Nov Retailers Launch Opening Salvo Against Apple in Digital Payment Wars

Apple Pay has a fight on its hands it seems. Drugstores CVS and Rite Aid have disabled the tech giant’s new digital wallet service in its stores, according to reports. Both retailers are part of a consortium of merchants who plan to offer their own payment system, CurrentC. Developed under the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) consortium which includes Walmart, Target and Gap as well as CVS and Rite Aid, CurrentC is positioned to rival Apple Pay and Google Wallet. It seems the battle for customers’ digital wallets has begun.

86 Percent of Online Shoppers Use In-Store Pickup to Save Time and Avoid Shipping Fees

A new survey from retail technology company POPcodes has found that 86 percent of consumers who order products online and pick them up in store want to avoid shipping fees. The poll of online shoppers conducted by POPcodes, which offers a cloud-based platform that integrates e-commerce systems and in-store payment terminals through a redemption code … Read more

POPcodes launches to enhance “order online, pick up in store” retail model

A retail technology startup launched at the Money 20/20 conference has developed an omnichannel redemption solution that enables customers to purchase products online and pick them up in store.

POPcodes, a Canada-based company led by North American retail executives, bridges the gap between ecommerce and physical shopping by giving consumers a code when checking out online, which they can then use to redeem purchases or promotions at the cash register.

Because POPcodes integrates with existing ecommerce platforms and in-store point-of-sale systems, it supports the entire “clicks to bricks” customer journey.

By entering their verified phone number and three-digit passcode – their personal POPcode – when in store, customers using POPcodes can redeem an online order or generate a proof of promotion at any participating location without having to print out their order confirmations or showing a photo ID.

Through POPcodes’ online API, merchants can create a proof of purchase or proof of promotion that sends data related to the consumers’ online transaction or registration for an online promotion to a variety of function-specific POP templates. These enable merchants to send a range of content (including location data, product and pricing information, product suggestions) for display and also for in-store output on demand.

POP Into In-Store Pickup

There is a multi-trillion dollar gap between the online and physical shopping worlds – and POPcodes, officially launched today at the Money 20/20 conference, looks to be the bridge. 

The way POPcodes works is customers get a simple and secure code (typically online although they could be used in offline collateral as well) from participating retailers and are able to use that code to redeem purchases or promotions in-store, either when at the cash register or through any in-store device connected to POPcodes (like associates using iPads or at an in-store kiosk). 

POPcodes launch to simplify ‘Order Online, Pick Up in Store’ retail model

Calgary, AB–POPcodes, a Calgary-based company led by veteran North American retail executives, bridges the gap between e-commerce and physical shopping by giving consumers a code when checking out online they can then use to redeem purchases or promotions at the cash register. 

Because POPcodes integrates with existing ecommerce platforms and in-store point of sale systems, it supports the entire ‘clicks to bricks’ customer journey.

Co-founders Gregg Aamoth and Glenn Yuen saw an opening in the market when they realized that retailers were misplacing their focus entirely on the online shopping experience, neglecting the time-tested in-store shopping model.

“The vast majority of consumers begin their path to purchase online, but an overwhelming amount of those shoppers – 95 per cent – still prefer to make the purchase in store,” says Aamoth. “Some stores offer in-store pickup for online purchases, but they are rarely successful because their current systems do not link their disparate sales channels. We wanted to make something that connects those experiences in one solution to benefit both the retailer and the consumer.”

By entering their verified phone number and three-digit passcode – their personal POPcode – when in store, customers using POPcodes can redeem an online order or generate a proof of promotion at any participating location without going through the hassle of printing out their order confirmations or showing a photo ID. Even better for retailers, a customer that comes in store is an opportunity for additional sales beyond the online purchase.

“From the very first transaction, POPcodes reduces online shopping cart abandonment, drives in-store traffic, extends the life of existing payment systems and improves real-time multichannel inventory management,” Yuen adds. “Even better, as usage increases and transaction history accumulates, POPcodes will provide retailers tremendous insight into the consumer’s wallet.”

 Instead of paying for shipping costs and waiting for their purchases to arrive, consumers can purchase online and pick up their order in a convenient local location, while retailers benefit by not having to pay the price of offering free shipping. Further, no additional investment in infrastructure is necessary to implement a system that separates the redemption and payment processes, thus reducing the possibility of fraud. In an era of in-store data breaches, POPcodes provides a B2B solution that minimizes risks for both the customer and retailer.

Through POPcodes’ online API, merchants can create a proof of purchase or proof of promotion that sends data related to the consumers’ online transaction or registration for an online promotion to a variety of function-specific POP templates. These enable merchants to send a wide range of content (including location data, product and pricing information, product suggestions) for display and also for in-store output on demand. This same mechanism enables brands to establish a series of redemption rules and personalized prompts that provide an unprecedented amount of flexibility and control over the in-store customer and associate experience.

 POPcodes is now available on the sites of participating retailers. For more information, visit POPcodes.com.

The Future of How We Pay: What You Need to Know

How often do you think about the credit cards and debit cards in your pocket, or the banking app on your phone, and consider how they could be better — faster, more secure, and more convenient? Chances are, with names like Apple Pay and Square in the headlines, constant press over the latest security breach … Read more

POS malware mayhem: POS and the return of POS

“The U.S. Secret Service and Trustwave researchers identified, analyzed, and named the Backoff POS malware, which has affected at least 1K businesses across the country,” says Karl Sigler, Threat Intelligence Manager, Trustwave. But while the security world is buzzing about Backoff POS and the BlackPOS malware that infiltrated Target last year, other POS malware is afoot, evolving, and potentially surging and resurging at any time.

Will Consumers “Back Off” Brick-and-Mortar After Latest Breach?

A few weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security revealed malicious software had infected more than 1,000 retailers’ point of sale systems, potentially leaking customers’ credit card data to hackers. This malware, known as “Backoff,” was highlighted again in Home Depot’s announcement early last month. With Target’s similar “Black POS” breach in the not-so-distant past, these announcements mark strike after strike against already shaky consumer confidence.

Kohl’s leverages mobile loyalty program to drive customer engagement

Kohl’s is leveraging its new loyalty program, optimized for mobile and Web, in a bid to continue driving customer engagement and build deeper relationships with consumers. The Yes2You rewards program will offer earning points for every purchase made at Kohls.com or in-store, and will serve as a two-way dialogue to help deliver meaningful experiences, according … Read more