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Garmin Pay availability in Germany

Hi all,

happy to report that Garmin Pay is now officially available in Germany.
Garmin is partnering up with VIMpay, a prepaid based payment app, to enable all customers in Germany to use Garmin Pay.

Press Release (in german):
https://www.garmin.com/de-DE/newsroo...uegbar-2537697

You can check out VIMpay and the Garmin Pay integration at https://www.vimpay.de/garmin-pay

Big disclaimer: I am the CTO of the company that builds VIMpay and was leading the integration project.
My statements are not official Garmin statements but I am happy to do my best efforts to provide you with answers to questions you might have about VIMpay or Garmin Pay.
My forum presence is normally strictly private being a Garmin enthusiast myself, but perhaps I can provide some necessary information.

We have tested Garmin Pay in Germany the last 3 months and it works great, so I hope you will find the experience as smooth and easy as we intended it to be:-)

EDIT: I'll try to collect some additional information here based on the comments in the thread to provide a comprehensive overview as possible
(see also https://www.vimpay.de/faq/)

Most important: Please make sure to add a Garmin Pay card to the VIMpay account- only this card may be tokenized.
This is a design decision we made: Basically the card on your wallet acts as a "sub-account" so you have full control over your spendings done with the watch. Transferring money between the VIMpay account is a matter of seconds.
There is a video we made on how to setup the watch / Garmin Pay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dne1...ature=youtu.be
The standard (free) VIMpay account requires you to add a reference IBAN.
Only from that IBAN you can top up your account- this is to fulfill the KYC requirements for the card.
Per default we ask you to enter your online banking credentials for this reference IBAN as you can then manage your account in VIMpay and also use the instant replenishment feature.These credentials are stored locally only and only used for your local management.
If you wish NOT to enter your online banking credentials you still can add the necessary reference account by following steps
- IOS Only:
  - Tap on the profile button in the tabbar
  - Tap on the orange progress bar to load the next necessary steps in account activation
  - Tab on "Aufladekonto hinzufügen"
  - Enter your IBAN
- IOS & Android
  - Tap on the "+" in the orange segment of your main account
  - Enter a replenishment amount
  - Tap on "Bank nicht gefunden?"
  - Enter your IBAN

0 JensDoe over 7 years ago

After the painful setup (including transfering money to my new credit card and transfering that money to the garmin pay card - it's a prepaid card after all) paying at a local supermatket was as easy as possible. Especially for small amounts (where you do not need to enter your pin code), its really fast.

Thanks for offering this in germany.

0 Fjewl over 7 years ago

... paying at a local supermatket was as easy as possible. Especially for small amounts (where you do not need to enter your pin code), its really fast.

Thanks for offering this in germany.

Great to hear. Just FYI: Because the PIN verification is delegated to the smart watch and the (wallet) PIN is checked against your wrist HR you shouldn't see the (payment) PIN request on the terminal even for transactions > 25€- one of the main differences compared to a regular contactless card.

0 Volker over 7 years ago

And here is another product, which is working with Garmin pay: https://buy.garmin.com/de-DE/DE/p/603229

0 Lutzger over 7 years ago

Because (...) PIN is checked against your wrist HR you shouldn't see the (payment) PIN request on the terminal even for transactions > 25€- one of the main differences compared to a regular contactless card.

Does that mean that as long as I don't take of the watch with HR enabled, I don't have to enter the PIN even for transactions >25€?

0 Fjewl over 7 years ago

Does that mean that as long as I don't take of the watch with HR enabled, I don't have to enter the PIN even for transactions >25€?

Generally speaking, yes. I thing the watch requires you to re-enter the PIN after some hours. Also, some terminals might override that PIN setting, but in our tests in Germany we have not encountered this. Please keep in mind that you always have to select the payment functionality.

0 Volker over 7 years ago

If I have deactivated my VIMpay account and the paid money is transferred back, is it possible to activate it again? How

0 Fjewl over 7 years ago

If I have deactivated my VIMpay account and the paid money is transferred back, is it possible to activate it again? How

Then we will need to reactivate your mobile number- please reach out to [email][email protected][/email] - they can help you.

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Fjewl,

I do everything exactly like described; however the card authorization fails everytime.
When Garmin Connect asks for a "SIcherheitscode" is this the PIN of the Mastercard showing in the VIMpay app or the pin I chose while creating the account?
However, both do not work. Any idea?

0 Volker over 6 years ago

Was shopping in a supermarket today. Cart totally filled and on the way to cash desk: forgot my wallet at home.

What to do? Leave cart and went home to get the wallet?

Had my 5 x+ and smartphone with me. But only 25€ at the Garmin pay wallet. Loaded within 1 minute another 100€ via VIMpay to my device and was able to pay.

Not the way Garmin pay is announced in marketing, but this works, too

Hint: in Germany Garmin pay is only working as a prepaid card at the moment

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

@Fjewl I have a Problem with VIMpay. I cannot add my Bank Account into VIMpay in order to be able to load Money into my VIMpay account automaticaly because the app crashes every time I try to configure the bank account (alias + Password). After the first crash I can see in my Board the module like if it was successfully set up, but every time I click on it, the VIMpay app crashes.

I have no problems using the official app of my bank (MLP Finanzdiensleistung) and my Smartphone is not rooted nor with an open bootloader (official Firmware, Android 8). My Smartphone is a Xiaomi Mi 6.

I have wrote to the Client Service of VIMpay (Chat and email) but it seems like they are too bussy, because it tooks too long to get an answer. I have also called by phone, but that way I only get an automatic answer telling me on which days and at wich hours the Client Service is open, even if I call on that days and in that open hours.

You need to improve the Client Service or you will be "dead" if another cost-free Company appear into the game. I think it is not aceptable a "Banking-related" Company to which it is not possible to contact with the Client Service 24/7, because you are "playing" with the money of the people and it can be really uncomfortable if someone make to VIMpay a big bank transfer and he cannot see or use that money.... for example, what happend if I want/Need my money back to my bank account because I cannot or I even dont want anymore to use my garmin pay? If I cannot talk or Chat with the Client Service, how would I can get my money back?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: The Problem was fixed with the last Version of the app (2.0.3). Also the customer Service (by Chat) was a Little bit better but you should anyway improve that.