Amazon Rewards Visa Card adds support for Apple Pay
Owners of the popular Amazon Rewards Visa Card, which awards 3 percent back on all Amazon.com purchases, can now add their card to Passbook for the newly launched Apple Pay service.
The Amazon Rewards Visa was not compatible with Apple Pay when it debuted on Monday, telling users that the card was not yet supported. But that's changed as of Friday, and users can now scan or enter the card and add it to their digital wallet.
Given the variety of items available for purchase on Amazon.com, the company's rewards card is particularly popular. Many AppleInsider readers reached out this week to express frustration that the card did not support Apple Pay at launch.
In addition to offering 3 percent back on Amazon.com purchases, the card also gives 2 percent back on purchases at gas stations, restaurants and drug stores. Customers can also earn 1 percent back on all other purchases, and the points can be used toward Amazon.com purchases.
Another major bank not yet participating in Apple Pay is Discover, which as of Friday still cannot be added to the digital wallet service for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Discover has said it is in talks with Apple regarding the new service, but no timeframe for support has been given.
Users who have already entered other credit cards into Passbook but want to change their default card to the Amazon Visa can follow AppleInsider's in-depth guide on how to change the default Apple Pay credit card. Users with multiple cards enter into Apple Pay can also tap the collection of cards at the bottom of the screen when completing a transaction and manually choose a card for a one-time purchase.
The Amazon Rewards Visa was not compatible with Apple Pay when it debuted on Monday, telling users that the card was not yet supported. But that's changed as of Friday, and users can now scan or enter the card and add it to their digital wallet.
Given the variety of items available for purchase on Amazon.com, the company's rewards card is particularly popular. Many AppleInsider readers reached out this week to express frustration that the card did not support Apple Pay at launch.
In addition to offering 3 percent back on Amazon.com purchases, the card also gives 2 percent back on purchases at gas stations, restaurants and drug stores. Customers can also earn 1 percent back on all other purchases, and the points can be used toward Amazon.com purchases.
Another major bank not yet participating in Apple Pay is Discover, which as of Friday still cannot be added to the digital wallet service for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Discover has said it is in talks with Apple regarding the new service, but no timeframe for support has been given.
Users who have already entered other credit cards into Passbook but want to change their default card to the Amazon Visa can follow AppleInsider's in-depth guide on how to change the default Apple Pay credit card. Users with multiple cards enter into Apple Pay can also tap the collection of cards at the bottom of the screen when completing a transaction and manually choose a card for a one-time purchase.
Comments
Thank you Amazon and Chase for sorting this out quickly. Perhaps the massive tweet/email/posting campaign worked.
BTW - I used Apple Pay at the local CVS yesterday and it worked perfectly. It's a really simple way to pay. Very well done!
And so it starts. Retailers know Apple Pay is a great way to improve purchasing experiences and security at the same time.
Best Buy, Walmart and those losers at Rite Aid will soon learn they're not going to be able to force their stupid CurrentC system on consumers by INTENTIONALLY blocking Apple Pay.
I'll be using my airline rewards cards there where I actually get some benefit.
Makes no sense.
How is any of that helpful when using the Amazon Chase Visa at pharmacies, fuel stations, office supply stores, or eating out where one gets 2x points as compared to other cards?
I have to say that's kind of a weird card policy when attempting to drive purchases through Amazon. On the other hand, I guess Amazon is trying to get into banking, or Chase is trying to ensure they get as much use as possible for their investment? Still an interesting deal.
Interesting post on Apple’s discussion forums. A poster who says they are with a small credit union wants to know how to contact Apple about getting their cards on ?Pay. The poster says they have been deluged with requests from members wanting their credit cards added to ?Pay.
The pressure seems to be building.
The main benefit is the 3x points via Amazon.com. I also use it for pharmacies (which includes everything in that pharmacy store, not just medication or, specifically, prescriptions) for 2x points. I used to use it got fuel but I now get 5x points from a different card for gas stations.
I don't think you understand how credit cards work, or maybe you didn't bother to read the article before posting.
I use the Sallie Mae Reward card as my primary Amazon card. 5% on up to $750 Amazon purchases, 5% on $250 gas, and 5% on $250 groceries.
The main benefit is the 3x points via Amazon.com. I also use it for pharmacies (which includes everything in that pharmacy store, not just medication or, specifically, prescriptions) for 2x points. I used to use it got fuel but I now get 5x points from a different card for gas stations.
I wondered if Amazon would embrace ?Pay. Good for them. I love my Amazon Prime (not the steaming, the shipping service). I don't use the Amazon card as I get Delta miles on my Amex but I wonder which is the better deal ... there should be a web site than can calculate all the pros and cons of these card rewards! As it is ... 'I can't see the discount for the miles'.
I'm almost certain that Apple Pay is less expensive an alternative (fees+fraud < current fees+fraud). Apple Pay is really a tier beyond CVV as it truly is 'something you (and only you) have'. Anyone doing huge sales online will adopt ApplePay as
1) Apple iOS users are huge online shoppers
2) Apple's trends in the PC world means the significant online shoppers in the PC world are trending to Apple
3) Apple isn't 'owning' the transaction (the customer). It's a passhthru service and Apple is gaining nothing (no demographics, no buying trends, no intel on the transaction), other than a service fee. This isn't like joining Amazon only to realize 2 years into your relationship, Amazon is underselling you, or Google selling your customer's information to your competitors.
by Fall 2015, (2015 CES is my over/under), Samsung/Google will have a similar infrastructure in place (but not the same, and the HW/OS/SW/WebServices marriage will be expensive to build). The difference is, their user base is the lower half of the of the spending demographic (at least in the US/EU). But they will have to, to provide in-app parity for developers and large retailers... Nothing will be worse than to tell people after the next breach "Apple Pay users were not impacted, you may carry on" Any 'big spenders' carrying android phones will flock to buy into iOS for the perceived (imo, it's not worth the $400-800 fee, the risk isn't that great... but maybe the piece of mind is) benefit, and the press will skewer any weaknesses, because well, they need to see page hits.
All I know is... the fewer times I send PAN information in the clear, or hand my card over to a minimum wage employee, the smaller the threat surface.
I've seen that card, but I've been waiting for several of my hard inquires* to drop off before getting it.
* Stay on credit for 24 months exactly or 24 months plus the remainder of last month, depending on credit bureau.
Well, it is a Chase-issued credit card afterall. Which means, contrary to what you'd expect for a tech company like amazon, they are subject to Chase-dom. I believe they have no EMV version yet and the passwords for your online access are NOT case sensitive.
I don't understand why you even need Apple Pay with Amazon's own card. The whole point of Apple Pay is convenience and security. Nothing is more convenient than Amazon's own one-step payment process. Now we're talking about their own card. They already have all of your information. So there's NO added security. So again, why do I care if they support Apple Pay or not on their own credit card, the only benefit of which is to give you cash back from purchases through them?
Security is a big deal. and you're assuming there is only one place where your information is.
It's in your head (for me)
It's in your wallet
It's in your browser
It's sent decrypted by your vendor (amazon or not) if they do it wrong, or their payment processor (heartland Financial, for example)
It's sent and decrypted to your bank (card issuer)
It may be copied to a Fraud assessment service as well at any of these locations
That's the online side of it.
Apple Pay basically eliminates all of the decryptions. And it's your fingerprint on one and only one device that enables it. (you can't steal a finger print and use it over on some other computer/device... reducing to a very small, physical [your phone/iPad] threat surface) What is sent even in the encrypted data is a one time set of data useless except for the exact vendor and the exact purchase price at the exact same time of your current transaction. Once it gets to the issuing bank, they then decrypt the token to get the real payer information.
So tell me again, why do you think there is no added security?
Sheeple.
All true but I think you misunderstood me there ... I was meaning if I have Amex and say Amazon's card in my iPhone / ?Watch system... which is better to use ... both using ?Pay at a particular moment in time?
I get Fly Miles on my Amex Gold Delta card and awards on Amazon's card. I simply was saying some sort of continuously updated web site that you could go to on any given day and check which is truly the best deal would be cool. It is deliberately obfuscated to hell as it is so we can't tell. No doubt this is impossible to do.
He's talking about online Amazon website purchases vs using it anywhere else and not accruing points. Jeesh.
As the other poster pointed out this is more a Chase thing than an Amazon thing. No big deal. And I wouldnt use an Amazon card outside of Amazon either.
And who uses their Amazon Card at a B&M store where they get NO benefits from using it?
Read the article again. There most certainly are benefits. And actually better benefits than from your airline card, given that all the airlines are drastically cutting back on reward miles/points and restricting the flights on which you can redeem them. Meanwhile, Amazon points that you accumulate at B&M stores don't lose value and can be used to buy a wide variety of products; you are not restricted to airline seats. Personally using my Amazon card, I've not paid a penny for Christmas presents in a decade; all bought with points.