PayPoint, the UK’s leading convenience retail bill payment network has developed an exciting new microsite for use by over 2700 SPAR stores nationwide via the SPAR Virtual Academy intranet website.

The PayPoint microsite will allow over 1600 SPAR stores who currently have a PayPoint terminal installed to learn more about the applications and reporting, a full list of the wide range of payments PayPoint accepts, troubleshoot via the online PayPoint agent handbook and have transaction and footfall tips. 

The remaining non-PayPoint SPAR stores can also take advantage of the mircosite by learning about how to become a PayPoint outlet and how to install a terminal or use the PayPoint service via SPARPos or both. There is also an extensive frequently asked questions section which explains the main benefits of the PayPoint service to SPAR retailers.

PayPoint are the first retail based payment solution provider to be launched onto the SPAR Virtual Academy.

Mike Igoe, PayPoint’s Retail Director commented: “By developing this microsite, PayPoint has led the way in providing SPAR stores with a useful tool to aid them in developing the services category within their business. We are excited by this landmark microsite and will continue to work with the SPAR Virtual Academy in developing the site for SPAR stores in the future.”

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Enquiries:
PayPoint Press Office 
020 7100 9999
paypoint@mischiefpr.com

Notes to Editors
PayPoint is the leading cash and internet payments company in the UK and Ireland, handling in excess of £6 billion in over 470 million transactions annually for more than 5,000 clients and merchants. The company operates with several significant payment streams:

• The PayPoint branded retail network numbers over 19,000 terminals located in local shops (including Co-op, Spar, Costcutter, Sainsburys Local, One Stop, Londis and thousands of independents) in all parts of the UK and Ireland. Terminals handle gas and electricity meter prepayments, cash bill payments, mobile phone top-ups, transport tickets, London Congestion Charges, TV licences and a wide variety of other payment types for all of the leading utilities, telecommunications suppliers and many consumer service companies. This network is used by consumers, free of charge, 8 million times a week. The network has 97.3% population cover on a 1 mile urban or 5 miles rural measure;
• Additional multiple retailer connections into the electronic till systems of nearly 4,000 outlets including BP, Somerfield and Superdrug for mobile top-ups and selected payments from the PayPoint range;
• The PayPoint ATM network has 1,950 'LINK' branded machines across the UK, also typically in convenience stores;
• PayPoint Internet Payment Services, trading as Metacharge and SECPay, provides secure credit and debit card payments for over 4,500 web merchants linking into all the major UK acquiring banks; and
• PayPoint International has recently acquired a Romanian mobile top-up operator to which a bill payment service will be added, emulating the UK branded retail network. PayPoint International also operates Irish bill payment and top-up services.

PayPoint floated on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. The company's market capitalisation at 15 January 2008 was £450 million. PayPoint has been awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise and is widely recognised for its leadership in prepayment systems, smart technology and consumer service.