roup Coles has launched a consumer trial of a new ‘contactless payment’ technology called the Coles Pay Tag, with 5,000 mobile phone tags available nationally.Coles said it was the first consumer trial of contactless credit card technology, which will enable a sample group of 5,000 customers to pay with their credit card and earn Flybuys points by using a Coles Pay Tag attached to their mobile phone.
According to Coles, Australian shoppers are actively seeking “more convenient, time-saving ways” to pay in the supermarket, which has seen Coles become one of the largest MasterCard PayPass retailers in the world. PayPass technology allows consumers to ‘tap’ their credit card against the EFTPOS machine, rather than having to swipe or dip the card. Coles said contactless payments at Coles had increased by over 70 per cent in the last year.
Coles said its new Coles MasterCard Pay Tag is the “next step” for payment technology and will deliver customers an easier way to pay. The ‘sticker’ tag can be attached to a mobile phone, which Coles said will mean customers will no longer have to take their wallet into the store to make contactless purchases.
“Our customers are constantly looking for ways to simplify their lives, save time and effectively manage their finances,” said Rob Scott, Coles Finance Director. “The new Coles Pay Tag is set to do just that,” he said.
“It does not matter which phone you own, the Coles Pay Tag will make earning Flybuys rewards and the PayPass feature of the Coles MasterCard card easier than ever before,” Mr Scott said. “We are excited to now offer this new technology to our customers,” he said.
Coles said it believed there was a “significant opportunity” for it to deliver Australian customers further innovation in financial services. The Coles MasterCard Pay Tag consumer trial is in partnership with GE Capital and MasterCard.
The Coles MasterCard Pay Tag can be used in Coles, Coles Express and in over 1.2 million retail locations worldwide that accept MasterCard PayPass. The Pay Tag utilizes the same comprehensive security features as MasterCard PayPass technology, including The Falcon fraud management system, and in-build security chip.
