Secure and convenient payment method
Less change, less stress, shorter queues: At festivals and events, prepaid cards such as the secucard offer many advantages when paying. It's as simple as that.
Cashless payment: open circle or closed society?
The term cashless payment covers various cashless payment options. Bank and credit cards are referred to as an "Open Loop“ System i.e. an open system that is based on common standards and rules. Similar to cash, these cards can be used anywhere in Germany or even around the world. One of the best-known "open loop" payment cards in Germany is the Girocard. The acceptance of bank and credit cards is now taken for granted as customer service.
In contrast, "Closed Loop“-cards can only be used within a closed, pre-defined network. For example, loyalty cards or vouchers are not issued by banks but by companies exclusively to their customers and are only accepted at the checkout. Closed loop systems therefore offer the opportunity to stand out from the competition and are an efficient tool for marketing and customer loyalty. In order to be able to pay with them, the cards must be equipped with prepaid credit or topped up. Such prepaid cards also represent a cost-effective alternative to cash or open cashless payment systems for companies.
Bull's eye: cashless payment at the shooting festival
The shooting festival in Herzlake, Lower Saxony, is a successful example of the use of prepaid cards as a means of payment at public events. In cooperation with secupay, visitors to the traditional 2024 event were able to make cashless payments at all stands for the first time. More than 1,500 rechargeable prepaid cards based on the secucard were issued in the run-up to the event and on the festival grounds. Guests could safely leave their cash, debit and credit cards at home and pay with their credit at more than 40 terminals instead. A service that was well received: The card was used around 15,000 times over the three days of the festival, generating a total turnover in the six-figure range. Unused credit was paid out to cardholders immediately at the end of their visit.
The advantages at a glance:
- Without cash, cashing up was much faster, safer and more hygienic.
- Guests and vendors were happy about less stress and shorter queues - without addition
- Billing differences due to cashier errors could be avoided.
- The provision of change or the expensive handling of cash receipts were eliminated - a considerable cost and security aspect.
- Older, less card-savvy target groups also responded well to the simple and user-friendly prepaid solution.
Conclusion of the organisers: The organisers provided detailed information about the cashless payment process in advance. secupay provided clear video tutorials to show how easy and secure it is to charge and pay with secucard This ensured smooth processes and a high level of acceptance during the hustle and bustle of the festivities. The modern payment solution also met with great interest from other shooting clubs. In Herzlake, it is already firmly planned for 2025: Once established, the setup can be reused year after year.
Charge, pay, discharge: This is how easy prepaid works at events
With the secucard secupay offers a technical solution for a rechargeable prepaid card that has already proven itself many times as a voucher, customer or city card. To use it as a payment card at events or festivals, exhibitors only need a standard card terminal and a stable Internet connection on the event site. This makes the festival a payment success:
- Information: Good communication in advance is key. Organisers should inform guests and retailers thoroughly about the new payment process and the associated benefits, for example on the website, through posters or displays on the festival site.
- Card issue: Prepaid cards can be issued and topped up directly on the event site or in advance, for example in the clubhouse.
- Charging: Charging points with card readers will be provided at the event, where the cards can be topped up with cash or by payment card.
- Payment: Participating retailers require a standard card reader with NFC or magnetic stripe reader for the payment process. Alternatively, processing is also possible as a web app on mobile devices.
- Sales control: Every transaction is immediately booked to the merchant account and can be called up at any time via secuoffice.
- Discharge: Unused credit can be paid out after the event or optionally kept for future events.
