Rogers Communications Inc. has announced the launch of the Rogers Red Partner program, a new integrated point-of-sale (POS) and credit card solution designed to support small and medium-sized businesses across Canada. The company says the offering is the first of its kind in the country, combining payment processing, customer incentives, and marketing tools into a single platform.
The Rogers Red Partner program aims to reduce transaction costs while helping merchants attract and retain customers through enhanced rewards. The initiative reflects a broader trend of telecommunications and financial services converging to deliver bundled solutions for business owners.
At the core of the Rogers Red Partner program is the Rogers Red POS system, which offers businesses a 20% reduction in transaction fees. According to Rogers, this could translate into thousands of dollars in annual savings for many operators, particularly in high-volume retail and hospitality environments.
In addition, the program introduces a customer-facing incentive. Rogers Red credit cardholders will receive an additional 1% cash back, for a total of up to 3%, when making purchases through participating Rogers Red POS terminals. This feature is positioned as a way to drive incremental traffic to participating businesses while encouraging repeat visits.
“Rogers Business is proud to be the first in Canada to offer a fully integrated program to support business owners,” said Tom Turner, President of Rogers Business. “We know that every cent counts, that’s why this program is vital. It helps lower costs and effectively drive more customers in their doors so business owners can focus on what’s most important, growing their business.”
Marketing Reach and Local Discovery Tools
Beyond payments, the Rogers Red Partner program includes marketing support through Rogers Sports & Media. Participating businesses can access discounted self-serve radio and digital audio advertising, expanding their reach to potential customers.
The platform also incorporates a local discovery feature. Businesses using Rogers Red POS will be highlighted on a dedicated map, allowing consumers to easily find and support participating merchants in their area. This aligns with ongoing efforts across the retail sector to improve local visibility and digital discoverability.
Financial Products and Business Support Services
The program will also integrate with the upcoming Rogers Red World Elite Business Mastercard, which is expected to offer up to 3% cash back value when rewards are redeemed for Rogers products and services. Applications for the card are expected to open soon.
In addition to rewards, the credit card will include business-focused protection services. Cardholders will have access to 24/7 legal advice as well as cyber and identity theft restoration services through My Friendly Lawyer and Cyberscout. These features reflect growing demand among SMBs for bundled financial and risk management tools.
“By combining accelerated cash back for customers with some of the lowest transaction fees in Canada and smarter management, we’re demonstrating our commitment to business owners and their customers,” Turner added. “This program makes every tap more rewarding, helping businesses reduce their costs while giving Rogers Red credit cardholders a reason to shop with them.”
Competitive Landscape: Entering a Crowded POS Market
The launch of the Rogers Red Partner program places Rogers into an increasingly competitive POS and payments ecosystem that includes established players such as Moneris, Square, and Shopify, all of which have expanded their offerings beyond payments into software, analytics, and business services.
While these competitors focus heavily on merchant tools, integrations, and omnichannel capabilities, Rogers is taking a differentiated approach by bundling telecommunications assets, media reach, and financial services into a single ecosystem. This creates a potentially unique value proposition, particularly for small businesses that may not have the resources to manage multiple vendors across payments, marketing, and customer acquisition.
The inclusion of Rogers Sports & Media advertising and a built-in discovery map introduces a marketing layer that is not typically native to POS platforms. This could position Rogers as more of a customer acquisition partner rather than just a payments provider.
