Mobile Magazine » mobile payments

Google Wallet smartphone app finally launches on Sprint

Michael Kwan — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:21:10 +0000

The whole NFC payment thing might finally start getting some traction around these parts, because it looks like Google Wallet is officially launching today. It was originally announced a few months ago, but I guess the boys and girls in Mountain View, California were still ironing out the kinks.

In case you missed it, Google Wallet effectively stores your credit cards and other methods of payment onto your smartphone in the form of an Android app. When it comes time to pay for something, you simply tap your phone rather than fumbling through to find the right piece of plastic. It’s supposed to be simple and seamless.

However, this launch may already be marred by a bit of a slow start. For starters, the Google Wallet app apparently looks like it will only be compatible with the Nexus S 4G from Sprint, but it should work with other Nexus S phones too I would think. The other hiccup, according to the internal document shown here, is that only PayPass enabled Citi MasterCards can be loaded onto Google Wallet at this time. That’s a curiosity, because why can’t other PayPass MasterCards work?

If it’s only replacing one card at this time, Google Wallet isn’t going to do much good for George Costanza…

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Pay for your frappalatte with Android

Michael Kwan — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:09:30 +0000

I’ll admit it, I am a coffee addict. The pot is usually on about as often as it rains here in Vancouver, but from time to time id sure like to treat myself to something special from the barista. No more fumbling change, now too like my iPhone friends, I can pull out an Android smartphone and pay up at the Starbucks before sitting down to write some news.

Just like iOS and BlackBerry, you can now display a barcode on your smartphone’s screen to settle your debt with the Starbucks Android app. It’s not as cool as using NFC, but I guess this will do for now. The Starbucks app can be used at nearly 7,000 Starbucks locations around the United States, as well as 1,000 Target locations. For your added latte-sipping convenience, you can also load up your virtual “Starbucks Card” via the app itself.

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Sprint To Compete Against Isis: NFC In 2011, Google Bank?

Fabrizio Pilato — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:18:19 +0000

NFC capable devices are ramping up and soon you will be able to wave your mobile at a teller to complete a purchase of goods. Quick, fast, it’s Wave and Pay by Sprint. The third largest wireless carrier in the US tipped Bloomberg about a plan to beat rivals AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to the NFC game. How will they do it? By becoming first to market. Kevin McGinnis, Sprint’s vice president of product platforms confirmed they are working with payment processors and smartphone makers on their own near-field communication service, the clincher, it won’t cost retailers a dime. Isis on the other hand — the NFC joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — is expected to launch in 2012 and will have “lower merchant transactions.”

“We intend to make this an open solution where consumers can use their phone in a variety of physical locations,” McGinnis told Bloomberg. “Because we’re allowing other brands and other institutions to participate, they can also tell their consumers that this is available on Sprint.”

Google is also working on creating an NFC platform said the $50B company last week, they are in talks with Mastercard and CitiGroup. The Google Nexus S has an NFC chip and could be one of the first phones supporting the technology in North America. Stay tuned for Google Bank.

[Read]

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VeriFone To Bring NFC Payments From Pipe Dream To Mainstream

Raggy Jin — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:35:28 +0000

Payment solutions company VeriFone is announcing it will make the push towards smartphone-based NFC as a widely-accepted method of payment, and that the technology will be incorporated as standard into their next line of point-of-sale devices.

In a statement released by the company, CEO Douglas Bergeron set out a blueprint to success for retailers and companies that will be involved in the payment platform. ”Emerging mobile payments platforms represent a leap forward in electronic payment transactions,” wrote Bergeron, “but those who want to claim leadership in this space have to reconcile merchant resistance to the imposition of costs to implement new infrastructure that will be managed [in] an increasingly complex environment.” The steps set out for the technology’s would-be participants include insights from years of experience working with retailers to implement payment technologies and adapt to changing security requirements, the company said.

Rule #1: “Deployment and management of complex NFC technologies will require significant ongoing services from the retailer’s payment systems provider. Until retailers are assured of receiving real value from mobile commerce, service providers who stand to gain from either carrier fees, advertising revenue or transaction charges must be willing to bear the costs of this highly disruptive paradigm shift.”
Rule #2: “Mobile commerce must add value to the consumer. Tapping a phone is a gimmick, no different from tapping a card or fob. In addition to providing the ability to pay for stuff by phone, service providers and retailers need to provide real additional value — such as coupons, loyalty rewards and discounts — for consumers to leave their wallets at home.
Rule #3: “Mobile commerce must be streamlined with existing POS services and managed well for the retailer. Retailers won’t tolerate the need for multiple methods of acceptance to accommodate what will become a wide array of mobile commerce schemes. All ideas, regardless of where or who generates them, must converge at a unified point-of-sale.”
Rule #4: “Mobile commerce must go from zero to 90 mph in five seconds. Consumers will not embrace mobile commerce without the confidence that it is being widely accepted. If it only works at a few select retailers, it dies a quick death. Ten percent acceptance is not sustainable.”
Rule #5: “Mobile commerce must be integrated with other forms of payment. Mobile commerce won’t lead to the quick death of plastic cards and must work with existing payment systems that are certified by all major processors and installed in the vast majority of large and small retailers.”
Rule #6: “Mobile commerce must be ironclad secure. Security, both real and perceived, is imperative to the adoption and sustainability of mobile commerce. Even minor setbacks in security could compromise consumer adoption and stop the movement in its tracks.

While it’s true that VeriFone has lead the way for new payment technologies in the past, the movement is moot without smartphone manufacturers building the system into their products. But if rumours hold true and Apple does incorporate NFC into their iPhone 5, you can expect others to follow suit relatively quickly.
There’s no word yet on when VeriFone will be releasing their Near-Field Communicating POS (“Point Of Sale,” not what it sounds like) terminals, we expect it will be ready just in time for the 2012 apocalypse. (note to editor: Last scentence meant as satire. Too much?)

VeriFone Says Merchant Buy-In Key to Success of Mobile Commerce

Service Providers Must Shoulder Acceptance Infrastructure Costs to Successfully Bridge Gap Between Mobile Phones and Retailer Point-of-Sale

SAN JOSE, CA – February 24, 2011 – VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), the leading payment solutions provider in the U.S., today urged aspiring mobile payment service companies to engage with retailers in determining market requirements to enable mobile phone-initiated payments and services at the retail point of sale.

Responding to growing interest from major industry players intent on claiming a stake in emerging mobile commerce opportunities, VeriFone CEO Douglas G. Bergeron articulated key guidelines to ensure that mobile payments don’t follow the path of previous alternative payment schemes that only succeeded in alienating merchants. VeriFone supplies a large majority of card payment solutions employed in the U.S. by retailers large and small and over the past 30 years has led the way in retail adoption of new payment technologies.

“Emerging mobile payments platforms represent a leap forward in electronic payment transactions, but those who want to claim leadership in this space have to reconcile merchant resistance to the imposition of costs to implement new infrastructure that will be managed in an increasingly complex environment,” Bergeron said.

“The retail point of sale represents a point of convergence for smartphone-initiated payments, social networking and electronic couponing, but it won’t happen if retailers are expected, on faith, to absorb the costs of making it work,” Bergeron added. “This isn’t just an issue of adding an NFC reader, it requires deep software richness at the point-of-sale to interact with the smartphone and manage a services-based model encompassing new applications and deployments without disrupting operation of existing card systems.”

Bergeron outlined six key “rules” that industry participants need to adhere to in order to ensure success of mobile commerce:

Rule #1: “Deployment and management of complex NFC technologies will require significant ongoing services from the retailer’s payment systems provider. Until retailers are assured of receiving real value from mobile commerce, service providers who stand to gain from either carrier fees, advertising revenue or transaction charges must be willing to bear the costs of this highly disruptive paradigm shift.”

Rule #2: “Mobile commerce must add value to the consumer. Tapping a phone is a gimmick, no different from tapping a card or fob. In addition to providing the ability to pay for stuff by phone, service providers and retailers need to provide real additional value –- such as coupons, loyalty rewards and discounts — for consumers to leave their wallets at home.

Rule #3: “Mobile commerce must be streamlined with existing POS services and managed well for the retailer. Retailers won’t tolerate the need for multiple methods of acceptance to accommodate what will become a wide array of mobile commerce schemes. All ideas, regardless of where or who generates them, must converge at a unified point-of-sale.”

Rule #4: “Mobile commerce must go from zero to 90 mph in five seconds. Consumers will not embrace mobile commerce without the confidence that it is being widely accepted. If it only works at a few select retailers, it dies a quick death. Ten percent acceptance is not sustainable.”

Rule #5: “Mobile commerce must be integrated with other forms of payment. Mobile commerce won’t lead to the quick death of plastic cards and must work with existing payment systems that are certified by all major processors and installed in the vast majority of large and small retailers.”

Rule #6: “Mobile commerce must be ironclad secure. Security, both real and perceived, is imperative to the adoption and sustainability of mobile commerce. Even minor setbacks in security could compromise consumer adoption and stop the movement in its tracks.

Bergeron’s rules are based on years of experience working with retailers to implement payment technologies and adapt to changing security requirements. As the trusted supplier of payment solutions, VeriFone has the ability to work with retailers and service providers in assessing market requirements and integrating existing infrastructure with complex new technologies required to make mobile commerce work smoothly.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for VeriFone Systems, Inc.
This press release includes certain forward-looking statements related to VeriFone Systems, Inc. within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on VeriFone management’s current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of VeriFone Systems, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: customers’ acceptance of our new products and services, our ability to protect against fraud, the status of our relationship with and condition of third parties upon whom we rely in the conduct of our business, our dependence on a limited number of customers, uncertainties related to the conduct of our business internationally, our dependence on a limited number of key employees, short product cycles, rapidly changing technologies and maintaining competitive leadership position with respect to our payment solution offerings. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriFone is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

About VeriFone Systems, Inc. (www.verifone.com)
VeriFone Systems, Inc. (“VeriFone”) (NYSE: PAY) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

[via VeriFone]

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2nd Gen VeriFone PAYware On The Way To Canada, U.K.

Raggy Jin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:07:28 +0000

VeriFone is announcing the second generation of their PAYware Mobile Service, which will allow merchants around the world to accept smart card, mag-stripe card and contactless-based payments anywhere at any time using their smartphones.

“PAYware Mobile struck a chord with micro merchants in North America who wanted to be able to quickly and securely accept credit card payments anywhere by leveraging a cost-effective, mobile smart phone,” said Paul Rasori, VeriFone’s senior vice president of marketing, at the Mobile World Congress. “VeriFone is now leveraging our global partnerships and distribution capabilities to provide a mobile payment platform that supports regional demands for EMV, NFC-based applications, and secure, PCI-compliant PIN entry.”

The units incorporate a rechargeable battery with up to 10 hours of functional life on a charge and use VeriShield Protect end-to-end encryption to make sure the transaction is entirely secure.

The next generation of card readers will hit Canadian and U.K. markets in the first quarter of this year, with other countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia following by the end of 2011.

[via VeriPhone]

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Global Mobile Transactions To Reach $1 Trillion by 2014

Jeremy Pedro — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:26:17 +0000

With news of many new mobile payment services, faster networks and new features hitting us daily, it is no surprise that we are more connected than ever. And accompanying that global connection to society we have come to expect a certain level of convenience and quality. Yankee Group, a research firm from Boston, MA, has presented extensive research on the future of mobile usage and mobile transactions. Their research shows that at the conclusion of 2010, total value of global mobile transactions was at $162 billion, and they anticipate that it will be $984 billion by 2014. To supplement the research, Yankee Group conducted a consumer survey, which found results showing that, although mobile transactions are expected to increase drastically, less than 10 percent of consumers would be willing to pay extra or mobile transaction services such as mobile banking, mobile coupons and mobile payments.

“Every silver lining comes with a big, dark cloud and the explosion in mobile transactions is much the same,” said Nick Holland, senior analyst at Yankee Group. “Although mobile transaction service usage is increasing phenomenally, consumers show little interest in paying any additional fees for them. If banks, mobile operators, card networks and retailers want to tap mobile transactions as a revenue stream, they’ll need to come up with more creative schemes than per-transaction fees.”

Revenue and the opportunity for more money is always in the forefront of corporate decision makers, and this is an obvious possibility with such an explosion in transactions. Although at this point, with over 90 percent of consumers refusing to pay additional fees, attempting to exploit this opportunity could have major implications on the future of mobile transactions.

Yankee Group’s mobile transaction forecast tracks metrics on mobile banking, international and domestic remittances, contactless cards, mobile coupons and NFC communications. Other forecast findings include:

Asia-Pacific overtakes EMEA as the mobile banking powerhouse: In 2010, EMEA leads all regions with 42 percent of worldwide active mobile banking users, followed by Asia-Pacific (38 percent), North America (16 percent) and Latin America (4 percent); but by 2014, Asia-Pacific leads with 54 percent, followed by EMEA (32 percent), North America (10 percent) and Latin America (4 percent).

Mobile coupon usage explodes: The number of active mobile coupon users is expected to grow from 2.7 million in 2010 to nearly 35 million in 2014.

Near field communications (NFC) takes off: The number of NFC-enabled phones will grow from just 834,000 in 2010 to 151 million in 2014, a CAGR of more than 300 percent. Similarly, the value of NFC-based transactions will explode from $27 million in 2010 to $40 billion in 2014.

[via Yankee Group]

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Sage Mobile Payments adds credit card processing to phones and tablets

Raggy Jin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:25:30 +0000

Artists at exhibits, vendors at trade shows, limo drivers at airports; nobody likes a missed sale. Which is exactly the problem Sage Software Inc. is looking to eliminate with today’s launch of their new fee-free encrypted credit card payment device.

The new Sage Mobile device brings the ability to accept credit cards to anyone with one of more than 400 compatible cell phones, smart phones and tablets: From iPad to Nexus S, Playbook to Windows Phone 7. And, unlike the majority of their competitors, there are no processing fees. Just a monthly fee for a web-accessible merchant account. Sage pricing is without incremental percentage-of-purchase fees, making it friendly to growing businesses.

“SMBs need to look at total cost of ownership when it comes to selecting a mobile payments solution,” said Greg Hammermaster, president of Sage Payment Solutions. “Some competing mobile payments offerings add 1 percent plus upwards of 37 cents to the processing fees, which can easily turn into well over $130 in extra fees for every $10,000 in credit card volume. While this pricing is good for individuals that don’t process a lot of credit card transactions, it can be quite costly for businesses using their mobile device to process credit cards on a regular basis.”

The small, white card reader plugs into the headphone jack, instantly encrypting data from swiped cards before sending it off to the cloud to complete the transaction. Sage boasts industry-leading, PCI-compliant end-to-end security, meaning they’ve eliminated any possibility of skimming or retention of data.

But despite the real-time authorization and emailed receipts, Sage’s biggest obstacle will be a public lack of trust. Any tradesperson or salesman asking to swipe their credit card into a cell phone may be an unnerving concept for many who don’t understand the technology.

This is the future of sales as we move closer and closer to a paperless monetary system, but as with any change, aging generations might just make the transition a lot rockier than it could be.

[Sage Mobile Payments]

Sage Launches New Mobile Payments Product, Says ‘No’ to Mobile Processing Fees
Turns 400+ Mobile Phones and Tablets into Secure Payment Terminals, Will Integrate with Many Business Management Systems

MCLEAN, Va. (February 7, 2011) – Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) can now cost effectively and securely process mobile payments, with no additional transaction fee surcharges and planned seamless integration to a wide range of business management systems.

Sage Payment Solutions, the payments division for Sage North America, today announced general availability for Sage Mobile Payments. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant mobile payments product comes bundled with a Sage merchant account to allow SMBs to expand their payment options by accepting credit and debit cards on 400+ types of mobile phones and computing devices, across all major wireless carriers. Sage Payment Solutions is offering Sage Mobile Payments for a nominal set-up fee, a monthly fee as low as $10.95, and no incremental mobile processing or transaction fees. The product is also available with an optional, end-to-end encrypted card reader (card swiper).

“SMBs need to look at total cost of ownership when it comes to selecting a mobile payments solution,” said Greg Hammermaster, president of Sage Payment Solutions. “Some competing mobile payments offerings add 1 percent plus upwards of 37 cents to the processing fees, which can easily turn into well over $130 in extra fees for every $10,000 in credit card volume. While this pricing is good for individuals that don’t process a lot of credit card transactions, it can be quite costly for businesses using their mobile device to process credit cards on a regular basis.”

Sage Payment Solutions believes that the most cost-effective mobile payments offering for an SMB customer consists of a reasonable monthly fee and no additional transaction fee surcharges. “In the end, we don’t view the mobile device as a profit center,” said Hammermaster. “Mobile payments is an important solution in our suite to help customers expand their sales channels and generate revenues.”

Sage Mobile Payments is available with an optional card reader (card swiper), with end-to-end encryption from the card reader device to the application. “End-to-end encryption for any payment transaction is now a requirement in the business community, and Sage Payment Solutions is committed to meeting that demand,” said Hammermaster.

Sage Mobile Payments is PCI compliant, and adheres to the highest possible standards in the payment industry. All customer data flowing through Sage Mobile Payments is encrypted before it leaves a customer’s cell phone; no personal data is retained on the phone or mobile computing device.

Sage Mobile Payments will soon seamlessly integrate to Sage Exchange, a secure, Payment Card Industry (PCI) certified payments platform that can automatically update a numerous Sage-developed accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP), fundraising, medical practice management, and billing and time tracking systems with payments data to help eliminate the cost, hassle, and inaccuracy associated with manual data entry. Sage Exchange also integrates with a number of third-party business management products and services.

The SMB Group, a research firm focused exclusively on researching and analyzing the highly fragmented SMB market, is currently conducting a Small and Medium (SMB) Business Payment Solutions Study. Preliminary data from that study shows that 3 percent of SMBs accept mobile payments today, and suggests that this number will increase to 7 percent in the next 12 months, and 16 percent by the end of 2012.

“A business of virtually any size can benefit from the ability to process mobile payments,” said Sanjeev Aggarwal, founder and partner of The SMB Group. “From larger companies with employees in the field, to micro-businesses exhibiting at trade fairs, all need to process payments and do business on-the-go. Sage Payment Solutions seems to have figured out that mobile payment products are business tools, not gadgets. The company is providing small and midsized businesses with an affordable solution, without charging a premium for using it.”

As announced in October 2010, Sage Payment Solutions has partnered with ROAM Data, an industry leader in mobile commerce solutions, to bring Sage Mobile Payments to market. The product works with Apple’s iPhone and iPad, Motorola’s DROID phones, and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, plus hundreds of other mobile devices. Using Sage Mobile Payments, businesses and organizations can:
· Quickly and securely process credit and debit card orders, with real-time authorization;
· Use an optional low-cost, secure card reader;
· Log cash orders, download reports online, and email receipts to their customers;
· Rapidly change applications or add features to mobile apps that may benefit them; and
· Experience seamless integration with their Sage accounting, ERP, fundraising products, plus other third-party products.

Pricing and Availability
Sage Mobile Payments is currently available for U.S. businesses and organizations with a Sage Payment Solutions merchant account. Sage Mobile Payments is being offered for a nominal set-up fee, a monthly fee as low as $10.95, and no incremental mobile processing or transaction fees.

Additional Information
For more information on Sage Mobile Payments, please visit www.sagemobilepayments.com or call 800-652-2370.

About Sage Payment Solutions
Sage Payment Solutions, the payments division for Sage North America, has been providing businesses and organizations with electronic payment systems for more than 20 years. The company makes electronic payment processing easy for more than 155,000 merchants, allowing them to accept multiple forms of payment, including credit and debit cards, electronic checks, Check21, gift and loyalty cards, and automatic recurring payment. Sage Payment Solutions provides a wide range of secure standalone and integrated payment processing solutions. Sage Exchange, its PA-DSS certified payments platform, integrates with many Sage software products to maximize the value of customers’ business systems with automatically updated credit and debit card transaction information. Future Sage Exchange releases will offer additional integrated payment capabilities, including advanced point-of-sale (POS) device integration, payment origination solutions, and cash management applications. For more information about Sage Payment Solutions, please call 800-261-0240, or visit www.sagepayments.com.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs 4,000 people and supports 3.2 million small and midsize business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 13,400 people and supports 6.3 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the website at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

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NFC to go viral with the Nexus S, iPad 2 and iPhone 5

Michael Kwan — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:01:48 +0000

This comes by way of Envisioneering Group’s Richard Doherty. He’s apparently well connected with “engineers who are working on hardware” for Apple’s newest handhelds, and they’re saying that NFC capabilities are being shoehorned into the next-generation of iDevices. If these rumors turn out to be true, they could really represent the tipping point for near field communications technology in North America. Naturally, the biggest application for NFC would be mobile payments. iPhone 5 and iPad 2 owners could then go to participating retailers and spend using the credit card that Apple already has on file. This could really revamp how the iTunes Store works too.

Or even the Apple Store. Imagine walking into your local shiny box of an Apple Store with iPhone 5 in hand. You see a new case (or new MacBook) that tickles your fancy. The store rep taps your phone and you walk out the door with your shiny new device.

[9 to 5 Mac via BloomBerg]

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Starbucks mobile payments roll out with barcodes, not NFC

Michael Kwan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:49:43 +0000

The next time you order a trenta-sized iced mocha frapp, you won’t need to whip out your wallet. You’ll just need to flash your iPhone at the barista.

Starbucks has rolled out its mobile payment system nationwide, hitting up nearly 7,000 company-operated coffee shops around the United States. The idea is that you can load up your Starbucks account with some funds (just like how you would with the physical Starbucks Card), boot up the iPhone app, show the barcode to the scanner, and enjoy your cuppa joe.

Yes, I said barcode. The mobile payment system being implemented by Starbucks uses a special 2D barcode rather than the near-field communications (NFC) technology being shoved into products like the Google Nexus S smartphone. They say that NFC just isn’t popular enough yet. “Once there are more users,” says Starbucks Card category manager of innovation Chuck Davidson, “we will adapt.”

In addition to the Starbucks Card app being offered on iOS for iPhone and iPod touch, there is also an app being launched for BlackBerry as well as one currently in development for Android.

I’m not convinced that this is necessarily any faster than whipping out an actual Starbucks Card, since you have to load up the app and show the barcode for it to work, but it is good to see that they’re innovating by doing more than making bigger cups and unveiling new logos.

Mobile Payment Debuts Nationally at Starbucks

The Starbucks Card Mobile App offers customers with BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone and iPod touch the fastest way to pay at nearly 6,800 U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores

SEATTLE, January 19, 2011 – Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced the launch of mobile payment in all U.S. company-operated stores, allowing customers to pay for in-store purchases with select smartphones. Building on the earlier introduction of Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry® smartphones, iPhone® and iPod® touch and a successful mobile payment test program, customers now have access to the largest mobile payment program in the U.S. and the fastest way to pay at Starbucks. This national program now includes nearly 6,800 company-operated stores and more than 1,000 Starbucks in U.S. Target locations.

Starbucks Card Mobile App on BlackBerry smartphone (Photo: Business Wire)

In addition to engaging a loyal base of several million cardholders with the offering, Starbucks anticipates mobile payment will be a draw for customers looking to experience the speed, ease and convenience of paying with their mobile phone. “Today, one in five Starbucks transactions is made using a Starbucks Card and mobile payment will extend the way our customers experience and use their Starbucks Card,” said Brady Brewer, vice president Starbucks Card and Brand Loyalty. “With mobile payment, the Starbucks Card platform further elevates the customer experience by delivering convenience, rewarding loyalty and continuing to build an emotional connection with our customers.”

To experience mobile payment at Starbucks, customers just need to download the free Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone or iPod touch mobile devices. More than one-third of U.S. Starbucks customers use smartphones, of which nearly three quarters use BlackBerry smartphone or iPhone mobile devices. In addition to the mobile payment capability, the app allows customers to manage their Starbucks Card account, check their card balance, reload their card with any major credit card (iPhone users can also use the PayPal feature), check their My Starbucks Rewards status and find a nearby Starbucks store with the store locator feature.

Customers can pay with their smartphone by holding their mobile device in front of a scanner on the countertop and scan the Starbucks Card Mobile App’s on-screen barcode to make a purchase. Customers have successfully adopted this technology in test markets in Seattle, Northern California, New York and more than 1,000 Starbucks in U.S. Target stores.

Mobile payment is built on the Starbucks Card platform, which continues to experience significant customer adoption. Customers loaded more than $1.5 billion on Starbucks Cards in 2010, an increase of 21 percent over 2009, driven in part by the My Starbucks Rewards program which provides benefits to customers who pay with a registered Starbucks Card at participating stores. With the introduction of the quick and easy Starbucks Card Mobile App and the mobile payment feature, customer will find yet another reason to use their Starbucks Card for payment.

“Mobile payment is just one example of how we’re continually innovating on behalf of our customers to enhance the Starbucks Experience,” said Brewer. “A growing segment of our customers use smartphones, and through the Starbucks Card Mobile App, we’re providing them with the fastest way to pay.”

To download the Starbucks Card Mobile App and check out mobile payment, BlackBerry smartphone users can text the word “GO” to 70845 or visit http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps/starbucks-card-mobile-bb from their device (Standard message and data rates apply.). It’s available for a variety of BlackBerry smartphones including BlackBerry® 8800 series; BlackBerry® Bold series; BlackBerry® Curve™ series; BlackBerry® Storm™; BlackBerry® Storm2™ and BlackBerry® Tour™.

iPhone and iPod touch users can download the app from the App Store at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

Visit www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps for more information about the Starbucks Card Mobile app and payment system for select BlackBerry smartphones and Apple® iPhone®, iPod® touch.

About Starbucks Corporation

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest-quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

Apple, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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Angry Birds developer creates Bad Piggy Bank in-app payment solution

Michael Kwan — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:45:39 +0000

One of the issues that some people encounter when using Android Market is that they have to use a credit card to buy apps. There’s also a lack of in-app mobile payment solutions, which can take away certain opportunities from the developers to make some extra cash. Rovio, the same folks that brought us Angry Birds, are addressing these concerns with their creation of the Bad Piggy Bank.

This comes straight from Rovio CEO Peter Vesterbacka during a streamed press conference. He says that Rovio has created Bad Piggy Bank and it’s an in-app payment solution for Android-based devices. You don’t need to go through Google Checkout. Instead, the solution is designed to allow users to purchase application upgrades, unlock ad-free versions of apps, and so on.

The idea behind Bad Piggy Bank, then, is similar to the all the downloadable content that you’d find through Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. In the context of Angry Birds, Rovio might offer several additional stages at a nominal fee, for example. While you are in Angry Birds, you can opt to buy these extra stages and you don’t need to go through Google to do it. Further still, you don’t need a credit card either.

Apparently, Bad Piggy Bank will integrate with local wireless providers, allowing the in-app purchases to appear on your monthly cell phone bill instead. This adds a level of convenience, to be sure, and could make the impulse buy all that more impulsive. It is too bad that Google didn’t do this themselves, but it does show that Rovio has more up its sleeve that hurling feathered friends into makeshift pig-designed structures.

[BGR]

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