NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION “BIG SHOW” – Visa (NYSE: V) today announced that its suite of sensory branding is now available as a pilot program for merchants, terminal manufacturers and developers. In a world increasingly filled with voice-commands, networked appliances and payment-enabled wearables, Visa’s unique sound, animation and haptic (vibration) cues signify completed, secure transactions in digital and physical retail environments when consumers pay using Visa.
“Our research has shown that Visa’s sensory cues signal speed, trust and convenience among consumers,” said Jack Forestell, head of global merchant solutions, Visa Inc. “As new payment experiences proliferate, we are helping our partners assure their customers that their transaction has been quickly and securely completed, no matter how they prefer to pay.”
Covering approximately 60 percent of the U.S. merchant point-of-sale terminal market1, manufacturers Equinox Payments, Ingenico Group, Poynt, and Verifone are working with Visa to pilot sensory branding with merchant partners in the coming year. According to a recent consumer study conducted in eight countries, 81 percent 2 of participants said they would have a more positive perception of merchants who used either the sound or animation cues. Additionally, less than a second in length2, the sound of Visa was found to signal speed and convenience.
“We are pleased that Visa will be first to take advantage of new Verifone capabilities that enable distinctive experiences for cardholders,” said Vin D’Agostino, executive vice president at Verifone. “We believe merchants and consumers benefit from a more personalized and relevant experience at check out and offer a powerful and open platform to allow innovators like Visa to create those experiences at the last inch of commerce.”
“Equinox is thrilled to be part of Visa’s innovative sensory branding initiative,” said Rob Hayhow, vice president, Equinox Payments. “Our Luxe family of devices has been designed to take full advantage of this technology by putting the customer experience at the forefront of every transaction.”
Visa’s sensory branding is scheduled to be available as a software development kit (SDK) for iOS, Android, and Web solutions on the Visa Developer Platform on January 31st. Developers can visit https://developer.visa.com/ to learn more about integrating the features into their solutions.
As a presenting sponsor of NRF 2018’s Innovation Lab, Visa’s sensory branding will be showcased at NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show in New York, where attendees can test the technology through an immersive, interactive demonstration. To explore how industry leaders like Visa are forging new frontiers in digital transactions, Visa CEO Al Kelly will discuss the future of commerce and payments at the conference alongside Karen Katz, president and CEO, The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. and Jon Fortt, co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk Alley” on Tuesday, January 16 from 10:30-11:15 am ET. Additionally, Matt Smith, vice president of Visa’s Platform Strategy will be hosting a panel of retailers directly after the keynote on the Innovation Lab Stage with Chris Plunkett (CMT Group) at 11:30 a.m. ET.
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/aboutvisa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.
1 Nilson Report #1114, July 2017
2 IPG Lab 2017
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