December 5, 2023
NETSTARS Launches Dedicated System for BtoB Billing and Payment: “StarPay-Biz”
Reduce Billing-related Tasks through Digital Transformation: Available from December 6
NETSTARS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Tsuyoshi Ri; hereinafter, “NETSTARS”), will commence provision of its system “StarPay-Biz”, which enables online completion of business-to-business (BtoB) billing and payment through cashless technology, starting from December 6. Until now, NETSTARS has chiefly focused on supporting business-to-consumer (BtoC) cashless transactions, but going forward, we also aim to realize digital transformation (DX) in business operations through the provision of cashless technology for BtoB settlement.
Background of Service Development:
While the ratio of cashless transactions in Japan as a whole reached 36.0% in 2022*1, a 2021 investigation revealed that implementation of cashless settlement technology in BtoB transactions stood at only 12.5%*2, with bank transfers remaining the mainstream form of settlement between businesses. Overseas, cashless BtoB settlement via credit card continues to expand, and for Japanese businesses that frequently transact with overseas businesses, in particular, the human cost of credit control and billing and payment management is inflating. In addition, with the background situation of increased ownership of corporate credit cards due to the revised Electronic Books Maintenance Act and the launch of the Invoice System in Japan, an unprecedented shift to online and paperless operation of business billing and payment can be anticipated. For Japan, where the problem of labor shortages is intensifying, there is significant scope for improvement of business billing and payment operations, and cashless or digital transformation (DX) can be said to be of major importance.
*1 Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry website
*2 Source: “Aggregated Results of the Fact-finding Questionnaire Survey on Cashless Payment”, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Features of StarPay-Biz:
NETSTARS has expanded our payment gateway, which connects payment brands to businesses, with a central focus on QR code payment services. We apply this mechanism to facilitate cashless payments made by credit card through NETSTARS for use in BtoB settlement, resulting in the solution “StarPay-Biz”. The billing company (the supplier) issues a bill via a dedicated online management page, and the billed company (the buyer) can pay by credit card via the dedicated online management page. The supplier can anticipate a reduction in delayed payments and risk of outstanding sales accounts, as well as eliminating the task of reconciliation of received payments. The buyer, meanwhile, can anticipate integrated management of settlement transactions by credit card deduction rather than for each separate supplier, with the additional advantage of being able to adjust the deduction date with the credit card issuer. Furthermore, for both supplier and buyer the process will be digitized, leading to labor-saving and improved efficiency.
While NETSTARS has already launched the service “StarPay-Biz for Hotels”, which is compatible with VCNs (virtual card numbers) specialized for the hotel industry, the new “StarPay-Biz” is not limited to one industry. “StarPay-Biz” is applicable to a wide range of industries aiming for digital transformation (DX) through the adoption of credit card payment for BtoB settlement.
Inquiries Related to Implementation of StarPay-Biz:
With regard to implementation of the service, we can provide interview session to industries and corporate clients, and in some cases, development and adjustment of the settlement management page. Please contact us through the NETSTARS website for further details.
*QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE Incorporated.
■ About NETSTARS, Co., Ltd.
NETSTARS Co., Ltd. has been developing our gateway business since our establishment in 2009. We were the first agent to introduce the QR code payment service “WeChatPay” to Japan in 2015. Since then, we have developed StarPay, a multi-cashless payment solution that enables stores to introduce and manage various cashless payments simultaneously, focusing on domestic and international QR code payment services. Currently, building on the foundation of StarPay’s technological capabilities, we are working on the development of multifaceted services.