Retail & Dining

FAQs

NETS QR

What is NETS QR?

The NETS QR code is a unified QR code payment platform that is able to accept payments from customers using NETSPay, DBS PayLah!, OCBC’s Pay Anyone and UOB’s Mighty apps. HSBC, Maybank, Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank are expected to offer this service shortly.

Why switch to NETS QR?

NETS QR offers more payment options to our NUS community as apart from DBS Paylah!, it is able to accept payments from banks such as OCBC or UOB which was not accepted previously.

All DBS Paylah! QR codes in campus will be switched to NETS QR progressively.

What payment apps are compatible with NETS QR?

Currently payment apps that are compatible with NETS QR are NETSPay, DBS Paylah!, OCBC Pay Anyone & UOB Mighty.

Which outlets are NETS QR enabled in NUS?

All canteens and food courts are currently accepting payments via NETS QR. It will be available campus wide soon.

Can I use normal NETS payment?

Yes, stalls and outlets with NETS QR enabled can also accept normal and contactless NETS transactions.

What is the difference between Static QR and Dynamic QR?

Static QR Code: After the user scans the NETS QR code, he/she will be prompted to enter the amount payable.

Dynamic QR Code: User only needs to scan the NETS QR code to make payment. (No need to enter amount payable).

 

NETSPay

What is NETSPay?

NETSPay is a new mobile application developed by NETS. It enables the digitization of NETS ATM bankcards onto your smartphone to perform digital payments. With NETSPay, customers can scan/tap with their smartphone to make fast and secure payments.

Who can use NETSPay?

This app is open to ALL NETS card holders with Bank card(s) linked to their savings or current accounts. Kindly await the announcements from your respective issuing banks.

Currently supports DBS and POSB only.

What phone/bank/card do I need?

Any smart phone with the ability to download an app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) will be able to download the NETSPay app.

NETSPay app works with iPhone 5s and newer models, with iOS 9 and above. For Android, NFC-enabled phones with Android 5.0 and above are required.

How do I install NETSPay and digitize my bank card?

Simply go to either the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) and type in “NETSPay”. Proceed to download.

Where can I use NETSPay in NUS?

NETSPay is accepted at all canteens and food courts.

Simply look out for the logos below.

What is the difference between scanning a Static QR code vs Dynamic QR code?

Static QR Code: After the user scans the NETS QR code, he/she will be prompted to enter the amount payable.

Dynamic QR Code: User only needs to scan the NETS QR code to make payment. (No need to enter amount payable)

How do I make payment with NETSPay on an iOS phone?

Simply open the NETSPay app, select “Scan Code”, scan the NETS QR code and payment is done!

If I have Samsung/Andriod/Apple Pay installed on my phone, will it affect my NETSPay contacless transaction?

If you launch your NETSPay app to initiate contactless payment, the transaction will be performed through NETSPay.

If you have selected NETSPay app as the default NFC payment app for your NFC-enabled Android phone, the transaction will be performed through NETSPay.

Can I use NETSPay across all types of mobile devices?

Yes, it applies to all mobile devices for QR code scanning. Contactless payments can only be supported by NFC-enabled Android phones.

Can I use NETSPay without wifi/data connection?

An internet connection is required to use NETSPay.

With the introduction of e-payment means in 2017, WiFi weak spots had been identified.  We are pleased to inform you that additional WiFi access points have been procured and WiFi hotspot upgrading works for canteens and food courts have completed by June 2018.

How many cards can I provision in the NETSPay app?

A total of 10 cards can be provisioned.

Can I use the app overseas?

NETSPay is currently only available for local usage.

Can I provision the same card on multiple mobile devices?

Yes.

How many transactions can I do on NETSPay?

Transactional limits are set by your issuing bank.

Is there a maximum/cap to my spending?

Spending caps are set by your issuing bank.

Will I be able to see my transactions on NETSPay?

Yes, you can view your transaction history (last 10 transactions) on the app by hard pressing on your preferred bank card from the home page or by selecting the bank card to view under “My Spendings” in Settings.

Is it secure?

Yes, transactions are highly secure as it follows our existing NETS security protocols and are protected and verified through strong cryptography and chip security.

What’s more, your smartphone stays with you throughout the whole transaction process, reducing the probability of fraud or the loss of card.

What about my privacy?

NUS and our partners are required to comply with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).  As such, personal data, if collected, will not be shared without prior consent of the users. More importantly, the university does not collect or store individual personal data through the e-payment means, only the total transaction and the transacting values of each canteen and food court are collected. Individual data are still residing with NETS or the banks depending on the app you choose to use. Alternatively, NETS FlashPay and EZ-Link stored-value card payments will soon be accepted if you still have concerns about data privacy.

What if I lose my phone?

Payments cannot be made from your phone without your authorization via fingerprint or phone PIN.

What if I do not have a phone?

Foreign visitors, exchange students and consumers without smartphones can enjoy the convenience of e-payments with the introduction of NETS FlashPay and EZ-Link card payments (to be introduced at a later date). The community will be informed once the system infrastructure is ready. NETS FlashPay cards will also be sold at our drink stalls in our canteens. Top-up terminals and cash top-up services will be provided at drink stalls in the canteens for the convenience of the card top-up.

Do i need to enter my ATM PIN when making transactions?

No ATM PIN is required for transactions $100 and below.

For transactions above $100:

Payment via QR Code scanning – ATM PIN entry on smartphone pinpad

Payment via Contactless payment – ATM PIN entry on Payment Terminal

Is there any charges for using NETSPay?

There is no charges for using NETSPay.

 

iReject Campaign

How were the vendors aided in the transition as they seem to be receiving much of the negative sentiments? What are the follow-up actions with vendors?

The paper straws are not given for every purchase. It will only be given on demand. We have done a follow up with all the participating vendors on the first day of implementation and found that there are still a small proportion of vendors who have not stocked up their paper straws due to late arrival of the stocks. As such, we allowed them a one week concession to continue to give out plastic straws on demand, but would like them to have the paper straws within a week, which we were assured that the stocks would arrive. Although we have communicated and worked with the vendors closely on this initiative, there will be inevitable lapses in the foreseeable future. We welcome the community to feedback to us so that we can improve.

The vendors and their staff have assisted to explain the intention behind the iReject campaign. We will continue to engage them in their communication to the NUS community.

What are the offices doing about the reactions from the ground? What is the timeline and actions given to help and support students and vendors by provding access to reliable and socially responsible alternatives?

A task force comprising NUSSU, OCA and other student environmental groups has been formed. They have met recently and agreed on the commitment to environmental sustainability within the campus. NUSSU, as the main student body, will act as the liaison point for the general student population and the task force. This will help to address any concerns and issues brought up by the community.

The task force is focusing on the following two areas:

  1. To address the main concerns of the community that were feedbacked through various channels
  2. To continue to educate the community through various forms and channels to encourage more in the community to support the campaign and do their part for the environment.

On point 1, some of the suggestions were using reusable cups to complement the lack of straws, using your own tumblers for drinks and the option to purchase straw alternatives of acceptable food-grade, to ensure the safety of our students.

We will keep students updated on future plans, and we also hope to get more suggestions from students to make this journey a community effort. We thank you for your support and if you have any suggestions, do feel free to share them with us.

Why are some stalls still offering straws? Isn't this a campus wide campaign?

We recognize that not all stalls may be able to immediately stop distributing straws, due to the nature of the drinks that they offer. While all drink stalls in the canteens and food courts are ready onboard, the fruit juice stalls will be coming onboard gradually given the nature of their drinks and operation.

Why should we focus on straw usage when there are so many other more impactful was to decrease waste? How does the banning of straws help the environment?

Plastic straws are only the tip of the iceberg and we are taking this as a first but small step towards reducing single-use plastics. Through reducing the usage of plastic straws, we hope to increase awareness on environment sustainability and promote a vibrant sharing and exchanging of perspectives among the NUS community, eventually leading to collective efforts spreading beyond the community to reduce other disposables.

Are there future plans to target single-use plastic cups and bags and generally other forms of disposables?

We are working on it and will gradually introduce the use of reusable cups and bags to reduce the use of single-use plastic cups, bags and other disposables. SAVE has started an ongoing project “Reusable Bag Library” to encourage the use of reusable bags.

Why was there no transition period before the campaign, such as having "Strawless Wednesdays" before making straws unavailable?

We did a trial at Bukit Timah campus at the start of the semester on not giving out straws, before deciding on going for a campus-wide implementation. For the canteens and food courts in Kent Ridge campus, although we have removed plastic straws, paper straws are still available on request.

Why was there so little publicity before the campaign was rolled out? The implementation of the campaign was too sudden?

We recognise that there is no amount of notification that is sufficient to prepare the community for a change in the way people consume their drinks. As such, we welcome suggestions from the community to share with us their preferred mode of communication so that we can reach out to you for future campaign activities. For the launch of plastic straw removal, other than email notification and  social media posts, we have also displayed wobblers (signage) at all participating outlets on campus. In addition, we recognise such a change may take time to get used to and hence, we introduced on-request paper straws. We also carried out trials at Bukit Timah campus and Café Delight at the Ventus building on Kent Ridge campus at the start of the semester before going for a campus-wide implementation.

Where can I find alternatives to plastic straws? Will these be sold at discounted prices?

While we have removed the plastic straws, paper straws are still available upon request. Alternatively, you may wish to bring your own reusable straw and tumbler.

What about people with disabilities who need straws? The current cup designs (especially those in UTown) do not make ot easy to drink with straws.

While we have removed the plastic straws, paper straws are still available upon request. Alternatively, you may wish to bring your own reusable straw and tumbler.

What about stall owners who have stocks of straws that are now redundant?

They will be using their stocks at their other outlets outside NUS.

Will there be cost savngs on the consumers' end as vendors enjoyed cost savings?

The removal of plastic straws and introduction of on-request paper straws do not result in substantial cost savings for the vendors. It is done purely for the primary objective of doing our part for environmental sustainability. Therefore, there is no substantial savings to be passed on to the community. If you bring your own tumbler, NUS SAVE has the Project Tumbler initiative that offers $0.50 discount after five takeaways because there are substantial savings on cups that can be passed on to the community. If you do not feel comfortable drinking without a straw, we advise that you ask for a paper straw.

 

Tender for Outlets in NUS

How do I know where are the available spaces for lease in NUS?

Most of the information can be found in our OCA-website, SESAMi (http://www.sesami.com/) for tender for café, restaurant and kiosk spaces. For canteen stalls, advertisements will be published in The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

How do I make an offer for the available space in NUS?

All interested parties have to submit their proposals through the tender system before the closing date and time. The tender document can be downloaded from either SESAMi (http://www.sesami.com/) – NUS-Space-Tender

Can I make a direct offer without going through tender?

No, bids and offer must be submitted through the tender system.

What's the monthly rent for an outlet in NUS?

As it is by tender, the monthly rent is not dictated. All prospects have to calculate their own business risk and cost and propose a rent that is feasible and sustainable for their business.

What are your evaluation criteria for award of tender?

The main evaluation criteria are business concept, food pricing, experience and capital investment cost.

How long is rental waived for fit-out works?

Typically, a rent-free fit-out period of 1 month is given.

How long is the lease term?

It is usually 3 years with an option to renew for another 3 years.

Will I get my tender deposit back if I'm not successful in the bid?

Yes, the tender deposit will be refunded within 4-6 weeks after the award of tender.

What other start-up costs should I be aware of?

Security Deposit, Fit-out Deposit and Reinstatement Deposit will be collected. All these deposits will be refunded free of interest upon expiry of your lease.

Are there any additional fees chargeable on top of the monthly rental?

Utilities (electricity, aircon and water) will be charged separately, in addition to the monthly rental.