OfficeMax Teams Up with Google Wallet to Provide Customers with Faster, Easier Shopping Experience Using Their Smart Phones

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --  OfficeMax® Incorporated (NYSE: OMX), a leader in office supplies, technology and services, today launched new checkout terminals in more than 100 stores that harness Google Wallet to enable customers to pay, redeem coupons and reap the benefits of OfficeMax's MaxPerks® Rewards loyalty program, all with a single tap of their mobile phones.

These new contactless payment terminals, powered by MasterCard PayPass™, are available in OfficeMax stores throughout the greater New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C. markets. OfficeMax is the first office supply retailer to implement the full range of Google Wallet features – payment, coupon redemption and loyalty programs – to help customers save time and money on their in-store purchases. It's also the first national office supply retailer to accept mobile payments through Google Wallet.

"OfficeMax is interested in using the very latest technology to deliver a faster, easier and personalized in-store shopping experience for our customers, and mobile payments with Google Wallet lets us do just that," said Ryan Vero, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at OfficeMax. "It's one of many recent mobile programs we've rolled out to help provide customers with a truly customized and engaging shopping experience."

Google Wallet, which is available today on the Sprint Nexus 4G phones, is an app that turns consumers' phones into their wallets. The app securely stores virtual versions of a consumer's payment and rewards credentials, which can be used in stores with the tap of a mobile phone.

"OfficeMax has used Google Wallet to make shopping easier by enabling shoppers to pay, redeem coupons, and earn MaxPerks with one simple tap of their phone at the register," said Osama Bedier Vice President of Payments at Google. "We're excited to have OfficeMax join a fast growing ecosystem by demonstrating how easy it is to implement the Google SingleTap experience."

Google Wallet uses near field communication (NFC) to make secure payments by tapping an NFC-enabled phone on any MasterCard PayPass-enabled terminal at checkout. The new mobile payment terminals at OfficeMax featuring PayPass Tap & Go™ will accept payments using Google Wallet, as well as other contactless payment devices that use RFID and NFC.

"For the past decade, MasterCard has led contactless payment innovations, delivering greater payment options to both consumers and merchants," said Craig Vosburg, Group Executive, U.S. Market Development, MasterCard Worldwide. "OfficeMax's adoption of this technology reinforces a shared goal of providing consumers a faster, more convenient checkout experience."

Google Wallet is a partnership between Google, MasterCard Worldwide, Citigroup Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. and First Data Corp.  

Growing Mobile Marketing Efforts

Accepting mobile payments in retail stores via Google Wallet is the latest step in OfficeMax's aggressive mobile marketing strategy. In 2009 and 2010, OfficeMax launched a mobile shopping app and mobile-friendly web site that allow customers to view and purchase office supplies, find a store, check weekly ads and receive personalized deals through its MaxPerks Rewards program. With the recent launch of the OfficeMax ImPress® Mobile Print Center app, available for iPhone and Android, OfficeMax is the first national print retailer to offer full-service mobile printing via cloud printing technology. OfficeMax also reaches customers with offers and updates through its SMS text alerts program.

About OfficeMax

OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in both business-to-business office products solutions and retail office products. The OfficeMax mission is simple. We help our customers do their best work. The company provides office supplies and paper, in-store print and document services through OfficeMax ImPress®, technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and individual consumers. OfficeMax customers are served by approximately 30,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and nearly 1,000 stores. Since 2007, OfficeMax Goodworks(SM) programs have served communities and schools, contributing more than $14 million in grants and supplies to support teachers and classrooms. To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX. For more information, visit www.officemax.com.

All trademarks, service marks and trade names of OfficeMax Incorporated used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of OfficeMax Incorporated. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE OfficeMax Incorporated