Starbucks Card Mobile App Payment Trial Expanded

Well I'm happy to hear the payment trial's expanding!!

Unfortunately there are no Target stores in Manhattan where I live. There are, however, something like 2,385,417 Starbucks locations here. I'm REALLY hoping the payment trial expands to a few stores in the city! I would love to get rid of my physical cards in my wallet. Can't wait until the day I can pay everything with my iPhone! :D

Well I'm happy to hear the payment trial's expanding!!

Unfortunately there are no Target stores in Manhattan where I live. There are, however, something like 2,385,417 Starbucks locations here. I'm REALLY hoping the payment trial expands to a few stores in the city! I would love to get rid of my physical cards in my wallet. Can't wait until the day I can pay everything with my iPhone! :D

Do they just scan a barcode on ur phone's screen, or something? How does it work? (not a coffee drinker, so I've never even played with the app)

And, btw, paying everything with the phone would be awesome. Kinda risky, but awesome, nonetheless.

Apple, making it easier to seperate people from their money since 2004.

Apple, making it easier to seperate people from their money since 2004.

A lot longer than that...

Well I'm happy to hear the payment trial's expanding!!

Unfortunately there are no Target stores in Manhattan where I live. There are, however, something like 2,385,417 Starbucks locations here. I'm REALLY hoping the payment trial expands to a few stores in the city! I would love to get rid of my physical cards in my wallet. Can't wait until the day I can pay everything with my iPhone! :D

+1. NYC could use this

I'm a little confused...

Apple has a service that developers can use to offer in-app purchases (without forcing the user into safari and ordering via a normal web based transaction) right?

And doesn't Apple force all developer who want to provide in app purchases into using this services (at a 30% processing fee) - or resort to rolling the use out of the app and into Safari? If yes... then how is this App being allowed to skirt the system? From the screen shots a credit card number is directly entered into the Starbucks App and the App seems to only talk to Starbucks OWN payment systems.

If Starbucks is allowed do in app purchasing without Apple getting hit with a 30% fee for each purchase then what is preventing an Amazon ebook reader or a B&N ebook reader or anyone else wanting to sell a product from also going around Apple and not being forced to give up 30% cut?

Maybe I've mistakenly thought in App purchases HAD to be processed from Apples 30% service or not processed at all. This Starbucks app seems to indicate something else....

If I'm mistaken then please accept the advance apology but I'd love to hear from someone who might be in a better position to answer for sure (one way or the other).

Well I'm happy to hear the payment trial's expanding!!

Unfortunately there are no Target stores in Manhattan where I live. There are, however, something like 2,385,417 Starbucks locations here. I'm REALLY hoping the payment trial expands to a few stores in the city! I would love to get rid of my physical cards in my wallet. Can't wait until the day I can pay everything with my iPhone! :D

+2

Seriously, we have a gazillion Starbucks here but no Target stores. I often get coffee before class and this would be cool to try.

Well I'm happy to hear the payment trial's expanding!!

Unfortunately there are no Target stores in Manhattan where I live. There are, however, something like 2,385,417 Starbucks locations here. I'm REALLY hoping the payment trial expands to a few stores in the city! I would love to get rid of my physical cards in my wallet. Can't wait until the day I can pay everything with my iPhone! :D

+3 gotta get this in NYC

funny the only stores participating around me are in target stores. and well installing this app I was like hey starbucks following targets coupon on screen lead. but apparently their working together.

Do they just scan a barcode on ur phone's screen, or something? How does it work? (not a coffee drinker, so I've never even played with the app)

Yes, when you're ready to pay, you just touch a button that brings up a screen that looks like this:



The barista scans it, and your drink is paid for!

I'm a little confused...

Apple has a service that developers can use to offer in-app purchases (without forcing the user into safari and ordering via a normal web based transaction) right?

And doesn't Apple force all developer who want to provide in app purchases into using this services (at a 30% processing fee) - or resort to rolling the use out of the app and into Safari? If yes... then how is this App being allowed to skirt the system? From the screen shots a credit card number is directly entered into the Starbucks App and the App seems to only talk to Starbucks OWN payment systems.

If Starbucks is allowed do in app purchasing without Apple getting hit with a 30% fee for each purchase then what is preventing an Amazon ebook reader or a B&N ebook reader or anyone else wanting to sell a product from also going around Apple and not being forced to give up 30% cut?

Maybe I've mistakenly thought in App purchases HAD to be processed from Apples 30% service or not processed at all. This Starbucks app seems to indicate something else....

If I'm mistaken then please accept the advance apology but I'd love to hear from someone who might be in a better position to answer for sure (one way or the other).

The Starbucks Card app simply stores the amounts you have on whatever Starbucks cards you already own. I don't believe you can buy NEW cards with it. The main things you can do are check the amount you have on any given card, and add more funds to an existing card. But you're never actually paying for something that's being put onto your phone (like an app, or an in-app purchase), or being viewed/accessed through your phone (like a subscription to something, i.e. an online newspaper or music service) -- so it doesn't make sense for Apple to take a cut of it. Whatever you buy with your Starbucks Card is at a physical store ONLY. Normally you would just whip out your physical card and just pay with that, but this app is allowing you to forgo the card and whip out your iPhone instead (in participating stores, of course).

So I think that's the main distinction...that what you're buying is something physical in a real store, and not something that's going to be on your phone somehow, like a B&N eBook would be.