82% of Taiwanese have used contactless payment - survey

According to a recent survey entitled Proximity Payment Consumer Behavior Survey and released by Visa, the top three reasons for using contactless payment are: contactless payment is faster and more convenient than swiping a card (79%); it is convenient for small purchases that do not require a signature (60%); and it feels safer without handing the credit card to store staff (29%).

The survey also found that the top three sectors for using contactless payment are the public transportation system (67%), convenience stores (62%) and supermarkets and hypermarkets (33%).

The key factors leading to more successful mobile payment adoption in Taiwan include the availability of near field communication (NFC)-enabled smartphones, an increase in the number of merchants equipped with terminals that accept contactless transactions, and building the habit among consumers of using electronic payments instead of cash, according to the survey.

Commissioned by Visa, the survey consisted of a face-to-face interview conducted by research firm IPSOS from November 22 to December 15, 2014. It asked 603 respondents, aged 20 to 49, about their perceptions, acceptance, usage experience, satisfaction and expectations toward contactless and mobile payments.