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Google Pay is known to many as a way to pay with your smartphone. However, there is much more behind the system than a simple payment option. For example, users can easily manage their loyalty cards online without the wallet getting fatter from having so many cards. We would like to take a closer look at these so-called passes in this article.
Google Pay is a quick and easy way to pay with your smartphone. Previously stored means of payment, such as credit cards, can be saved there and used online, in stores, via app or on the desktop for payment. All means of payment are stored securely in the cloud and protected by several layers. The card number is not stored on the device at any time, but instead an encrypted virtual account number is used.
If the smartphone is lost, it can be searched for remotely, locked, or the contents stored on it can be deleted. In addition, the app can be secured via password or fingerprint. Google Pay can be used everywhere where contactless payment is accepted or the corresponding icon is displayed.
Another feature of Google Pay is the use of Passes. This allows customers to store their cards and use them in stores. This means that the cards can be used anywhere the smartphone is present. But Passes also bring advantages for companies. Behind the Passes is a powerful tool for increasing brand affinity. They enable permanent interaction with the customer and at the same time offer them an attractive shopping experience. The integration of such Passes is simple, clear and fast via the Google Pay API for Passes.
Creating a Google Pass is broken down into seven steps on the Google information page:
Once the integration is complete, the card can be made available to customers on the selected channel.
Passes come in different types. For example, boarding passes, gift cards, offers, event tickets and tickets can be offered digitized in the Google Pay app. The basic structure of these passes is broadly divided into four parts: Card Title, Card Template, Card Barcode and Details Template.
Figure 1: Rough layout of Google Passes
The Card Title displays the logo and text area. Below that comes the Card Template. Here you can add several text elements with labels, for example information about the flight for a boarding pass. In the next section, the Card Barcode, the selected barcode and information about it follow. The Details Template offers more space for texts, but also images over the full width.
In addition to the Pass, there is also the list view, which has to be configured. This is then displayed in the overview of all passes in the Google Pay app. A logo with background image is defined here. In addition, the developer can define three text lines, for example, for the name of the pass and other short details.
Figure 2: List view of the passes
The respective elements that can be placed within the rough structure partly differ between the pass types. The different pass types are explained in more detail below:
Boarding passes can be accessed and used via the Google Pay app. Users can receive reminders about upcoming flights, scan the digital boarding pass as a barcode directly at the gate, or have boarding information sent via NFC. The company providing the cards can update them to alert customers to flight delays or other changes. This means that users are always up to date about their flight.
Various stores already offer their customer cards digitally as a pass. This allows users to store all their customer cards in one place and use them by barcode or by sending the data to the checkout terminal via NFC. Activities, rewards and loyalty status can be viewed via the app. For Businesses, they offer the ability to send location-based notifications to customers. This way remind customers to use their loyalty card when they enter the store, or point out local offers. Offers linked to the card can also be created and presented to the customer.
Offers and coupons can be accessed and used in the app. They can also be redeemed by customers as barcodes or NFC. Once in the store, users are reminded of the offer. At the same time, it is possible to view the expiration date of the offer in the app.
Gift cards offer another use case for Passes. These can be stored, retrieved and used in the Google Pay app. In the store, customers are then reminded to use the gift card and redeem it via barcode or NFC. The app can be used by customers at any time to retrieve gift card activity and balances.
After purchasing event tickets, they can be accessed and used in the Google Pay app. At the venue, they can then be presented via barcode or the information sent via NFC. Before the event, customers can be reminded or notified of news about the event or ticket.
The last pass type offered by Google Pay are tickets for buses, trains, ferries and many more. These can be stored and then scanned as a virtual barcode at the barcode reader of the transport company.
Figure 3: Example of four of the available pass types
Digital cards and tickets, such as those offered by Google Pay Passes and Apple Wallet (which we reported on in an earlier article) are becoming increasingly important as a result of digitization, replacing paper and plastic cards. However, creating passes for your customers can be too much of a hassle for stores or other businesses.
We offer a solution for this: Kortpress. This solution allows you to create customized cards by choosing from a variety of different layouts and uses. The creation is done online in just a few steps without any programming knowledge. Easily adapt the existing layouts to your corporate design or existing design templates.
Kortpress was designed to be flexible to your individual specifications and also easy to integrate into an existing IT infrastructure. Automated distribution of passes or automated campaign management is also easily possible with Kortpress - we will be happy to support you in making this a reality.
Are you interested in Kortpress or would you like an individual automated solution to create passports for your company? Then contact us. We will be happy to advise you and work out a suitable solution for you.
