Esso has officially launched Speedpass+ for iOS (and Android), which lets customers pay for their gas and car washes from their smartphone. The company says they are the first major fuels retailer in the country to offer mobile payments at the pump, which includes loyalty rewards.
How does Speedpass+ work? Users first download the app, then add a credit card such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, RBC Esso Visa or an Esso Gift Card to the app. You can also add your Esso Extra points or Aeroplan Miles card as well.
Next, you select the gas and grades you want, amount, car wash, then the payment is processed via the cloud, instead of tapping at the pump with NFC or scanning bar codes. Users get to select the numbered pump they are located at (with the iPhone camera scanning the pump’s QR code), then authorize mobile payments through a data connection. You will be required to confirm your purchases with a 4-digit passcode (Touch ID should be implemented here).
Andrew Mackay, retail fuels manager, Imperial, said in an issued statement to iPhone in Canada, “With the national roll-out of the Speedpass+ app, Imperial is the first major fuels retailer in Canada to offer a fast, easy and secure mobile payment option that enables Esso customers to save time at the pump, while easily accumulating loyalty points. This combination distinguishes the Speedpass+ app as the next generation of customer payment and loyalty programming for the Canadian retail fuel industry.”
Receipts for payments can be sent by email, printed at the pump or both, with the app recording spending history, which can be helpful for those needing to track business expenses.
Esso says Speedpass+ is available at nearly 1,000 participating Esso locations across Canada.
This is a brilliant idea to make paying for gas much faster than using existing point-of-sale machines at the pump. Let us know if you’re going to try this out. We’d like to see the implementation of Apple Pay, like they have in the USA with this.
Click here to download Esso Speedpass+ in the App Store.
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This has been out for a year. Ver 1.0 was in the App Store march 2016.
Today looks like the official announcement.
I knew the automotive, oil and gas industry moved slow when it came to consumer technology but that’s a whole ‘nother level.
All that time to beta test, and no implementation of Touch ID or Apple Pay…
It was limited to test areas (I think in the Maritimes) before.
Hopefully this means they will stop telling you over the intercom to put your phone away while pumping gas. I’m just trying to pay! lol
hahah
This is funny. Stickers all over the pumps saying no cell phones and now they release an app to pay for gas at the pump. So either using not allowing cell use near pumps was FAKE news all along or someone at ESSO did not think this one out very well!!!
#alternatefacts
I haven’t seen the no cellnohone stickers in years. Next time you are at the pump, just try to find them. I think you’ll be surprised.
Surely it would have been easier to just let us pay using ApplePay.
Also, oddly there is no Esso where I live (so I recently discovered).
QR codes = certain death for an app or service when will people learn.
You don’t have to scan the QR code, but it is an option. Or you can just select which pump you are parked at instead.
Not as bad I guess.
Just like ripping on QR codes.
If they added ApplePay as a payment through the app it would have been better since we don’t have to worry about our credit card information being stolen + we would be able to go over the $100 limit that using NFC has
The app doesn’t work through NFC, so there should not be a $100 limit.
The NFC limit is something that the merchant and bank layers enforce. Costco allows up to 150 or 200$ via NFC and I’ve made purchases at the Lego Store with ApplePay (Tangerine MC) for over 200$ without issues.
I still have my old speedpass fob. Works like a charm!
Not bad. I’ll give this a try. I go to Esso all the time for gas and I have a speed pass already. Now they need an Apple Watch app for super awkward fun times lol
Or they could just properly support tapping at the pump. I use ApplePay everywhere but I don’t even bother at the pump anymore as it usually ends up failing, at which point the cashier thinks you’re dumb / can’t operate the pump and calls you over the intercom.
This is true.
ApplePay would have made the most sense. However, I would rather go in, buy a gift card, load it, then pay with my phone (via antiquated QR code), than continue to have my debit card “compromised” by the card cloners that are prevalent in my area. Getting tired of having to reset my debit card PIN every 2 weeks because of where I gas my car!
I honestly don’t see the benefit versus using my physical SpeedPass keychain gizmo.
I’ve been using it since March 2016. It’s been available in Halifax, Nova Scotia for more than a year.
I don’t see any advantage over using the speed pass on my key ring. If they would simply support apple pay at the pump I would buy my fuel at Esso again instead of Safeway.