PITTBURGH — Giant Eagle Inc. is now accepting PayPal and Venmo as forms of payment at each of the company's 474 supermarket and GetGo convenience-store locations, becoming the first U.S. chains to offer customers the ability to use them at the register.
With the continued growth of digital payment adoption across the country, Giant Eagle Inc. has partnered with Blackhawk Network and PayPal and Venmo to bring these payment methods in store.
Pittsburgh-based supermarket retailer Giant Eagle operates 266 GetGo c-stores in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. GetGo is No. 29 on CSP’s 2021 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by store count.
Customers can open either the PayPal or Venmo mobile app and click the scan button and select the show-to-pay option. PayPal customers can pay using stored debit or credit cards, bank accounts, PayPal balance or PayPal Credit. With Venmo QR codes, customers can pay using their stored debit or credit cards, bank account, Venmo balance or Venmo Credit Card.
“We are thrilled to be the first supermarket and convenience chain in the country to accept PayPal and Venmo in our stores,” said Graham Watkins, Giant Eagle executive vice president of retail innovation and business development. “This implementation is particularly exciting as it enables Giant Eagle and GetGo customers to use the digital payment methods that they already enjoy in the places where they transact most frequently.”
In terms of the digital wallet growth observed in 2020, 59% of surveyed consumers have been using their digital wallet more frequently than before the pandemic began, according to Pleasanton, Calif.-based Blackhawk Network, which delivers branded payment solutions through prepaid products, technologies and networks.
And of the digital payment tools available, 48% of consumers are using QR codes and barcodes on a mobile device more frequently over the last year, the company said, which is helping to bring a more seamless and connected payment experience to in-person shopping.
“With mobile payments on the rise, it's not just about consumers finding easy payment options, it's also about ensuring that retailers and consumers are confident in using new payment tools and technologies,” said Brett Narlinger, head of global commerce at Blackhawk Network.
Digital wallets and payments are also driving an increase in shopper loyalty, as 63% of respondents report they are more likely to shop at a retailer if they accept the digital payments they use, and 73% say they want to be able to pay the same way they pay online and in store. PayPal is the No. 1 digital payment tool they intend to use in 2021, the research showed, with 60% of digital payment users planning to continue using PayPal once shopping returns to pre-pandemic levels.
“Consumers have grown increasingly comfortable using digital payments in many different contexts over the past year including using touch-free options for in-store purchases. By working with Giant Eagle and Blackhawk Network, we are able to bring this technology to their customers for their everyday purchases and provide added value to these consumers,” said Frank Keller, senior vice president of in-store at PayPal, Palo Alto, Calif.
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