Alipay’s “Tap” Tech Now Unlocks Package Pickup Offers Discounts

Beijing, May 9, 2024 – Alipay, the ubiquitous mobile payment platform, is extending its Tap and Go (碰一下) functionality beyond payments and access control to include package delivery, the company announced today. This expansion aims to simplify and expedite the process of retrieving packages from self-service lockers and delivery stations.

The Tap and Go feature, which leverages Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, allows users to unlock lockers and complete transactions by simply tapping their smartphones against designated terminals. This eliminates the need to manually search for and input retrieval codes, significantly reducing the time required to collect packages.

Currently, nearly 10,000 Cainiao Post stations, Feng巢 (Hive Box) lockers, and 兔喜驿站 (Tu Xi Stations) in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Nantong, and Zhenjiang support the Tap and Go package retrieval system.

Beyond Package Delivery: Expanding Applications and Incentives

Alipay’s Tap and Go functionality is not limited to package retrieval. The company has been actively expanding its applications across various scenarios, including:

Payment: Alipay is offering subsidies to incentivize users to adopt Tap and Go for payments. Customers who spend over 2 RMB using Tap and Go at participating merchants have the chance to receive a store-specific voucher, which can be automatically applied to their next Tap and Go transaction at the same store. This promotion is limited to one redemption per person per day on a first-come, first-served basis.
Access Control: Real estate management companies like 金碧物业 (Jinbi Property) and 世茂服务 (Shimao Service) have partnered with Alipay to implement Tap and Go access control systems in over 2,000 residential communities. This allows delivery personnel, couriers, and visitors to quickly and securely gain access to buildings by tapping their smartphones against designated readers. This enhances efficiency and improves security by verifying the identity of individuals entering the premises.
Other Applications: Alipay has also integrated Tap and Go into scenarios such as unlocking doors and ordering food.

Rapid Adoption and Underlying Technology

The Tap and Go feature has witnessed rapid adoption, with over 100 million users embracing the new entry point across more than 400 cities as of April this year.

Alipay clarifies that both Tap and Go and Scan and Pay are categorized as barcode payment methods. The key difference lies in the technology used for interaction. Scan and Pay utilizes the smartphone’s display screen and camera, while Tap and Go relies on NFC technology. Both methods are considered equally secure, as the payment process is completed on the network end after the initial interaction.

IT之家’s testing confirms that users can seamlessly complete payments by simply tapping their unlocked smartphones with NFC enabled against Alipay payment devices, without requiring any additional steps.

Conclusion: Streamlining Daily Life with NFC Technology

Alipay’s expansion of Tap and Go into package delivery and access control demonstrates the company’s commitment to leveraging NFC technology to streamline daily life for its users. By simplifying and expediting common tasks, Alipay is enhancing user experience and driving further adoption of its mobile payment platform. The continued expansion of Tap and Go applications promises to further integrate mobile technology into various aspects of daily life.

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