Now Showing: An Innovative Mobile Payment App for Australian Moviegoers
Matt Barr | January 25, 2012
Did you know that Australia has the second highest level of smartphone penetration in the world according to new Google research? This fact, combined with Australians’ passion for anything new, makes it a great place to launch innovative smartphone services.
So naturally I was particularly thrilled when our Australian team — in conjunction with MasterCard Labs, Australian cinema chain Hoyts, and Commonwealth Bank — announced the very first consumer pilot of ‘QkR* by MasterCard.’
Sydneysiders are the first in the world to trial this exciting new mobile app, which allows in-seat food and drink menu browsing, ordering and payment when visiting one of Hoyts premium cinemas known as La Premiere – perhaps best described as the business class of movie experiences.
Gone will be the days when moviegoers have to choose between satisfying their hunger or never missing a key scene!
Each La Premiere seat armrest contains an NFC tag and sticker showing a QR code, with an alphanumeric label, giving consumers three different ways to turn their cinema seat into a point of sale. A quick scan, tap or type on their smartphone (iPhone or Android) and a couple of clicks later your meal or even that indulgent choc-top – just because you deserve a treat – is hand delivered to your seat by the friendly La Premiere staff. Simple as that. Talk about making the customer experience simple and convenient!
The future for this type of technology is endless, as the humble smartphone now enables a sale where traditionally the consumer would not easily have been able to make a purchase. QkR was first demonstrated last year by the Labs team, with some exciting applications of the technology working alongside Xbox Kinect to allow users to make purchases with hand gestures. Who knows where these innovative services will head next!
*QkR is pronounced “Quicker,” which is exactly what this queue-busting app is all about.
Categories: Making Life Easier, News and Views
Tags: Apps, Consumer trends, Innovation, MasterCard Labs, mCommerce, NFC
3 Comments
Dislike. Now I get to deal with the luminescent glow of smart phones throughout the theater as I attempt to enjoy the over-priced movie . . . just another reason to stay home and to keep my cash in my wallet. What will be built into the movie theater seat next? A commode?
Seriously, the distraction will be a significant annoyance to other movie-goers. Yikes.
Thanks for the feedback, Paul.
You’re right, we’ve all have had our fair share of disturbances in movie theatres. To minimize this, we do encourage La Premiere guests make their orders before the movie starts, which is normally the case for moviegoers. And Hoyts La Premiere seats are quite a bit roomier than regular cinema seats with a sizeable gap between them, too. So you’re unlikely to experience disruptions from other moviegoers who are using QkR, which is normally a fast, simple process.
Again, we appreciate your comments and candid feedback.
Thanks for the feedback, Paul.
You’re right, we’ve all have had our fair share of disturbances in movie theatres. To minimize this, we do encourage La Premiere guests make their orders before the movie starts, which is normally the case for moviegoers. And Hoyts La Premiere seats are quite a bit roomier than regular cinema seats with a sizeable gap between them, too. So you’re unlikely to experience disruptions from other moviegoers who are using QkR, which is normally a fast, simple process.
Again, we appreciate your comments and candid feedback.