Apple has updated its retail store app and added support for paying for goods on an iPhone. The feature currently only works in its US stores, and only a handful of accessories can be bought in this way, but some think it provides an intriguing peek into the potential future of shopping at an Apple Store.
EasyPay, as it’s called, allows customers to scan the barcode of an item and read about it on Apple’s online store. They can then log in with an Apple ID and pay for the item with the credit card associated with their iTunes account. Once paid for, the item can be collected immediately. It’s like having Argos on your iPhone.
Customers using the app while not in a store can place an order and pay for it, then collect the item from an Apple Retail Store later, all from within the app. Again, this feature is only available in the US.
There’s currently a battle being fought to create a standard for contactless card payments. Google is pushing NFC (near-field communications) with Google Wallet, while the Bluetooth SIG is pushing Bluetooth 4. Some have speculated that Apple will add NFC chips to the iPhone and iPod touch and attempt to use iTunes as a conduit for payments for a whole host of goods and services, though it has shown no interest in NFC to date. EasyPay uses wifi to communicate with Apple’s online store and iTunes.
In the UK, credit card companies like Barclaycard have introduced contactless payment systems for small transactions. These only require the customer to swipe their card at the payment terminal, rather than enter a PIN. But they are barely used.
In addition to the failure to settle on a standard, contactless payment systems are being held up by the fact that they offer very little to the customer in the way of additional convenience and so little incentive for retailers to invest in the necessary equipment. The IT and banking industries have been trying to find a way to implement ‘electronic cash’ systems for two decades and have so far failed.
Security concerns and, in the case of NFC, the bad publicity around RFID, are also cited by some experts as reasons why there has been no sign of a revolution in the way we pay for goods in-store. And while EasyPay may be an improvement in Apple’s stores, where it is notoriously difficult to buy and pay for anything, it’s a big step from there to using an iPhone or iPod touch as a wallet up and down the high street.
For more breaking news and reviews, subscribe to
MacUser magazine. We'll give you
three issues for £1
Reviews
Does the new Apple Store app point to the future of retailing?
by Kenny Hemphill on November 8, 2011
Apple has updated its retail store app and added support for paying for goods on an iPhone. The feature currently only works in its US stores, and only a handful of accessories can be bought in this way, but some think it provides an intriguing peek into the potential future of shopping at an Apple Store.
EasyPay, as it’s called, allows customers to scan the barcode of an item and read about it on Apple’s online store. They can then log in with an Apple ID and pay for the item with the credit card associated with their iTunes account. Once paid for, the item can be collected immediately. It’s like having Argos on your iPhone.
Customers using the app while not in a store can place an order and pay for it, then collect the item from an Apple Retail Store later, all from within the app. Again, this feature is only available in the US.
There’s currently a battle being fought to create a standard for contactless card payments. Google is pushing NFC (near-field communications) with Google Wallet, while the Bluetooth SIG is pushing Bluetooth 4. Some have speculated that Apple will add NFC chips to the iPhone and iPod touch and attempt to use iTunes as a conduit for payments for a whole host of goods and services, though it has shown no interest in NFC to date. EasyPay uses wifi to communicate with Apple’s online store and iTunes.
In the UK, credit card companies like Barclaycard have introduced contactless payment systems for small transactions. These only require the customer to swipe their card at the payment terminal, rather than enter a PIN. But they are barely used.
In addition to the failure to settle on a standard, contactless payment systems are being held up by the fact that they offer very little to the customer in the way of additional convenience and so little incentive for retailers to invest in the necessary equipment. The IT and banking industries have been trying to find a way to implement ‘electronic cash’ systems for two decades and have so far failed.
Security concerns and, in the case of NFC, the bad publicity around RFID, are also cited by some experts as reasons why there has been no sign of a revolution in the way we pay for goods in-store. And while EasyPay may be an improvement in Apple’s stores, where it is notoriously difficult to buy and pay for anything, it’s a big step from there to using an iPhone or iPod touch as a wallet up and down the high street.