Burger King Russia Teams With WebMoney Transfer; Bleep UK Rolls Out New Kiosks

Welcome to The Axis, your late look at payments news from around the world. Coverage includes Burger King Russia’s collaboration with WebMoney Transfer for quick response (QR) code-based payments. In addition, Bleep UK PLC has rolled out its Bleep SS-821 self-service kiosks, and SOTI found that a majority of Canadians favor mobile technology during their shopping experiences.

Burger King Russia teamed up with WebMoney Transfer to allow digital payments using an eWallet, according to an announcement from WebMoney. To use the offering, diners scan a quick response (QR) code shown on the cash register for an instant transaction. Burger King Russia CEO Dmitry Medovy said in the announcement, “We appreciate the popularity of the WebMoney system in Russia and, therefore, we feel that it is essential that we provide our visitors with an opportunity to pay for their orders by any convenient method of their choice.” As it stands, WebMoney Transfer noted that the system is available for pharmacies and supermarkets as well as other venues.

And Bleep UK PLC unveiled a new self-service kiosk called the Bleep SS-821, which the company’s U.K.-based team created over a two-year period, the company said in an announcement. The system includes software, a touch screen, receipt printer and card payment device. As the system is designed to be used in places such as theaters and stadiums, users can make pre-orders at certain intervals or during half-time. The solution is also geared toward quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and casual dining environments. Bleep UK PLC Group CEO John Wellman said in an announcement, “We are in business to offer innovative, integrated point of sale solutions for our clients in hospitality, retail and events industries. We believe that our new self-service kiosk achieves just that and is a ground-breaking development.”

In Canada, mobile and internet of things (IoT) company SOTI found in a survey that the majority of Canadians favor mobile technology in retail environments, Mobilesyrup reported. The survey found that more than six in 10 Canadians — or 64 percent — believe that merchants tapping into mobile tech via employees and self-serve kiosks provide “a faster and more convenient shopping experience,” according to the outlet. SOTI Director of Enterprise Mobility Ryan Webber said, according to the outlet, “In an era where mobility has endless possibilities, these results prove the critical role that mobile technology can play in enhancing a customer’s retail experience, and retailers need to start delivering on customer’s evolving expectations quickly and efficiently.”