European Debut at Munich Airport: Wirecard, SES-imagotag and wirecube Enable Mobile and Cashless Payment in one of Europe's Busiest Airports

- The mobile payment solution "Smart Checkout - Tap, Pay, Enjoy" gives travelers a fast, seamless and digital shopping experience 

- Customers benefit from a quick checkout, and retailers benefit from lower costs and accelerated processes

ASCHHEIM, Germany, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Munich Airport is the first airport in Europe to offer a new mobile, cashless payment system in a retail location. The airport is playing a key role in driving forward easy payments in the retail sector with a self-checkout. The solution was developed by Wirecard in cooperation with SES-imagotag and wirecube, while eurotrade, a subsidiary of Flughafen München GmbH, laid the cornerstone for its introduction at Munich Airport. Consumers can pay for items with their own smartphone directly at the shelf using an electronic price tag, without having to wait in line at the checkout. Instead of paying via an app, the customer pays via a mobile website, meaning that, unlike similar solutions in the European market, users do not need to download an app beforehand.

To shop and add items to the shopping cart, customers simply hold their smartphone in front of an SES-imagotag digital price tag. The product is registered either via Near Field Communication (NFC) or by QR code scan. After a few seconds, the smartphone automatically opens the mobile web app by wirecube, where the customer can easily complete the purchase. To do so, the customer can either scan their credit card via their smartphone's camera function or enter their credit card data manually. Alipay is also available as an alternative payment option.

Munich Airport's roughly 48 million annual passengers can now use the new mobile payment solution for a select range of products in the "MyCorner" store in the Terminal 2 passenger area. The innovative solution is being piloted in a high-traffic area frequented by a mostly international audience. Following the pilot phase, the solution will be extended to other eurotrade units, including 12 duty-free shops and 14 other shops selling press items, travel goods and souvenirs.

The application is based on three solutions:

1. The VUSION Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) by SES-imagotag, the world's leading provider of digital IoT solutions for stationary retail
2. The payment technology of Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology
3. The Scan&Pay solution shopreme by wirecube, a software company specializing in retail digitization

Where SES-imagotag labels are present, retailers can install the new solution easily and cost-effectively. The labels can be turned into an additional point of sale, which is more economical to install and maintain than conventional POS systems. In addition, the VUSION IoT solution developed by SES-imagotag enables retailers to almost completely automate low value-added processes, increase efficiency and improve in-store customer connectivity.

In the future, not only travelers and retailers in Munich Airport will benefit from the new solution, but also customers and retailers worldwide. In addition to the "MyCorner" shop at Munich Airport, the "Smart Checkout - Tap, Pay, Enjoy" solution can be tested at the joint stand of Wirecard, SES-imagotag and Deutsche Telekom in Hall 6/ A27, A31, A41 at the EuroShop trade fair in Düsseldorf from 16 to 20 February 2020.

Supporting quotes:

Sven Zahn, Managing Director of eurotrade Handels-GmbH: "The new solution gives our customers, for the first time, the possibility to self-checkout, which offers significant added value when traveling: The customer avoids waiting times at the checkout. At the same time, as a subsidiary of Munich Airport, we expect sales growth, especially for fast-moving goods purchased on the go. With 'Smart Checkout - Tap, Pay, Enjoy' we are setting new standards in mobile payment together with Wirecard, wirecube and SES-imagotag."

Philipp Ahrens, Vice President Center Management at Munich Airport: "With our new solution, Munich Airport is actively shaping digitization in the retail sector and once again proving that we offer not only a highly frequented and international retail location, but also one that is increasingly innovative. By simplifying and accelerating the checkout process, we are enabling our roughly 48 million annual passengers to enjoy an even better shopping experience and meet their ever-growing demands."

Alexander Hahn, Vice President Sales Retail at Wirecard: "We are pleased that travelers from all over the world can now benefit from this new technology at Munich Airport. Instead of long waiting times at the checkout, they can now expect a fast, seamless and digital shopping experience in our pilot store and soon in other airport shops as well."

Michael Unmüssig, Senior Executive Vice President Group Marketing at SES-imagotag: "With digitalization and state-of-the-art IoT technology, Munich Airport is setting new standards in its shopping area. Long queues at the checkout are now a thing of the past for travelers at the airport. The new 'MyCorner' business fulfils the digital wish of many travelers. We are very proud to be part of that solution."

Florian Burgstaller, Managing Director of wirecube: "We are proud to see our Scan&Pay solution, shopreme, in operation at Munich Airport. The airport was an excellent choice for our shopreme web solution, which offers a state-of-the-art shopping experience without the need of an app."

Professor Dr. Gerrit Heinemann, Head of the eWeb Research Center and retail expert at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences: "Especially in stationary self-service retail, which is now the largest in the retail sector, a key component has been missing in Germany – self-checkout. This not only enables customers to shop faster, but also gives retailers a significant boost in efficiency, which in light of today's online competition ensures their competitiveness and thus their existence."

About Wirecard:

Wirecard (GER:WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both business customers and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on the areas payment & risk, retail & transaction banking, loyalty & couponing, data analytics & conversion rate enhancement in all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets and holds issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX and TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup.

About Munich Airport:  

With a passenger volume of around 48 million in 2019, Munich Airport is the second largest airport in Germany and one of the top ten airports in Europe. Bavaria's gateway to the world was the first and so far only airport in Europe to be awarded the "5-Star Airport" quality seal by the renowned London Skytrax Institute. At the World Airport Awards 2018, the airport was named Europe's best airport for the twelfth time and Terminal 2 was named the second best terminal in the world. Under the guiding principle of "Living the Connection", Munich Airport sets the highest standards in terms of the quality of the airport's facilities and services, and offers exceptional opportunities for staging brand environments. The attractive shopping and entertainment area for passengers and visitors includes over 150 shops and around 60 restaurants and cafés. The covered MAC Forum between Terminals 1 and 2 serves as a location for unique events, spectacular sporting events such as the "Skate & Style" skateboard festival, or seasonal events such as the Christmas and Winter Market and public viewings. Munich Airport also plays a pioneering role in marketing and sets standards in outdoor advertising with its advertising spaces in Terminals 1 and 2.

About SES-imagotag:

For 25 years, SES-imagotag has been a reliable partner to retailers in introducing digital technology to their stores. SES-imagotag is the world leader in smart digital price tagging and automated price adjustment, and develops a comprehensive IoT and digital platform that provides retailers with a comprehensive service package. The solutions from SES-imagotag enable retailers to link and digitize their stationary stores, automate processes with low added value, increase operational efficiency, inform and serve customers, ensure error-free customer information by constantly comparing the availability of goods, avoid zero stocks and waste and create a service-oriented omnibus channel offering that builds customer loyalty and meets changing consumer expectations.

About wirecube:

Founded in 2015, wirecube GmbH is a software company specialized in the digitalization of retailers. With shopreme, wirecube is the leader in the mobile Scan&Pay market and offers customers a state-of-the-art and attractive shopping experience. The solution is offered as a white label solution in the respective retailer branding and offers, in addition to mobile checkout, also wish lists, recommendations and indoor navigation as features.

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG
Jana Tilz
Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363
Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com