Esso Launches Mobile Payment Option, Offers Tesco Clubcard Bonuses

I hate gas stations that treat you like a criminal when you drive in. The notion of going into the gas station, paying for gas, and then pumping it irks me to no end. I want to fill my tank. No, I don’t know how much that is; my gas gauge is analog! Anyway, some companies are making this point a little less irksome for those like me that don’t always know to the gallon how much they need. Esso recently released its new mobile payment app in the UK, and they even come with a bonus.

Now, those using Esso’s mobile payment app at Esso stations will gain Tesco Clubcard points along with their gas purchase. Around 70 of Esso’s branded stations in the UK have access to this payment system, and more will be added weekly, reports note. The Esso app is available for both iOS and Android, which means most of the waterfront is covered.

While drivers will still have to exit the vehicle to pump gas, distance traveled from the vehicle itself will be minimal. Users need only select a pump number after pulling up to it, then authorize payment and start fueling. Replacing the pump nozzle prompts the system to send a digital receipt and confirm the amount paid.

As for the bonus points, Esso users with Tesco Clubcard points will get 400 points total, with half of those provided after the first payment covering roughly eight gallons—it’s actually 30 liters over there—and the rest provided after the fifth transaction with 30 liters involved.

At last report, it takes 150 points to get a voucher for 1.5 pounds sterling. Given that gasoline is running about 1.19 pounds sterling per liter, you’ll need to drop quite a bit of cash before you see that discount hit. It’s the kind of thing people generally need to have anyway, especially if they don’t live within walking distance of their jobs, so any amount back is likely to be well-received on a certain level. Throw in the convenience factor and it’s hard to see how Esso’s move can’t at least kind of work.

It’s not exactly a big win for consumers, but it’s at least a win, and at the end of the day, a win is a win.