Samsung Pay available at Korean department chain Shinsegae after delay
Samsung Pay will now be available for franchises in South Korea owned or run by Shinsegae, which owns its own brand of department stores, Samsung Electronics has announced.
The mobile payment service will be available in Starbucks — the coffee chain is run by Shinsegae in South Korea — and famous brands such as E-mart, Shinsegae Food, Shinsegae Dutyfree, and Every Day Retail.
Samsung said the delay was caused by the difficulty in providing consumers with discounts, points, and membership services.
Shinsegae has been resisting allowing Samsung Pay in its franchises to promote its own counterpart SSG Pay.
Samsung Pay hit 2 trillion won transaction as of August and is among the most popular mobile payment services provided by a handset manufacturer. Samsung controls over 70 percent market share in South Korea, its home country.
It supports all credit cards except Citi’s in South Korea. Support for Citi will begin in the first half of next year, Samsung said.