 |
Home > News > Usage problem with cards for Smart Pit, the convenience store payment collection service
|
|
|
|
| 2004.04.02 |
|
Usage problem with cards for Smart Pit, the convenience store payment collection service
|
With regard to Smart Pit, a service provided by NTT Comware that allows convenience stores to collect payments for merchandise on behalf of other stores, it has been discovered that due to problems resulting from the faulty printing of barcodes on some of the Smart Pit cards (standard cards) delivered to convenience stores from the end of January, there have been instances where the barcode reader at the cash register was unable to read the barcode and the customer was unable to make a payment.
All Smart Pit cards delivered during this period of time were recalled from each convenience store chain offering the Smart Pit service. New cards will be produced and delivered to convenience stores, and a system to ensure normal operations should be established soon.
We at NTT COMWARE offer our most humble apologies to the users of the Smart Pit service, business partners and each convenience store chain for the inconvenience that this has caused. In order to ensure the non-recurrence of this event, measures are being taken to improve the management of product quality.
The payment collection service is now operating normally, and the Smart Pit cards listed below can continue to be used as they have been used until now.
| • |
standard cards purchased before January 2004 |
| • |
cards printed from the Smart Pit merchandise website (temporary usage cards) |
| • |
cards issued by a company using the Smart Pit system, including membership and other cards, that bear a Smart Pit number |
1. Overview of the Smart Pit service (please refer to the Smart Pit Website)
The Smart Pit service allows convenience stores to collect payments for merchandise on behalf of other stores.
The purchaser of merchandise does the following:
| (1) |
The purchaser obtains a Smart Pit card available free of charge at convenience stores using the Smart Pit service; |
| (2) |
The purchaser enters the ID number printed on the Smart Pit card when making purchasing merchandise through mail-order or internet venues operated by businesses using the Smart Pit system |
| (3) |
The purchaser pays for the merchandise by bringing the card used in (2) to a convenience store where it is read by a barcode reader. The amount owed is displayed on the register and the purchaser then pays this amount. |
The Smart Pit card can only be used for making orders and payments. The Smart Pit number is different from both a bank account and a credit card number in that it contains no personal information. It is therefore not possible for third parties to use the card or obtain other information from it.
2. Discovery of the usage problem
On March 29, a notification was received from a Smart Pit service customer that an error had occurred when reading a barcode. A total of 4 notifications have been received up to date. This type of error did not occur during the period following the inauguration of this service. The results of the investigation showed the cause of the error.
3. The cause of the error and the resulting situation
The cause of the error was due to faulty printing of the barcodes on some of the Smart Pit cards during the production process.
The cards with the faulty barcodes were included in the 750,000 cards delivered between the end of January and March. However, because some barcode readers are able to read the barcodes of cards with faulty printing, the exact number of these cards is unknown. In addition, it is difficult to visually identify these cards.
4. Measures taken to resolve problem
| • |
the cards from this period of time were recalled from the stores of each convenience store chain associated with the Smart Pit system |
| • |
new cards were delivered to each convenience store by mid-April |
| • |
customers unable to make a payment because of card reader error were directed to other means of payment through the service providers |
| • |
the customer service center was established |
| |
|
| |
Smart Pit Division
Toll-free number: |
0120-857-994 |
| Period of operation: |
Until April 23 (Friday) |
| Hours of operation: |
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) |
| Inquiries: |
smartpit_card@mos.nttcom.co.jp |
|
5. Measures taken to prevent recurrence
The Smart Pit card production process and inspection measures have been reevaluated which will improve the quality of this product. We are endeavoring to ensure that this incident does not recur.
|
|
|
The information shown in this page is the latest as of the day of the release. It is subject to change without further notice. Thank you for your kind understanding and consideration.
|
|
|
