CVS testing Apple Pay, but chain says no official support ready yet

Posted:
in iPhone edited July 2016
U.S. pharmacy chain CVS appears to be testing support for Apple Pay, although the company says it still has no official launch date, and is currently only "evaluating" mobile payment options.

From an AppleInsider tipster.
From an AppleInsider tipster.


Accounts of miscellaneous CVS locations accepting Apple Pay transactions have occurred for about a month on Twitter, and a tip received by AppleInsider suggests transactions are working at a location in Key West, Fla.

CVS has also taken to Twitter, however, stating that it isn't officially accepting Apple Pay, or any other mobile payment platform based on NFC.

"We are in the process of evaluating mobile payment options for our customers," the company said on Monday.

CVS has lagged behind rivals Rite Aid and Walgreens in adding support. Upgrading a national chain for Apple Pay can be a major endeavor however, since a business must not only update its backend but invest in marketing and NFC-capable terminals. Smaller businesses can make use of cheaper Apple Pay-compatible readers tied to payment services like Square.

Accordingly major merchant support for Apple Pay has grown much more slowly than bank and credit union compatibility. Even as the platform comes to countries like Singapore and Switzerland, many U.S. retailers that have pledged support -- like Anthropologie, Chick-fil-A, Forever 21, and JCPenney -- have yet to deliver.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    levilevi Posts: 344member
    Can't come soon enough. Apple Pay has saved my bacon a few times when I've left my wallet behind.
    nolamacguylatifbp
  • Reply 2 of 20
    leptonlepton Posts: 111member
    I switched from CVS to Walgreens due to lack of ApplePay in the former. Maybe I'll come back if you hurry up!
    jbdragonnolamacguylatifbppatchythepirate
  • Reply 3 of 20
    robbydekrobbydek Posts: 35member
    Most of their stores are fully capable of accepting Apple Pay, so you mean that they are finally re-enabling it!
    jbdragonnolamacguylatifbp
  • Reply 4 of 20
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 503member
    Believe it or not, I've notice a lot of stores have either neglected to enable NFC or just upgraded to terminals without it, since switching to chip & pin readers. A few places that accepted Apple Pay before don't now. Like my local Toys R Us & Pollo Tropical. Really frustrating.
    latifbp
  • Reply 5 of 20
    lepton said:
    I switched from CVS to Walgreens due to lack of ApplePay in the former. Maybe I'll come back if you hurry up!
    Ditto. Though ApplePay did work at my local CSV the first week...before they disabled it. So I doubt I'll be going back.
    latifbp
  • Reply 6 of 20
    lepton said:
    I switched from CVS to Walgreens due to lack of ApplePay in the former. Maybe I'll come back if you hurry up!
    Ditto. Though ApplePay did work at my local CSV the first week...before they disabled it. So I doubt I'll be going back.
    Same for me. The first day I had my iPhone 6 I set up Apple Pay and used it at the CVS a mile from my house. Three days later I was there with my wife and wanted to show how it worked and nothing. Stupid.

    That CVS is on a corner. Directly across is a McDonald's, and the next two businesses down from CVS, an Ocean State Job Lot and a Big Y supermarket all accept Apple Pay. When I'm heading that way I don't bring my wallet. Too bad for CVS. 
    jbdragonlatifbp
  • Reply 7 of 20
    gprovidagprovida Posts: 258member
    Ironically it initially worked, until CVS pulled support.  So I suspect testing is a bogus excuse.  They are just delaying hoping their own alternative rises from the ashes. I have chosen to shop awalgreens since they use Apple Pay. As Wendy's (ergo go to Macdonalds) security breach and so many others testify, Apple Pay is the right secure solution. Since there is effectively no penalty for stores poor security except a short time of bad publicity and a trivial expense for fraud alert there is little incentive for them to improve. 

    We have become so inured to these comstant failures by store chains, we have trouble being outraged and demanding serious penalties. 
    latifbp
  • Reply 8 of 20
    plovellplovell Posts: 824member
    I left when they killed it in their stores. Why the heck should I come back?? For the amazing customer service *cough* or excellent selection *choke* ?? No. This is a case of you-broke-it-you-own-it.
    jbdragonlatifbp
  • Reply 9 of 20
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Gimme a break. “Testing” Apple Pay? What’s to test? NFC is an established system. Make no mistake about it, this is about fees and kickbacks. CVS wants to monetize any payment system they support. It’s not about security, the customer experience, convenience or anything other silly thing. It’s about how much is this going to cost CVS. And it’s not about Apple Pay either. CVS is not accepting any NFC payment system at this time. A good friend of mine owns and operates an independent pharmacy. He has not enabled NFC either because of the additional cost and fees involved. I’m sure the point of sale terminal manufacturer charges to enable it and possibly a monthly fee to maintain it. 
  • Reply 10 of 20
    Hopefully Costco and Kroger are not far behind...
  • Reply 11 of 20
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    doesn't make sense since they already have the NFC POSTs. 

    I'm not aware of any additional fees for merchants to process NFC vs cards. sounds like your friend is full of as much baloney as CVS is. 
  • Reply 12 of 20
    focherfocher Posts: 687member
    As others have pointed out, Apple Pay worked on DAY ONE at CVS. Then CVS intentionally deactivated it. Nothing for them to do except undo what they did.
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 13 of 20
    sailorpaulsailorpaul Posts: 322member
    We actively worked to move 200+ patients away from CVS because of the chain's short sighted views and for shutting off ApplePay on day one.   CVS management can go ____  __________.

    Walgreens has been just fine.  Thank you very much
    patchythepirate
  • Reply 14 of 20
    bonobobbonobob Posts: 382member
    plovell said:
    I left when they killed it in their stores. Why the heck should I come back?? For the amazing customer service *cough* or excellent selection *choke* ?? No. This is a case of you-broke-it-you-own-it.
    Obviously you should go back for their higher prices.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    bonobobbonobob Posts: 382member

    Hopefully Costco and Kroger are not far behind...
    I'm still hoping Costco will remove the tape covering their chip readers, never mind NFC.
  • Reply 16 of 20
    I really like cvs. We get a lot of bonus dollars from shopping there.  Sometimes $10 of free money just for scanning our loyalty  card.  I have to pick up my prescriptions for 50 months just to get enough points to get $5 from Walgreens. 


  • Reply 17 of 20
    This is another nail in the coffin for CurentC.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Apple Pay is fantastic - when the merchants have the infrastructure to support it!

    I forgot my wallet at home today (yep, a stupid move...), but was able to get by at work no problem as the food services here all take NFC payments.  So purchased coffee and lunch right from the Apple Watch.  NFC terminals are widely deployed in service industries here in Canada, so I am able to use Pay multiple times every day.

    Not so good on my trip to Atlantic City last week.  Even when terminals had the NFC sign on them, the merchants said they weren't activated.  I was able to use Pay just once, and had to sign a paper copy anyways...  Clearly a steep hill to climb in the USA to get NFC terminals deployed (and active!) in enough locations.
  • Reply 19 of 20
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    This is another nail in the coffin for CurentC.
    CurrentC is already dead. There isn't "another nail" and even if there was, it wouldn't matter.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    Yeah the "testing" is just trying to save face. But it doesn't make any difference for me. I'd go to my local CVS in a heartbeat, if they had NFC terminals. This store doesn't.

    Walgreen's is a little out of the way for me, and no reason for me to shun CVS, if the store ever gets NFC readers. It does have chip readers and I have chipped cards. :(
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