United States restaurants may be another step closer to allowing customers to pay with their mobile phones. MobilePayUSA, a division of Irvine, Calif.-based Universal Commerce Inc., announced it is testing a private beta version of its mobile wallet product in several Southern California locations, according to MobilePaymentsToday.
The company also announced it's integrating its product with point-of-sale manufacturer Revention POS Solutions and that Flippin' Pizza and Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt will serve as its first beta clients.
"I love that I can give my customers an alternative, secure option for payment while earning loyalty points," Patrick Farley, founder and CEO of Flippin' Pizza, told Retailsolutionsonline.com.
A Private Beta in Orange and San Diego counties will begin July 2011. Interested merchants should sign up online and contact their merchant service provider to get started.
According to the company's announcement, the MobilePayUSA wallet application will work with any form of payment including credit cards, debit cards and gift cards. It will also integrate with a merchant's mobile marketing and loyalty programs to present users with discounts and offers. The application is accessed using a PIN and when activated to make a payment retrieves the customer's account data from a secure third-party partner. The information is never stored on the customer's device or given to a merchant.
MobilePayUSA said it expects a public beta release for its product in the fourth quarter of 2011.
