Comments on: Going Cashless at the Point of Sale: Hits and Misses in Developed Countries http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/ How can technology increase the reach of microfinance? Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:55:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Point of Sale http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/comment-page-1/#comment-1392 Point of Sale Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:27:32 +0000 http://technology.cgap.org/?p=624#comment-1392 I imagine a lot of people will be interested to see how the trends toward mobile point of sale technology, especially mobile phone POS systems, will impact the way we do business. I imagine a lot of people will be interested to see how the trends toward mobile point of sale technology, especially mobile phone POS systems, will impact the way we do business.

]]> By: Oscar http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/comment-page-1/#comment-987 Oscar Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:43:06 +0000 http://technology.cgap.org/?p=624#comment-987 Hi, it would be interesting to do the same study for developing countries so see what payments methods are used and whether the trend of using cash is decreasing or still alive and kicking. thanks Oscar Hi,

it would be interesting to do the same study for developing countries so see what payments methods are used and whether the trend of using cash is decreasing or still alive and kicking.

thanks

Oscar

]]> By: Joaquin http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/comment-page-1/#comment-962 Joaquin Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:17:33 +0000 http://technology.cgap.org/?p=624#comment-962 Mobile banking has the potential to turn down cultural, geographic and economic barriers in developing countries, and might indeed become a platform to enable "leapfrogging" in many development interventions, especially those aimed at rural and remote communities. The context in Asia's middle and low income countries and most of Africa and Latin America has in fact proved to be much more challenging than in Europe, North America, and Asia's high income countries. Therefore, although it is valuable to distill and learn from previous and ongoing experiences, the analysis needs to go well beyond the classical lessons learned approach. For instance, among other issues, there are several main bottlenecks that most developing countries have yet need to tackle themselves before mobile banking can become a daily reality for farmers and rural entrepreneurs alike. One is to reform obsolete regulatory frameworks designed decades ago that still apply today to banking procedures and transactions. The second challenge is to establish lower taxes and other incentives (i.e. automated sale declaration and tax filing for e-transactions) for electronic payments which are essential to push more businesses to adopt innovative e-payment platforms. An the third one is to lower substantially the current costs of mobile services, which is key to a critical mass of e-payment users which will help businesses and banks to discover the profitability of sustained revenue streams that only emerge when large volumes of users are attained. The World Bank might indeed be a key partner for countries willing to address the above and other pending challenges. Mobile banking has the potential to turn down cultural, geographic and economic barriers in developing countries, and might indeed become a platform to enable “leapfrogging” in many development interventions, especially those aimed at rural and remote communities. The context in Asia’s middle and low income countries and most of Africa and Latin America has in fact proved to be much more challenging than in Europe, North America, and Asia’s high income countries. Therefore, although it is valuable to distill and learn from previous and ongoing experiences, the analysis needs to go well beyond the classical lessons learned approach. For instance, among other issues, there are several main bottlenecks that most developing countries have yet need to tackle themselves before mobile banking can become a daily reality for farmers and rural entrepreneurs alike. One is to reform obsolete regulatory frameworks designed decades ago that still apply today to banking procedures and transactions. The second challenge is to establish lower taxes and other incentives (i.e. automated sale declaration and tax filing for e-transactions) for electronic payments which are essential to push more businesses to adopt innovative e-payment platforms. An the third one is to lower substantially the current costs of mobile services, which is key to a critical mass of e-payment users which will help businesses and banks to discover the profitability of sustained revenue streams that only emerge when large volumes of users are attained. The World Bank might indeed be a key partner for countries willing to address the above and other pending challenges.

]]> By: Maccess http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/comment-page-1/#comment-959 Maccess Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:09:39 +0000 http://technology.cgap.org/?p=624#comment-959 With wireless IP technology, the high cost of communications is an artificial construct of telecommunications companies, so it is also in their interest to use this "excuse" to drive transactions to their networks. Mobile Phones are a good type of Point-of-sale system, considering that many are really handheld computers, however if all transaction settlement needs to be done through telcos proprietary SMS platforms, the mobile transaction platform concept may not develop fully. IP connected smartphones with POS applications installed my be more flexible and help encourage adoption of mobile transaction technologies. With wireless IP technology, the high cost of communications is an artificial construct of telecommunications companies, so it is also in their interest to use this “excuse” to drive transactions to their networks. Mobile Phones are a good type of Point-of-sale system, considering that many are really handheld computers, however if all transaction settlement needs to be done through telcos proprietary SMS platforms, the mobile transaction platform concept may not develop fully. IP connected smartphones with POS applications installed my be more flexible and help encourage adoption of mobile transaction technologies.

]]> By: Yves Eonnet http://technology.cgap.org/2009/01/28/going-cashless-at-the-point-of-sale-hits-and-misses-in-developed-countries/comment-page-1/#comment-956 Yves Eonnet Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:25:33 +0000 http://technology.cgap.org/?p=624#comment-956 Our company called Tagattitude has developped a specific technology to handle mobile payment at the point of sale in emerging countries. Our vision is that the billions of mobile phone already on the feild will change dramatically the evolution of cashless payment and unbanked areas will leapfrog the card technology and new payment schemes have to be invented. If in the 70's we all had had mobile phones in our pokets , the card industry would not have developped. We are in the process of lauching a new payment platfrom called TAGPAY that is dedicated to mobile payment for unbanked populations. Tagpay completes the mobile money transfer services by enabling cashless transaction in the stores. I invite who ever is interrested to visit our web site : www.tagattitude.fr . Thank you in advance for your opinions Our company called Tagattitude has developped a specific technology to handle mobile payment at the point of sale in emerging countries.
Our vision is that the billions of mobile phone already on the feild will change dramatically the evolution of cashless payment and unbanked areas will leapfrog the card technology and new payment schemes have to be invented.
If in the 70′s we all had had mobile phones in our pokets , the card industry would not have developped.
We are in the process of lauching a new payment platfrom called TAGPAY that is dedicated to mobile payment for unbanked populations. Tagpay completes the mobile money transfer services by enabling cashless transaction in the stores.
I invite who ever is interrested to visit our web site : http://www.tagattitude.fr . Thank you in advance for your opinions

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