In March, Nets announced its intent to develop a dedicated Dankort app that would make it easy to pay by Dankort in stores using the mobile phone - regardless of what smartphone the consumer has and the terminal the merchant uses. The first step in this process is this beta version of a Dankort payment app for iPhones. Nets' vision is to make mobile payments as fast and convenient as contactless payments.
"Retailers want a Dankort app that future-proofs the Dankort as the preferred means of payment in stores for Danish consumers. We have developed the contactless Dankort in cooperation with banks and the retail sector, and we are now introducing a beta version of the Dankort app based on the positive experience that Danes have had in making contactless payments. Soon, all that consumers making payments of less than DKK 200 will have to do is hold the phone to the terminal – and the amount is paid," explains Nets A/S Senior Vice President and Business Responsible for Dankort, Jeppe Juul-Andersen.
As with contactless-enabled physical cards, it is possible to make mobile payments over DKK 200. Consumers simply enter a passcode that they have chosen into their smartphone. So far, only about 1% of payments in shops are made using smartphones. Just 18 months after the launch of the contactless Dankort, 25% of Dankort payments are already contactless. The fast adoption rate demonstrates why the user experience with contactless Dankort has set the standard for the development of the Dankort mobile apps.
Dankort mobile payments are based on an open infrastructure enabling the payment technology of Dankort to be incorporated into other mobile wallets. The members of the BOKIS collective, 62 banks that form the small to mid-sized banks segment of the Association of Local Banks, Savings Banks and Cooperative Banks in Denmark, together with four nationwide banks, have already made Dankort payments available through their mobile wallets about a month ago. These wallets are also developed by Nets and when downloading the Dankort app the customers of these banks will have the opportunity to choose these wallets instead.
Dankort Idea Lab invites users to contribute
Nets is also introducing a new development forum, Dankort Idea Lab, where users can share ideas, comments and suggestions for improvement which will contribute to the continuing development of Dankort app – ensuring it fulfils consumers' needs. Selected users from various university programmes and retail environments have already been invited to join the forum.
Jeppe Juul-Andersen added: "We have chosen to invite the Danes to join Dankort's R&D environment for two reasons. First, we do not believe that you can develop a product today without involving the users in the process, and second because we recognise that the development of a Dankort mobile payments app will be a continuous process, with the objective of offering the most attractive in-store payment solution.
"Our goal is to make the Dankort mobile payment experience as simple and user-friendly as that of the contactless Dankort. We are not there yet, however. As such, we are not expecting the beta version of the Dankort app to trigger rapid migration from contactless card payments to mobile payments. At this stage, are mainly serving the interests of young users who are increasingly substituting their mobile for their conventional wallet."
Utilising input from users, Nets will continue the development of the Dankort apps, first for iOS with an Android version to follow soon after. Consumers with Android phones that wish to start making mobile payments with their Dankort may download a mobile wallet from one of the national and local banks that have integrated this function, if they have a bank account with them.
Download and participate in the development of Dankort
All iPhone users (4S and newer versions) can now download the beta version of the Dankort app and use it in the Netto, Føtex and Bilka chain stores. Approximately 10,000 terminals across the country are prepared to accept Dankort mobile payments.
If you would like to become a member of the Dankort Idea Lab, visit www.dankortlab.dk. Members can join discussions about current versions of the Dankort app, suggest modifications and ideas for future versions and contribute to developing the app. User input will be continuously collected and evaluated by the Dankort development team.
Contact information
Søren Winge, Head of Press Relations
Tel: +45 29 48 26 46![]( "Call: +45 29 48 26 46")
Email: swing@nets.eu
