AtYourGate and GOLO unveil app to take the inconvenience out of shopping at the airport

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: AtYourGate and GOLO unveil app to take the inconvenience out of shopping at the airport.

AtYourGate, a California start-up and GOLO, a mobile ordering platform and part of the Paysafe Group, have announced the launch of 'AtYourGate powered by GOLO', a new app that allows airport goers to use their mobile phones to order airport products and have them delivered directly to them.

Travellers, flight crews and airport personnel at San Diego International Airport (SAN) can now use the first-ever app of its kind to make a purchase from any of the participating outlets – be that a sandwich, salad, snack, or gift – and have it delivered directly to their gate or to any convenient location airport-wide.

Celebrating its 90th Anniversary, San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway commercial service airport in the U.S. and features 51 gates in two terminals. In 2017, the airport served over 22 million passengers. SAN features a robust concessions program, with more than 80 dining and shopping locations airport-wide.

According to Micromarket Monitor, revenues from U.S. and Canadian airport retailing should rise from about $4.2 billion in 2015 to nearly $10 billion by 2020 – an impressive annual growth rate of nearly 20 percent. In addition, Paysafe's Lost in Transaction – Volume 1 report reveals that Americans prefer online shopping when it comes to travel and leisure purposes; but apps are favoured over mobile sites.

With seven participating restaurants and retail locations at launch, and another 25 expected to join before the end of 2018, 'AtYourGate' was designed with the time-poor, ever-connected consumer in mind, as well as the airport restaurant and retail outlets looking to increase their exposure. In addition to providing a valuable service for passengers, the mobile ordering and gate delivery app is also expected to expand brand visibility of the airport's concessions program. Airport customers will have access to restaurants and retail locations including Saffron Thai, Artisan Market, Panda Express, Qdoba Mexican, Jack-in-the-Box, CNBC News and Gifts as well as donuts and treats from San Diego's famous Donut Bar via Elegant Desserts.

The technology behind this innovative app was developed by GOLO, a mobile ordering platform offering bespoke white label solutions. The robust features of the GOLO platform offer the 'AtYourGate' app users an intuitive and secure mobile shopping experience and give the AtYourGate team participating concession operators the tools to provide seamless order processing and delivery. GOLO forms part of the Paysafe Group, a leading global provider of end-to-end payment solutions who has invested in delivering secure solutions geared towards mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between bricks-and-mortar and online payments.

"AtYourGate wanted to offer the best-in-industry app for mobile ordering in airports. That's why they opted to work with our GOLO technology which has a proven track record in mobile ordering backed up by leading payment capabilities," said Jean-François Noël, CEO of GOLO. "Consumers and merchants today expect a frictionless and sophisticated retail experience when making purchases or selling using their mobile technology. They want to see the products accompanied by visually rich images, in a smooth app where searching is intuitive and there is a secure way to transact. That's what is offered through the new 'AtYourGate' powered by GOLO app. It very much plays to our philosophy of developing tools that make everyday life more convenient, by bringing merchants and consumers closer together."

AtYourGate is the first innovation to come out of San Diego International Airport's Innovation Lab. The goal of the Lab is to reduce barriers for innovators to break into the aviation industry, and to develop new ways of doing business and enhancing the passenger experience.

After successfully deploying at SAN, AtYourGate and GOLO plan on making this app available to other airports across North America and Europe.

"When we proposed the idea of the app to San Diego International Airport, everyone agreed that we were addressing a real need for both airport consumers and retailers," said P.J. Mastracchio, Founder and CEO of AtYourGate. "We applaud the forward-thinking of the airport team in seeking to create a smarter, more innovative airport that provides the next level of customer experience for both its passengers and employees."

"We continually seek to raise the bar on customer satisfaction, and one way we do that is by embracing new technologies that push the envelope," said Rick Belliotti, Director of Innovation and Small Business Development at San Diego International Airport. "AtYourGate and GOLO had the right formula to deliver a high-quality service that can change the way people experience air travel – a cornerstone of our Innovation Lab," he added.

The AtYourGate app is currently available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. San Diego International Airport customers who download the app will be able to enjoy a discount of 10 percent on their first purchase by entering the promotion code: AYGNEW.