3 Tech-Focused Moves by MasterCard
By Jackson Lewis on Feb. 27, 2017PURCHASE, N.Y. -- Three new partnerships by MasterCard have the credit-card processor digging deeper into mobile payments and Wi-Fi accessibility for card users.
The efforts began with the previously reported partnership with Wellesley Hills, Mass.-based Gulf Oil's Gulf Pay mobile-payment app. Now, additional efforts are underway for Wi-Fi connectivity from Boingo Wireless for MasterCard holders and a partnership with Oracle to bring the payment app Qkr to the United States and five other countries.
Here's a rundown of MasterCard’s recent tech-focused announcements …
Gulf pay at the pump
CSP Daily Newsreported Feb. 21 that Gulf Oil will launch a new payment app in partnership with MasterCard.
The app will be integrated with MasterCard’s mobile payment solution, Masterpass, and will allow for payment at the pump and in-store purchases, in addition to offering a tool to locate nearby Shell Oil units. The app is powered by P97’s PetroZone mobile commerce platform and provides users with exclusive offers for fuel and in-store products at participating Gulf Oil locations.
Gulf Pay is slated to launch in the first half of 2017 in select New England and New York markets, with availability in additional markets by 2018.
Connecting travelers
The day after Gulf Oil released news of its partnership with MasterCard, the payment processor announced that it is working with internet provider Los Angeles-based Boingo Wireless to allow MasterCard holders unlimited access to more than one million of Boingo’s Wi-Fi hot spots around the world at no extra cost.
Wi-Fi connectivity is now available for select HSBC MasterCard holders in Argentina, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and the U.K. MasterCard said its Boingo Wi-Fi benefit will become available to other issuers and cardholders soon, though it did not give specifics. The service is geared toward travelers who want to stay connected to the internet while traveling.
“We want to provide consumers with benefits and rewards that matter to them,” said Francis Hondal, executive vice president, credit and loyalty, MasterCard. “That means making experiences they love, like travel, even better with a benefit that reflects their increasingly mobile lifestyles. This partnership with Boingo will help MasterCard cardholders stay connected whenever they want, wherever they go.”
The Qkr the better
Lastly, MasterCard announced a partnership with Redwood City, Calif.-based Oracle to develop and scale in-store payments services, including Qkr with Masterpass, for the retail and hospitality industries.
Qkr allows users to order and pay for goods and services through their smartphone without having to wait in line or for a restaurant server, potentially making the app faster and more convenient than tap-and-pay services such as Apple Pay or Android Pay.
The companies plan to expand the Qkr platform to the United States and five other countries in 2017. MasterCard and Oracle also offer tools allowing retailers to use the same payment solution for in-store and online sales through MasterCard’s Payment Gateway Services.
Chris Fendley, senior vice president of merchant development for MasterCard, said: “With close to 80% of consumers using technology at some point along their shopping journey, MasterCard is committed to unlocking omnichannel commerce for every device and delivering convenient experiences to users at home, in stores and on the go.”