SnapScan smartphone payment system launched in South Africa

This has been a valid payment method in our work's Canteen for the past month or so. Very impressive and really fast. Highly recommend. I am just confused to hear that it only launched today.
 
fdaniels said:
I am just confused to hear that it only launched today.
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Vodacom published their results and the CEO talked a lot of CR@P. that ened up in a dozen or so of MyBB articles that pushed real news on the back burner
 
Allin said:
Vodacom published their results and the CEO talked a lot of CR@P. that ened up in a dozen or so of MyBB articles that pushed real news on the back burner
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Nope.

fdaniels said:
I am just confused to hear that it only launched today.
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Standard Bank hosted a launch event for it on Wednesday to mark it "coming out of pilot". To be honest I'm not too sure what's going to change for SnapScan other than getting more exposure through Standard Bank, but it does signify that the pilot was successful and that it is now a fully-fledged Standard Bank product.
 
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I used this last year and it worked really well. Unfortunately, last time I checked, their list of supported merchants did not include big names like PicknPay, Shoprite, Spar etc. I'll only be able to regularly use Snapscan once they get the big retailers on board.

Although the QR code works reasonably well, I wish they supported NFC as too. I would have liked to be able to tap my phone, instead of aiming the camera. But I guess we can all blame Apple for not getting on board with NFC.
 
Viva said:
I used this last year and it worked really well. Unfortunately, last time I checked, their list of supported merchants did not include big names like PicknPay, Shoprite, Spar etc. I'll only be able to regularly use Snapscan once they get the big retailers on board.

Although the QR code works reasonably well, I wish they supported NFC as too. I would have liked to be able to tap my phone, instead of aiming the camera. But I guess we can all blame Apple for not getting on board with NFC.
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I agree with your first point regarding the big retailers, as that is where most of us probably use our credit cards the most. However, it doesn't seem like the system was designed for that use, which makes it very limiting.

Blaming Apple for the failure of NFC adoption seems a bit extreme - in SA Apple's market share is very small. There are rumours (again) that the iPhone 6 will have an NFC chip, but thus far Apple have been pushing Bluetooth LE, which most smartphones already support.

QR codes are the cheapest to adopt, but I believe that what is required for any payment system to work is for the major banks to agree to a common standard that can be rolled out to all merchants.
 
I'm personally not a fan of QR codes, but I can see it being useful as a basic first step implementation... I've never found them easy to use... takes the app usually too long to recognise the damn code.
 
ToxicBunny said:
I'm personally not a fan of QR codes, but I can see it being useful as a basic first step implementation... I've never found them easy to use... takes the app usually too long to recognise the damn code.
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In my experience SnapScan's pretty quick with the recognition. It's the querying of necessary data over cruddy mobile data connections that can sometimes take long.
 
It certainly is quick to recognise the QR code.

Registered as a merchant and the process is dirt simple and the fees are very. very reasonable. I'll be sure to encourage users to try this payment method...
 
Viva said:
I used this last year and it worked really well. Unfortunately, last time I checked, their list of supported merchants did not include big names like PicknPay, Shoprite, Spar etc. I'll only be able to regularly use Snapscan once they get the big retailers on board.
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BruceA said:
I agree with your first point regarding the big retailers, as that is where most of us probably use our credit cards the most. However, it doesn't seem like the system was designed for that use, which makes it very limiting.
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Yeah it likely won't make it into large retailers until they can solve the limitation that sending proof-of-payment via SMS introduces. However, it was really cool to see SnapScan in action at "informal" market like Free Comic Book Day at Readers Den in Cape Town.

It let's the so-called "informal" business accept card payments without jumping through all the hoops needed to get a credit card machine, which also means they can sell more expensive stuff without people needing to carry around oodles of cash (and them having to manage that cash if they've received it).

Viva said:
Although the QR code works reasonably well, I wish they supported NFC as too. I would have liked to be able to tap my phone, instead of aiming the camera. But I guess we can all blame Apple for not getting on board with NFC.
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Leaving your NFC on is probably not a good idea: http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/07/android-nokia-smartphone-hack/

The security issues with the technology has scared off more conservative folks (like banks), I think.
 
Jan said:
In my experience SnapScan's pretty quick with the recognition. It's the querying of necessary data over cruddy mobile data connections that can sometimes take long.
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Well this is a step in the right direction then..

I've toyed with a different QR Code payment system, and I wasn't entirely happy with the QR Code recognition time frame....
 
eltherza said:
Is it faster and easier to use than credit cards?
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At a store? Probably. Maybe. But it eliminates card skimming opportunities, that's for sure. And with the added pin it's pretty secure...
 
eltherza said:
Whay stops scammers quickly scanningy card with this app? Skimming version 2?
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There is no card in this equation, nor can anyone actually view the security details of the card if they get into the app, nor can they see the card number. So even if your phone is pinched, your payment details remain secure as long as they don't guess your PIN or force it from you - both security issues that exist with ordinary transactions as well...
 
DJ... said:
There is no card in this equation, nor can anyone actually view the security details of the card if they get into the app, nor can they see the card number. So even if your phone is pinched, your payment details remain secure as long as they don't guess your PIN or force it from you - both security issues that exist with ordinary transactions as well...
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From what I can tell, this app basically makes a normal web type payment (CC number and CVV) - meaning that web based fraud is possible with this application (effectively it can bypass the chip)

Not only that, the application has a very quick "scan card" that means it can take seconds to steal a card's info.

This could be a tool for easy "online" fraud that doesnt require a shipping address.

Also, imagine the support nightmare if smses aren't delivered or even fake verification smses...
 
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