June 12, 2019

Delivery seems to be the darling of the industry these days, but digital ordering is even more important, according to The NPD Group. It found that delivery — although growing — represents only 3 percent of total industry traffic, but by next year, digital orders will represent 8 percent of foodservice industry traffic.

"Digital ordering has raised the bar on convenience and with it the customer experience," David Portalatin, NPD food industry adviser and author of Eating Patterns in America, said in a company press release. "Digital ordering overall and apps have provided a path to market to consumers on a one-to-one basis and offer them a restaurant experience customized to their needs."   
 
Restaurant digital orders —  defined by meals or snacks ordered via mobile app, internet, or text message —  have grown by 23 percent over the past four years and now represent 3.1 billion visits and $26.8 billion dollars. NPD said digital orders will continue to grow by double-digits through 2020, with growth across all service modes including delivery, on premises and carryout, according to NPD's Delivering Digital Convenience report.
 
Although convenience is the top reason consumers choose digital ordering, NPD said other top reasons include: no waiting; the ability to order, pay, and have it ready; ordering at own pace and earning rewards/feeling valued. In addition to these reasons, since mobile apps represent 60 percent of digital orders, users of leading restaurant brand apps are also drawn to other motivations, like saving money, customizing orders, ordering on the way and earning rewards, according to the release.
 
Loyalty rewards have been successful for restaurant brands in getting customers to keep using their apps, NPD said. These type of loyalty programs offer a compelling reason for consumers to carry a larger number of restaurant apps on their phones, helping to ensure the success of newer entrants in gaining mobile phone real estate. An app on a phone helps increase usage because it's top-of-mind when a consumer is deciding what and where to order.

Topics: Mobile Payments, Restaurants

Companies: The NPD Group, Inc.

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June 12, 2019

Common, a residential real estate firm in six major U.S. markets, announced a partnership with fintech company Obligo on a digital screening and payment service that allows renters in the firm's New York units to rent apartments without the need for a security deposit, according to a company release.

Obligo uses open banking technology to first screen prospective tenants and pre-authorizes the person's bank account to allow the security deposit to be paid in installments. Obligo's security deposit technology is currently used in about 20,000 residential units across the country.

"We're constantly evaluating ways to break down unneccesary obstacles in the renting process and provide a superior living experience for Common members," Eric Rodriguez, senior director of sales at Common, said in the release. "We have just completed a pilot with Obligo, and we've found that it helps us accelerate our leasing process, benefiting our members and real estate partners alike."

Common, which launched in 2015, operates 27 buildings in six major cities in the U.S., including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle and Washington D.C.

Topics: Mobile Banking, Technology Providers

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June 12, 2019

Citibank entered a partnership with Grab, the leading Southeast Asian ride sharing, food delivery and mobile wallet app, on a co-branded credit card that is launching immediately in the Philippines and will expand to Thailand by the second half of 2019, according to a press release.

Card holders will get rewards points and also get special discounts and vouchers for services offered by Grab.

"The launch of the Citi-Grab credit card strengthens our continued successful partnership with Grab and gives Citi the opportunity to leverage our expertise in credit card services to a new all-digital consumer base," Sergio Zanatti, head of cards and personal loans, Asia Pacific at Citi, said in the release.

The two companies have worked together since 2016 as Citi cardholders have been able to use their rewards points for Grab services. Citi has also participated in financing Grab through its Citi Ventures unit and Grab is a commercial banking client of the bank.

Grab has been downloaded by 150 million mobile devices, provides access to 9 million drivers, merchants and agents, and customers completed more than 3 billion rides since the company launched in 2012.

Citi has more than 200 million customer accounts and operates in more than 160 countries and territories around the world.

Topics: Card Brands, Mobile Banking, Mobile/Digital Wallet, Mobile Payments, Region: APAC

Companies: Citi, Citibank, N.A., Grab

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June 12, 2019

The Union of European Football Associations said it entered a new partnership with Chinese mobile payment platform Alipay to offer enhanced fan engagement and digital ticketing capabilities.

UEFA will offer fans a lifestyle account that offers updates and exclusive content on team competitions and also gives fans the ability to apply for tickets for the upcoming Euro 2020, according to a company release.

Officials said the UEFA Euro 2020 mini-ticketing program is the first time that UEFA allowed a digital ticketing program outside of the UEFA.com site worldwide. Fans from China will be able to start applying for tickets on June 13.

"There is a real appetite amongst Chinese football fans for UEFA's national team competitions, where they have the chance to see some of the best players on the planet in action," Guy Laurent-Epstein, director of marketing for UEFA, said in the release. "We want to be in a position to give our fans premium content in their own language and our new partnerships with Alipay allow us to do exactly this."

The fan engagement deal builds upon an existing relationship between UEFA and Alipay. In November, Alipay signed an 8-year deal to become the official digital wallet, fintech partner and global payment partner of the sports league.

"We feel extremely delighted to be able to provide an innovative and inclusive solution in digital fan engagement, providing Chinese fans with more native experiences," Sabrina Peng, chief marketing officer at Ant Financial, said in the release.

She said that Alipay has used mini programs for businesses in China and in other parts of the world. Mini programs are light apps that can be downloaded from the main app interface, rather than having to be downloaded separately as native apps, according to Alilpay.

The company said that more than 230 million Alipay customers have used mini programs for a variety of businesses, including medical, transportation, education and finance.

Topics: In-App Payments, Mobile/Digital Wallet, Mobile Payments, Region: APAC, Region: EMEA, Social Media

Companies: Alipay

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