Z Energy turns up the speed at the pump with wave and go payments

Visa and Z Energy have joined forces to bring consumers a faster way to pay for petrol and other goods with the introduction of Visa payWave in Z Energy stores across the country beginning today at Z Constable Street in Wellington. The roll out to all Z sites will run through until the end of May.

With stores in 205 locations, Z Energy will become the largest retailer to offer the convenience of contactless payments in New Zealand.

The new technology will allow customers to make purchases under $80 without the need to sign or use their PIN. Customers simply wave their Visa payWave-enabled credit or debit card in front of the payment terminal at the checkout to complete their transaction.

Tim Dryburgh from Z Energy says contactless payments offer multiple benefits for the business and its customers.

“We are looking forward to offering Z Energy customers a faster, more convenient payment option. From a business perspective, contactless payments offer shorter queues and improved service for customers, and allow us to process more transactions per hour.”

Visa payWave cards have an embedded antenna and microchip, enabling a fast and secure contactless communication with the terminal at the checkout. From there, the transaction is processed through the same secure Visa network used for all Visa transactions.

Visa payWave transactions are protected by multiple layers of security, including EMV chip technology, a short read range, and Visa’s Zero Liability policy[1] which means cardholders are not liable for unauthorised transactions.

Visa’s country manager New Zealand and South Pacific, Caroline Ada, says contactless payments are an ideal solution for businesses processing large volumes of transactions on a daily basis where speed of service is essential.

“Visa payWave transactions can be up to three times faster than cash and four times faster than other forms of card payments[2]. We’re thrilled to be working with Z Energy to make everyday purchases more convenient for customers.”

Visa payWave cards can be used to make purchases over NZ$80 by entering a PIN or signature, and as a traditional Visa card for purchases online, over the phone or at retailers that are yet to install contactless terminals.

“Visa payWave uses near field communication (NFC) technology to process payments, the same technology used in mobile payments. The continued roll-out of contactless payments will lay the groundwork for the introduction of mobile payments in the future,” says Caroline Ada.

Visa payWave technology is available on Visa credit cards and Visa debit cards issued by ASB, ANZ, and BNZ.

Contactless payments are well established globally. Worldwide Visa has launched Visa payWave programs with more than 40 issuers in 15 countries and territories.

_______

[1] Visa's Zero Liability policy covers Australian and New Zealand-issued cards and does not apply to ATM transactions, transactions not processed by Visa or certain commercial card transactions. Cardholders should notify their issuer promptly of any unauthorised Visa use. Please consult your issuer for additional details.

[2] Average Visa payWave transaction including printing of receipt takes 4-6 seconds, compared with 12-14 seconds for cash (Visa Smart Card Deployment Study in Taiwan and Malaysia, conducted by Deloitte in 2006).