PayPal and partner Point and Pay have teamed up with The West Australian newspaper in innovative QR code-based shopping promotion.

Readers of the weekend edition of the West Australian newspaper have a chance to buy products instantly using their smartphones in an innovation aimed at linking traditional printed newspaper media and modern digital technology.

Saturday’s Weekend West will include a four-page advertising lift out that allows consumers to purchase products directly with their smartphone. Consumers can scan the QR code and purchase securely through PayPal and the Point and Pay service.

“In order to maintain relevance to an increasingly social, mobile and digital audience, traditional media is undergoing a digital revolution, establishing ‘second-screen’ appearances as Australians increasingly use multiple platforms to consume media,” explained Point and Pay MD Damian Cook of the philosophy behind the initiative.

Australia has the second highest smartphone and tablet penetration in the world, and PayPal expects to handle $10 billion in transacted mobile payment volume globally this year – that is more than double the volume processed last year.

“While traditional media has found new life in the digital world, print media has been challenged to look for innovative ways to increase the value of their advertising space. Point and Pay has developed an easy and convenient solution to help media create transactional content on traditional pages, providing retailers with another channel to sell to the mobile consumer,” said Cook.

“The consumer path to purchase has clearly shifted to mobile… The mobile commerce revolution is here to stay and we want to provide media and retailers with opportunities to better connect with consumers no matter where they are.”

Point and Pay offers media the ability to make advertising transactional so that consumers can buy directly from print, TV and outdoor ads all through a smartphone device. It provides retailers with all the tools necessary to transact via smartphone, from QR Code technology to the mobile shopping cart, right through to fulfillment and courier integration. The mobile shopping cart also allows easy and secure payments with PayPal, giving consumers a seamless checkout experience while they are shopping – whether on the go or from the comfort of their couch.

Jeff Clementz, MD of PayPal Australia said PayPal is partnering with businesses like Point and Pay to help create secure and easy ways for Australian retailers to sell to customers.

“There is a huge opportunity for Australian retailers to take advantage of the growth in mobile commerce, providing consumers with seamless shopping experiences powered by PayPal’s digital wallet anywhere, anyway. With over 50,000 merchant partners in Australia, PayPal is continuing to provide innovative solutions for our merchants to ensure they are well prepared to compete in a digital world.”

David Bignold, sales director at West Australian Newspapers described the concept as “the next step in the evolution of print media”.

We’re excited to be the first daily newspaper to launch a fully transactional space to help local retailers reach consumers more effectively. This is just one example of how we’ll be incorporating innovative digital content into our traditional portfolio.”