The lack of an open platform has been a major obstacle in the adoption of mobile transacting.
So says Bevan Ducasse, CEO of wiGroup, who adds that, despite having been on the verge of widespread adoption for years, most mobile payment apps have involved exclusive deals between entities such as banks and retailers, or phone companies and mobile wallet providers.
"If there's one thing we should have learned in the last 20 years and of our experience of the Internet, it's that nobody likes being locked in. Consumers haven't bought into mobile yet because the offer hasn't been compelling enough," he explains. "Consumer adoption is critical."
In order to meet this demand, wiGroup has developed wiPlatform, which allows any retailer to integrate and begin accepting any kind of mobile transaction or app at their point of sale (POS), it says. "POS integration is the critical step," says Ducasse. "Without it, you can't do mobile payments and transactions, and you can't properly implement mobile marketing, or measure its success."
The key is the open platform, he continues. "No retailer will go to all the trouble and expense of changing their POS just to enable a single app. We have created a platform with an open API that will allow any app developer to work with any retailer."
Open platforms also pave the way for future development, adds Ducasse. "Today, transactions are largely driven by coupon and voucher codes; in the future, it might be near-field communication [NFC] between the phone and the POS. In either case, with an open platform, the retailer only needs to change the POS once to take advantage of all the future opportunities."
When consumer convenience and value is placed at the centre of mobile strategy, the case for an open platform becomes clear, according to Ducasse. "We believe that with the barriers between the retailer and the app developer effectively torn down, we will see a flood of innovative apps that offer real value to retailers and consumers alike."
Share