Mobile payment firm Paymate gets into SMS marketing

PayMate, the mobile payment service that works through SMS, is foraying into mobile information and marketing services. PayMate will now enable travellers to search for travel related information and book their tickets via online travel agencies, all via their mobile phones.

The company will monetise the search and booking service by sending SMS based text ads, which will initially be a promotional message from online travel agencies. The SMS ad will follow after a confirmation message or an SMS itinerary with details about the customers’ flight bookings. The service is available free to travellers and is compatible with all operators.

PayMate claims that about 35 per cent of travellers booking their air tickets in India via travel agents or online travel agencies will receive this confirmation message.

“We won’t place ads when the users are searching and booking their tickets. But once he is done with that (the transaction), then we will reach him via an SMS ad, which will be very targeted and related to user needs,” says Adiseshann.

PayMate has already tied up with travel portal Travelguru.com for ads and is in talks with other travel portals for their mobile advertising. The company also plans to extend its search, booking and payment services to other areas such as paying utility bills, shopping and buying movie tickets, adds Adiseshann.

This is the first time a mobile payment company has adopted the ad-funded model. As with Paymate, other mobile payment services such as JiGrahak do not charge subscription fees.