Supermarket in SP tests and starts accepting cryptocurrencies for purchases

Supermarket chain Shibata from São Paulo has started accepting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. The wibx digital currency created by startup Wiboo is being used in São José dos Campos (SP) as part of a pilot project that could be expanded to all of the brand’s stores.

The cryptocurrency, which the public does not know much, gained a place in the store in São José dos Campos with its activation actions. Boxes and totems are placed in the aisles to allow customers to recognize the wibx currency, but the main draw is the promotions.

Consumers are invited to download the app at: wibx and earn your first virtual coins by creating your wallets investments. The use of cryptocurrencies is valid for the purchase of any item without any price limit.

Promotions attract customers

The customer is also rewarded with cryptocurrencies on one-time transactions, for example, when they share the link for their friends to sign up for the app or make a cash purchase and receive a cashback (refund) of R$5 converted into Wiboo currency. (see below how much a wibx is worth in real).

“We have several actions where the customer shares offers with friends, earns coins and buys right there at the supermarket,” says Pedro Alexandre dos Santos, executive director and founder of Wiboo.

“Consumers don’t need to buy anything to earn cashback in our currency. In these activations, simply share the product with friends and family. We use these nano-influencers as our media to distribute content and promotions.”

The unprecedented partnership between companies has a reason: the group shibata Made a financial contribution of R$15 million and became a partner wiboo.

But in addition to Shibata, Wiboo is about to partner with three more supermarket chains. Santos did not explain what these were.

Customer collected 50 BRL in 2 months

In practice, payment with Wiboo cryptocurrency differs from that with credit and debit cards. Cashiers at Shibata in São José dos Campos are trained and ask the customer “credit, debit or wibx?” were instructed to say.

The customer makes the purchase through the cashier, a QR Code is generated on the computer screen of the supermarket, so he points his mobile phone at the specified location and pays instantly. This is possible because wibx’s facilities are integrated into Shibata’s payment system.

20-year-old customer Fabiana Galvão says the whole process takes about 30 seconds. He was impressed by the promotional marketing actions and earned enough wibx (R$5 in digital currency) to buy chocolates and chewing gum. Since then, Fabiana has asked her friends to sign up for the app so she can be rewarded with coins.

“I collect and share, I invite more people.” He said it cost around R$50 in two months.

what can you buy

HE UOL He asked Wiboo for a realistic representation of the purchasing power of wibx. It is worth noting that cryptocurrencies fluctuate daily. The date used as a reference is March 4, when 1 wibx is worth R$0.045. Check below:

5 kg of rice – BRL 20 (444 wibx coins)

1 kg of tomatoes – BRL 6.22 (138 wibx coins)

1 kg of soft coxão – BRL 43.90 – (975 wibx coins)

1 kg thighs and drumsticks – BRL 12.90 (276 wibx coins)

More units can accept crypto

Eric Shibata, director of commercial and marketing for the Shibata group, believes the chain’s 27 units will soon have the option to pay, but he prefers not to talk about dates. Shibata has stores distributed throughout the state of São Paulo.

“We believe that [o pagamento com criptomoedas] this is a global trend. The simplified form of payment is very similar to Pix. No noise or friction,” says the director.

The market did not reveal the share of the cryptocurrency in sales today. According to Eric Shibata, most customers using wibx are between the ages of 25 and 45.

Popular cryptocurrencies up to 5 years

Bitfy’s managing director, Lucas Schoch, believes that the modality offered by Wiboo, where interaction between users creates cryptocurrencies, helps this payment method become better known to the consumer.

“What Wibx offers at Shibata is not much different from the points program. People know the brand, they get benefits through cryptocurrency, and they can consume it with these digital currencies,” he says.

He believes that if traditional and digital banks invest in this modality, virtual currencies will be a part of Brazilians’ daily life for up to five years.