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CVS Stores Reportedly Disabling NFC to Shut Down Apple Pay and Google Wallet
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I know that it matters, and I too see this as an issue that isn't really about Apple. But some of the posters here are bending over backwards to bash anybody that is against CurrentC, because they see anybody that has a problem with it as an Apple fanboy.
So much misinformation. Apple isn't charging an additional fee than Visa/MC/AMEX. They are taking part of the same fees that were already negotiated.
The issue is merchants want to use MCS to bypass fees altogether.
Knowing that MCX is formed from companies like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kmart, CVS, etc. should already say about what they are like.
Customer experience? Customer privacy? security?
They don't give a ****.
I've seen that tactic used before. It would kill visa and MasterCard. Retailers would just refuse to accept their cards at all. It's happened every time a credit card got pushy.
There's still businesses in my town that never returned to permitting credit cards after a prior round of strong arming. And they are even more profitable now and have been for years operating on a cash basis.
The cash only stores in town are the best prices and value in town.
I say let visa and MasterCard try their best to force Apple Pay. It'll burn them like it always has.
Hmm, I thought I had seen something around 60%. But I guess i'm remembering the wrong stat. I know that Apple is a majority of web traffic from smartphones in the US.
Anyway, it is a large enough market that a payment system won't work without Apple. That said, I doubt a QR code scanner is going to be fast enough to be consumer friendly. Maybe with the discounts and coupons that it comes with, people will use it. I certainly don't mind companies trying to find work arounds to the big credit card companies. Apple Pay is great, but it still uses the credit card company to process a payment that we don't really need them to process anymore.
Uuuuum, if the retailer isn't paying fees, what fees are passed down to anyone? 0 ≱ 1+. That doesn't make sense.
No fees means no fees. Period. (if retailers start charging more for their goods and services, it would have nothing to do with Apple Pay and NFC payments)
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Apple Pay has no traction.
You'll feel better as a result of sending your missive, but it'll be too little too late. Target, Rite Aide, Walgreens, CVS, Sears, Walmart, Best Buy, Kmart, 7 Eleven and others have swiftly reacted to the Apple Pay situation, it's problems, complications, and walked away. The last thing these retailers need is to be unwittingly drug into a payment system abyss.
If it should be proven that there's some merit, some advantage to Apple Pay, I would think they might revisit it in another few years. Apple has staying power, there's no rush to implement Apple Pay. By taking time to review what went wrong and how it might me fixed, will be a very good lesson for Apple.
Look how easily Apple ignored it's loyal customers for two years, preventing them from having the 5.5" display they wanted so badly. The temporary failure of Apple Pay won't affect Apple.
This is Apples game, in Apples ball park. They'll continue to do what they want, when they want, and customers will praise them for it. All is well
No it hasn't. Visa and MasterCard dictate all sorts of terms to merchants. And the merchants take it, because the surest bet to kill a business is to go cash only.
AT&T and Verizon for not supporting the Apple Sim. To make it easier, just hate evey company that's not Apple. Unless Apple buys them, then they suddenly become good.
No it is not cost. Apple gets its fee from the credit card company. The credit card company saves money on decreased fraudulent purchases, so they don't have to charge as large a fee and they can still make more money.
This is about losing access to customer data. That is the main thing.
The secondary thing though is a costs issue. But I don't think it is the driving force here. Even though credit card companies aren't going to charge more for Apple Pay purchases, and they might even charge less, the stores would prefer to not pay that fee at all. They like cash transactions and Apple Pay is likely to decrease the number of cash transactions and increase the number of credit card transactions. This will result in more fees even though it has nothing to do with Apple taking a cut.
It will be interesting watching this play out. As Apple Pay continues to expand, I imagine consumer demand will force the hand.
But that argument only holds if the only way to pay is through MCX, cash, or debit. Do you really think MCX participating retailers are going to start to refuse ALL credit card transactions in favor for MCX only? That would be a MAJOR disruption. A customer walking into CVS and can no longer pay by swiping their Visa card? Highly doubtful. Customers would literally be walking out the door, not because they refuse to pay, but because they don't have the cash on hand and only have credit cards as their only other option.
If they allow credit, there is no difference in cost in allowing Apply Pay.
Apple isn't disabling anything, the retailers are because:
1) Apple Pay uses an anonymous tokenization NFC system, merchants and MCX cannot gather/data mine consumer info to sell to marketers (either play by MCX's rules and get a percentage of consumer data sales of accept Apple Pay and Google Wallet and lose that kickback)
2) Merchants are not paying extra costs, the banks pay any fees as Apple Pay is more secure and lowers the costs banks eat due to fraudulent activity
Read the thread before assuming Apple (or any company) did xxx. This isn't about Apple, it's about data mining and security.
Here is an article that details how CurrentC app by MCX works. below is a summary quote if you don't want to read the article:
"...The problem with the CurrentC system... is that its based more around solving the retailers credit card fee problems than the consumers payment friction problems.... When its time for a user to checkout, the consumer then unlocks their phone, opens the CurrentC app, opens the code scanner, and scans the QR code shown on the cashiers screen.
When you sign up for CurrentC, youre supposed to add your bank account. This lets CurrentC process payments for you without retailers having to pay the steep credit card processing fee.
CurrentC borders on the creepy line due to it pulling health info. He also that found that its Terms Of Service leaves high liability for fraud to the user if someone else is able to get access to a users phone and make CurrentC payments..."
Three big problems with MCX CurrentC:
1- it is the opposite of easy of use by NFC and/or Apple Pay
2- it uses your bank account which shifts the liability to consumers if fraud happens.
3- it collects your data, and can share that info to retailer for ad or data mining.
"...The problem with the CurrentC system... is that its based more around solving the retailers credit card fee problems than the consumers payment friction problems.... When its time for a user to checkout, the consumer then unlocks their phone, opens the CurrentC app, opens the code scanner, and scans the QR code shown on the cashiers screen.
When you sign up for CurrentC, youre supposed to add your bank account. This lets CurrentC process payments for you without retailers having to pay the steep credit card processing fee.
CurrentC borders on the creepy line due to it pulling health info. He also that found that its Terms Of Service leaves high liability for fraud to the user if someone else is able to get access to a users phone and make CurrentC payments..."
Three big problems with MCX CurrentC:
1- it is the opposite of easy of use by NFC and/or Apple Pay
2- it uses your bank account which shifts the liability to consumers if fraud happens.
3- it collects your data, and can share that info to retailer for ad or data mining.
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The second front of this war is going to be smartphone access. The main front is going to be Visa/MC/AMEX vs. MCX for access to merchants. Credit card companies are going to push the privacy and security issue. MCX will push lower costs. Merchants can't afford to drop credit card support until MCX reached critical mass...which it's doubtful to do.
But smartphone access is the key. And this is where Apple Pay really threw a wrench in the MCX machine. CurrentC absolutely needs smartphone access in order to have any chance of success. But suddenly they are direct competitors one of the companies they were planning to use as a delivery mechanism.
So they have two choices. Either the merchants try to squeeze Apple pay out...which would likely result in Apple wanting to end support for the CurrentC app. Or perhaps they try to cut Apple in. Just spitballing here - but what if MCX offers to pay Apple a cut. Would Apple go to the brink to support Apple pay under the banner or privacy/security....or sell out for a potential boatload of cash?
Everyone send your well-written email complaints to CVS via their online email form!
Let's make ourselves heard.
http://www.cvs.com/help/email-custo...RGS=/CVSApp/help/email-customer-relations.jsp
Let's make ourselves heard.
http://www.cvs.com/help/email-custo...RGS=/CVSApp/help/email-customer-relations.jsp
Maybe the retail stores are disabling apple pay because they don't want to pay an additional processing fee to apple. If this is the case and I support cvs and the rest of the stores
Me either, but I hate it.
I thought it was that band that sang, We are the people, we are the something or other.
Went to Rite Aid today. Filled a basket with stuff and walked up to the cashier and tried to pay with my phone. When it did not work I left it all on the counter and told them that they just lost a sales and a customer.
Will do the same at CVS tomorrow.
Everyone should do this. They need to understand that refusing to take money the way I want to give it will indeed cost them revenue.
Will do the same at CVS tomorrow.
Everyone should do this. They need to understand that refusing to take money the way I want to give it will indeed cost them revenue.