Tesco has announced the pilot of a new mobile payment app, PowaTag, set to debut at the Dean Street Metro store located in the London Soho area. With the pilot, Tesco hopes to increase check-out speed for customers while also shortening lines at peak hours of the day.
Consumers utilizing the PowaTag mobile app (available for Android and iOS) will be able to scan QR codes throughout the store which will reduce the time it takes for a purchase to be made. “This week’s event is a pilot for Tesco to see how well PowaTag performs before they decide how to move forward,” PowaTag said. “They picked the Dean Street store specifically because it has a very high customer throughput.”
To engage customers with the new payment method, Tesco has created the campaign “Take the 30 second challenge! Pick, pay and leave in 30 seconds”. The week-long trial will also offer the first 500 customers using the mobile app a “meal deal” – a free lunch item, snack, and drink.
Consumers interested in using the PowaTag mobile app must link a debit or credit card in order to make payments using their mobile phone. PowaTag says the sign-up process takes less than two minutes to complete.
Tesco’s main focus is to expedite payments during their major lunchtime rush. If it works, customers will benefit from shorter lines and, if you really think about it, more time to eat!