SumUp reveals new ‘digital collection box’ technology

Today (19.01.18), SumUp (www.sumup.com) is announcing the trial of a ‘digital collection box’, a new solution for making charitable donations. Using a card reader and contactless technology, members of church congregations can now donate with their card, rather than cash as they would with a traditional collection plate.

The Collection Box has been trialled in partnership with the Church of England. SumUp, the London-based payment technology company, has been working with the religious organisation over the last year in order to offer 16,000 churches, cathedrals, and religious sites throughout England access to new card reader technology, with support from Visa.

This portable version of the solution is equipped with an embedded SumUp card reader, which can be passed around during the offertory part of a service. This allows parishioners, who are increasingly not carrying cash, to choose a donation amount (from four set by the Church itself), and pay in seconds before passing the device on. A fixed table-top version of the solution is also available, enabling people to donate before or after the service.

The technology can be used to take contactless payments, as well as Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

After positive feedback from the churches involved in a trial across the UK, SumUp is now planning to make both versions of the Collection Box available to churches throughout England and Wales via the Church’s Parish Buying service. The technology has been designed to make donations and transactions faster and easier for congregations, with the churches involved in the trial experiencing a doubling of donations (97% increase) since the introduction of the collection box solutions.

Reverend Margaret Cave, Vicar of Christ Church East Greenwich, comments: “This new digital Collection Box has proven to be a real asset for a church like ours. We’ve seen a younger crowd flocking to Christchurch East Greenwich over the past few years, with our morning meetings for parents and babies, as well as various youth groups trips. This means a new generation of churchgoers who don’t carry loose change. Our congregation love that we’re on the front foot when it comes to modern technology.”

Marc-Alexander Christ, Co-Founder of SumUp, comments: “In 2019 we are going to see an even greater uptake in contactless payments as we transition towards a truly cashless society. This means that elements of everyday life will need to adapt, and the digital collection box is an amazing example of tradition meeting technology. As congregations around the UK carry less and less cash, the donation process needs to be as easy as possible in order to harness people’s generosity. That’s why we believe this partnership will be an immaculate connection.”