[neurodave]

Just wondering how everyone feels about this move by both retailers and their push for the rather unimpressive "CurrentC" payment system.

The general consensus seems to be that it's a rather negative move on their part, and many people seem to be choosing to move their business to Walgreens.

I personally find Rite Aid a dying brand and CVS is pretty outdated itself. I only shop either one when I absolutely must. Now that they've taken the hostile decision to remove Apple Pay and the likes, I think it's safe to say I won't even be going for small things.

And no, not because they don't have Apple Pay but rather the WHY they removed it. They don't seem to fond of the privacy side of Apple Pay which in turn means they can't have your personal information or the ability to track your shopping habits.

What's everyone else's thoughts? They enabled the system for a few days and then gave us all a big "JAY KAY."

[calebt]

Sucks, Rite Aid and McDonalds are the only business in my town to accept Apple Pay.


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[Just_Me_D]

It doesn't bother me one bit because I'll adjust to whatever is decided. Having said that, a member has launched a #SuuportApplePay campaign that coincides with this thread via the following link.

http://forums.imore.com/apple-pay/30...tapplepay.html

[nr2d]

I don't use CVS but I do use RiteAid. I think it is stupid on their part to reject Apple Pay. From what I read they both are going to use either their own E-Pay system or another E-Pay supplier. It looks to me as just another way they can make money on their own. I don't think it has anything to do with keeping your privacy protected. Not that Apple Pay is a cure-all but there are sure a lot of retailers and banks signing up. I hope they both release the error of their ways and will soon adopt Apple Pay.

[jmr1015]

Google Wallet and SoftCard get left out in the cold on this as well.

[sanibel]

If Apple Pay catches on, they'll be back with tails between their legs...

[jagfan2]

A non issue for me.

[jdhooghe]

Then I'll take my business elsewhere to stores that do support NFC/Apple Pay.

[Vortec 5.3]

I don't shop at either of them.

[warcraftWidow]

Here's another article about it.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techc...3/83DqvVjvNyU/
CurrentC is all about reducing the CC fees retailers pay to the banks than helping consumers out. What they don't get is that by reducing pay friction, ApplePay (and other NFC systems like Google Wallet) will encourage consumers to buy more and more often. I really don't care about reducing the fees Walmart pays to banks/Visa/MasterCard because they just want to pad their bottom line not reduce consumer prices.

[ame]

I have a feeling that they'll come crawling back if they're the only ones doing it.

I don't have RiteAid here and I almost never go to CVS anyway, so it's no real loss for me.

[calebt]

I hope Apple Pay and NFC wins this battle.


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[ls108]

There are no Rite Aid in my area at all.

[BBDemetria]

"Mistakes were made."
I really want to see NFC payments succeed, and this isn't helping anything.

[rayz336]

I rarely go to either of them and I don't see this as a big deal for me given the lack of both chains in my area

[the_tech_eater]

I'm young and healthy... So neither effects me...

[Darthstorm528]

No Rite Aid in my area and I don't shop at CVS so doesn't affect me but it's a huge mistake on their part

[joemd60]

In my opinion, it's not very good business decision making.
If you cannot evolve with technology, loyalty won't mean much.
For me, it doesn't matter, My health insurance when needed is tied into CVS for prescriptions, So I don't have a choice.
But others may shop elsewhere out of general principle.
I agree with the OP on his theory with all these stores. The Rite Aid where I live phased out.

[nj1266]

There are two ways that CurrentC can be undermined:

1. Apple and Google will remove the app from their respective app stores. That will effectively kill it. Stick a fork in CurrentC it is done.

2. The banks will start charging merchants similar fees to use ACH that they currently charge them for the use of CC. There goes the slim profits that merchants want by side stepping CC use.

Apparently, these stupid merchants have not heard of the concept of reciprocity. In a free market and a free society two actors can equally inflict pain on each other by using similar tactics.

If I am Tim Cook, I will get the CEO of Google on the phone and agree on the removal of CurrentC from both app stores.

[sanibel]

Much of us here own Apple products so we drum-up support for our (beloved) Apple. Truth is, America is the capital of capitalism which, rightly so, infuses competition. Case in point: The likes of Walmart, Kmart, 7-Eleven and Best Buy who are in direct competition with Apple Pay. Through a joint venture formed in 2012, are building their own mobile payment app, called CurrentC. In the meantime, these retailers have no intention to support Apple Pay. Additionally, Rite Aid and CVS will support CurrentC on launch next year.

[nj1266]

I am sorry but this is not capitalism. This is collusion among a few actors in the marketplace to subvert innovation. Capitalism is about individual buyers and sellers meeting in the marketplace and using freely accessible tools to exchange goods.

What these bad actors are doing is to subvert technological innovation in order to save a few bucks and add to their profits and to mine my data for marketing purposes.

If they were really interested in the free market then they would let BOTH NFC and CurrentC stand and would allow the users to decide which one to use.

As I understand it, CurrentC is old tech and is not user friendly at all. It requires far more steps to use than AP NFC or even Google Wallet. Second, using my ACH account rather than my CC to purchase goods does not afford me the needed fraud protection.

If anything, this practice is anti competitive and should be investigated by the FTC.

[sanibel]

capitalism
ˈkapədlˌizəm/
noun
1.an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.
2. an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

Capitalism is both very good and very bad depending on what side you are in a situation. And yes: Capitalism could stymie innovation.
(By the way, I've written to both CVS & Rite Aid (per Rene Ritchie's article), pointing out that Apple Pay is simply better technology than CurrentC.)

[nj1266]

Way to be literal by pointing out that I did not use the word Corporation. The horror !!! I could have easily added individuals and corporations in my definition, but I thought it was implied since in the US corporations ARE individuals under the law.

Even if we use corporations as you suggest, what I typed still applies. In a free market capitalist economy, corporations should not collude to undermine the free exchange of ideas and tools needed to hasten the exchange of commodity. In capitalism, if a commodity is not exchanged for money quickly, then that will slow the reinvestment of the realized profit back into the capitalist process of production. In that sense, this practice is bad for capitalism.

This is also cartel like behavior. They are colluding to subvert the market and increase their profit margins because they cannot compete in an open market. These are rent seekers and not capitalists. Capitalists compete with each other and whoever is left standing then so be it.

[The_colombian]

And this is why is wont catch on for who knows how much longer. No carriers wanted Google wallet. ISIS or whatever they called it never worked properly. Now Apple getting denied too. Google wallet should have been a hit.

[sanibel]

@nj1266: I see it differently but oh hum.
Here's a quote from Caitlin McGarry who writes for Macworld Magazine: "In this great mobile payment experiment, CurrentC should compete on its own merits. It could very well succeed—with the support of some of the biggest retailers in the country, CurrentC is certainly no underdog... the solution is a mobile app that bypasses credit cards—and the associated merchant fees—by linking directly to customers’ checking or savings accounts." In other words, they are looking for ways to cut down on CC and banks fees. I don't see how this is illegal or anti-capitalistic.

Most importantly: Consumers have choices! No one is forcing you to shop @CVS, et al.

Keep in mind that Apple Pay is supported by the banks. The fight for control of the mobile payments market is opening a rift between merchants and banks. Banks and credit card companies have enthusiastically supported Apple Pay, seeing it as a way to increase the number of purchases people make with their credit cards. The banks and credit card companies are one of the biggest crooks in US history ~ cartel you say?!