Frequently
Asked Questions
Bluecode provides answers to frequently asked questions here.
Frequently
General information
Bluecode is simple, safe, and incredibly fast. Every time you make a purchase, a new blue barcode appears. Show the Bluecode to the cashier and you are done.
Watch a short intro video here.
Pay with your Smartphone or your Smart Watch.
Simply connect your bank account with Bluecode and make payments at cash desks, vending machines or online.
Just show the blue barcode to the cashier and a new, unique barcode will appear. (Watch a video of a payment process at the cash desk here).
With Bluecode there are two ways to link your bank account:
- With partner banks, you can register immediately and directly in your bank’s app or online banking. This registration is particularly fast and possible at all Bluecode partner banks.
- At all other banks, you can register using a SEPA direct debit procedure. The direct debit mandate is stored and the payment processed by SIX Payment Services Ltd. SIX is a company audited by the Financial Market Authority and one of the largest direct debit processors in the German-speaking countries.
If a bank is processed via direct debit, Bluecode works with licensed direct debit processors that guarantee Bluecode payments to the merchant. For fraud prevention, these direct debit processors use bank’s own services (EPS, Giropay) or also licensed third party service providers (Klarna, FinTecSystems) to verify the authority to dispose of accounts, so that no one can use foreign accounts. The account verification is only used to check the authorization of the user (=successful access to the account), no financial data from the account is used to create a scoring or similar. The direct debit processor is supported in the registration process by a technical service provider, Secure Payment Technologies GmbH.
Bluecode was launched in Austria in 2015 and is now available in 85% of all local grocery stores. These include brands such as Billa, BIPA, Merkur, Spar, Interspar, Eurospar, M-Preis, Sutterlütty, ADEG, Galeria Kaufhof, Globus and many more. Bluecode also goes to innovative bakeries, garages, cinemas, petrol stations, and restaurants. For a detailed list of merchants in your area, go to the merchant tab after activating your account.
Feel free to use our interactive map to see where you can pay with Bluecode: Bluecode acceptance locations
Bluecode is free for end customers.
With Bluecode you can finally pay securely and quickly with your mobile phone. At selected retailers, you can even link your customer card or digitize the stamp card fully automatically. You will never have to show your customer card to cashiers again.
We call our value added services Bluecode rewards.
Bluecode is a highly secure payment method because:
- A new Bluecode is created for each individual payment.
- Each Bluecode can only be used once.
- No confidential data is transferred in the payment cycle.
- The smartphone does not store any personal data or other information that could be used to identify the user’s account.
Learn more: Security at Bluecode
The blue barcode has 20 digits. If the phone has a phone connection, a corresponding 8-digit short code is displayed immediately. This short code corresponds to the longer barcode and can be entered manually more quickly.
A Bluecode can only be used once and is only valid for 4 minutes.
You need an Apple (starting with iOS 8) or Android (starting with version 4.4) smartphone. You will also need an account with an Austrian or German bank. Furthermore, you must be at least 18 years old.
In general, the Bluecode app does not require a data connection, as a certain number of Bluecodes are always available in the app. It may happen that there are no more Bluecodes in the app because they have been used and the user didn’t have an internet connection for a long time. However, the Bluecode app gets new Bluecodes as soon as the data connection is established again. In this case, check if your phone has a data connection.
Sometimes Wifi network firewalls prevent the Bluecode App from communicating with the servers. Please check if you can avoid the notice “network problems” by switching off the WLAN connection on your smartphone.
If the message persists, please contact the Bluecode Customer Center:
Phone:
- AT: +43 800 100 344
- DE: +49 800 0100 344
Email: support@bluecode.com
- Open Bluecode on your Smartphone
- Use it to scan the QR code attached to the machine
- Select the product at the machine – that’ s it!
In this case, please contact the hotline indicated on the machine or the Bluecode support team at support@bluecode.com immediately.
Every Bluecode-capable machine is marked with an eye-catching Bluecode sticker.
Bluecode is a an optical payment method. Therefore, you can pay in two ways: Either the cashier scans a barcode in your app or you scan a QR code of the merchant. You always keep your mobile phone in your hand and you pay without touching the payment terminal.
Security
Bluecode is extremely safe. Not only because all communication with the data center is done with security certificates and encryption. But especially because personal data about customers or bank accounts never enters the system. Where there is nothing, nothing can be stolen.
Learn more: Security at Bluecode
You will see your Euro limit per payment transaction after you have linked one of your bank accounts to Bluecode. It depends on whether you have your account with a Bluecode Partner Bank or register for Bluecode via direct debit.
- Each barcode is only valid for one payment and will be deactivated and deleted afterwards.
- For security reasons, the app closes automatically after 4 minutes. If the barcode has not been used by then, it will become invalid and deleted.
If you would like to make a payment, simply enter your PIN again – a new, valid barcode will immediately appear on the screen.
You have the following options:
- If you have access to your smartphone: Open the app – Open the options – gear upper right – Press: “App zurücksetzen” and confirm.
- By telephone via our blocking hotline: In Austria call 0800 400 110 – in Germany 08000 400 110 (daily, 0-24 o’clock).
- If you are a customer of Hypo Tirol Bank, you can block the app via online banking.
- If your account is with another Austrian bank, you can block the app via your Bluecode account, which you can open with your login data.
Select an individual 4 or 6 digit PIN and whether you wish to use TouchID (if your phone supports this) or not.
By entering the PIN, you confirm that payments can be made by Bluecode. You also accept the General Terms and Conditions and the current network of acceptance points.
If you think that someone other than you can guess your PIN, we recommend changing it immediately. Go to the settings and select “Change PIN” and follow the instructions.
Download now.
Your time is precious. In only 3 minutes you can get your Bluecode App ready for payment.
