Elavon Launches MobileMerchant
- Elavon, subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, proposes Elavon MobileMerchant, a mobile cash collection solution making it possible to convert BlackBerry, Android and Apple Smartphones and tablets into payment terminals for small businesses (craftsmen, delivery or caretaking services, etc.).
- Elavon MobileMerchant is currently being tested in the UK and should be commercialised starting March 2012.
- The merchant downloads the app and is sent a Bluetooth-connected Chip and PIN card reader. The dematerialised receipts are transmitted via e-mail or SMS. No payment data is to be stored on the mobile handset.
- Beginning 2011, Elavon launched VirtualMerchant Mobile, a mobile card acceptance solution designed for the US market.
- This solution does remind one of Ingenico’s iSMP (France) and of iZettle’s eponymous Swedish solution: Square’s first two EU-based rivals, also proposing mobile card readers and enabling PIN-secured transactions –a key factor to enter the European payment market (see November 2011 Insight).
- These solutions are being launched as the mobile payment market is increasingly growing and Elavon, just like VeriFone in 2011, is setting foot in Europe after having launched a very similar solution on the US market.
- VeriFone’s PayWare Mobile solution (for iOS, Windows Mobile, Android OS and BlackBerry OS) has been enhanced to comply with EMV and PCT-PTS standards to access the Canadian market as well as the UK in March 2011.
- The popularity of Square-like solutions (we should also note that Square could be entering the European market in 2012 –see August 2011 Insight) and the current development of mobile payment in general is leading manufacturers to widen their range of offers to address highly profitable international markets.