Apple Pay to Hit Starbucks Stores This Year

Apple Pay to Hit Starbucks Stores This Year

WSJ Analysis By Shelby Peach

Article By: Douglis Macmillan

Published: October 8,2014 at 7:43 PM

     Two of the largest franchises are coming together for a little business baby making. Starbucks Coffee and Apple are going to be providing Apple Pay for the purchase of over-priced, burned coffee. Nothing against Starbucks- I am, in fact, a shameless gold member, but if we are being honest...the coffee is sub par. Apple Pay seems to be the debit and credit cards of the future. You simply upload your account information onto your iPhone's wallet, and bam! Paying at the touch of a button-literally. Apple pay is being adapted in many other business such as Macy's and McDonalds; so, of course, Starbucks had to jump on the bandwagon. 

     The use of Apple Pay at Starbucks provides a small incentive for Starbucks Coffee's patrons to invest in an iPhone. Although, this is a great marketing idea- there is one small problem I figured. Apple is going to have to come up with a reward/incentive program for Apple Pay at Starbucks. Starbucks already has an app that you can upload money (from your bank account) onto and with every twelve coffees or snack products, you get one for free. Although Apple pay interests me, I would rather have a twelfth crappy cup of coffee- for free. 

      I think this article heavily pertains to our marketing class because it shows how two companies can have a mutually beneficial relationship with marketing to each others' customers. Apple gets marketing to Starbucks clientele and vise versa. I picked this article because I am a not only an iPhone user, but I am also a Starbucks feign (only for it's convenience of course). Wether you use an iPhone, or not, you most likely have had a cup or two of Starbucks coffee. If you don't have an iPhone and you have never EVER been to Starbucks, this still applies to you because there are always at least three Starbucks within a five-mile radius of each other and you have seen commercials or ads for the new Apple Pay. All it takes is a small spark of interest to get one more customer involved in Apple products and Starbucks Coffee. Apple Pay will be affecting much more than your coffee purchases within the near future. Accord to Ms. Bailey (Apple's VP of Internet Services), Apple Pay will be targeting much larger industries, such as travel in the near future.  

http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-pay-to-hit-starbucks-stores-this-year-1444344125