A new partnership between MasterCard and Media-Saturn foresees a raft of common initiatives to move from cash to card, contactless and online.
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Rome, Italy, 8 September 2015 – MasterCard and Media-Saturn, the holding company of Media Markt and Saturn, are joining efforts in a move that will allow shoppers at Europe’s best known consumer electronics retail brands to use their preferred MasterCard® payment solutions at its shops across Europe. These efforts will provide consumers with greater choice over the way they want to pay in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and Italy. Other countries may be included at a later stage.
General acceptance of MasterCard cards is being extended to Media Markt and Saturn stores in various countries, starting with Germany and Austria. In addition, Media-Saturn will extend the possibility already existing in Italy to pay contactless to other countries, starting with Germany and Austria this autumn, hence allowing consumers to tap their contactless card or device at the till and save time at checkout.
In order to ensure a seamless shopping and payment experience across all channels, Media-Saturn will also allow shoppers to use MasterCard’s MasterPass™ wallet solution on its online platform in all 6 countries by the end of 2015. Already in place in Poland and Italy today, this will increase convenience and safety for consumers across Europe who will be able to check out with just a few clicks, instead of having to provide their 16-digit card number and shipping address at every purchase.
Given the scale and footprint of Media Markt and Saturn as the leading consumer electronics retailers in Europe, this new partnership will significantly drive acceptance and use of electronic payments to the detriment of less efficient payment methods, such as cash – whether it is in-store or online.
“Contactless and online payments will particularly benefit from this agreement. Europeans can already use contactless cards or NFC-enabled mobile payments in 40 countries across Europe and their enthusiasm for this safe and simple way to pay is increasing every day.” – commented Javier Perez, President MasterCard Europe. “MasterPass is also available in 24 countries around the globe and represents the most convenient, safe and only global wallet to pay online.” he added.
Showcasing just how fast this technology is being adopted by consumers, a contactless study conducted by PRIME Research between November 2013 and April 2014 confirmed that consumers enjoy the convenience of contactless payments and expect merchants to catch up with the technology. Furthermore, the world’s first retail focussed social listening study by MasterCard, unveiled yesterday (7 September) highlights consumers desire for retailers to adopt new payment technologies.
Notes to editors:
PRIME Research conducted the Contactless Payments Report across 56 markets and 26 languages in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim, with the focus primarily on Europe. The objective was to assess people’s use of products, adoption willingness and sentiment toward existing options. Using PRIME’s proprietary social media analytics methods and technology, the research firm identified 47,607 relevant social media posts from 1 November 2013, up to and including 30 April 2014 on the subject of contactless payment innovation in the context of MasterCard and its industry peers.
The social listening study unveiled on 7 September 2015 uncovered more than 1.6 million social media posts from July 2014 to June 2015 on the subject of shopping and retail conversations, in the context of MasterCard and its industry peers. The social media channels included within the study were Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Forums, Weibo (CN), Google+ and YouTube. The study covers unique consumer opinion from 61 markets in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Using PRIME’s proprietary human-based social media analytics methods and technology, the research firm identified trends on convenience, safety & security, acceptance and declines, and other aspects related to shopping and retail conversations.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
About the Media-Saturn Group
With net revenues of €21 billion and around 65,000 members of staff in the 2013/14 business year, the Media-Saturn Group (a majority shareholding in which is owned by METRO AG) operates in 15 countries. Media Markt and Saturn, Germany’s and Europe’s number one consumer electronics retailers, are united under the auspices of Media-Saturn-Holding GmbH. The success of the two retail sales brands with currently 1,000 stores in 15 countries is based on a unique selection of low-priced brand-name products, expert advice, excellent service, a distinctive advertising presence and a decentralized organizational structure. Each store manager is a shareholder in their own store and is thus responsible for the product mix, pricing, personnel and marketing. Media Markt and Saturn are managed independently and compete with each other. Both retail brands are currently being expanded internationally into multichannel retailers. The Media-Saturn Group was joined in July 2011 by online retailer redcoon, which operates in eight European countries, and in July 2012 by Russian online retailer 003.ru. For more information about the Media-Saturn Group, please visit www.media-saturn.com or sign up to our Twitter account @MediaSaturn_PR.
Contacts:
For MasterCard
Philipp Brüchert : + 32 498 58 52 58 ; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thorsten Klein : +49 0)163-480-8833 ; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.