Technology | Contactless Payments
CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS PAVE THE PATH FORWARD As contactless payments increase in popularity, retailers should consider which form of technology might be right for their stores and how best to preserve data security. Emily Boes • Associate Editor
Contactless payments are becoming mainstream in the convenience store industry, as more retailers upgrade to offer the service. As c-store operators consider how they might like to implement new technology, they also need to determine how it might impact data security. During the height of the pandemic, customers wanted to avoid touching possibly contaminated surfaces, and the use of contactless payments accelerated. Contactless payments can range from tapping credit cards on the screen as opposed to handing them to a cashier to mobile payments and scan-and-go checkout. 56
CSTORE DECISIONS •
August 2022
“It is important for retailers to have the tools and process in place to accept contactless payments,” said Perry Kramer, managing partner at Retail Consulting Partners. He noted that transactions are faster with contactless payments, reducing payroll spent at the point of sale (POS). “In order of priority, enabling contactless payments for all of the major card brands should be table stakes. It needs to be strongly considered during any type of payments,” Kramer said. According to Linda Toth, managing director at Conexxus, contactless cards have become more popular since the pandemic, as have mobile wallet payments. “I know that we’ve seen increases quarter over quarter with contactless acceptance and
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