CINCINNATI and SEATTLE, Aug. 6,
2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (KYSE: KR) today
announced the launch of a contactless payments pilot across the QFC
division, located in Seattle,
Wash., allowing customers to use their mobile device for a
more seamless checkout experience. The pilot includes the
acceptance of Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay,
mobile banking apps and contactless chip cards, underpinned by
near-field communication (NFC) technology.
"QFC is excited to pilot contactless payments powered by NFC
technology, providing our customers with an additional way to pay
for their fresh food and household essentials," said Chris Albi, president of QFC. "The contactless
payment solution will help make life easier for many of our
customers and provide the freedom of choice among various options,
including cash, debit, credit and check."
Kroger's technology team recently enabled NFC payments at 61 QFC
stores. The NFC technology uses a radio frequency field to transmit
data between two devices – a mobile device and PIN pad –
eliminating physical contact. Customers can place their mobile
device or contactless chip card near the PIN pad and payment data
is transmitted from the device or card to the terminal to process
the transaction.
"Kroger continues to invest in innovative technologies that
advance the customer experience, including our payment systems,"
said Kathy Hanna, Kroger's senior
director of payments. "Providing our customers with flexibility –
whether that means having the option to choose between shopping
in-store or online for groceries or how you pay for them – we are
committed to personalizing their shopping trip."
The QFC pilot supports the more than 30 policy and process
changes Kroger has implemented since the start of the COVID-19
pandemic to promote social distancing and safeguard associates,
customers and communities. Other contactless solutions offered by
Kroger include:
- Kroger Pay: a touchless
mobile payment solution that securely combines a customer's payment
and loyalty card information to create a faster checkout
experience. Customers are provided a single-use QR code to scan at
the terminal to quickly communicate their payment and loyalty card
information.
- Scan, Bag, Go: the improved Scan, Bag, Go technology
allows customers to scan their groceries using their mobile device,
bag their own products and pay via the Kroger app.
- Pickup and Delivery: customers can place a grocery order
via Kroger.com or the Kroger mobile app for delivery or free
pickup. Kroger now also accepts SNAP/EBT benefits for its grocery
pickup service.
About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and
dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are,
across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates
who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless
shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are
committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To
learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor
relations site.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.