Friday, February 24, 2006

Skype Using GlobalCollect for Alternative Payments

-from Payments News

GlobalCollectGlobalCollect has announced it has been selected by Skype to process payments for its premium offerings. For Skype, GlobalCollect will process local bank transfer payments in local currencies worldwide, including real-time online bank transfers in countries where this payment method is available.

Alternative payment methods such as local bank transfers offer various major advantages for online merchants as well as for their customers. With an almost non-existent percentage of fraudulent transactions, bank transfer payments provide merchants with more security than credit cards. For online shoppers, local bank transfers in local currencies are very customer friendly. The amount to be paid is calculated in a local currency and no credit card information needs to be provided online. Alternative payment methods are a way for merchants to considerably increase their customer base with shoppers who prefer not to use their credit card online, and in countries where credit cards penetration is low, such as in several Asian countries (China, Japan) and many European countries (Germany, Spain, Sweden and Italy).

Michael Jackson, head of paid services at Skype says: "We identified GlobalCollect as a leading payment service provider for non-credit card payments. The possibility to accept local bank transfers in over 50 countries through one single technical and administrative interface is an efficient way to ensure our customers will be able to pay with a familiar payment method, in their currency."

Jan Manten, CEO of GlobalCollect adds: "We are very pleased to welcome Skype as one of our customers, and we are confident that the addition of local payment methods will further strengthen the worldwide success of Skype."

Posted on February 23, 2006 at 06:31 AM Pacific

No comments: