Absa launches Masterpass app and new website

With the launch of the Masterpass App, Absa and MasterCard are enabling safer and more convenient digital payments. The app is a digital wallet that allows consumers to make payments digitally wherever Masterpass is accepted. The app is available for use by anyone and is not exclusive to Absa customers.

“Payments via the Absa Masterpass App currently gives people the power to make online purchases using the digital wallet on their smartphones, without needing to carry their bank cards with them. Absa customers will also soon be able to do in-store shopping using Absa Masterpass, with a variety of merchants presently being signed up,” Absa explained.

Using Masterpass App

The Masterpass App allows consumers to store their MasterCard and other branded credit, debt or cheque card information in a digital wallet. Other information stored in the wallet include shipping and billing address details.

According to Absa, this gives consumers the ability to make secure payments where they see the Masterpass logo, and won’t have the hassle of having to fill this information out each time they make a purchase using the Masterpass digital wallet.

Willie van Zyl, head of card issuing at Absa Retail and Business Banking, said: “The global banking industry is faced with an ever-changing landscape as customers opt to migrate to digital channels. We are seeing a huge change in the way our customers shop and pay for things and the Absa Masterpass App is another step on our mobile banking journey as we respond to the changing needs of our customers. It also gives them access to a smooth shopping experience – from start to finish and in real time. It allows people to conduct the transaction of their choice through the channel of their choice – any time and in any place.”

Where can the app be used?

Masterpass was launched in South Africa by MasterCard in July 2014. The digital wallet in now accepted at more than 270, 000 merchants globally, as well as numerous merchants in South Africa. Participating local companies: Vodacom, Forever Resorts, Lancet Labs, Lottostar, South African Airways, and Takealot among others.

According to Mark Elliott, division president for Mastercard in South Africa, the uptake of Masterpass by both consumers and merchants indicates that digital payments are growing in popularity in South Africa.

Elliott added: “Masterpass also addresses the concern many shoppers have about the safety of online shopping. We have built Masterpass to have a multi-tiered security system to keep consumers’ personal information, including their payment card and account details, safe.”

Using the app

The app can be downloaded from Google and Apple App stores. Once the app is downloaded, you register and load your credit or debit cards (with secure authentication), as well as your delivery address.

The app also accepts selected PIN-based debt cards, such as Maestro. This enables South African consumers “to make secure online purchases using their PIN-based debit cards.”

To pay, simply open Masterpass and scan the quick response (QR) code on the website. Then select the card you want to use and your PIN number to complete the transaction.

Streamlining all digital platforms

If you have visited the Absa website over the last couple of days, don’t be scared of its strange appearance. As Absa highlighted above, the use of digital platforms is increasing in popularity, and as a result the bank is striving to improve on its digital platforms.

The new website launched on Saturday 16 July. Compared to the old website, it appears to be more streamlined and easy to navigate.

The website was in development for six months, with Absa noting that customers were a vital factor in the website development. “We engaged in extensive customer testing, to create a world-class customer-centric web experience for consumers. This is just one step in our digital journey leading towards a simple, elegant and unified experience across all of our digital platforms.”

Absa added: “The new website aims to provide customers with an easy to understand and navigate source of information to help them manage, and achieve their life goals, by managing their finances effectively.”

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