will buy upon entering the establishment… Facial recognition technology installed in the stores will identify shoppers. Customers’ smartphones will then display recommended items and coupons based on purchasing habits and digital payment history.”


What's New in Payments

Kroger launches payments, offers and rewards app for iOS and Android

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.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Tokyo Metro tests rewards program for transit card holders who avoid peak travel times

Tokyo Metro aims to ease morning rush hour overcrowding — with free soba and tempura — The Japan Times — “Tozai Line passengers who register with the campaign will be eligible to receive coupons that can be used at Metro An, a soba noodle shop affiliated with the subway operator… Users need to sign up to Tokyo Metro’s early-rising campaign for Tozai Line passengers and register their IC card information beforehand… To participate in the initiative they need to go through the ticket gate before a certain time of the morning, which depends on the station.”


What's New in Payments

Japanese carrier KDDI to pilot blockchain coupons that shoppers can redeem using biometrics in stores

KDDI and Hitachi pilot finger vein biometrics for redeeming coupons in stores — KDDI (translation) — “The user can authenticate himself by holding the finger registered on the authentication infrastructure, so it is not necessary to present the coupon at the store, and the coupon can be used even without the smartphone… Since coupon usage information recorded in the blockchain is extremely difficult to tamper with, it is easy to share coupon usage history securely and reliably between KDDI and affiliated stores, and payment according to the number of coupon users is highly accurate.”


What's New in Payments

Coles Supermarkets picks Rambus’ Unified Payment Platform to ‘revolutionise retail in Australia’

A Coles supermarket

PARTNER NEWS: Australian supermarket giant Coles, one of the country’s largest retail groups, is to adopt Rambus’ Unified Payment Platform, an omnichannel commerce and payments solution that lets retailers offer a standalone or integrated mobile wallet application that supports credit cards, gift cards, loyalty points, coupons and receipts... More


What's New in Payments

Dollar General lets customers check out on their mobile phones

Dollar General pilots mobile checkout app — Progressive Grocer — “Tennessee-based Dollar General is the latest food retailer and first dollar-store chain to move into mobile checkout… Users will receive a receipt immediately via the app and via email. Any digital coupons are applied automatically when customers scan items, and the app alerts users regarding any additional discounts or promotions.”



What's New in Payments

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.”


What's New in Payments

Target adds mobile payments, coupons and rewards to mobile app

Target launches Wallet in the Target app: A faster, easier way to pay and save — Target — “With Wallet, guests can pay using their Target REDcard and save with Cartwheel — all in a single scan of their phones at checkout… Wallet combines digital savings — Cartwheel offers and Weekly Ad coupons — with the 5% REDcard discount. And, coming soon, guests also will be able to store and redeem Target GiftCards with Wallet.”


What's New in Payments

Chatbots to issue over 1bn coupons a year by 2022

Digital coupon redemptions to surpass $90bn by 2022 — Juniper Research — “Juniper has quantified the volume of chatbot coupons as 25m this year, with this set to reach 1.1bn by 2022. The technology will enable greater personalisation of offers; particularly through use via social media, and at a fraction of the cost of using human operatives, and will aid in driving commerce transactions both online and in-store… Mobile will account for nearly 80% of all coupon redemptions by 2022.”


Transit Ticketing Today

Dubai to add loyalty points to transit card

Dubai’s RTA to introduce loyalty programme for Nol cards — Gulf Business — “The programme, called Nol+, will be available to the public by the end of this year. Cardholders will receive points for using them to pay for fares of public transport means, parking fees, entering public parks, and visiting the Etihad Museum. The points will then be converted into coupon vouchers offering free services in cafes, restaurants and entertainment centres.”



What's New in Payments

Urban Airship analysis of retailers’ mobile wallet coupons and loyalty cards reveals widespread peer-to-peer sharing

Urban Airship analysis of retailers’ mobile wallet coupons and loyalty cards reveals widespread peer-to-peer sharing — Urban Airship — “Analysis of more than one million Apple Wallet coupons and loyalty cards of major retail brands shows that for every mobile wallet pass a customer installs, it is shared and added to 3.3 other mobile devices on average… More than three-quarters of retailers’ installed passes were the result of sharing versus being created and distributed through their marketing channels.”