Cooperation of Nets, Alipay enable Chinese mobile payments in Nordics

OSLO - Nordic payment service provider Nets Group said Thursday it has started cooperation with Chinese online payment platform Alipay to enable stores in Norway and the rest of Scandinavia to accept Chinese mobile payments.

The agreement will make it possible for about half a billion registered Alipay users to use the platform in Scandinavian stores, the Nets Group's Norway branch said in a press release.

Nets launched the solution in Denmark at the end of March, and from April this year will be available in Norway and Sweden. It is also expected that the solution will be arranged for Finland in the coming months.

"Many Chinese tourists who come to Norway also use the opportunity to shop. We have therefore already noticed that there is an increased interest in the business world to offer the opportunity to receive payments through the Chinese payment service Alipay," said James Johansen, senior commercial manager at Nets Norway.

There is an increased number of Chinese tourists in Norway in recent years and many of them often spend more money than other tourists, according to the press release.

"Based on what we have seen from digits in previous years, an average card transaction from a Chinese debit card of over 4,000 kroner ($517). By comparison, the average amount of a card purchase in Norway in 2017 was 338 kroner," Johansen said.

Alipay, which is operated by Ant Financial, part of Alibaba Group, is a powerful combination of payment tools, financial services and marketing platforms.

Customers using Alipay can make payments both online and in physical stores, pay their bills or transfer money to others.

Alipay payments are made by scanning a QR code on the customer's smartphone phone, receiving and accepting the amount and receipt. Alipay will then ensure that these data are delivered to Nets, which in turn ensures that the store receives the money from the Chinese platform.

This solution can contribute to increased satisfaction of Chinese customers, Johansen said, adding that stores will also have the opportunity to market themselves directly to Chinese tourists through the app, which can also attract new customers.