Airports

Munich Airport Debuts ‘Smart Checkout’ mobile payment solution

Munich Airport is the first airport in Europe to offer a new mobile, cashless payment system in a retail location. The airport is playing a key role in driving forward easy payments in the retail sector with a self-checkout. The solution was developed by Wirecard in cooperation with SES-imagotag and wirecube, while eurotrade, a subsidiary of Flughafen München GmbH, laid the cornerstone for its introduction at Munich Airport.

Consumers can pay for items with their own smartphone directly at the shelf using an electronic price tag, without having to wait in line at the checkout. Instead of paying via an app, the customer pays via a mobile website, meaning that, unlike similar solutions in the European market, users do not need to download an app beforehand.

To shop and add items to the shopping cart, customers simply hold their smartphone in front of an SES-imagotag digital price tag. The product is registered either via Near Field Communication (NFC) or by QR code scan. After a few seconds, the smartphone automatically opens the mobile web app by wirecube, where the customer can easily complete the purchase. To do so, the customer can either scan their credit card via their smartphone’s camera function or enter their credit card data manually. Alipay is also available as an alternative payment option.

The application is based on three solutions:

  1. The VUSION Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) by SES-imagotag, the world’s leading provider of digital IoT solutions for stationary retail
  2. The payment technology of Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology
  3. The Scan&Pay solution shopreme by wirecube, a software company specializing in retail digitization

Where SES-imagotag labels are present, retailers can install the new solution easily and cost-effectively. The labels can be turned into an additional point of sale, which is more economical to install and maintain than conventional POS systems. In addition, the VUSION IoT solution developed by SES-imagotag enables retailers to almost completely automate low value-added processes, increase efficiency and improve in-store customer connectivity.

Sven Zahn, Managing Director of eurotrade Handels-GmbH: “The new solution gives our customers, for the first time, the possibility to self-checkout, which offers significant added value when traveling: The customer avoids waiting times at the checkout. At the same time, as a subsidiary of Munich Airport, we expect sales growth, especially for fast-moving goods purchased on the go. With ‘Smart Checkout – Tap, Pay, Enjoy’ we are setting new standards in mobile payment together with Wirecard, wirecube and SES-imagotag.”

Philipp Ahrens, Vice President Center Management at Munich Airport: “With our new solution, Munich Airport is actively shaping digitization in the retail sector and once again proving that we offer not only a highly frequented and international retail location, but also one that is increasingly innovative. By simplifying and accelerating the checkout process, we are enabling our roughly 48 million annual passengers to enjoy an even better shopping experience and meet their ever-growing demands.”

Alexander Hahn, Vice President Sales Retail at Wirecard: “We are pleased that travelers from all over the world can now benefit from this new technology at Munich Airport. Instead of long waiting times at the checkout, they can now expect a fast, seamless and digital shopping experience in our pilot store and soon in other airport shops as well.”

Michael Unmüssig, Senior Executive Vice President Group Marketing at SES-imagotag: “With digitalization and state-of-the-art IoT technology, Munich Airport is setting new standards in its shopping area. Long queues at the checkout are now a thing of the past for travelers at the airport. The new ‘MyCorner’ business fulfils the digital wish of many travelers. We are very proud to be part of that solution.”

Florian Burgstaller, Managing Director of wirecube: “We are proud to see our Scan&Pay solution, shopreme, in operation at Munich Airport. The airport was an excellent choice for our shopreme web solution, which offers a state-of-the-art shopping experience without the need of an app.”

Professor Dr. Gerrit Heinemann, Head of the eWeb Research Center and retail expert at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences: “Especially in stationary self-service retail, which is now the largest in the retail sector, a key component has been missing in Germany – self-checkout. This not only enables customers to shop faster, but also gives retailers a significant boost in efficiency, which in light of today’s online competition ensures their competitiveness and thus their existence.”

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