Tim Hortons prepares to launch mobile payments initiative in US and Canada
Tim Hortons has announced that it will begin accepting mobile payments at all of its locations in Canada and the U.S. The famed company is set to launch a mobile payments pilot project in December of this year, which will test the capabilities of the TimmyMe application. The app allows consumers to make payments from their mobile devices and is available for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry platforms. Tim Hortons is the latest in a growing number of restaurant organizations that are embracing mobile commerce.
Mobile commerce continues to grow in popularity among North American consumers
Mobile commerce has become much more than a passing fancy in North America. Many consumers have begun to rely heavily on their mobile devices in daily life, and it was only a matter of time since the advent of smartphones that people became comfortable with the idea of spending money through these devices. As consumers become more interested in mobile commerce, they are beginning to demand that their favorite brands and retailers begin supporting mobile payments. Tim Hortons and other large companies have begun to accommodate this demand.
TimmyMe app to be used for Tim Hortons mobile commerce initiative
In order to make use of the TimmyMe application, users will have to register their Tim Hortons card to the app itself. They will also have to add funds to the card and these funds will be accessible through the application, allowing them to purchase products at Time Hortons locations with relative ease. The TimmyMe application is currently free on all supported platforms and also provides support for Apple’s Passbook.
Tim Hortons may manage to compete with Starbucks in the increasingly crowded mobile commerce field
Tim Hortons is considered to be a rival of Starbucks, which has also taken a strong liking to mobile commerce. Starbucks has managed to find significant success in engaging mobile consumers through its partnership with Square. Together, the two companies have established a very powerful position in the mobile commerce field in North America, and may prove to be overwhelming competition.
This new smartphone payments service has been made available to device users in India.
Idea Cellular has recently announced the launch of its new mobile wallet service, called Idea Money, that is designed to give consumers the ability to complete certain payment transactions, such as recharging their prepaid mobile accounts.
It is also designed to allow utility bell payments DTH recharges, and make online money transfers.
This service was first launched in July in Mumbai and it will be rolled out throughout India through a number of phases, said a source from the company. That said, that individual declined to share the availability timeline for the availability of the mobile wallet across the country. This is far from the only service of this nature that is available within the Indian market. Vodafone, Tata Teleservices, Bharti Airtel, and other mobile operators are already providing mobile payments options to their customers.
The Idea Money website describes the mobile wallet as a semi-closed prepaid payment service.
That website explained that the service is being offered by Idea Mobile Commerce Services Limited (IMCSL), which obtained its license to provide it through the Reserve Bank of India. Idea stated that “Simply put, it is a prepaid account which can be accessed using your mobile phone or the Internet for conducting a variety of transactions like prepaid mobile recharges, DTH recharges, utility bill payments, money transfers & more.”
At the moment, the number of uses for these mobile payments is limited to certain bills on top of money transfers. It can recharge prepaid mobile services, recharge DTH, pay off utility bills, and send money to specific accounts. Though this does provide consumers with a convenient opportunity to use their smartphones and tablets to make payments, the company is hopeful that the uses will soon be able to broaden.
At the same time that it is focused on rolling out this mobile wallet across the remainder of India, it is also looking into additional uses for the service. This includes the introduction of mobile payments for shopping at stores and restaurants, for example, as well as uses for ticketing transactions. This could help to boost the appeal of the service among consumers who are using their smartphones for a growing number of daily activities.
