According to mobileworldlive.com, the retailer has the capability for the project as it runs its own bank, which has been tasked with the project of developing a mobile payment service.
The payment system will work not just in Migros’ own stores but other shops too. Likewise, the service should work with other bank accounts, not just its own.
However, mobile payment contender Swisscom has struggled to make an impact with its Tapit service. Users can make NFC-based payments using Tapit at the point-of-sale. However, it has had a sluggish take-up, according to the report, as it lacks support from credit card firms.
Swisscom’s service launched on July 1, 2014. At the time, it was thought that operator rivals Orange and Sunrise would follow suit by piggybacking on the Tapit system. But they have postponed launch plans.
Supermarket Coop still backs the Tapit service, although the report attributed this to the possible influence of Hansueli Loosli, who chairs Coop and Swisscom. Migros was originally tagged as a Tapit supporter but that no longer seems to be the case.
Local financial institutions, concerned about Swisscom’s move, are working on their own service, under the code name of SwissAlps. Apparently, there have been talks with Apple.
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