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Mobile payment processing specialist Flint Mobile launched its swipe-free mobile payment app on the Google Play Store, a year after the original application debuted for Apple iOS devices.
The platform is designed specifically for small businesses and their employees who work outside of traditional storefront and office environments, such as photographers, therapists, consultants, fitness trainers, computer and IT professionals.
Flint scans card numbers using the smartphone camera and transaction processing occurs in real-time, while no card data or image is stored on the phone.
The app is compatible with a broad range of Android devices used by small businesses and is free to download. Flint enables merchants to accept payments by scanning the card number instead of swiping through a reader. Users also can increase repeat and referral business through the app’s integrated marketing tools.
“We’ve heard strong demand for Android and we’re excited to bring Flint to a large new segment of customers,” Greg Goldfarb, co-founder and CEO of Flint Mobile, said in a statement. “Since launching on the iTunes App Store last year, we’ve enabled tens of thousands of mobile businesses and we think that our ‘no-card-reader’ approach will be compelling across the Android user base. With Flint, all you need is your phone and you’re good to go.”
Flint also makes it possible for customers to post reviews and recommendations on Facebook and company Websites through the ordinary transaction flow, and with Flint, data belongs to the merchant. Users can view and download transaction history, customer contact information and social media activity.
In addition, logos, receipts, menu options, sales taxes and tips can be configured within the app, and merchants can register online and begin accepting payments quickly. No external card reader or merchant account is required.
According to a survey by Mercator Advisory Group, the overall understanding and awareness of mobile payments has advanced considerably compared to last year’s focus groups and was noted as an area of interest in the survey.
Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents indicated that receiving offers or promotions through a mobile device at the store would be of great interest. Participants indicated they are aware of the various mobile wallet strategies entering the market and are interested in trying them out if they are offered through a trusted source. To these groups, a trusted source meant financial institutions, the card networks and Apple.
The overall percentage of purchases made using mobile phones and tablet devices is increasing, according to the latest report from global payments solution specialist Adyen, which showed that mobile-payment transactions on its platform from May to August 2013 have increased by 27 percent worldwide, jumping from 13.8 percent of all transactions at the end of April 2013 to 17.5 percent in August 2013.