The top reasons retailers cited for not accepting Apple Pay were insufficient customer demand, a lack of access to data generated in Apple Pay transactions and the cost of technology to facilitate the payments. Some merchants said they were holding out because they plan to participate in a new mobile payment system to be launched by a coalition of retailers later this year.
Yes, Apple Pay usage it limited because consumers can’t remember to use it because the behavior has not yet been ingrained because there are not enough retailers offering Apple Pay. This doesn’t mean Apply Pay is not fantastic. It truly is. If I could use Apple Pay everywhere I shop, I would. So convenient. But I can’t…at least for now.
How amazing is it to walk into a store with a phone that has my shopping list, coupons, and credit cards inside it. No bulky purse or wallet. Now, if I could just get my drivers license in there – as my insurance card already is – and my car’s key fob, life would much AWESOME!
OK, so it takes time. But if retailers are waiting for CurrentC, I would suggest they not hold their collective breath.
All US retailers have to upgrade to EMV (chip and pin) readers anyway by Oct 2015 or be responsible for card fraud. Why not spend just a little more and get an NFC reader. For small business with a few card readers, it is not a major investment and big businesses have to make the EMV investment anyway. So, why would any business make the decision not to go ahead and just get NFC enabled card readers at this point?
Whole Foods seems quite pleased with Apple Pay which is now accounting “for 2 percent of its sales dollars as of March” and this figure is expected to continue to rise. “Shoppers are really enjoying the speed, convenience and security of Apple Pay.”
But for other retailers and consumers, Apple has yet to answer the question “what is in it for us if we use Apple Pay?” said Alberto Jimenez, program director for mobile payments at IBM, which provides technology to mobile wallet makers and retailers.
What’s in it for you? The same thing that was in it when you upgraded from cash registers to computers, dial-up to cable internet connections, entering purchased data manually to bar code readers. It is call the future and it now knocking at your door. It is faster, more convenient, and just pain inevitable.
The idea that the skepticism, or reluctance, of retailers is going to prevent payment innovation, be it Apple Pay, Andriod Pay, Samsung Pay, etc., is absurd. They can hold out if they choose but they would be much better off upgrading now and influencing the development of the technology and how they can work with Apple, Google, etc to leverage the opportunity. After all, once the competition sets in, these payment enablers may be much more open to incorporating loyalty programs, finding a privacy enabled way to track sales, etc.
Dear Retailers, don’t be luddites. Get on board folks, the payment world is changing. Why not get in early and use it to your advantage!
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