Tesco: NFC payments are out of date and too complex

Developing digital wallet

According to Lyndon Lee, Enterprise Consultant Architect at Tesco, NFC mobile payments are too complicated with little value offered. Speaking to attendees at the Mobile Payments and Value Added Services 2013 Conference in London this week, Lee believes too many parties are involved.

“NFC was revolutionary 10 years ago but I think it just might have passed its sell-by date”, Lee said. “We are developing a digital wallet, focusing on marketing and loyalty aspects, but payment may not enter the wallet.”

“Is mobile NFC at the right place, at the right time? I don’t see any real movement or activity. NFC usability is not really revolutionary and, for the general public, is it really that cool? I think the next generation won’t think it’s cool enough for them and they won’t use it.

“But this is my opinion. NFC was revolutionary 10 years ago but I think it just might have passed its sell-by date. Usability is a big question and we need to crack this.

“At Tesco, we focus entirely on the consumer relationship. We are developing a digital wallet, focusing on marketing and loyalty aspects, but payment may not enter the wallet. We have a payment system in place already and we don’t want to disrupt it if it doesn’t add any value.

“If it doesn’t give us any value to adopt it, why should we do it?”

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