Following the rollout of the new system at a eurotrade retail unit, Munich Airport will be the first location in Europe to offer this mobile, cashless payment process. Eurotrade is the wholly owned retail subsidiary of Munich Airport.
Mobile, cashless payments now possible at Munich Airport thanks to Wirecard, SES-imagotag and wirecube
With this initiative, the airport is acting as a trailblazer, ushering in frictionless payment in a self-checkout version for retailers. The application was developed in a partnership with Wirecard, SES-imagotag and wirecube, with eurotrade doing the groundwork for the launch at Munich Airport.
Passengers save time when paying for purchase
The solution lets consumers use their smartphones to pay for articles right at the store shelf by scanning an electronic price tag. This eliminates waiting times at the cash register. For the payment process, the customer is redirected to a mobile website. In contrast to existing payment systems on the European market, it is not necessary to download the app.
To shop and place articles in the shopping basket, customers simply hold their smartphone up to the SES-imagotag digital shelf labels. The product is captured via near-field communication (NFC) or a camera scan of the QR code. Within seconds the phone opens a wirecube mobile web app where the customer can complete the purchase with ease, either by scanning a credit card with the phone camera or entering the card details by hand. Alipay is also available as a payment option.
Passengers at Munich Airport can now use the new mobile payment solution for selected items in the MyCorner shop, located after security in Terminal 2. After the pilot phase, the payment system will be extended to other eurotrade retail locations, including 12 duty free shops and 14 other stores offering magazines and newspapers, travel needs and souvenirs.
"The new payment system gives our customers a self-checkout option for the first time. This offers significant added value for travelers in a hurry: The customer avoids waiting time at the cash register. And as Munich Airport's retail arm, we are expecting a boost in sales – especially for fast turnover goods that are purchased on the go. With 'Smart Checkout – Tap, Pay, Enjoy', we are teaming up with Wirecard, wirecube and SES-imagotag to set new standards for mobile payments," says Sven Zahn, the Managing Director of eurotrade Handels-GmbH.
Retailers benefit from lower costs and simplified processes
Costs to retailers for setting up the new payment system are quite limited if the electronic shelf labels from SES-imagotag are used. By expanding the functionality of the labels to include a payment system, they become an additional point of sale that is far more cost-effective than conventional cash systems, both in terms of initial investment and ongoing expenses. In addition, the VUSION IoT solution developed by SES-imagotag will enable retailers to automate low-value processes, increase their own efficiency and improve customers' in-store connectivity.
"With the new payment system, Munich Airport is playing an active role in the digitization of retail and showing yet again that, along with its status as a vibrant and cosmopolitan retail location, it is also increasingly innovative. By simplifying and speeding up the checkout process, we can deliver an even better shopping experience for our 48 million passengers per year and keep pace with their ever-increasing expectations," says Philipp Ahrens, Vice President Center Management at Munich Airport.
