Contactless Challenge Day Four: Challenge Hits Whole Foods

Last updated: 20 March 2014

Day 4
JoshKathy
117.5140.5

Day four of the Gemalto 2013 Contactless Challenge was marked by 109 people filling the Austin downtown Whole Foods (@WholeFoodsATX) and 119 attendees lining up at the Salt Lake City Sugar House @WholeFoods to see NFC in action. Our competing bloggers Kathy Dalton (@KathyDaltonSLC) and Josh Kerr (@JoshKerr), along with a few representatives from Isis and Gemalto, answered questions and let their fans make contactless payments on their NFC-enabled phones. The turnout was incredible!

Armed with balloons, a register and his NFC-enabled phone, Josh “killed it” at Whole Foods, helping young and old alike to use contactless payments for their desserts. Josh touted the ease of transactions and tweeted a picture of an 8-year-old using Josh’s phone at the register. Josh also landed a well-deserved bonus point for getting the store to announce “happy birthday” to a customer over the loud speaker.

But Josh’s stellar turnout was soon eclipsed. Partway through the Salt Lake City event, Kathy Instagrammed a picture of her impressive dessert check-out line. Watch Kathy and the Isis team announcing the final tally. “That’s a lot of receipts!” said Kathy. “Did you hear that, Austin? 119 – Salt Lake rocks!”

httpv://youtu.be/ZkZvkplRiHE

In addition to planning and hosting the @WholeFoods events, Josh and Kathy continued to complete their list of challenges. Kathy spent the entire day using contactless payments, buying new shoes @Footlocker and grabbing a treat at Roxberry Juice. Also, at the suggestion of a follower, she shopped around @Macys for a heated toilet seat! Josh hit a challenge snafu when P. Terry’s burger stand did not accept contactless payments, but turned it around at Wholly Cow for lunch.

Josh and Kathy rounded out a busy challenge day with some high scores for the Whole Foods events. Let’s see if they can keep the momentum going into the weekend as their near the finish line.

Overall scores
JoshKathy
136.5163.5

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