Author: BWild

Mobile payments will be mainstream soon, says 1 in 3 consumers

In the U.K., a rising number of people feel that they will be using their smartphones regularly in stores.

Though mobile payments have been slow to take off, they are rapidly becoming more popular and now a new study based on a survey from Lloyds Bank has shown that many consumers feel that they will be regularly using this tech within five years from now.

In fact, one quarter of the study participants felt that by the end of 5 years, mobile phones would replace cash.

One in four participants in the U.K. study felt that between mobile payments and contactless cards, they would no longer need to carry cash. Moreover, recent statistics from Barclaycard have revealed that contactless spending in the United Kingdom is three times greater than it had been a year ago. In the Lloyds survey, conducted by Ipsos Mori, with the participation of more than 2,000 people, 43 percent of consumers agreed that technology is the way that payments are going in the future.

The survey also showed that 1 in 3 people feel that mobile payments will be used daily in five years’ time.

Report - Mobile PaymentsOver the summer, Apple Pay made its way into the U.K., drawing a considerable spotlight to the concept of mobile wallets. That said, while there are quite a few people who believe that mobile devices will become a typical payment method within the next five years, there also remains a much larger number that has stated that this technology will never become their primary choice for completing payment transactions.

According to the stats from the survey, it looks as though it is younger consumers who are more enthusiastic about the use of their mobile devices for this purpose than their counterparts who are 45 years of age or older.

When survey participants were asked about why they were not yet using mobile payments, 44 percent stated that they were not satisfied with the security or safety of the transactions. Another 18 percent said that their mobile devices were not compatible with the necessary technology, and 17 percent said that they didn’t know anything about this form of transaction.

PGA Tour event uses mobile payments

The golf event has brought a traditional experience together with some of the latest transaction tech.

Despite the fact that many of the most loved features of golf are based on centuries old traditions, the PGA Tour has invited some of the latest tech into its event by accepting mobile payments through smartphones.

To do this, the PGA Tour has partnered up with MasterCard, particularly in Edison, New Jersey.

The event held at the Barclays will use MasterCard’s mobile payments tech to make it possible for attendees to be able to buy what they want at concession stands using their smartphones. Each one of those stands is equipped with POS terminals that will allow for contactless payments, in addition to Qkr! – MasterPass. To incentivize the use of this tech for paying for these purchases, those who use their smartphones to buy will receive a discount of about 10 percent off the total bill.

Fans can make mobile payments directly using either Android or iOS based smartphones at the event.

Mobile Payments - Golf TournamentBy choosing to pay using Qkr!, fans are able to use mobile technology as a type of replacement for using a credit card. It is meant to boost the convenience level for people who will be attending the event, as people already bring their smartphones with them wherever they go. Moreover, the belief is that it will help to reduce the waiting time for the customers that are purchasing concessions.

According to PGA Tour senior vice president of corporate partnerships, Brian Oliver, “Technology plays such a critical role in enhancing the spectator experience at our golf tournaments, and our long-standing relationship with MasterCard has helped ensure that we are delivering the latest in payment technology.” He went on to point out that MasterCard is continually boosting the safety and convenience of making purchases while at the event course.

He also went on to express that they are quite excited to be using this mobile payments technology at The Barclays. The Qkr! application use is meant to help fans to be able to keep their attention on the main event so that they won’t ever miss a single thing.