WH Smith to launch contactless payments
WH Smith, the stationery, book and newspaper retailer, has confirmed that it is introducing contactless payment technology in its stores.
The VisapayWave contactless technology provided by Streamline will initially be available in 46 stores located at major travel locations, such as London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and mainline railway stations. These stores are expected to go live with the new technology throughout spring 2012.
Matt Rowsell, chief commercial officer for Streamline, said: “Contactless payments are ideally suited to time-poor shoppers, such as those travelling through busy rail and airport locations. We’re confident that contactless will enhance the customer experience and reduce transaction times in these very busy stores.”
Mark Austin, head of contactless at Visa Europe, added: “The introduction of contactless at these key travel sites is ideal for consumers who often need to complete a purchase quickly prior to catching a train or plane. We are delighted that WH Smith has decided to adopt contactless technology and believe the introduction of this service will be of great value to their customers.”
Never Miss a Retail Update!With over 1,000 stores across the UK, WH Smith is the first large bookseller, stationer and newsagent to adopt contactless technology in the UK.
