Partnership makes it easy for retailers to accept Zapp payments via QR codes and NFC

Zapp announced a partnership with FEXCO that will make it easier for consumers to make mobile payments at the point of sale within stores.

The partnership – one of many that Zapp is establishing with technology providers – means that acquirers will be able to seamlessly support Zapp transactions via FEXCO’s FLASHiZ mobile payment platform on existing Point of Sale hardware. This makes it easier for retailers to integrate mobile payments using both QR codes and NFC so their customers can use their mobiles to pay in shops, online, and pay paper invoices.

The news follows the publication of a report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) which concluded that mobile payments will bring retailers reduced transaction costs, increased sales and an improved consumer shopping experience. The report found that shifting from cash, credit and charge cards to mobile payments could have saved retailers £463m¹ in lower transaction costs in 2013.

Peter Keenan, Chief Executive of Zapp, said, “We’re delighted to welcome FEXCO into the Zapp payment ecosystem. We’re committed to building the most open and inclusive alliance of any mobile payment initiative and this is another example of how the industry is getting behind Zapp, working together to make mobile payments a reality for millions of consumers. We know that for retailers, it’s important that any new payment service is technology agnostic and easily integrates with their existing in-store hardware. Today’s announcement – and others we will make in the coming months -helps makes this possible.”

FEXCO’s Head of Mobile Payments, John McCarthy, said: “Today’s announcement is an important step towards our goal of supporting our acquiring partners in accepting mobile payments. Through our partnership with Zapp, acquirers will be able to seamlessly support Zapp transactions on existing Point of Sale hardware. This partnership highlights how acquirers can adopt this technology and best position their business to profit from the rapidly evolving world of mobile payments. At FEXCO, we believe that mobile payments will play a key role in the future of retail and we are looking forward to working with Zapp to roll out new merchant locations on multiple integrated and standalone devices in 2014.”

Research by the Cebr² predicted that 20 million adults will use their mobiles to pay for goods and services by the end of the decade, with the value of purchases tripling from current levels to £14.2bn in 2018. By 2020, mobile payments will represent 1.4% of total consumer spending.

Zapp announced in January 2014 that it will be open to all financial institutions, merchants, acquirers and consumers from autumn 2014 and its lead partners are: HSBC, first direct, Nationwide, Metro Bank, Santander, WorldPay, Elavon, Sage Pay, Realex Payments and Optimal Payments. The alliance is working together to prepare the roll-out of Zapp payments to millions of customers, merchants and businesses. Together this group represents over a third of all UK bank accounts with more than 60% of UK merchants being able to take advantage of Zapp payments. Zapp will continue to recruit new members to this alliance throughout 2014.

• Shifting from cash payments to mobile payments could have saved retailers £197 million in lower transaction costs in 2013. A saving of £266 million in reduced transaction costs could have been made from shifting away from credit  & charge cards to mobile payments.
• ‘The Future of Payment in the UK’, Cebr, November 2013