www.talkcyprus.org

[andytandreou]

CREDIT CARD firm JCC yesterday launched its ambitious e-commerce project that hopes to change the face of business on the island.

Dubbed JCCsmart, the service will enable people to pay their utility bills and shop online, and register for seminars and conferences in Cyprus. To consumers, this translates into saving time and avoiding those long queues.

And there are plans to get the police and municipalities involved, so that it’s possible to pay your fines and council tax while surfing the internet.

Fast-food outlets and supermarkets are next: too lazy to get off the couch and pick up the phone? Just place your order online.

JCC have also concluded an agreement with a shipping agency, and the system features a built-in calculator that works out how much delivery will cost, based on the size and dimensions of the package and the delivery address.

“We’ve been lagging far behind in Cyprus when it comes to e-commerce…finally it’s here and we hope it will catch on” said JCC general manager Takis Fekkos.

The system, built from the ground up by Cypriot software engineers, cost JCC a whopping £600,000. But Fekkos insists that this was not money thrown away.

He says the programme employs cutting-edge technology, making transactions “100 percent safe.”

For those delighting in computer gobbledygook, the system uses 128-bit and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, plus added protection through the Verified by Visa confirmation process.

To use Verified by Visa, you register your card once with your card issuer, and create your own password and Personal Assurance Message. Then, when you make purchases at participating online stores, a Verified by Visa window will appear. You Simply enter your password and click “submit.” Your identity is verified and the purchase is secure.

As an incentive, participating businesses will pay a mere £10 a month fee, and those joining now will save on the £200 registration fee, which JCC is waiving until the end of the year.

The company will also receive its standard commission on credit card transactions, but Fekkos says that financial considerations are not at the heart of the whole concept.

“It could take years for it to really take off, but we knew all along it would be a long-term endeavour.

More information can be found on JCC’s website at http://www.jccsmart.com/


I'm so glad the banks are putting some investment in Cyprus ebusiness. So far, whatever they touch online turns to gold, e-loans, e-banking, e-trading have all taken off in Cyprus...!!!

[respiridus]

Sorry, but JCC Cyprus, with their monopoly and high prices, are the reason for the slow development of e-commerce in Cyprus :-(

(I own an e-commerce site myself)

[cannedmoose]

I've always wondered what the hell it meant on my CC receipts when I kept seeing JCC on every one. Surely, if this is a monopoly company, the government should be opening the market to other firms? Or is JCC so dominant that other firms can't even get a foot in the door?

[respiridus]

cannedmoose wrote: I've always wondered what the hell it meant on my CC receipts when I kept seeing JCC on every one. Surely, if this is a monopoly company, the government should be opening the market to other firms? Or is JCC so dominant that other firms can't even get a foot in the door?

JCC belongs to a consortium of all the major Cyprus banks: BOC, CPB, Hellenic, etc. Apparently, they have some sort of agreement about not cooperating with any CC company except JCC.

[cannedmoose]

respiridus wrote: cannedmoose wrote: I've always wondered what the hell it meant on my CC receipts when I kept seeing JCC on every one. Surely, if this is a monopoly company, the government should be opening the market to other firms? Or is JCC so dominant that other firms can't even get a foot in the door?

JCC belongs to a consortium of all the major Cyprus banks: BOC, CPB, Hellenic, etc. Apparently, they have some sort of agreement about not cooperating with any CC company except JCC.

Hmmm... has anybody made the European Commission aware of this? Sounds like a discriminatory cartel arrangement to me.

[andytandreou]

JCC is already under investigation which may result in heavy (very heavy) fines!

Actually respiridus I completely disagree with you that JCC has been holding e-commerce back in Cyprus.

There are many reasons why e-commerce has failed in Cyprus. The main reason was "NO BENEFITS"!!!

- Shopping sites had VERY little to choose from.
- Had higher prices.
- Prices didn't include VAT.
- Sold items nobody wanted.
- Very unprofessional.
- Did not modernize.
- Bad Marketing.

Basically e-shops in Cyprus didn't create any benefits to the consumer. When i was in the UK i used online shopping because of great distances or because I found better prices online. I remember that I always had a reason for shopping online. In Cyprus most online shopping sites believe they will prosper simply because they are "online"!

Netdrinks.com.cy failed miserably because they sold something people could get anywhere, yet they sold it for a higher price! Needless to say that Netdrinks has seased operating. Cyprus airways may be close to bankrupcy but it's online bookings have been hitting record highs (same for Eurocypria) because buying a ticket online is smart and efficient!!! Online banking is boombing because banking on the net saves time and having to wait in ques!

JCC will prosper because they have realized that online shopping needs to offer some benefits, like saving time and saving money at the very leaste!

[Chapfallen]

Can anyone provide info about this?

What are the rates they charge for this if I’m a shop owner and I’m selling things through their service?

Did I’ve to use there own shopping system or I they can work with third party software?

If I can use a third party software are they offering integration services and how much they charge?

[cypriot]

there are some very facinating ecommerce development in Cyprus with JCC put to the side that we can be proud of - the ecommerce and internet wave in Cyprus is in a good direction