Vodafone is enabling customers to add loyalty cards and membership cards to its ‘mobile wallet’ app. Although the application hasn’t yet been launched in the UK, it’s already available in a number of European countries.
The NFC-equipped Vodafone Wallet - and its associated Visa-powered Vodafone SmartPass mobile payment app - was launched in Spain last November.
Customers can now load supermarket loyalty cards, paper coupons and other membership documents into the app as well, thanks to a deal with Austrian software company Bluesource. This new service will be rolled out to Germany, the Netherlands and Spain this month. Over a million people have already downloaded the original Bluesource mobile-pocket app.
Stefano Parisse, Group Consumer Services Director of Vodafone, said “Our customers want to take advantage of as many club, retail and membership offers as possible, but the number of plastic cards often exceed the capacity of their physical wallets. Vodafone’s mobile wallet, when used with the mobile pocket app, removes that problem by allowing a user to load a limitless number of loyalty cards directly onto their phone. Participating retailers also benefit since they will be able to send vouchers and special offers directly to the Vodafone mobile wallets of their regular customers.”
A UK release of the Vodafone wallet is expected soon; the company had originally promised UK availability by Spring 2014.
UPDATE: Vodafone has contacted us to advise that it’s no longer talking about a spring launch for the UK. Instead, the Vodafone wallet is described as “coming to the UK later this year”.