Companies Experimenting With New Payment Systems
Companies are experimenting with new payment systems as part of a push toward the ultimate goal of giving shoppers the ability to purchase items they want on the spot, no matter where they are or what media they use. A newly announced partnership between MasterCard and magazine publisher Conde Nast will enable digital readers to instantly buy items described in an article or highlighted in an ad by tapping a shopping cart icon on the page. MasterCard’s Garry Lyons says his company designed the click-through shopping technology to be digitally agnostic, enabling access across multiple platforms including video, movies, and TV. Meanwhile, Peapod has enhanced its mobile app with a feature that enables customers to restock household items by scanning barcodes with their smartphones at home. There also is Paydiant’s technology for scanning a quick response code off a TV screen to redeem a coupon or purchase items being shown in a commercial or during a program. In addition, the Google Shopping Express service enables residents in Northern California to have goods ordered via the Google Wallet mobile payment system delivered within hours. Such offerings give the still-fledgling mobile payments industry new business opportunities.
From “For Shoppers, Next Level of Instant Gratification”
New York Times (10/08/13) Stout, Hilary