{Replik} Anonymous payment with cash could soon be history: Sparkasse customers pay by smartphone

Who doesn't know this: Get on the bus and don't have any small change. Ordered food but didn't have any cash right now. Annoying. That could soon be a thing of the past: the savings banks offer theirs customers now mobile, cashless payment methods. As always, there are two ways of looking at things.

Mobile payment - other countries are already on

Recently, as part of my research for an eCommerce book, I looked at mobile payment systems. In addition, during my research in Kenya, I came across the local mobile payment method mPesa.

In Germany, however, it is traditionally difficult to deal with the issue of mobile payment. Too large are the security concerns, in addition the EC-card has already long established itself. Now, the savings banks now provide their customers as the first bank group in Germany cashless payments also by mobile phone.

A pilot project to be expanded

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The whole has been tested so far in the Hanover and the cities of Hildesheim, Braunschweig and Wolfsburg and at selected dealers such as the Esso petrol stations, the bookseller Thalia, the sweets chain Hussel and the textile houses of Appelrath-Cüpper.

Since August 2012, all 45 million SparkassenCards have been gradually exchanged for new cards with the girogo function. 1,3 million SparkassenCards with girogo have already been issued. 2013 should System can also be used nationwide by all dealers.

Pay by mobile - that's how it works

Payment is made with the card that the Customer can be charged with up to 200 euros. To pay, the customer holds their SparkassenCard with girogo to the retailer’s NFC-enabled (NFC = Near Field Communication) smartphone on which the Kasse2go app is installed, and the previously entered amount is debited.

The free app makes a conventional NFC-enabled smartphone to the mobile payment terminal and is intended to lure all those traders who have a mobile paying station too expensive. The joy has however its limit: The mobile payment is only possible up to 20 Euro.

Only for NFC-enabled Android devices

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The app was developed by the German Sparkassenverlag (DSV) and the IT center of the Sparkassenorganisation (SIZ) for NFC-enabled Android devices. B + S Card Service (B + S), a DSV subsidiary, is responsible for the operation.

As great as that sounds with “simple mobile payment for everyone”: Retailers who own an iPhone or a non-NFC-capable mobile phone, for example, are left out. That's the majority at the moment. So for many, the first thing to do here is: upgrade technically and invest.

Investment

This is especially true for such Companys, who have to deliver their suppliers complete with the new devices - these are also Costs, which many might shy away from.

Anyone who takes a look at Wikipedia will find that the technical implication on the dealership is actually more complicated than the downloading of an app believe.

The software has to be adapted for every mobile device model coming onto the market in the future and in the respective operating system. Each of these adjustments must be made by the supporting banks or an institution for the Combination be certified by mobile, customization and bank.

What about data security?

According to the operators, the procedure is absolute for sure: For example, the transaction should be guaranteed, which means that the retailer has the security that the amount will be credited to his account. And Thomas Krebs, Managing Director at SIZ, explains:

“The process by which information is exchanged during the payment process meets the highest security standards. Merchants using Checkout2go are registered, and payments made via smartphones can only be processed with specially certified security modules. This ensures effective protection against access by third parties. ”

Criticism interface

As exciting as that sounds, there are other criticisms of the Technology. For example, that paying with it is not possible everywhere, but only in shops that are equipped with the appropriate interface (= NFC-enabled Android cell phone with app). This increasing diversification of different payment options will not make mobile payments easier, but rather make them even more complex.

That one does not have to pay at the cash desk, but the dealers and cashiers need to use only a second device, which makes the payment process slowed instead of faster.

Criticism charging

Another uncertainty factor is that you have to top up amounts up to 200 euros first: If the card is then lost, that's it Money also gone. And times Honestly: When is it enough to pay up to 20 euros? Personally, I can't even do that when I go shopping.

After all, with the cash comes anonymity: In Future dealers as well as banks can then easily understand where we have made our purchases. NFC payment is often compared to the introduction of the money card in 1996, a system that is now hardly ever used.

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