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Monetize Your Digital Product Through T-Pay

T-Pay is a new online payment method, introduced to the MENA
region. T-Pay enables users to pay for their online memberships, apps, in app-purchases, online gaming, and even more digital services.

Interview with Sahar Salama, General Manager of T-Pay

We’ve reached out to Sahar Salama, General Manager of T-Pay to give us more details on how T-Pay works, advantages and more. Here you go our interview with her:

Briefly, can you describe for us what T-Pay is all about?

T-PayTM  is the first open mobile payment platform in the Arab region. It is a unique local payment eco-system that connects consumers, businesses and mobile operators for Direct Operator Billing (DOB). The platform gives the opportunity for businesses to grow exponentially by reaching new consumers and new markets in the region through one simple integration. It also allows connected consumers to buy goods and services online easily and safely and pay through their mobile line and without the need for a bank account or a credit card. T-Pay also gives mobile operators the opportunity to expand their product offerings and monetize their services and solutions.

How does T-Pay work? 

Consumers can now buy digital goods and services or subscribe
to them, through a click of a button. Purchases are processed on
the T-Pay platform real time and added to their monthly bill or their pre-paid account. Once a T-Pay account is created, the process becomes as easy as 1-2-3.

  • First, the user shops for online goods and services then chooses T-Pay as their preferred payment method and enters their mobile phone number.
  • Second step, the user receives a Personal Identification Number (PIN) code via SMS and enters it to authorize the payment.
  • Third and final step is when the payment process is completed and the user gets instantly its purchased service or good without leaving the merchant page.

The purchase amount is then added to the user’s phone bill or deducted from his balance in case of prepaid lines.

What reach can T-Pay give online businesses and apps?

T-PayTM today enjoys the biggest footprint in direct operator billing (DOB) in the region. The payment platform has partnered
with 21 mobile operators from 10 countries around the region to provide direct operator billing (DOB) to over 200 million mobile subscribers, or more than half of the total population of the Arab region. Digital merchants can now reach these 200 million mobile subscribers with their goods and services, by just connecting to the T-PayTM payment platform. T-PayTM enjoys 100% coverage in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and Palestine. It also offers its services to consumers in Bahrain, Kuwait, Tunis and Algeria. T-PayTM allows customers to charge their purchases directly to their mobile accounts and benefit from its wide network of merchants.

What makes T-Pay a catalyst of monetization for mobile developers?

T-PayTM helps businesses offering digital goods and services overcome the setbacks in their growth, mostly due to issues of payment methods or the lack of them. At the moment, consumers who buy digital goods online pay either through credit cards, pre-paid cards or cash on delivery. The penetration of credit cards in the region is as low as 1.5% to 8%, and even lower with the younger teenage population that has smart mobile devices and consumes digital media. Cash on delivery is the king of all payments in the region, albeit with high risk and high cost to merchants and no fit at all with online services.
Studies show that mobile payments have 5 to 10 times better conversion rate than credit card payments. Hence, digital merchants can increase their sales by up to ten-fold with the introduction of T-PayTM mobile payments to their business model. For low value digital purchases, online businesses will be able to convert 70% of online shopping into real purchases whether from web or in app.
For mobile apps transactions, T-PayTM has simplified the process. Consumers are not required to enter their Personal Identification Number (PIN) for every transaction. They can now use a one-time registration process for quicker and more efficient future transactions. Once they register, they start paying for their purchased digital goods or services by merely entering their mobile number. The transaction will then be added to their monthly mobile telephone bill if they have a post-paid number, or will be deducted from their existing account for those who have a pre-paid number. The transaction is hassle-free, quick, secure and convenient for recurring purchases.
Emerging markets like MENA present a huge potential for DOB.T-PayTM is working together with merchandisers and operators in this region to lead this growth and help mobile developers reach a wide range of consumers.

What are the types of business partners and merchants that can use the T-Pay platform and what are the available payment options?

T-PayTM is a perfect partner for online businesses that offer digital products and services, especially those who look for small repeated purchases. We have partnered with a large network of merchants in diversified sectors, like gaming, classifieds, entertainment VOD and OTT platforms, social learning and education, pre-paid cards stores, as well as professional consulting services.
T-PayTM offers two payment options; the first one is a one-time payment, which allows merchants to charge users for one-off purchases with a single transaction; the second is the recurring payment option. This is mainly used for subscription services that allows merchants to charge subscribed users for a service or product on a periodic basis whether daily, weekly or monthly.

What is T-Pay’s competitive edge?

T-PayTM provides its partners with a simple, turn-key solution for their businesses; whether merchants or operators. T-PayTM offers online digital businesses a comprehensive, state-of-the-art direct billing suite. The team’s support encompasses carrier management and service approvals, payment process localization, cross borders transaction processing and reporting, compliance with operator rules and technical requirements, knowledge of local regulations and taxes, high price range availability, alternative payment flows and billing technologies, conversion optimization and customer care service.
It’s good to see innovative ideas like T-Pay going live, to help businesses convert their online users into buyers.

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