Some merchants like the idea of Apple Pay, though it appears others, like CVS and Rite Aid, are more fond of the idea of skipping over the middlemen and going straight to the bank.
CVS and Rite Aid initially offered full support for Apple's mobile payments system, which exchanges transaction details between mobile devices and point-of-sale systems fitted with near-field communications terminals. But just days after the Apple Pay launch, the two pharmacies disabled NFC terminals and essentially placed a stay on all virtual wallet transactions in their stores --- those same terminals that also facilitated Google Wallet transactions.
"Given that we are still in the process of evaluating our mobile payment options, Rite Aid does not currently accept ApplePay," stated a Rite Aid spokeswoman. "We are continually evaluating various forms of mobile payment technologies, and are committed to offering convenient, reliable and secure payment methods that meet the needs of our customers."
As news of Apple's virtual wallet system began to leak ahead of the company's Sept. 9 presentation, a rival network, not quite as close to release, emerged from the shadows to soak up some of Apple Pay's time in the sun.
The Merchant Customer Exchange's (MCX) CurrentC app leverages NFC terminals just like Apple Pay, though the incoming system will support the throngs of Android users as well as those who use Apple mobile devices. It's that platform agnosticism from a singular service that may have drawn CVS and Rite Aid away from Apple Pay, as both pharmacies are already a part of the MCX network.
Like Apple Pay, the CurrentC system will allow merchants to integrate the payments platform into existing apps. That integration into a CVS or Rite Aid branded app will allow merchants to advertise directly to their users and it will also enable them to reward customer loyalty, the latter being an ability Apple has shied away from and a feature analysts have pointed out as one of the many hurdles Apple Pay will have to overcome.
"Just because Apple is now responsible for us getting to this tipping point doesn't mean Apple is necessarily going to win," says James Wester, research director of global payments at IDC Financial Insights.
"They've got a very cool solution that is very similar to the solution that other people have come out with, but Apple is really good at user experience and has loyal customers. ... That's something you can't discount."
