The Alipay mobile payment by barcode will be possible in all 69 eurotrade shops, at around 160 tills in total, both in the public area and the transfer zones.
ASCHHEIM, GERMANY – Wirecard AG is now working with eurotrade Flughafen Munchen Handels-GmbH in the area of payment processing at the point of sale (POS). eurotrade, which is a subsidiary of Munich Airport GmbH, is a professional retailer specialising in the operation of airport shops and cooperates with many international brands that have shops at the airport. From mid-July 2016, the affiliated shops will be offering an expanded range of payment methods: Chinese tourists will be able to conveniently pay for any shopping at participating retailers in the arrivals and departures areas of Munich Airport via their mobile Alipay App. To this end, Wirecard has integrated Alipay Barcode Payment into eurotrade's central till system.
The Alipay mobile payment by barcode will be possible in all 69 eurotrade shops, at around 160 tills in total, both in the public area and the transfer zones. The technical integration at the POS has been carried out so as to facilitate further developments in the field of alternative payment procedures.
Sven Zahn, Managing Director of eurotrade Flughafen Munchen Handels-GmbH: "Passengers from China are an important target group for retail at Munich Airport. We are delighted to soon be able to offer these visitors who have extremely high purchasing power the Chinese payment method Alipay in all our shops, which means currency exchange will no longer be required. With Wirecard, we have found a local, reliable partner who is providing comprehensive support as we introduce this solution."
Markus Eichinger, Head of Mobile Services at Wirecard: "Our ConnectedPOS platform enables us to quickly and easily implement acceptance for Alipay payments in eurotrade's central till system. The company is an important strategic partner for Wirecard because POS developments are only in their infancy in Europe. However, Alipay is a prime example of how quickly such solutions can become established on the market."
Rita Liu, Head of Europe at Alipay, adds: "It means a great added value for our customers that they can pay with their domestic payment method Alipay, now. Munich and the surrounding area is one of the most popular destinations of Chinese tourists. Through our marketing platform 'Global Lifestyle Platform' we will be able to provide useful information including offers, ratings and reviews to our Chinese users even before they arrive in Munich. We are sure that the new Alipay offerings of payment and marketing at all stores of Munich Airport, will be gratefully accepted by them."
Here is how Alipay Barcode Payment works in retail: A customer wishing to make a contactless payment via their Alipay App simply shows the retailer the barcode on their smartphone screen. The retailer then scans this barcode with their scanner and immediately launches the payment process. Behind the scenes, Wirecard initiates the payment. The customer confirms the purchase by entering their password and subsequently also receives a paper payment receipt. As the acquiring bank, Wirecard bundles all transactions for the respective retailer and processes these together via the collecting model.
Wirecard has been offering the innovative POS payment concept at retailers across Europe through the Alipay App since December 2015.
Wirecard Collaborate with Travelex to Launch New Supercard for British Travellers
Also, Wirecard and the leading foreign exchange provider, Travelex announced the launch of Supercard. A new MasterCard card and app combination for UK travellers to avoid overseas debit and credit card roaming fees and charges when spending abroad. Last year, Travelex introduced Supercard on a pilot basis to help solve traveller spending woes. After a successful pilot, Supercard is now offering the product to the UK public.
Within this cooperation, Wirecard acts as the technical service provider and takes over the whole acquiring processes as well as the risk management. In addition, Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd, a Wirecard Group company, is the issuer of the Supercard.
Supercard connects all existing credit and debit cards in one card solution which will be chip and pin protected. There are no application, registration, administration or usage fees for spending overseas. Customers simply link their credit or debit card via an app to their Supercard – with almost instant updates through the app, travellers can keep track of how much they spend and approximately how much they save. The application process is simple with no credit checks are involved. Plus, they still benefit from any card reward points they usually earn. With Supercard, travellers get the MasterCard wholesale exchange rate. This means Travelex do not add any additional fees or charges when the card is used for spending in other countries. Supercard is accepted wherever MasterCard cards are accepted.
Sean Cornwell, Travelex's Chief Digital Officer says: "At Travelex we're on a mission to create innovative financial products to help our customers' break down the borders that limit them from living internationally. Supercard provides them with the power to remove the boundaries they face when spending abroad, meaning they can travel with the peace of mind of knowing they're not getting charged fees and charges for spending with their UK bank cards abroad."
Jack Harris, Vice President Financial Institutions Europe adds "The Supercard product is great news for UK travelers and we are delighted to be collaborating with Travelex, the world's leading foreign exchange specialist, on its launch. The card solution is highly innovative and Wirecard are providing all aspects of the payment, risk management and processing technology. This launch further highlights Wirecard's ability to deliver complex and innovative solutions into the Financial Technology arena."
To get Supercard simply go to http://www.travelex.co.uk/Supercard to download the app and register. Once successfully registered the card will be sent via post. When the card arrives, use the app to link existing UK debit or credit cards to it. The app is available for iOS and Android phone devices.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
