Visa Checkout launches in New Zealand to simplify online shopping and payments from any device

12/10/2015

Online purchases abandoned by more than half of us

AUCKLAND – A new quick and easy payment service that enables consumers to securely pay for goods online on any device launches in New Zealand today. Visa Checkout is designed to remove the barriers to online transactions which often prevent people from completing a purchase due to excessive form filling.

A recent Asia Pacific survey commissioned by Visa showed more than half (53%) of respondents have stopped an online transaction on desktop, laptop, mobile or tablet because filling in information, such as billing and shipping details, was too much hassle . A top frustration felt by Kiwis when paying online was having to repeatedly enter shipping, billing and payment details every time they make a purchase (35%).

“As people around the world spend more time and money online, particularly using mobile devices, they are demanding a fast, secure and frictionless way to shop using a payment brand they already know and trust,” says Marty Kerr, Country Manager, Visa New Zealand and South Pacific. 

“Through insights provided by consumers, financial institutions and merchant partners, we designed an online payment experience that continues to deliver on this promise, bringing us closer to the simplicity and speed of Visa payWave in the face to face environment.”

Easier way to pay
For consumers and online retailers Visa Checkout offers an easy and secure way to pay online. Enrolling in Visa Checkout is intuitive and simple and shoppers can use any Visa debit or credit card – or even other major payment cards – to make purchases from a PC, mobile device or within a mobile app. Once enrolled shoppers simply provide their username and password to complete the payment process without the need to leave the merchant’s website.

HOYTS, Flight Centre, Event Cinemas and the Movember Foundation are the first merchants in New Zealand to offer Visa Checkout with New Zealand’s largest retailer, The Warehouse Group, set to launch Visa Checkout in four of its retail businesses including The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Torpedo 7 Group and Noel Leeming.

Carmen Switzer, General Manager of Operations for Event Cinemas New Zealand, says: “The fastest growing way in which our customers buy tickets is on their mobile. Our customers pick their movie, session time, their seats and even candy bar treats on our mobile website and the Event Cinemas App. Completing their transaction with us quickly, in a trusted and hassle-free way is critical to our business.

“As one of the first merchants in New Zealand to offer Visa Checkout this is just one more way we are ensuring customers have a great experience with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter where they are,” says Ms Switzer.

The Warehouse Group will roll out Visa Checkout acceptance across its stores in 2016 and Chief Digital Officer Craig Jordan says they are delighted to soon offer this new level of convenience for customers. 

“We’ve seen huge pickup in the number of customers shopping online and via mobile devices in 2015, with well north of 50 per cent of traffic from mobile, so delivering Visa Checkout is a natural step. Couple that with the launch of two Warehouse Money Visa cards this year, and we are leading the way in providing value, ease and choice for our customers,” says Mr Jordan.

Visa Checkout is also available with more than 250,000 merchants across the world, including Cotton On, Bonds, Dick Smith, Catch of the Day and Village Cinemas in Australia and stores like Shutterfly, Virgin America, Abercrombie & Fitch and Orbitz after launching overseas last year.

ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Warehouse Money are all participating in the service giving their cardholders a more personalised experience. However, Visa Checkout will allow consumers to load cards from other banks as well. Consumers can sign up for Visa Checkout at any time through a participating bank or merchant checkout page or directly at www.visacheckout.co.nz.

Visa Checkout makes payment easier, especially on mobile, where 56 per cent of New Zealanders last made a purchase.

 

Media contact
Bridget Lem   
021 060 6082     
[email protected]

About Visa
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. We operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — that is capable of handling more than 56,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit www.visa.co.nz

About the research
Research was undertaken by YouGov, which conducts internet polls to provide comprehensive market intelligence on a range of industry sectors. This particular piece of research included 500 people in New Zealand, surveyed between 9 – 16 September 2015.