Mastercard and intu counter Black Friday blues

Mastercard has teamed up with intu to trial a Masterpass Click and Collect Fast Lane. intu Lakeside is the first retail destination to install the 200-metre Masterpass lane for the week running up to Black Friday. The aim is to allow shoppers to pass through the centre at speed. Check out a video here.

Elliott Goldenberg, Head of Masterpass at Mastercard, says: “All the retailers we work with are refining their business models to meet the needs of today’s shopper. Our spending data shows a real change in buying behaviour as people continue to blend both online shopping and visiting stores for gifts. What technology gives them is speed and convenience, but they really want to see that experience reflected on the High Street. intu Lakeside is a great example of how retailers are adapting to these needs, and catering to a much broader range of shopper preferences. Some might like to make shopping a social occasion, some want to just Click and Collect and others might want to browse before buying online.”

Trevor Pereira, Commercial and Digital Director at Intu, comments: “Black Friday for some of our customers is the start of their Christmas shopping and our job is to make their shopping experience as pleasurable as possible. For some people that might be being able to quickly and easily pick up their Click and Collect items, allowing them to spend the rest of their day browsing for inspiration, grabbing a bite to eat with friends or watching the latest blockbuster.”