MasterCard announced that it is offering its instructional symbol for contactless payments to the payments industry as an open universal identifier. The symbol provides an easily recognizable graphic that can be used at the POS with any contactless payment brand's cards and devices, such as MasterCard PayPass, to quickly and clearly demonstrate to consumers how they can make a contactless payment.
MasterCard recently conducted qualitative research and a thorough cultural review to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of elements, including pictograms, icons and words to deliver the most intuitive symbol to show how to make contactless payments. Respondents consistently requested an instructional symbol that would help them quickly understand both how to properly hold the card or device and where to tap it on the payment terminal.
Merchants also benefit by needing just one instructional symbol on their POS terminals to explain contactless payment technology to their customers. In addition, the use of proprietary brand marks for contactless payments will indicate which brands may be used contactlessly at the terminal.
The selected symbol will help users of MasterCard PayPass and other contactless payment programmes to instantly recognize and use the appropriate payment terminal. The symbol clearly depicts bringing the card or device into contact with the reader at the spot where RF signal is strongest. The read of the card or device begins at about 4cm above the reader. By the time a consumer "taps" the reader, all communications have been completed and the terminal signals a successful read via sound and/or visual cues to the consumer.
"As interest in contactless payments continues to grow, it is very important for the payments industry and merchant community to clearly educate consumers on how to use these new cards and devices," said Art Kranzley, EVP & Chief e-Business Officer, MasterCard. "Now that a universal symbol exists for the industry, we expect this education process to move quickly, allowing consumers to enjoy the simplicity and convenience of contactless payments."
