Apple Stores Promoting Apple Pay With Bonus $5 iTunes Gift Cards

[MacRumors]

In Apple retail stores in the United Kingdom and the United States, Apple is running a promotion to encourage its customers to sign up for Apple Pay this week.

When making a purchase in store, Apple employees will ask customers if they would like to pay via Apple Pay. If a customer declines and does not have Apple Pay set up, employees will guide customers through the setup process to make the purchase and will offer a bonus $5 or £5 iTunes gift card for using Apple Pay as their payment method.

The $5 iTunes gift card is available for any purchase made in an Apple Store, whether purchasing an accessory, an Apple product, or an iTunes/Apple Store gift card. Should a customer need to return a product within the return period, the iTunes gift card will still be theirs to keep as a reward for having set up Apple Pay.

Apple's promotion comes just as Apple Pay has expanded to its eighth country, France. Apple Pay is now available in the United States, the UK, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Singapore, and France, with availability planned for Hong Kong and Spain later in 2016.

In the near future, Apple Pay will see a major expansion as it becomes available for purchases made on the web on iOS devices and Macs.

Article Link: Apple Stores Promoting Apple Pay With Bonus $5 iTunes Gift Cards

 

[MH01]

Good idea. Many still don't know what it is

I still get many odd looks when I use my phone to pay

 

[jojost1]

And now bring Apple Pay to more countries! We Dutchies are waiting.

 

[deany]

sorry old news!- https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/uk-itunes-gift-card-discounts.1497176/page-6#post-23139521

 

[Karma*Police]

Good idea. Many still don't know what it is

I still get many odd looks when I use my phone to pay

Some of the looks I get when I check out with my Apple Watch: priceless.

 

[AustinBoilers]

Good idea. Many still don't know what it is

I still get many odd looks when I use my phone to pay

I just blew the mind of a Subway employee two hours ago when I paid with my watch.

The main thing holding it back imo is that it still hasn't rolled out to enough stores. If I'm not 100% sure that they accept Apple Pay I'm not going to try and possibly create a weird/awkward situation if they don't ("That'll be $80." - holds watch to card reader for seemingly no reason). Subway, McDonalds, and Apple Stores are about the only places I know that for sure accept it.

 

[deany]

apple pay (esp apple watch) is just fab, I tend to be influenced to shop where 'contactless' is accepted.

 

[xero9]

Had the most frustrating experience in a small town last week.

Filled up with gas, and when I went in to pay they had a little paper tag (looked legit, not something someone wrote with a pen) on the side of the machine that said something to the effect that mobile phone payments were not enabled. I called ********, but the girl working there refused. 99% of the time I'm very curious to store employees but this one was rubbing me the wrong way. I should have just ninja-payed with my phone, but didn't.

Strangely though, I went to buy something this weekend at a vending machine which took contactless Visa/MasterCard, but it wouldn't take Apple Pay. Tapping my MasterCard worked. Very strange.

 

[CarlJ]

When making a purchase in store, Apple employees will ask customers if they would like to pay via Apple Pay. If a customer declines and does not have Apple Pay set up, employees will guide customers through the setup process to make the purchase and will offer a bonus $5 or £5 iTunes gift card for using Apple Pay as their payment method.

"If a customer declines, employees will guide customers through the setup process". That's uncharacteristically pushy for Apple Stores.

Perhaps what was meant is, "If the customer would like to use Apple Pay but does not have it set up"...

 

[atmc]

The best way to promote it would be to bring Apple Pay to more countries. Currently it is a useless feature to me because it is not available in Portugal.

 

[Z3man]

The spending limit has got to be higher, here in the UK it is £20-£30 in most stores, in M & S the limit is higher but the employees don't know how high it is, i have asked several times but they just don't know they all think it's £30, i know it is at least £50 though as i have spent that much using it.

Apple need to educate the retailers on how safe it is, at the moment it is just being treated as a contactless payment where anyone who has the card can use it, but it is much more secure than that, its probably the safest way of all to pay for something. The limit should be as high as any debit or credit card, at the moment i cant even use it to pay for my weekly shop at Morrisons as the limit is that low, cant use it to pay for petrol or anything so it is pretty useless at the moment. The only shop i can use it in is M & S.

Apple really need to educate retailers and customers on the benefits and security of Apple pay, what use is having it if we cant use it except to buy a cup of coffee. Retailers really need to educate there employees as to what it is as well as most of them are clueless.

 

[Lost Hills]

The best part is when Apple Pay doesn't work in an Apple Store. I have had this happen several times and ended up swiping a card after several failed attempts. Employees have told me on multiple occasions it is embarrassing but happens often.

 

[SockRolid]

apple pay (esp apple watch) is just fab, I tend to be influenced to shop where 'contactless' is accepted.

I try to only use Apple Pay or cash when I buy anything at retail stores.
I have no problem with carrying cash around.
[doublepost=1468954599][/doublepost]

... The main thing holding it back imo is that it still hasn't rolled out to enough stores. If I'm not 100% sure that they accept Apple Pay I'm not going to try and possibly create a weird/awkward situation if they don't ...

I just say "I'd like you guys a lot better if you accepted Apple Pay."
And just recently, a clerk replied "Me too. I hope we get Apple Pay soon."

 

[nutmac]

"If a customer declines, employees will guide customers through the setup process". That's uncharacteristically pushy for Apple Stores.

Perhaps what was meant is, "If the customer would like to use Apple Pay but does not have it set up"...

Agreed. I understand why Apple is doing this, but $5 gift card should be offered to every one who end up using Apple Pay (whether they have it setup already or not).

 

[deany]

The spending limit has got to be higher, here in the UK it is £20-£30 in most stores, in M & S the limit is higher but the employees don't know how high it is, i have asked several times but they just don't know they all think it's £30, i know it is at least £50 though as i have spent that much using it.

Apple need to educate the retailers on how safe it is, at the moment it is just being treated as a contactless payment where anyone who has the card can use it, but it is much more secure than that, its probably the safest way of all to pay for something. The limit should be as high as any debit or credit card, at the moment i cant even use it to pay for my weekly shop at Morrisons as the limit is that low, cant use it to pay for petrol or anything so it is pretty useless at the moment. The only shop i can use it in is M & S.

Apple really need to educate retailers and customers on the benefits and security of Apple pay, what use is having it if we cant use it except to buy a cup of coffee. Retailers really need to educate there employees as to what it is as well as most of them are clueless.

Yes Nando's is also over £30.00 the staff don't know! it's quite funny informing them!

 

[kjm18]

The best part is when Apple Pay doesn't work in an Apple Store. I have had this happen several times and ended up swiping a card after several failed attempts. Employees have told me on multiple occasions it is embarrassing but happens often.

This happens every time I try to use AP to pay through the Apple Store app when I try to pay for something in store so have to use my card, works fine at home. When using AP to pay through one of their POS terminals it works every time.

 

[nutmac]

I just blew the mind of a Subway employee two hours ago when I paid with my watch.

Yes, using Apple Pay is easily one of my top 3 favorite features of Apple Watch (Home app on iOS 10 is quickly catching up though). It's just so natural and easy that using the phone feels awkward in comparison.

 

[RichTeer]

The main thing holding it back imo is that it still hasn't rolled out to enough stores. If I'm not 100% sure that they accept Apple Pay I'm not going to try and possibly create a weird/awkward situation if they don't ("That'll be $80." - holds watch to card reader for seemingly no reason). Subway, McDonalds, and Apple Stores are about the only places I know that for sure accept it.

Apple Pay is accepted pretty much wherever one can pay using Tap to Pay, even if the stores themselves aren't actively promoting it, or even aware of it. That said, I do agree that the US appears to be stuck in the dark ages when it comes to this sort of thing. I can't even remember the last time I swiped my credit card!

 

[Derekuda]

Pretty pathetic on apples part. Google gave me a free Chromecast for activating and using Google Pay a few times. Best part was I Got my Chromecast and then deleted Google Pay.
I promise you, mobile payments will NEVER go mainstream

 

[blcamp]

In Apple retail stores in the United Kingdom and the United States, Apple is running a promotion to encourage its customers to sign up for Apple Pay this week.

When making a purchase in store, Apple employees will ask customers if they would like to pay via Apple Pay. If a customer declines and does not have Apple Pay set up, employees will guide customers through the setup process to make the purchase and will offer a bonus $5 or £5 iTunes gift card for using Apple Pay as their payment method.

The $5 iTunes gift card is available for any purchase made in an Apple Store, whether purchasing an accessory, an Apple product, or an iTunes/Apple Store gift card. Should a customer need to return a product within the return period, the iTunes gift card will still be theirs to keep as a reward for having set up Apple Pay.

Apple's promotion comes just as Apple Pay has expanded to its eighth country, France. Apple Pay is now available in the United States, the UK, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Singapore, and France, with availability planned for Hong Kong and Spain later in 2016.

In the near future, Apple Pay will see a major expansion as it becomes available for purchases made on the web on iOS devices and Macs.

Article Link: Apple Stores Promoting Apple Pay With Bonus $5 iTunes Gift Cards

 

[cardfan]

The only time I've used Apple Pay was with that Discover card deal last year. I'm getting about 2k in a few more months from Discover because of it.

Otherwise, it's a pain to use. Apple or a CC company has to make it worthwhile.. Give me some itunes points each time i use it and that could work in addition to whatever card I'm using gives me.

 

[blcamp]

What about those of us early adopters? Sure, $5 is not a lot, but it's a nice gesture for new users... and would certainly be appreciated by those of us who were among the first to sign up as well.

 

[samcraig]

How generous... Samsung and Google offered greater incentives. But I don't think Apple has/had the same upward "battle" for adoption.

 

[dannyyankou]

That's cool and all, but you can buy an Apple product from Target with a redcard and save 5%, which can be significantly more than $5.

 

[applesith]

So I guess I could delete my apple pay and go save $5 at the Apple Store.