NFC-based mobile payment system for commercial laundry mkt

MALVERN, US: USA Technologies, Inc., the wireless, cashless payment and M2M telemetry solutions provider for small-ticket, self-serve retailing industries, today announced a mobile payments, offers and loyalty program with Softcard designed for the multi-billion dollar commercial laundry market. Under the program, consumers using Setomatic Systems’ (Setomatic) new SpyderWash Elite laundry machines enabled with NFC and SmartTap mobile commerce technology will receive a 25 percent discount on purchases made with the Softcard app.

By the end of 2015, Setomatic Systems has indicated that more than 25,000 SpyderWash Elite laundry machines, supported by USA Technologies’ ePort Connect Service, will support NFC mobile payments. This program, in partnership with Softcard, is the first nationwide mobile payments, offers and loyalty program targeted for what is estimated by Setomatic to be the $8 billion unattended commercial laundry market.

Setomatic’s SpyderWash technology is an advanced, wireless payment system that accommodates coin, credit, debit, loyalty cards and NFC-enabled mobile payments. USAT, through its ePort Connect Service, is the exclusive provider of comprehensive cashless payment services for Setomatic’s SpyderWash system. The Softcard app enables mobile payments at NFC payment terminals using a secure architecture and support for card tokenization while also serving up offers and loyalty programs at locations such as the SpyderWash Elite.

“Setomatic is uniquely positioned to bring our customers this exciting and market-leading service that offers our customers a powerful competitive advantage in their marketplace,” said Michael Schantz, president of Setomatic Systems. “In partnership with USA Technologies, Setomatic Systems is the first service provider to bring NFC-enabled mobile payments to the laundry market. We anticipate that cashless and mobile payments, combined with loyalty programs such as this exciting national promotion, will raise consumer awareness, increase our customers’ revenue, and meet the demand for convenient cashless options in the millions of washers and dryers that make up the commercial laundry industry.”

USA Technologies currently has one of the largest NFC-enabled mobile payments acceptance points in the U.S. market today with over 150,000 NFC-equipped merchant locations in the U.S. in locations like schools, universities, laundromats, car washes, malls, office complexes, and theme parks.

The Setomatic mobile payments, offers and loyalty program is an extension of USAT’s nationwide rollout of NFC-based mobile payments and loyalty with Softcard that began in 2013. That agreement formed the basis for one of the largest mobile payment rollouts in the U.S. to date, along with our ‘Fifth Purchase Free’ loyalty program. Today, the Fifth Purchase Free promotion is supported at more than 82,000 locations using USAT’s ePort Connect service nationwide and has awarded nearly 100,000 free vends to consumers.

“We are looking forward to rolling out yet another 'industry first' in the area of NFC, mobile-based cashless payments and consumer engagement services,” said Michael Lawlor, sr. VP Sales and Business Development, USA Technologies. “With Softcard’s efforts to date in the marketplace and the momentum surrounding NFC-enabled mobile payments, we believe NFC and mobile payments are at an important inflection point. We believe that USAT and partners like Setomatic are well positioned to capitalize on this technology to drive business to their machines. The Softcard mobile payments, offers and loyalty program for our commercial laundry customers adds another layer of value and is a great example of how USAT is keeping its customers and partners at the forefront of technology.”

“We believe that the convenience of mobile payments in highly trafficked, everyday locations like this will serve as a catalyst for adoption and usage among consumers,” said Mark McKinney, director of business development, Softcard. “We’re pleased to work with Setomatic and USA Technologies to pioneer mobile payments in the laundromat market, which is one segment in a much larger commercial laundry market. The commercial laundry market, which also includes multi-housing, consists of what Setomatic estimates to be 6 million machines generating annual revenue of approximately $8 billion.”