Apple Pay Now Supports Tesco Bank and TSB in U.K., Over 90 New U.S. Issuers

[iGeek2014]

Surely this must mean Tesco will start rolling out (more) contactless terminals? Oh wait... this is Tesco!

According to a Tweet on their timeline today it's a trial in 500 London stores... If that's a success then it'll be rolled out nationally.

The fact I've seen a terminal capable of contactless in my local Metro means I'm hoping they'll just get on with it and roll it out!

 

[Reason077]

My local One Stop store has a contactless terminal; similarly my local Sainsbury's has the Ingenico IPP355 terminal which IS contactless capable (it's just disabled).

Exactly - that's why Sainsbury's drives me crazy. They've had contactless-capable terminals for years, but never actually enabled them. So frustrating!

 

[kirky29]

Exactly - that's why Sainsbury's drives me crazy. They've had contactless-capable terminals for years, but never actually enabled them. So frustrating!

My local One Stop store has a contactless terminal; similarly my local Sainsbury's has the Ingenico IPP355 terminal which IS contactless capable (it's just disabled).

I worked for Sainsbury's for many years (embarrassingly), most managers had zero clue what contactless was and that the terminals were quite ready for it, just needing a software update! The entire company is terrible and out of date. Mainly manager wise.

 

[daveak]

Glad you got it sorted in the end. My TSB and Tesco Bank cards worked fine with SMS verification on my iPhone and Apple Watch; when I added the TSB card to my iPad it wanted me to call them so have left it for now.

Leave feedback on their website. This is presumably their decision as I have added a non TSB card to my iPad that allowed SMS verification.

 

[iGeek2014]

Leave feedback on their website. This is presumably their decision as I have added a non TSB card to my iPad that allowed SMS verification.

I will do. I've managed to use SMS verification for my NatWest, Lloyds Bank and Santander cards no problem.

 

[iGeek2014]

I worked for Sainsbury's for many years (embarrassingly), most managers had zero clue what contactless was and that the terminals were quite ready for it, just needing a software update! The entire company is terrible and out of date. Mainly manager wise.

The fact the self service checkouts still run Windows XP speaks volumes; I notice in Tesco they have the contactless option on their tills but it's (obviously) greyed out.

However their other mobile payment scheme (PayQwik) is there to be used... Which is fine unless you're part of the trial and living in either London or Edinburgh!

 

[JaJaWa]

Just waiting for the Tesco stores (excluding a few in London) to support NFC payments.

"A few in London"? Every Tesco within the UK's largest city takes it.

And Sainsbury's! OMG!

btw: All the Tesco Express/Metro's around here (London) seem to take contactless, so I don't think it's just a few.

Sainsbury's have disabled contactless until their ZAPP payments app launches.

 

[BSben]

"A few in London"? Every Tesco within the UK's largest city takes it.
That is just not true. The vast majority of Tesco shops do NOT support contactless even in major cities.

 

[georgeperez]

At Puerto Rico Apple Pay works perfectly but there is no local bank that support it yet. ;(

Yeah, Apple Pay works in any place that supports NFC payments. Personally I'm using it with two MasterCards from USAA in Puerto Rico and haven't had any problems other than one time at GameStop where my Apple Pay transaction was declined but when swiped, it worked fine. Works fine now at GameStop.

 

[runeapple]

Just waiting for the Tesco stores (excluding a few in London) to support NFC payments.

It kills me seeing the grayed out contactless button every time I use self service.

 

[big-ted]

Leave them, I shifted my personal account to Santander (Still have a Joint account, but that's going as soon as the mortgage deal finishes)

Same here, left Barclays and joined Santander

Its a shame that Tesco wouldn't give me a credit card, no matter Santander did, its not contactless but works fine with Apple Pay

 

[Reason077]

Sainsbury's have disabled contactless until their ZAPP payments app launches.

I've heard that theory, but I've also heard it's just a case of software on Sainsbury's check out systems not being able to support contactless without a major software update which has yet to be rolled out.

The "ZAPP" payment app seems to be classic vapourware. It's been promised for years, with constantly slipping dates but never delivered. Most recently it was supposed to launch in October, but it looks like they missed that too. Even when it does finally show up, the ZAPP experience won't be as fast or seamless as Apple Pay, so it's hard to see it being much of a success for "point of sale" transactions.

 

[scaramoosh]

Here is my experience "do you support Apple pay?"... "no".... *pays with the NFC built into my card instead*...

 

[Reason077]

Here is my experience "do you support Apple pay?"... "no".... *pays with the NFC built into my card instead*...

Apple Pay will work anyway that NFC cards work, subject to the normal limits for contactless transactions. So Apple Pay would have worked fine for you here.

If the retailer has full Apple Pay support, then you will also be able to make payments above the contactless payment limit.

 

[JaJaWa]

That is just not true. The vast majority of Tesco shops do NOT support contactless even in major cities.

I didn't say "major cities", I said "the largest city", aka London. I thought Tesco's press release said that every Tesco within the M25 now takes contactless, but perhaps it was within Zone 1.

It kills me seeing the grayed out contactless button every time I use self service.

At least with Tesco, this simply means the card terminal on that machine doesn't support contactless - contactless is enabled on all that do.

You should be far more annoyed in Sainsbury's, where nearly all of their card terminals do now support contactless but it's blocked on all of them.

I've heard that theory, but I've also heard it's just a case of software on Sainsbury's check out systems not being able to support contactless without a major software update which has yet to be rolled out.

The "ZAPP" payment app seems to be classic vapourware. It's been promised for years, with constantly slipping dates but never delivered. Most recently it was supposed to launch in October, but it looks like they missed that too. Even when it does finally show up, the ZAPP experience won't be as fast or seamless as Apple Pay, so it's hard to see it being much of a success for "point of sale" transactions.

Ah ok, that's what I heard from a Sainsbury's regional manager though. It could be that contactless and ZAPP are being enabled in one update.

 

[nagromme]

Thanks for the insights, all! Very interesting.

 

[scottish]

According to a Tweet on their timeline today it's a trial in 500 London stores... If that's a success then it'll be rolled out nationally.

The fact I've seen a terminal capable of contactless in my local Metro means I'm hoping they'll just get on with it and roll it out!

The fact the self service checkouts still run Windows XP speaks volumes; I notice in Tesco they have the contactless option on their tills but it's (obviously) greyed out.

However their other mobile payment scheme (PayQwik) is there to be used... Which is fine unless you're part of the trial and living in either London or Edinburgh!

It's also available in a Metro in Edinburgh. I do wonder if they are waiting to see how successful their PayQwik system is before deciding on a roll out schedule.

I've heard that theory, but I've also heard it's just a case of software on Sainsbury's check out systems not being able to support contactless without a major software update which has yet to be rolled out.

Yes they are rolling out the new software now I believe. This Guardian article suggests a launch before the end of the year and completed roll out by mid-2016.

What amazes me is that the antiquated Morrisons managed a very quick roll out of contactless, though they do have fewer stores.

Anyway, very pleased TSB now enabled and I can benefit from the 5% cashback without carrying the cards with me.

 

[Kebabselector]

"A few in London"? Every Tesco within the UK's largest city takes it.

I was just quoting what I've read - however it's nice that it is ubiquitous in London Town - nothing north of Watford (or so it seems!)

 

[iMacDragon]

I was just quoting what I've read - however it's nice that it is ubiquitous in London Town - nothing north of Watford (or so it seems!)

It is, also works in all the Asda's near me too. I hope both aren't stupid and do roll out soon, it's just convenient and quick.

 

[iGeek2014]

It is, also works in all the Asda's near me too. I hope both aren't stupid and do roll out soon, it's just convenient and quick.

It doesn't work at the Asda near me in Derby (certainly not the last time I paid a visit) but I know their American owner (Walmart) are planning to use Current-C in their stores over the pond.