U.S. electronic cash transaction network PayNearMe has partnered with Blackhawk Network (NASDAQ:HAWK), a global fintech company specializing in connecting brands and people through branded value solutions. PayNearMe now offers consumers the ability to pay with cash for rent, bills, online purchases and other goods and services at retail locations within Blackhawk’s network of retailers. The first retailer utilizing PayNearMe’s service is Casey’s General Stores, which operates in 15 states throughout the Midwest. Adding PayNearMe to Casey’s General Stores allows more rural Americans to make electronic payments with cash—whether they are part of the 27 percent of U.S. households that are unbanked and underbanked or they simply prefer to use cash.
“Blackhawk Network is an outstanding provider of branded value and works with some of the largest, most specialized and unique retailers in the world,” opined PayNearMe CEO and founder Danny Shader. “We are incredibly excited to offer their retail partners new options for cash consumers. Together, we can help ensure that all payment methods are considered equal and easy to use.”
PayNearMe enables cash users to pay more than 17,000 national and local non-profits, businesses and government organizations in minutes with one trip to their local store. A scan of the PayNearMe barcode on the user’s phone or on paper and a cash payment to the store cashier ensure near real-time payment posting.
“We are pleased to be adding PayNearMe’s services within our network,” asserted Blackhawk Network SVP US Retail David Tate. “Our new partnership provides consumers with additional convenience by making it even easier for them to make electronic payments, while creating value for our retail partners by driving traffic and new opportunities for customer engagement.”
Companies including Comcast, Greyhound, Oportun and Grameen America use PayNearMe’s innovative technology at 28,000 existing stores to ease the challenges of transacting with cash. Many of those stores are open 24/7, making payment locations easily accessible for consumers on even the tightest of work schedules. Partnering with Casey’s adds nearly 2,000 stores to PayNearMe’s network, bringing PayNearMe’s retail store count to 30,000.