Miles & More Accepts Wirecard's Mobile Payment Solution in Lufthansa WorldShop Stores
MUNICH, October 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Chinese tourists now can pay with mobile Alipay Barcode Payment in four Lufthansa
WorldShop storesÂ
- Pilot phase started 1st of OctoberÂ
The Wirecard Group is to enable Miles & More GmbH to accept Alipay barcode payments in
their Lufthansa WorldShop stores via the new 'Scan Alipay' iOS app. Alipay is China's most
popular mobile payment solution. The pilot phase started on 1 October in four stores
located in Munich and Frankfurt am Main airports in Germany - right in time for the start
of the 'Golden Week', a holiday period during which millions of Chinese tourists head over
to Europe to shop. Wirecard will provide Alipay acceptance and process the entire payment
transaction within the framework of this partnership.
In the exclusive Lufthansa WorldShop Stores operated by Miles & More GmbH, high
quality luggage and accessories, electronics and lifestyle products from many renowned
brands are on offer. These are of great interest to Chinese tourists. In 2015 alone,
affluent Chinese tourists spent USD 292bn on their trips abroad - more than any other
country.
"We are looking forward to offer Chinese customers in cooperation with Wirecard the
Alipay barcode payments in the Lufthansa WorldShop Stores. Now the shopping experience
will be even easier and more convenient for these customers," says Roland Adrian, Managing
Director of Miles & More GmbH. "We are certain that the new payment method will be
well-received. The next step, which will follow at a later date, would be to integrate
Alipay in our till system and continue its rollout further."
Dr. Markus Braun, CEO at Wirecard: "The number of Chinese tourists has risen
massively. As surveys reveal, Germany is their preferred destination for European travel.
Moreover, Chinese tourists like to splash the cash on holiday, meaning that they represent
a significant source of income for retailers. We are therefore delighted to support the
Lufthansa WorldShop Stores in offering mobile Alipay payments via the new Scan Alipay app.
We are sure that many more joint ventures in this field are in the pipeline."
Its ease of use means that the app is attractive for all retailers: customers making a
cashless payment via the Alipay app simply need to show the retailer the barcode on their
smartphone display. All the retailer is required to do is enter the amount payable in the
relevant currency into the Scan Alipay app on the mobile end device and then scan the QR
code on the customer's smartphone. This is all that is necessary to complete the
transaction. Payment processing is then handled by Wirecard Bank. Retailers can
conveniently download the app from the App Store free of charge. Following a short,
uncomplicated registration process, users can quickly begin making payments via the app.
Wirecard's ConnectedPOS technology is used for direct Alipay till system integration. For
more information, please visit: https://www.wirecard.com/alipay
About Wirecard: Â
Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting
electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the
Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A
global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary
fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of
cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an
end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products.
Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060,
WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or
follow us on twitter @wirecard.
Miles & More press contact:Â
Miles & More press office
Tel.: +49 69 719168-159
Email: presse@miles-and-more.com
About Miles & More Â
Miles & More is Europe's leading frequent flyer bonus programme. With more than 20
years' experience and in working with over 300 partner companies, Miles & More GmbH, which
operates the programme from its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, have become
experts in the field of successful customer retention.
Participants in the programme can collect Miles & More status miles from flights, but
also from purchasing premium brands across all major retail sectors. These miles can be
redeemed at partner companies operating in the shopping and lifestyle sector,
telecommunications and electronics industry as well as at hotels and car rental companies,
for example. Miles & More offers a foot in the door of an exclusive world with selected
products and premium offers, including in the Lufthansa World Shop, highly sought-after
air miles which can be redeemed against flight tickets and the Miles & More credit card as
a secure payment method. Partner companies in the core markets of Germany, Austria and
Switzerland especially benefit from access to a select target group and use Miles & More
premium miles for the purposes of customer retention.
The frequent flyer bonus programme was launched on 1 January 1993 in Germany with a
total of seven partners. Since September 2014, Miles & More GmbH has operated as an
independent company and wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa AG. Further information can
be found on http://www.miles-and-more.com and http://www.miles-and-more.com/presse
About Alipay: Â
Launched in 2004, Alipay is the world's leading third-party payment platform. It
currently has over 450 million active registered users and more than 200 financial
institution partners. During the 2015 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, China's equivalent
of Cyber Monday, Alipay processed RMB 91.3 billion worth of transactions from Alibaba's
marketplaces. In addition to online payment functions such as online shopping payments,
money transfer, and utility bill payments, Alipay is expanding to offline payments both
inside and outside of China. Over 600,000 brick-and-mortar merchants and over one million
taxis now accept Alipay as a payment method across China. As of December 2015, Alipay was
accepted in more than 50,000 retail stores outside of China, and tax reimbursement via
Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions, including South Korea, Germany and
France. More than half of the transactions processed by Alipay are conducted on mobile
devices. Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a
taxi, book a hotel, or buy movie tickets directly from various modules within the app and
purchase wealth management products such as Yu'e Bao.
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Wirecard press contact:Â
Wirecard AGÂ
Jana TilzÂ
Tel.: +49(0)-89-4424-1363Â
Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com Â