CVS Launches Barcode-Based 'CVS Pay' in Lieu of Apple Pay

[apple_iBoy]

This type of stuff is what caused me to stop shopping there entirely, and I only visit Walgreens now.

My neighborhood Rite Aid now takes Apple Pay also (they didn't initially).

This whole thing of launching a store-specific app to bring up a barcode is so freaking cumbersome. I can't imagine how it's going to take off. I know Starbucks does it too, and I guess they have enough of a corner on their market to not have to worry about customer preference.

 

[uwdude]

Come on CVS. Nobody is going to use CVS pay, lol.

 

[RadioGaGa1984]

What's a CVS?

 

[PaulRustad007]

You'd think that all merchants would want to offer as many straightforward payment methods to take customer payments. What is the point of road blocking when it comes to receiving payment for goods or services?

Simply because with their system they can track what you buy, when you buy and how often you buy. They are mining you for information that they will ( edit: potentially) sell to other people to harrass you with endless email and text offers. That is why they are doing it.

 

[smacrumon]

Simply because with their system they can track what you buy, when you buy and how often you buy. They are mining you for information that they will sell to other people to harrass you with endless email and text offers. That is why they are doing it.

I get it now. Thanks.

 

[poorcody]

I remember when I first setup Apple Pay, it worked at CVS, where I used to shop all the time. When they disabled it, I switched to Walgreens and Rite Aid later on. I will not go back. I use Apple Pay probably 3-4 times a week. I have not swiped a card at a retailer in probably over a year. Everywhere I shop now accepts Apple Pay except Home Depot. Even the local pizza shops and corner stores take Apple Pay around here. A lot of stores that don't take chip-cards actually take Apple Pay.

The main reason I like it is security. If these individual payment apps think I am going to store my credit card number on their servers, they are nuts. I use Virtual Card numbers for online purchases.

 

[bpcookson]

Why do these companies think anyone is willing to use a special app just for their store? And still no support for Apple Pay?

I wish stores were mandated to accept all forms of payment to preserve consumer choice. I honestly think there may need to be new regulation in this regard; existing law is probly incredibly outdated.

 

[dontwalkhand]

DO you people honestly think a corporation as big as CVS gives two craps about a handful of die-hard Apple fans on a forum boycotting them over something as stupid and asinine as apple pay. GROW UP!!! It makes you look pathetic. That you would inconvenience yourself over a method of payment. Just whip out cash and move on with your life!!
Also, if more people used cash, products would be cheaper as credit card fees passed on to consumers would no longer be necessary.

I'm not from 1950. I have kept the same $20 bill in my wallet for years for emergencies. I use my cards for everything, because why not? Why bother counting change when my card pays them exact cash all the time every time?
[doublepost=1470931481][/doublepost]

Cash goes great with dirt floors and oil lamps.

Wait! How'd you even get access to tech to write your non productive note?

Exactly this.
[doublepost=1470931575][/doublepost]So why not just do what Walgreens is doing and put the ExtraCare card in Wallet and have it send over that and a payment card in a tap?

 

[jinnj]

You'd think that all merchants would want to offer as many straightforward payment methods to take customer payments. What is the point of road blocking when it comes to receiving payment for goods or services?

The point for CurrenC was that they bypass Credit Card fees by having direct access to the your bank account. Which also provided you with no protection when CurrenC got hack and wire transfer information to your account is now out there.

 

[rdlink]

Why? They never supported Apple Pay in the first place. The only thing that's new is their pathetic attempt to create something similar.

Your question has merit on the surface, and if a store never accepted tap to pay/NFC payments that would be one thing. I get irritated and voice my displeasure with stores that have NFC terminals, and haven't yet enabled them. But that doesn't stop me from shopping there, at least for the time being. Most of those stores have the NFC hardware installed, along with chip readers, but they haven't yet enabled both. I wait (somewhat) patiently for the day they enable their chip reader, to see if they use the programming opportunity to enable tap to pay via NFC.

But CVS is a different animal altogether. They were supporting NFC payments until Apple Pay was rolled out. They then disabled it with the intent on forcing their customers who wanted contactless payments into using CurrentC. I view this as an act that was hostile toward the customer. This new app, in conjunction with continued refusal to reimplement NFC doubles down on that hostility. That's why they will not get my business.

 

[Rychiar]

rite aid finally caved and accepts apple pay this year which was nice. i thought cvs did too but half the time i forget to use it anyways and the staff at these places is always clueless

 

[jinnj]

Cool! Another convoluted QR code nonsense-pay solution! I'll stick to Walgreens for my $9 milk and $4 candy bars.

Actually our Walgreens has the cheapest milk and candy bars. I shop at CVS for cereal $1.99 a box

 

[dontwalkhand]

Is that cute. Thinking retailers would pass any savings onto their customers.

Look what happened when Europe force lowered their card fees to merchants. The prices stayed the exact same! Yay! The consumer just lost all rewards credit cards and more!

 

[rdlink]

DO you people honestly think a corporation as big as CVS gives two craps about a handful of die-hard Apple fans on a forum boycotting them over something as stupid and asinine as apple pay. GROW UP!!! It makes you look pathetic. That you would inconvenience yourself over a method of payment. Just whip out cash and move on with your life!!
Also, if more people used cash, products would be cheaper as credit card fees passed on to consumers would no longer be necessary.

Your hostility toward others' chosen method of payment actually makes you look pretty pitiful.

If you want to use cash go right ahead. Nobody is stopping you. But you're naive and delusional if you think that merchants would lower their prices if credit cards were to go away.

 

[Rigby]

As much as I'd prefer Apple Pay for the payment transaction, this app at least seems to offer additional functionality that Apple Pay currently can't provide (prescription managment). I don't go to the pharmacy often, but if I had a prescription to fill I'd give it a try.

BTW, perhaps there is a chance that they'd at least integrate in-app Apple Pay to reap the security benefits while still using the integrated process the app provides?

 

[Sefstah]

It works beautifully. CVS has affirmatively disabled it at their locations. That's not on Apple.

Walmart? Ralphs? Almost any restaurant? Not so beautiful. The goal is to replace our ATM cards. Apple Pay is so far away from doing that. Samsung Pay on the other hand, much more attractive!

 

[Elbon]

No problem. Apple Pay works great at Rite Aid.

 

[dontwalkhand]

DO you people honestly think a corporation as big as CVS gives two craps about a handful of die-hard Apple fans on a forum boycotting them over something as stupid and asinine as apple pay. GROW UP!!! It makes you look pathetic. That you would inconvenience yourself over a method of payment. Just whip out cash and move on with your life!!
Also, if more people used cash, products would be cheaper as credit card fees passed on to consumers would no longer be necessary.

They would not lower prices. They would pocket the difference. Look at what happened to Europe when they lowered fees to near a tenth of a cent. The rewards went away on customers cards, but the prices at the store just stayed the same. The stores are just greedy.

Also using cash more at a store just makes the store more apt to get robbed. If more people used cards people would not bother robbing a store for a mere $50 in a register.

 

[rdlink]

I love Apple Pay. That being said ... I use the Starbucks app all the time, and it works fine.

I can understand a company wanting to maintain control of the information from *its* customers.

What a pain though for *every* company to roll out their own "payment app".

And, tap to pay is so insanely simple.

The Starbucks app has been around a lot longer than other contactless payment systems. Plus they offered the real killer feature of order ahead and pay via mobile (with Apple Pay, BTW).

But when they changed their rewards program and took away its value to me I stopped going there altogether. I just bought a second espresso machine for my office and bypass Starbucks altogether. They lost over $1600 a year worth of business from me.

 

[Elbon]

Too bad ... retailers like Walmart and CVS refuse to adopt [Apple Pay]

No problem - it's just another reason for me not to shop there!

 

[dontwalkhand]

I use Walmart Pay a lot, simply because I shop there. I also use Apple Pay a lot because it's very convenient.


I would never ever think about using CVS pay. I'm ok with one or two store apps but I don't need an app for every single store I shop at.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

DO you people honestly think a corporation as big as CVS gives two craps about a handful of die-hard Apple fans on a forum boycotting them over something as stupid and asinine as apple pay. GROW UP!!! It makes you look pathetic. That you would inconvenience yourself over a method of payment. Just whip out cash and move on with your life!!
Also, if more people used cash, products would be cheaper as credit card fees passed on to consumers would no longer be necessary.

In the meantime, you are subsidizing my use of credit cards with all your cash purchases. Thank you

 

[S.B.G]

No problem - it's just another reason for me not to shop there!

For me I won't use the lack of Apple Pay at a retailer as a basis not to shop there. It’s a convenience thing to me and its not too much trouble to pull out cash or card the old fashioned way when I need to.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I use CVS for prescriptions. I wouldn't go there for any other reason. Mine's nearby here in Baltimore and hasn't been burned down yet.

When you pick up a prescription you're supposed to be able to use the CVS app to scan so that you don't have to announce your name and date of birth to everyone in earshot. That worked once but hasn't in months for me. I don't expect the payment feature to be any more reliable so I won't bother. My credit card works every time and is easier than any app will be...for the next couple of years, anyway.

Apple Pay isn't used by most stores that I frequent. When I notice that it is accepted I've usually already finished paying via CC.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

I'm going to make my own QR Code based payment system called, "JeffyPay" and it'll be the best way ever* to pay for stuff! It'll be as convenient as having every PIN terminal brand having it's own flow of payment as it was from 1989 -2016.

*Best way ever for me, not you.