More than 100 stores nationwide to offer Interac Flash contactless debit technology
TORONTO, Sept. 19, 2012 /CNW/ - Interac Association announced today that HMV Canada has joined the growing number of merchants who accept Interac Flash, allowing HMV customers to make contactless debit transactions when purchasing their favourite music, DVD, Blu-ray, books and more. Interac Flash, which is an enhancement of Interac® Debit, is Canada's first contactless debit technology.
"HMV has been Canada's leading entertainment retailer for the past 20 years, and we're very pleased it is making the buying experience even better for its customers by offering Interac Flash," said Mark O'Connell, President and CEO, Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation. "This value-added payment technology helps speed up the checkout process for shoppers and is perfectly suited to an innovative company like HMV."
"Since we opened our first store in 1986, HMV has strived to offer its customers not only the best available products but also outstanding in-store experience and customer service," said Nick Williams, President, HMV Canada. "Offering Interac Flash as a payment option will enhance that experience because of its speed, convenience and security."
HMV will pilot Interac Flash-enabled terminals starting in October and expects to have them in all of its stores across Canada by March 2013. The deployment will be managed by STJ Retail and Global Payments, one of the world's largest electronic transaction processing companies.
"We're pleased to be working with HMV on the rollout of Interac Flash," said Jeff McGuire, Vice President, of Product Delivery and Technology for Global Payments' Canadian operations. "At Global Payments, we're committed to providing our customers with value-added payment solutions like Interac Flash that are cost effective and help drive their business efficiencies."
About Interac Flash
Interac Flash gives cardholders the choice to pay for smaller value items faster than ever before by simply holding their card at a contactless point-of-sale reader that supports Interac Flash.
Interac Flash uses chip security and the existing chip debit infrastructure, which protects it from fraud tactics such as copying and "electronic pick-pocketing". It offers strong consumer protections and unique security features, including the fact that the card never leaves the user's hand. Leveraging the trusted Interac brand, cardholders are also protected from unauthorized transactions under the Interac Zero Liability Policy* and merchants continue to receive the benefits of secure and non-refutable transactions associated with PIN-based Interac Debit.
Interac Flash enabled debit cards are already being issued by Scotiabank, RBC Royal Bank and TD Canada Trust and an increasing number of merchants are signing up to provide the service to their customers.
Visit www.interacflash.ca for more information.
About Interac Association
A recognized world leader in debit card services, Interac Association is responsible for the development and operations of the Interac network, a national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through Interac Cash at 60,000 Automated Banking Machines and Interac Debit at 766,000 point-of-sale terminals across Canada. Interac Flash, a secure contactless enhancement of Interac Debit allows Canadians to pay for items instantly with their Interac chip debit card at a reader that supports Interac Flash.
Interac Association was founded in 1984 and is comprised of a diverse membership that includes banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, merchants, and technology and payment related companies.
Other related services offered by Acxsys Corporation, whose shareholders are the architects of the Interac network, include: Interac Online, for secure online payments made directly from a bank account; Interac e-TransferTM, for the transfer of money from one person's bank account to another person's bank account using an email address or mobile phone number**; and international services, which provide Canadian cardholders with point-of-sale access at nearly 2 million U.S. retailers, and PULSE, Discover, Diners Club International and UnionPay cardholders access to ABMs in Canada.
About HMV Canada
HMV Canada's first store opened in 1986, from which it has grown to become a Canadian entertainment market leader with 114 stores from Newfoundland to British Columbia, including flagship locations in Toronto, Edmonton, and Montreal. HMV Canada is an innovator in its market, launching in 2009 hmvdigital.ca, a digital music store offering over 12 million MP3 tracks for download, and in 2010, the HMV Pure customer rewards program, which has attracted over 1.1 million paid cardholders. HMV has been named Canadian Music Retailer of the Year for the past 20 years, and has also been recognized as the Canadian Entertainment Network DVD Retailer of the Year.
Interac, Interac Flash and Interac e-Transfer are trade-marks of Interac Inc. Used under license.
* All Interac cardholders are protected from losses resulting from circumstances beyond their control under the Interac Zero Liability Policy. See your financial institution for details.
**The Interac e-Transfer service, for secure person-to-person payments, is currently available to customers of over 90 banks and credit unions including BMO Bank of Montreal, CIBC, President's Choice Financial, National Bank, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Canada Trust among others. Central 1, through participating credit unions, offers the option of using mobile phone numbers, in addition to email, to notify Interac e-Transfer recipients. Money never travels by email or text message. More information about the Interac e-Transfer service and a complete list of participating banks and credit unions can be found at www.interac.ca.
SOURCE: Interac Association
Media contact:
Teri Murphy
Interac Association / Acxsys Corporation
[email protected]
416-869-7171
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