Tapara is a commerce platform for physical retail in New Zealand. We’re building a direct network between merchants and their regulars — starting with near-zero-fee payments, loyalty programs, and prepaid bundles. All in one app, no hardware required.
The problem
Every card tap costs a merchant 2–3% in processing fees. Loyalty programs are fragmented across paper cards, third-party apps, and POS add-ons. Consumer data sits locked inside payment networks that don’t share it back. The result: merchants pay more, know less, and compete blind.
What tapara does
Tapara creates a direct relationship between merchants and their regulars. When payments move through open banking instead of card networks, the fees drop to near zero. When loyalty lives on a shared platform, every visit counts — automatically.
The platform gives merchants near-zero-fee payments via open banking, custom loyalty programs with tiers, punch cards, and vouchers, prepaid bundles where customers buy ahead at a discount, QR payments for markets and pop-ups, and NFC check-in so merchants recognise their regulars before the order is placed.
Why New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the most card-dependent economies in the world. Small merchants absorb billions in processing fees every year. Open banking infrastructure is maturing fast, and the regulatory environment supports innovation. It’s the right market to prove that physical commerce doesn’t need to run on card rails.
What’s next
We’re onboarding our first merchants and building the foundation for a broader commerce network. If you run a physical retail business in New Zealand and want to learn more, get in touch.