7-Eleven will provide Alipay and WeChat Pay mobile payment services to Chinese customers traveling in Canada, making it the first convenience store to accept these platforms in the market. Alipay and WeChat Pay will be available at 35 select 7-Eleven locations in Vancouver and Toronto, with plans for expansion in the next few months.
The convenience store retailer is working with Citcon, a payment platform that handles cross-border transactions for Alipay and WeChat, to expand the services. The Alipay and WeChat apps generate a unique QR code that people can scan at store checkouts to make a payment.
Alipay and WeChat have a combined 93% share of China’s digital payments market, according to Citcon. Approximately 70% of Chinese consumers use mobile payments, the company reported.
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“Digital payments are on the rise and consumers across the world are embracing them for convenience. 7-Eleven is redefining convenience for our customers across the globe which includes providing mobile payment solutions,” said Gurmeet Singh, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Information Officer of 7-Eleven. “With 67,000 stores worldwide, Alipay and WeChat Pay are just one of many solutions that we provide our global consumers so they can enjoy a frictionless experience in our stores. 7-Eleven is the first convenience retailer to provide Alipay and WeChat Pay mobile payment solutions in Canada, and we continue to drive digital transformation with the latest in consumer-facing mobile technology.”
There is no word on any plans to expand Alipay and WeChat Pay to 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. In November, the retailer announced plans to test Scan & Pay technology at 14 Dallas-area stores in the U.S. This technology allows customers to skip the cashier line and check out remotely as long as they are inside or just outside the store. 7-Eleven plans to expand the technology into additional markets in 2019, integrating it directly into the 7Rewards loyalty program app.
