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WorldPay extends pilot programme for Pay As You Go Card Acceptance Service for Micro Merchants
November 2012 by Emmanuelle Lamandé
WorldPay announced that it is extending its pilot Pay As You Go Card Acceptance Service for Micro Merchants. The WorldPay service works by linking a smartphone app to a separate secure chip and PIN device and allows merchants to accept Visa and MasterCard debit and credit card payments. With 700 start up and small businesses already benefiting from the service, WorldPay is opening up the trial service to hundreds more small businesses, including merchants at The Prince’s Trust Christmas Fayre, ahead of a full commercial launch of the service in the new year.
WorldPay is also announcing the availability of a new chip and PIN device that is compatible with the iOS operating system, meaning that the service is now available on a full range of smartphones, including iPhone, Blackberry and Android. The service is now also available for ‘Cardholder Not Present’ transactions, meaning that users of the service are able to accept card payments over the telephone, as well as face-to-face payments.
The new service is designed to enable merchants that would otherwise need to rely on cash, cheque or bank transfers to start accepting card payments quickly and easily. The trial service is priced on a pay as you go basis, with no set-up fees or ongoing costs, making it ideal for ‘micro merchants’ who take infrequent card payments. As a special offer for trial participants, WorldPay is offering the chip and PIN device, normally worth £150, for free. The pricing for the pilot programme is just 65p per debit card payment and 3.3% for credit card transactions.
As part of Phase 2 of the pilot programme, WorldPay will be providing devices to over 30 businesses that will be trading at The Prince’s Trust Christmas Fair which begins on 3rd December at Pewterer’s Hall, Oat Lane, London, EC2V 7DE.
WorldPay has undertaken extensive research into the market and identified a huge number of small businesses and hobbyists that would benefit from accepting card payments but are currently put off by what they perceive to be inflexible terminal hire contracts and high monthly service charges. Examples include mobile hairdressers, tradesmen, home sellers, scout groups, sporting clubs and market traders for whom card acceptance will mean increased sales, better cash flow management and a more ‘professional’ image. The new service is designed specifically at the millions of merchants that fall into this category.
Merchants participating in the scheme just need a BlackBerry or Android smartphone or tabloid, on which they can download the WorldPay application. Each participating business will receive a free chip and PIN device which connects to the user’s mobile phone via Bluetooth to quickly and securely process card payments.
WorldPay’s Pay As You Go Card Acceptance Service is fully compliant with all relevant legislation and has been approved by VISA as complying with card payment industry security standards.
