Target Confirms Apple Pay Rollout Won't Include REDcard

[MacRumors]

Target yesterday announced that all of its stores will begin accepting Apple Pay in the coming weeks, but it still won't be possible to add its store-branded REDcard debit or credit cards to the Apple Wallet app. REDcard is Target's loyalty program, offering an automatic five percent off most purchases everyday.

"REDcards cannot be added to Apple Pay as part of this rollout," a Target spokesperson confirmed with MacRumors today.

This means paying with a REDcard will still require inserting the physical card into the payment terminal or adding it to Target's mobile app and having the cashier scan a barcode at the checkout. The latter method requires opening the Target app and tapping on the Wallet tab to access the barcode.

Both options are less convenient than Apple Pay, which requires a quick double-click of the side button and authentication with Face ID on the iPhone X and newer, or briefly resting your finger on Touch ID on older iPhones.

Target already suggested that REDcards would not support Apple Pay on Twitter, but its "at this time" phrasing wasn't entirely clear.

Of course, Target could decide to allow REDcards to be added to the Apple Wallet app in the future. The retailer had avoided accepting Apple Pay entirely for several years until reversing course with this week's announcement, so it might be only a matter of time before it changes its mind again.

Article Link: Target Confirms Apple Pay Rollout Won't Include REDcard

 

[AronDraws]

Bummer! I use my red card all the time. It would be helpful to not have to carry an extra card around for shopping only at Target though :<

 

[martyjmclean]

Red Card must be a US Target thing?? I've never heard of it. I'm lucky all my rewards cards are in Apple Wallet so it's very convenient.

 

[vicviper789]

Gotta track their shoppers some how!

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Translation: red card is about collecting user purchasing data?

 

[yossi]

Most likely because of the larger transaction fees charged if the red card is handled via Apple pay.

 

[lego606]

I wonder if this includes the actual MasterCard they no longer offer applications for but still technically have, since that particular one isn't a store card.

 

[MacBoy88]

Bummer. I was really hoping for this. I don’t think this is about tracking purchases as they could still do that with Apple Pay. I think it has more to do with fees.

 

[cjboffoli97]

Translation: red card is about collecting user purchasing data?

Exactly. People get seduced by the 5% discount. But Target profits significantly from being able to track and commoditize absolutely every purchase, not only for themselves but presumably that they can also sell to data brokers. Conversely, Apple Pay is designed with the user's privacy in mind. As I understand it, for each transaction a unique payment number is generated and your personal information and credit card number is not shared with the merchant. Great for privacy and especially for security. I don't know if Apple has negotiated with merchants who have store cards to allow them to pass along data in these scenarios. I'm inclined to say they have not, especially in light of Target's stance in this situation.

 

[dannyyankou]

Red Card must be a US Target thing?? I've never heard of it. I'm lucky all my rewards cards are in Apple Wallet so it's very convenient.

Target Australia is an entirely diffetent company than Target America, even though they look the same.

 

[samlikesmac]

I’m assuming this is because it automatically combines the barcode for Cartwheel as well so one scan does everything for you. I would still like to see this done through Apple Pay via an NFC cartwheel pass but I don’t know if Target actually cares enough.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Red Card must be a US Target thing?? I've never heard of it. I'm lucky all my rewards cards are in Apple Wallet so it's very convenient.

Target in the U.S. has zero affiliation with Target Australia. Two completely different companies, despite having a nearly identical logo. (I just learned about Target Australia today.)

 

[mattster16]

Not really a big deal. If you use cartwheel you have to have them scan a barcode anyway. If you have the redcard in the target app they only have to scan one barcode and it applies cartwheel savings and the payment method all at once. Pretty convenient actually.

All in all I've saved thousands of dollars over the years by using cartweel and a redcard.

 

[tabscott]

Target USA - only affiliation with Target Australia - is a licensing fee for use of the name and logo.

The Target Mastercard likely won't work on Apple Pay - as the Nordstrom Visa doesn't work on Apple Pay - and TD Bank issues both.

 

[a104375]

I wonder if this includes the actual MasterCard they no longer offer applications for but still technically have, since that particular one isn't a store card.

They upgraded my card to a Mastercard and when I tried adding it before I was denied. I'll check again once they are officially accepting apple pay.

 

[ssspinball]

I confirm my Target shopping won't include using a red card. I'll stick with a cashback card via Apple Pay.

 

[BruiserB]

Since ApplePay assigns a device account number instead of your actual credit card number, Target would have no way to associate a RedCard ApplePay purchase with the card owner.

 

[SupaDav03]

Hopefully, like Kohl’s, they find a way to have their store card support Apple Pay. As it stands now, if still rather use Apple Pay & forgo the 5% savings if I have to choose one over the other.

 

[unplugme71]

Bummer! I use my red card all the time. It would be helpful to not have to carry an extra card around for shopping only at Target though :<

Use the app. I store the card in the app and it’s one less card to carry now. I wish Lowe’s would do the same.

 

[mattster16]

I confirm my Target shopping won't include using a red card. I'll stick with a cashback card via Apple Pay.

Do you have a cashback card that has a 5% return on everything you buy at Target?

 

[Art Mark]

Exactly. People get seduced by the 5% discount. But Target profits significantly from being able to track and commoditize absolutely every purchase, not only for themselves but presumably that they can also sell to data brokers. Conversely, Apple Pay is designed with the user's privacy in mind. As I understand it, for each transaction a unique payment number is generated and your personal information and credit card number is not shared with the merchant. Great for privacy and especially for security. I don't know if Apple has negotiated with merchants who have store cards to allow them to pass along data in these scenarios. I'm inclined to say they have not, especially in light of Target's stance in this situation.

Yes. I think what you write is correct. And in the future this is the issue that needs to become more clear. People are giving themselves away to data brokers and having their life stolen by the like of Android. I'm always surprised that people don't consider this when telling me how well their 'google voice' or whatever works and can tell them things and run their life. And maybe people don't care.

 

[BruiserB]

Do you have a cashback card that has a 5% return on everything you buy at Target?

I have a card that gives 6% back on grocery store purchases and a grocery store that sells Target gift cards.

 

[tmiw]

It does fit in with their strategy of encouraging people to not use regular credit/debit cards when possible (e.g. by having the 5% discount for REDcard in the first place), so I'm not particularly surprised. Maybe some day.

 

[mattster16]

Yes. I think what you write is correct. And in the future this is the issue that needs to become more clear. People are giving themselves away to data brokers and having their life stolen by the like of Android. I'm always surprised that people don't consider this when telling me how well their 'google voice' or whatever works and can tell them things and run their life. And maybe people don't care.

Personally I really don't care. It is nearly impossible to avoid being swept up by the "data brokers". Unless you pay in only cash at brick and mortar stores or I suppose use Apple Pay at brick and mortar stores are you avoiding it. Even then there is always something you do that is being or can be tracked. If you pay with a regular credit card at a retailer regularly they can still track your purchase habits pretty easily and associate it with a unique identifier. I don't entirely see how my life is being "stolen".

I'm not entirely immune from caring though. I won't use Google products for instance. I guess I just choose to give Target the knowledge of what I'm buying in exchange for savings. That isn't the only exchange happening though. They are also giving me savings in exchange for my loyalty and eliminating credit card transaction fees - it isn't purely about data collection.

 

[DblHelix]

Can't they do something like Walgreens with their loyalty card? It is linked to a log in with user data and is pretty seamless with apple pay. Just tap and it goes first then a second tap to pay. They get loyalty info I get a reward.