S-Purchase Card brings efficiency and equality to S‑Business’s purchase commitment management

In collaboration with Etteplan, S-Business developed the S-Purchase Card (S-Ostokortti in Finnish) to streamline the purchase commitment process, enhancing user experience by eliminating paperwork, allowing flexible spending over time, and reducing hassle at checkout.

The project in a nutshell

Challenge
S-Business sought a modern, digital solution to replace paper-based purchase commitments, streamline administration, improve the end-user experience, and make purchases feel as seamless as any other card transaction.
Solutions and Services
As a long-time digitalization partner of S-Business, Etteplan worked closely with them to develop a fully digital purchase commitment solution. The result was S-Purchase Card, a modern, efficient, flexible, and user-friendly card, along with the Manager service that helps organizations manage and track their spending effectively.
Added value
S-Purchase Card lets users pay like any other customer, without paperwork and without needing to spend the full sum at once. Etteplan’s Manager service gives administrators real-time control over issuing, limits, restrictions, and tracking.

Traditionally, purchase commitments have been managed through paper-based systems, which create multiple challenges. Users relying on purchase commitments must handle physical documents at the checkout, which can make transactions inconvenient and, at times, even stigmatizing. In addition, paper-based commitments are inflexible in their terms of use, as they must be used entirely during a single transaction. Administrative work is also inefficient and time-consuming, as organizations need to issue, distribute, and track commitments manually, increasing both workload and the risk of errors.

S-Business sought a modern, digital solution that would not only streamline administration but also improve the end-user experience, making purchases feel as seamless and natural as any other card transaction. 

S-Purchase Card – A smarter way to manage purchase commitments 

As a long-time digitalization partner of S-Business, Etteplan worked closely with them to develop a fully digital purchase commitment solution. The result was S-Purchase Card, a modern, efficient, flexible, and user-friendly card, along with the Manager service that helps organizations manage and track their spending effectively. The service design, user experience design, and the design of the card were carried out in collaboration with Solita Oy.

“We set out to build a solution that benefits all parties. Our goal is to enable a smooth payment experience for both aid recipients and store staff. For aid providers, we developed an easy-to-use management tool that offers new possibilities, brings transparency, and makes managing purchase commitments easier. Working with Etteplan has been a great experience,” says Riitta Luostarinen-Rintala, Head of Product and Development at S-Business, who was responsible for the development of the S-Purchase Card.

S-Purchase Card replaces paper-based commitments and the card can be used at S-Group stores like any other payment card. The new system significantly improves the user experience: 

No more paperwork at checkout – Users can simply pay with the card, removing the hassle of paper-based approvals. 
More flexibility in spending – Unlike paper-based commitments, the full allocated sum does not have to be spent at once. Users can make multiple purchases over time, ensuring they only use what they need, when they need it. 
A more dignified payment experience – Because S-Purchase Card works just like any other payment card, users can shop without feeling different from other customers, reducing stigma and enhancing confidence at checkout.

Manager service – The engine behind a seamless payment solution 

To make S-Purchase Card a reality, Etteplan developed a digital card management system and the background infrastructure needed to support and process payments smoothly. The Manager service enables the organizations to efficiently issue, control, and track purchase commitments while seamlessly integrating with payment systems. 

With the end-to-end solution, administrators can: 

Provide and manage S-Purchase Cards in real time, ensuring aid is allocated correctly. 
Modify spending limits and expiration dates instantly, providing flexibility based on recipients’ needs. 
Control where and how funds are used, setting category restrictions for purchases. 
Ensure smooth payment processing, with all backend systems working together to authorize transactions reliably. 
Access real-time transaction data to track spending and ensure financial oversight.

Partnership that drives digital transformation and real social impact

By digitalizing the entire process, from issuing purchase commitments to handling transactions at the point of sale, Etteplan developed a fully integrated payment solution that modernizes purchase commitments. The S-Purchase Card was awarded in Finland’s largest digital competition, the Grand One, winning the Best Service Design category and receiving an honorable mention in the Best Work Promoting Positive Change category.

"The project's potential societal impact became clear at a very early stage, making it a special and meaningful project for the Etteplan team. Our values Forward Focus and Smarter Together in particular shined throughout this project. Close collaboration with S‑Business and partners during the development and finalization of the solution enabled the delivery of a forward-minded solution with genuine social value," says Toni Tervo, Etteplan’s Senior Project Manager.

S-Purchase Card and the Manager service demonstrates how digital transformation can simplify operations while improving everyday experiences.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback from our customers about the overall service, and especially about how easy the Manager service is to use. Thank you to Etteplan for the great collaboration.”

Lasse Syvänen

Development Manager, S-Business Oy