Evening Standard Gets Cashless Payment Card
Associated Newspapers’ Evening Standard is launching a cashless payment card that its readers will be able to swipe at sales points to pick up their copy.
The Eros card, so called because it utilises the logo on the paper’s masthead, will initially be available at Waterloo station on Monday, before rolling out across zone 1 in the capital from October.
In a statement, the paper said: “Like Oyster, users of the Evening Standard Eros card will discover that it saves you money over paying directly by cash.
“And because it is part of a loyalty rewards package, cardholders will benefit from additional privileges as well as exclusive added value and discount offers provided by card partners.”
Sample Eros cards will be given out at Waterloo from next week between 7am and 9.30am and 4pm to 7pm each day.
To make their purchase, readers will hold their cards against a yellow pad located at vendor stands. Cardholders will be able to load credit online.
Andrew Mullins, managing director of the Evening Standard, said: “We are very excited to be the first newspaper to introduce this cashless and reward based payment system. Over the next two years in London, zone 1 will increasingly become a cashless payment zone and the Evening Standard will be helping drive and lead this trend.
“The Evening Standard Eros card is a genuine innovation. It not only provides greater convenience for our loyal readers but also appropriate added value benefit rewards. It will also save them money when buying the Evening Standard.”
It is not known how much of a discount the Eros card will give readers.
The launch of the Eros card comes as the Evening Standard fights a tough battle against the afternoon freesheets thelondonpaper and the London Lite.
Last month, the Evening Standard recorded a month on month circulation increase of almost 2,400 copies, although it was down by more than 11% year on year, to leave it with a total of 277,555 copies (see thelondonpaper Sees Circulation Decline In August).
News International’s thelondonpaper and Associated’s own London Lite have total circulations of around 495,900 and 406,300 respectively.
Yesterday saw the launch of a free men’s magazine, ShortList, aimed at 18 to 35-year-old ABC1 men, with 360,000 copies being given away in London (see New Free Men’s Mag Arrives Today).
ShortList follows the free magazine Sport, which was launched in London last September (see Free Sport Magazine Launches In London).
Associated Newspapers: www.associatednewspapers.com