@CVS_Extra & @RiteAid
If you look at their mentions they are already getting flooded with complaints.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
CVS Stores Reportedly Disabling NFC to Shut Down Apple Pay and Google Wallet
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
@CVS_Extra & @RiteAid
If you look at their mentions they are already getting flooded with complaints.
Dumb A$$ move by Rite Aide and CVS
If true, I feel like taking a bunch of items up to the cashier at one of these pharmacies, attempt to pay using Apple Pay on my iPhone 6, and if it is not accepted, just walk out and not abide by THEIR forced, imposed method of payment. I've never heard of this competing alternate method of swipeless method of payment Rite Aide and CVS are supposedly working on, that MIGHT be rolling out in 6 or 9 months. I would highly predict by then it would be DOA. Why alienate about 20 million (by the end of the year) iPhone 6 owners in the US? I've already used Apple Pay at Walgreens just because Walgreens was smart enough to be a marquee sponsor.
If true, I feel like taking a bunch of items up to the cashier at one of these pharmacies, attempt to pay using Apple Pay on my iPhone 6, and if it is not accepted, just walk out and not abide by THEIR forced, imposed method of payment. I've never heard of this competing alternate method of swipeless method of payment Rite Aide and CVS are supposedly working on, that MIGHT be rolling out in 6 or 9 months. I would highly predict by then it would be DOA. Why alienate about 20 million (by the end of the year) iPhone 6 owners in the US? I've already used Apple Pay at Walgreens just because Walgreens was smart enough to be a marquee sponsor.
I know that, please excuse my mistake. Again, if retailers could get the 0.15% from the credit card companies instead of Apple, why wouldn't they pursue this? I would say 90% of people on this forum want Apple's wealth to thrive, instead of their own. If Apple gets a monopoly on mobile wallets, we're all doomed
.Well, not if you choose to still use your CVS card when paying with Apple Pay (if they accepted it as payment, that is). People choose to use the CVS card for the discounts. I use it even when I pay cash. I don't mind the store tracking my purchases -- that's how they deliver targeted coupons.
Walgreens has a loyalty card and I used it and my Apple pay also. It was nice because both are in the Passport app.
Think again ...
The whole discussion is just too emotional - I for my part have never been a great customer of any of the pharmacies or companies on the MCX list, but everybody should consider who is going to win long term:
A system that needs an optical reader is just too error prone and can be tampered with at unattended POS terminals like parking meters, parking structures, vending machines etc. One bad person with a marker pen can disable the system for days - on the other hand, the NFC antenna can be placed internal to the terminal, no mechanical parts, no optics, nothing to interfere with on the outside, maybe except for glueing a film of high coercitivity material over all openings of the POS terminal.
Fail safe operation and reliability is what makes these things fly and I'm more likely to have my phone with me than proper change for a parking meter! And I'm not going to download more applications than absolutely necessary
The whole discussion is just too emotional - I for my part have never been a great customer of any of the pharmacies or companies on the MCX list, but everybody should consider who is going to win long term:
A system that needs an optical reader is just too error prone and can be tampered with at unattended POS terminals like parking meters, parking structures, vending machines etc. One bad person with a marker pen can disable the system for days - on the other hand, the NFC antenna can be placed internal to the terminal, no mechanical parts, no optics, nothing to interfere with on the outside, maybe except for glueing a film of high coercitivity material over all openings of the POS terminal.
Fail safe operation and reliability is what makes these things fly and I'm more likely to have my phone with me than proper change for a parking meter! And I'm not going to download more applications than absolutely necessary
So.. when consumers start getting NFC credit cards next year.. are they going to continue to not allow NFC based payments? It doesn't sound like they are capable of blocking just Apple Pay or Google Wallet, but are blocking all NFC payments.
I'm sure that won't cause a problem at all.
I'm sure that won't cause a problem at all.
WTF are these places thinking?
I will certainly shop at Walgreens over CVS or Rite-Aid after hearing about this (and I don't even have an iPhone 6 yet). I imagine that a lot of other people who have iPhones will be doing the same. I can't imagine what the owners of these stores are thinking. Do they not realize how much business they will lose and the poor publicity this will cause?
I will certainly shop at Walgreens over CVS or Rite-Aid after hearing about this (and I don't even have an iPhone 6 yet). I imagine that a lot of other people who have iPhones will be doing the same. I can't imagine what the owners of these stores are thinking. Do they not realize how much business they will lose and the poor publicity this will cause?
This is bad for CVS and any device using NFC payments. Remember Applepay works at regular NFC terminals not just Applepay terminals. As the article says even Google wallet was prohibited.
I just emailed cvs and I didn't just do it for apple pay users, but all NFC users. We need to do this together
OK, you're now part of a movement? How sad.
And do not forget about Apple Watch. I believe the Watch drive this more. No need to even take out your Phone.
Apple pay is being disabled now at CVS and Rite Aid.
They have to block all or none.
Whatever. In my neighborhood at least, Rite Aid has the best prices and their rewards program is pretty good. I'm not going to pay more for stuff just because they won't accept Apple Pay. Lots of stores big and small don't accept it, so I have to carry a wallet anyway.
That was 10m across the countries where it was available on launch day. There were quite a few aside from the U.S.
I understand.
I want to pay with Apple Pay, because of the added security, and because it allows my wallet to be Jony Ive thin.
CVS won't be getting a cut of my purchases when I have another option (Walgreens) that does accept Apple Pay.
Really? I did not know that Obamacare mandated where you had to get your healthcare. I was under the impression that if you did not have healthcare through your employer you could either go on an exchange and pick a provider of just do your own research and find one that does business in your state.
And of course, your employer has the option to chose between providers too. It's usually an annual contract.
So please explain how the Feds have determined which policy you use. Unless of course you work for the federal government and have benefits through your work for them.
Stop.
It does NOBODY any good to be rude to the innocent cashiers simply doing their job. If anything, they'll remember what you did to them and paint everybody that wants to use Apple Pay in the same light. Why would any company want to do business with a subset of customers that brash and disrespectful? Of course, the truth is that Apple users are no more or less hostile than the general population, but if you'd like to change that perception, go ahead and make the cashier's day miserable, as well as inconvenience everybody in line behind you.
Get some perspective, people.
CVS is run by fools. The pharmacy sales market is highly competitive. Making it harder for customers is not a smart move. I dont know how many apple iPhone 6 owners actually shop at CVS, but even a fraction of a percent drop in sales will reduce profits by millions, with most of it going to Walgreens. Nothing like giving your competition free money.
This is just like the demographic bomb in politics. 1) over 85% of smartphones are either ios or android. 2) NFC is standard on all new iOS and most new android phones, 3) most smartphones are replaced after 2-3 years, therefore 4) most smartphones in use in the U.S. will have NFC by 2018. By which time, any store without it will be at a marketed disadvantage.
This is the crazy part of this plan. The alternative they are fighting so hard to establish would have been a good option in 2007, when all folks had were screens. We shouldn't be moving into barcodes, we should be moving out of them.
And what's to keep both app stores from blocking this app, so critical to the success of the barcode system?
PSA: costco pharmacies have some of the best prices around and can be used without a membership
To Wallgreens. Or any other store that doesn't turn off working features to provide a similar feature at a later date that is designed to be less secure and track your purchases.
Lol.