How is this any different than the Starbucks App which does practically the same thing and is a runaway success?
I do agree though that CVS is going the wrong way with this. I much prefer to use my Apple Pay or NFC payment's as a whole.
Their app can and should do all the stuff that it does except the payment. They can integrate their loyalty card, manage prescriptions etc. That's all great. But, when it comes time to actually give them money, this convoluted, tedious and time wasting bar code scanning is just ridiculous. Enable NFC, accept Apple Pay (and the others) and be done with it. I believe this is an attempt to minimize the fees they pay for accepting cards.
Part of me understands CVS position on this. However it is very short sighted. Consumers want to use what works for them. They want CHOICE. CVS should allow Apple Pay and then come out with their own solution also. If their solution is better for consumers they will use it. Otherwise they will use the prove solution of Apple Pay.
The app can do all that stuff. Apple Pay integrates rewards cards. Just stop it with the stupidity at the register.
Here is my experience with CVS, never really used them until recent when my company decide to use them as our provided or prescription drugs, we do not need to use them by they are the preferred provider.
We have always used Rite Aid since it was right now the street. As typical prescription plan you pay a minimal co-pay like $20 if need more than 90 days you order online/mail order and pay a lower co-pay than you would if you go to the store every 30 days. For years Rite Aid would charge less then the $20 co-pay if actually cost was less then $20, some time we would pay $18, I had asked them why and said if the actual prescription cost is lower than the co-pay they only charge the actual cost. However, CVS does not do this they will charge you the full co-pay no mater is the actual costs are less.
The other stupid thing my company did was add the prescription cost into the medical deductible, so you have to cover the deductible before the co-pay kick in. Well we did a 3 month mail order with CVS after we have done a 3 month initial fill with Rita Aid down the street and we paid like $80 for 3 months. When we did the mail order the next 90 days CVS hit us with a bill of $250, when we asked why they say we did not hit our deductible, which was true, therefore we pay the full cost. When we asked why Rita Aid only charged $80, they could not tell us why, what we got was all kinds of excuses. In the end we went back to Rita Aid as we found out they actually pass along the savings they negotiate with drug companies verse CVS who keeps it all for themselves. Rita Aid told us the full non-negotiated cost of the prescription was well over $300 for 90 days.
CVA is part of the reason health care cost are so high, the fact they doing their own payment systems is they trying to gain a few more percent of income and not sharing it with the consumers.
Because my family has to deal with CVS for an prescriptions, we have been sending our prescription to Canada since their negotiated cost they share with consumers is less then CVS and some time Rita Aid.
Because my family has to deal with CVS for an prescriptions, we have been sending our prescription to Canada since their negotiated cost they share with consumers is less then CVS and some time Rita Aid.
The US Government considers those to be illegal drugs. If you recall Google was nailed by the Feds for allowing Canadian drugstores to advertise to US consumers.
Funny, stores use coupons and sales to attract customers. I'm much more swayed to step into a store if they accept apple pay. Walgreens vs CVS near me .. I've changed my default store to Walgreens due to Apple pay. CVS be crazy ...stupid battle to fight, especially now since Apple Pay supports loyalty programs.
I wonder if their reason is because they want to capture the consumer data, which is fine with me I could care less. Why not then have a card tied into Apple Pay like Walgreens, seamless. It's great.
Here is my experience with CVS, never really used them until recent when my company decide to use them as our provided or prescription drugs, we do not need to use them by they are the preferred provider.
We have always used Rite Aid since it was right now the street. As typical prescription plan you pay a minimal co-pay like $20 if need more than 90 days you order online/mail order and pay a lower co-pay than you would if you go to the store every 30 days. For years Rite Aid would charge less then the $20 co-pay if actually cost was less then $20, some time we would pay $18, I had asked them why and said if the actual prescription cost is lower than the co-pay they only charge the actual cost. However, CVS does not do this they will charge you the full co-pay no mater is the actual costs are less.
The other stupid thing my company did was add the prescription cost into the medical deductible, so you have to cover the deductible before the co-pay kick in. Well we did a 3 month mail order with CVS after we have done a 3 month initial fill with Rita Aid down the street and we paid like $80 for 3 months. When we did the mail order the next 90 days CVS hit us with a bill of $250, when we asked why they say we did not hit our deductible, which was true, therefore we pay the full cost. When we asked why Rita Aid only charged $80, they could not tell us why, what we got was all kinds of excuses. In the end we went back to Rita Aid as we found out they actually pass along the savings they negotiate with drug companies verse CVS who keeps it all for themselves. Rita Aid told us the full non-negotiated cost of the prescription was well over $300 for 90 days.
CVA is part of the reason health care cost are so high, the fact they doing their own payment systems is they trying to gain a few more percent of income and not sharing it with the consumers.
Because my family has to deal with CVS for an prescriptions, we have been sending our prescription to Canada since their negotiated cost they share with consumers is less then CVS and some time Rita Aid.
This is why I thank the gods I live in a country with a system where by my prescriptions are free for me and the cost of prescription drugs are regulated ~$11 per item regardless of the drug if you don't qualify for free prescriptions.
How many different stores does one individual shop in? Can you imagine an app for each store? It'd be 2 screens worth of store apps - something no one wants to deal with. Hell, sometimes I don't even know which store I'm in. Just like no one wants about 30 of those cards on their keychain, no one wants all those apps on their phone. Unless it's somewhere one goes often, people just aren't keeping those around.
I tried the Target app(s) for discounts but gave up on them because they are such a hassle to deal with, even if they do use beacons to make it easier to open.
Just tie it to Apple Pay and be done with it!
And to the guy who says Apple makes money on it so it's not free - well, it's free to you and me.
This is why I thank the gods I live in a country with a system where by my prescriptions are free for me and the cost of prescription drugs are regulated ~$11 per item regardless of the drug if you don't qualify for free prescriptions.
So who is actually paying the real cost of your prescriptions? It has to be coming out of somebody's pocket somewhere; TANSTAAFL applies whether you like it or not, or whether or not you realize it.
Meanwhile, there's a good deal of padding going on with regards to our healthcare costs here, including prescription stuff. A lot of it being the government-mandated, end to end paperwork requirements from development through manufacture to delivery. People tend to forget that.
I got to one of the last private, family run pharmacies in my nieghborhood and do my best to avoid these stores. My reason has nothing to do with if they accept Apple Pay or not, besides fellow Apple fans competition is healthy.
Here is my experience with CVS, never really used them until recent when my company decide to use them as our provided or prescription drugs, we do not need to use them by they are the preferred provider.
We have always used Rite Aid since it was right now the street. As typical prescription plan you pay a minimal co-pay like $20 if need more than 90 days you order online/mail order and pay a lower co-pay than you would if you go to the store every 30 days. For years Rite Aid would charge less then the $20 co-pay if actually cost was less then $20, some time we would pay $18, I had asked them why and said if the actual prescription cost is lower than the co-pay they only charge the actual cost. However, CVS does not do this they will charge you the full co-pay no mater is the actual costs are less.
The other stupid thing my company did was add the prescription cost into the medical deductible, so you have to cover the deductible before the co-pay kick in. Well we did a 3 month mail order with CVS after we have done a 3 month initial fill with Rita Aid down the street and we paid like $80 for 3 months. When we did the mail order the next 90 days CVS hit us with a bill of $250, when we asked why they say we did not hit our deductible, which was true, therefore we pay the full cost. When we asked why Rita Aid only charged $80, they could not tell us why, what we got was all kinds of excuses. In the end we went back to Rita Aid as we found out they actually pass along the savings they negotiate with drug companies verse CVS who keeps it all for themselves. Rita Aid told us the full non-negotiated cost of the prescription was well over $300 for 90 days.
CVA is part of the reason health care cost are so high, the fact they doing their own payment systems is they trying to gain a few more percent of income and not sharing it with the consumers.
Because my family has to deal with CVS for an prescriptions, we have been sending our prescription to Canada since their negotiated cost they share with consumers is less then CVS and some time Rita Aid.
This is why I thank the gods I live in a country with a system where by my prescriptions are free for me and the cost of prescription drugs are regulated ~$11 per item regardless of the drug if you don't qualify for free prescriptions.
It's free for you, but everybody else is paying for your drugs. Don't thank the gods, thank the millions of idiots willing to pay for your scrips.
I wonder if their reason is because they want to capture the consumer data, which is fine with me I could care less. Why not then have a card tied into Apple Pay like Walgreens, seamless. It's great.
Exactly. They absolutely can tie their rewards into Apple Pay and Wallet still have their precious data from those willing to join their loyalty program. They can do all that and still accept Apple Pay. Not mutually exclusive.
Comments
Here is my experience with CVS, never really used them until recent when my company decide to use them as our provided or prescription drugs, we do not need to use them by they are the preferred provider.
We have always used Rite Aid since it was right now the street. As typical prescription plan you pay a minimal co-pay like $20 if need more than 90 days you order online/mail order and pay a lower co-pay than you would if you go to the store every 30 days. For years Rite Aid would charge less then the $20 co-pay if actually cost was less then $20, some time we would pay $18, I had asked them why and said if the actual prescription cost is lower than the co-pay they only charge the actual cost. However, CVS does not do this they will charge you the full co-pay no mater is the actual costs are less.
The other stupid thing my company did was add the prescription cost into the medical deductible, so you have to cover the deductible before the co-pay kick in. Well we did a 3 month mail order with CVS after we have done a 3 month initial fill with Rita Aid down the street and we paid like $80 for 3 months. When we did the mail order the next 90 days CVS hit us with a bill of $250, when we asked why they say we did not hit our deductible, which was true, therefore we pay the full cost. When we asked why Rita Aid only charged $80, they could not tell us why, what we got was all kinds of excuses. In the end we went back to Rita Aid as we found out they actually pass along the savings they negotiate with drug companies verse CVS who keeps it all for themselves. Rita Aid told us the full non-negotiated cost of the prescription was well over $300 for 90 days.
CVA is part of the reason health care cost are so high, the fact they doing their own payment systems is they trying to gain a few more percent of income and not sharing it with the consumers.
Because my family has to deal with CVS for an prescriptions, we have been sending our prescription to Canada since their negotiated cost they share with consumers is less then CVS and some time Rita Aid.
They support ApplePay and their Balance Rewards Card is fully NFC integrated in the Wallet App.
I tried the Target app(s) for discounts but gave up on them because they are such a hassle to deal with, even if they do use beacons to make it easier to open.
Just tie it to Apple Pay and be done with it!
And to the guy who says Apple makes money on it so it's not free - well, it's free to you and me.
Meanwhile, there's a good deal of padding going on with regards to our healthcare costs here, including prescription stuff. A lot of it being the government-mandated, end to end paperwork requirements from development through manufacture to delivery. People tend to forget that.
That's a good enough reason to use Apple Pay right there.
Ergo go I shop at Walmart.