Retailers Cite 'Insufficient Customer Demand' as Biggest Reason for Not Supporting Apple Pay

[k1121j]

I agree. Also with so many not supporting it, the security benefits are minimal.

I also find it awkward to do it. The merchant sometimes has to do something prior to you using it which means rather than "just working" like a credit card or cash, there's an extra little head nod.

The McDonalds by my house I noticed says you can do Apple Pay in the drive thru, but there is no equipment outside to do it so you'd basically have to ask them to provide you with the equipment to do it...or hand over your credit card like everything else.

no kidding at MC D's tehy have to hand you the entire terminal how embarrassing is that. what a deterrent now at staples it super easy and works like a charm i haven't had the options to try it at other places

 

[nagromme]

Apple pay is neat, but paying with cash or plastic isn't a pain point and is a very efficient process.

Efficient and painless until they sell your info to databases used by telemarketers--including illegal ones--or until your card is stolen, gets frozen, and must be re-issued. As has happened to me THREE TIMES at point-of-purchase (at least twice at major retailers, once at an unknown location).

ApplePay has been quicker and easier than my wallet, and accepted more places than I'd have thought (even places that don't know it). But the safety is the big thing. I've switched largely from Discover to Visa because my Discover kept getting stolen and doesn't have ApplePay yet.

They do need to add tipping functionality, though (which may be down to the store to do).

 

[tylersdad]

I use it as often as I can except when I need to get cash out at the store.

If I could use it to get cash out, it would be perfect.

 

[MLMcMillion]

Those of us who really want it aren't at your stores demanding it because we're shopping elsewhere.

 

[Dyspareunia]

"the inability to send customized advertisements to individual users like traditional credit cards allow, is a "key reason" they won't accept Apple Pay."

The true reason...everything else is just BS excuses.

 

[thairish]

Sorry I don't have time to advise your business to get with the times. Even my tiny local mom and pop grocery store has it. I'll just continue to actively avoid places without it (where possible/convenient).

 

[jmgregory1]

For the retailer who said that not even a small amount of customers are asking for it - please tell me that you have a robust customer feedback system in place, especially at the registers with cashiers. It's a joke to make a comment like that, without some way to actually track customer wants - assuming customers will even tell you they want it.

 

[mikemch16]

I don't understand how executives at so many companies can be so short sighted. They are literally paid millions of dollars to be able to steer a company in the direction of the market. Let's be honest - this is the direction it is heading. I think the biggest turning point will be digital driver's licenses though (also things like car insurance, car registration, insurance cards, etc but a lot of these are already accepted places). Delaware and Iowa are both going forward with the digital driver's license thing already (google it). The big revolution will be not having to carry a wallet. At this point people still need their wallets so adding a credit card to it is pretty insignificant. When people can leave their house with no wallet (and eventually no car keys) that is when the general public will catch on and buy into this. I just hope that retailers catch on early enough so we aren't waiting for them to leave the house without a wallet. The future is filled with exciting times.

 

[santaliqueur]

Apple pay is neat, but paying with cash or plastic isn't a pain point and is a very efficient process.

How efficient is it when your bank is replacing your credit cards a few times a year because the retailer you went to had 50 million credit card numbers leaked?

 

[odditie]

Never, ever give someone your credit card. The cashier should not be touching it. You're opening yourself to fraud. Every cashier should be taught not to touch your card, if they do, be suspicious.

Got it...next time I go through the drive thru at McDonalds I'll unbuckle and climb thru my window to pay.

 

[mikeinternet]

I think the small businesses are going to be the game changer.

This could be the square/iPad pro/PayPal nfc solution or whatever it ends up being.

Also why no public transit cards yet?

 

[peteo]

Apple pay is neat, but paying with cash or plastic isn't a pain point and is a very efficient process.

Yeah I mean its really easy to pay with a credit/debit card only takes a few seconds. On top of that it only takes a few seconds to hack that same retailer and steal all your credit card info and use it in china and then a few months/years? later seeing the press release about the hack and the bank notifying you that you need to change your card, and you current card is disabled and cannot be used and hopefully we will reverse the charges if we can figure out which ones were fraudulent
Its all good!

 

[perrycollective]

Yea, I don't see much benefit to using these smartphone payment systems just yet. It looks cool, but the options of pulling out my debit card or some cash are just as convenient... and it's a lot less stressful when you drop what you're paying with too.

It's got nothing to do with being cool - it's much more secure. The combination of it being MORE convenient (don't have to get anything out of my wallet), and MORE secure (the merchant never gets my card information) are valuable to most people.

 

[tpabrad]

I call BS as well. Some are waiting for other methods that will benefit them, some just dont ask. I think retailers who accept it don't train cashiers very well because most times ive used it on my first visit the cashier is amazed at what I just did. Some retailers who supported it from the get-go had no clue what i was talking about. My bank replaced my card recently with chip and pin and i stopped trying because the stores i attempted to use it at wouldn't work on that. Its all very confusing and isn't just Apple based.

 

[laurim]

Ok, so from now on, I'll start telling retailers I want Apple Pay.

YES! I was just about to suggest this. I've already emailed two local retailers I use frequently to tell them to get ApplePay working. Retailers are morons if the reason they don't do ApplePay is lack of consumer interest. The lack of places that allow it IS the reason fewer people use it. I'm constantly disappointed that American business is so innovation-averse and so many other countries are innovating and moving forward left and right. It's like once we got to the moon and the shuttle we said, "We're done innovating! Now we can slack." Our infrastructure sucks, transportation is outdated, social policies are based on old-fashioned/radical religious ideas. We're a young country but so often we act like old people afraid of anything new.

 

[tmiw]

It's so quick and easy to use chip & pin or contactless cards I can't see most people bothering with Apple Pay once the initial interest has died down. I wouldn't use my iPhone but I would use the Apple Watch if I could just hold it against a contactless terminal to make small payments. Easier than fumbling around for change.

Maybe, but banks in the US aren't issuing contactless cards either. They used to but used the same "low demand" excuse the retailers are using now to get rid of them.

October, 2015 is the magic month. After that, if they don't support contactless payments, they are responsible for fraud, so if we just wait, then we're good.

In my observations, I've found that we (USA) react rather than are proactive. Oh well. By this time next year, I have a feeling that a lot of retailers will take contactless payments as a matter of loss prevention, rather than "keeping up with the Joneses," or being proactive.

Only chip and signature/chip and PIN is required, not NFC/Apple/Android Pay. That said, the majority of new credit card terminals support NFC.

 

[Iconoclysm]

It's funny because I've never been asked what I want as far as options for payment. I simply give preference to the places that will take Apple Pay...and these companies would be wise to provide it before anyone has to ask. This is typical 1980's corporate thinking right here.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Insufficient demand perhaps r/t insufficient support from banks. Many people have credits unions (some local and some not), but they do not support Apple Pay... yet. When it first released, I always thought we'd just enter our credit card information and that was it. Does anyone know why this is not possible? I know it's not possible because that's just not how it is but my question is why they didn't or can't implement this.

 

[laurim]

i think the hardest thing for me is not knowing where apple pay is accepted. there's no emblems or markings in stores, and it seems like you have to have a list of places memorized and then awkwardly ask the retail person if they accept it. only place i'm confident going in is the apple store itself. i like the technology and would like to use it more often, there's just no awareness in the real world or how/where to use it. the few times i've tried at places that have it, the people behind the counter are usually confused and don't know what's going on.

Don't ask if they take it, just try to use it. And if it doesn't work, be loud about your disappointment. Although I understand the pressure if there's a long line...

 

[dontwalkhand]

The problem is lots of retailers don't even have the logo. You literally tap the phone to the terminal and it magically works. No indication whatsoever.

 

[peterh988]

Seen as the UK has been equipping itself with contactless payment terminals for 3-4 years now its about time they just launched it over here - we're ready Apple, just press the damn button, we're much more equipped than you backwards Americans! (that is a joke, I love my American cousins, but really - for ONCE we're a step ahead in terms of technology with Chip and Pin and contactless in the UK and most of Europe, I can't believe America still uses the magnetic strip and an easy to forge signature)

Perhaps by launching it in the UK, Australia, and other countries who already have an NFC infrastructure up and running, Apple would actually get a real world example of it in operation, and be able to say "We have a whole country using it successfully here, surely your company can do it too?" when in negotiations.

Seems the sort of thing Steve Jobs would have an expletive filled rant over!

 

[bushido]

Did they not accept them before or something?

nope no one, well barely anyone my age even has a credit card and those who do only use it for travelling. credit cards have a "u aint got the money so dont buy it" image here. my mum has a credit card and she hides it in the house like its a holy grail and dont u dare mention the number anywhere. the horror!

 

[Dekema2]

I mean, I guess I can see how there isn't enough demand, if they're basing it on the iPhone 6/+ only; not everyone has one. Still, retailers should know people buy iPhones and NFC/contact less payment is growing every day.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Let's be honest, here on MR we are bias towards apple and believe apple pay should become standard everywhere, though in the greater scheme of things, I doubt the masses care.

To be honest I am Caring less and less, as apple announces a lot of cool features that never go international. Only after a major announcement you realize the feature is only for the U.S.

Awesome for our American cousins, but also frustrating for the rest of us.

My bias isn't so much towards Apple but away from companies that make us work to be their customers.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I agree. Also with so many not supporting it, the security benefits are minimal.

I also find it awkward to do it. The merchant sometimes has to do something prior to you using it which means rather than "just working" like a credit card or cash, there's an extra little head nod.

The McDonalds by my house I noticed says you can do Apple Pay in the drive thru, but there is no equipment outside to do it so you'd basically have to ask them to provide you with the equipment to do it...or hand over your credit card like everything else.

People still eat that slop....and drive through no less...? LMAO!!!!

I agree that none of the retail staff and stores are set up to use ApplePay and they make it awkward when it doesn't have to be. CVS is actually set up to handle ApplePay because they do self checkout.

They are so used to taking cash and taking credit information. Cash is subject to theft and cards are subject to theft and fraud. I think banks should make retailers partially liable for the cost of any fraud related to credit cards now... that'll speed up the NFC adoption rates....or insurance companies should raise rates for those who don't have NFC enabled terminals because it means that security isn't an issue for them.

Retailers are trying to blame consumer adoption but they haven't adopted it. How can the consumer?