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Starbucks Gets Mobile Payment System

Posted by samzenpus on from the keys-and-sugar dept.

Ron writes "Starbucks has started accepting mobile payments. Customers can now use the Starbucks Card Mobile app on their iPhone, iPod touch, or BlackBerry at nearly 6,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the US plus more than 1,000 outlets inside Target stores. To pay with their phone, app users simply select 'touch to pay' and hold up the barcode on the screen to the 2D scanner at the register. The app also lets users manage Starbucks accounts and find nearby stores. To start using your device as tender, you can download the app now for iOS and BlackBerry. An Android application is also said to be in the works, but the company has not yet given a release date, and there's no word yet on plans for a Windows Phone version."

8 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Achievement unlocked by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 5, Funny

    Achievement unlocked: ability to be even more pretentious whilst in line at Starbucks

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    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  2. Is it me by Dunbal · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Or is this an incredibly stupid idea? Nothing says "hack/steal my phone" like turning into a cash machine.

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Is it me by jo_ham · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So, what? The thief buys 200 coffees on your account and sells them for cash to punters outside?

      I think it would just be easier to sell the phone itself if you're going to go to the trouble of stealing it.

    2. Re:Is it me by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That's not it. Right now it's Starbucks, but soon it will be McDonalds and Wal Mart and the gas station, etc. Watch, you'll see.

      Now you could argue that there's no difference between this and a credit/debit card. However there is one huge difference. With a credit card the merchant obtains the equipment from the bank, and you obtain your card from the bank. They work together, the card never leaves your presence, the card reader never leaves the merchant's point of sale, and it's hard (but not impossible) for someone to get in between both of them.

      With a cell phone the "equipment" is partly in the hands of the public and relies on software and encryption to prevent hacking and "man in the middle" exploits. Well the first rule of security is never give someone physical access to your system... If the bank is assuming that the cell phone/reader combo is "safe" and does little checking (which is probably the case: banks are masters of "security by obscurity"), soon you'll be able to bill more than a coffee to someone else's account.

            Where's the defectivebydesign tag when I need it?

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      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  3. Similar to the new boarding pass system by rhsanborn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This sounds very similar to the boarding pass system being used at some airports. They send you a copy of a barcode which acts as your boarding pass. The only trouble I ever had was with a blackberry screen not being big enough for the scanner to pick it up. After I got a Droid, I preferred the digital pass to finding a printer every time I needed a boarding pass.

    Likewise, this may be a nice way to manage one's coffee addiction. The only problem is that seeing all your past purchases might not be good for Starbucks. People may finally realize how much money they're spending.

  4. Uhh, old news? by Striikerr · · Score: 3, Informative

    I've been using my iPhone app to pay for my Starbucks purchases for a few months now in Florida (so this is hardly new). It has been in the Target stores for a while and in many (but not all) standalone Starbucks stores. It works quite well and I prefer it to using my Starbucks card. I always have my iPhone with me and it's more convenient to use it. Also, it's great because I can reload my card from the same app (which I have done while waiting in line). I'm not concerned about someone stealing my phone and retrieving anything. My phoen is password protected, I can easily wipe the phone if it is stolen and can contact Starbucks to report the lost / stolen cards so that transactions are blocked.
    I had originally thought it to be a waste of time and pointless until I decided to try it out. It's actually quite nice.

  5. Automatic ordering? by hawguy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This would be more interesting if it let you pre-enter your drink order in the app then when they scan it, it automatically prints out the drink label.

    That way, those people that order incredibly complicated drinks don't need to yell over the sound of the barista frothing milk 2 feet from the register.

    I even have a hard enough time getting them to hear my simple drink order "Tall coffee with room for cream. Ok Grande coffee, do you want room? No, I asked for a 'tall'! Sorry it's loud here, ok tall latte"

    I order the same thing every time I go in, there could be a single button click on the app that says "repeat last order".

  6. Its about you spending more $ by DirkDaring · · Score: 3, Informative

    When you use cash it hurts (taken from Dave Ramsey). Using a credit card diminishes that 'hurt'. He talked of a study that when McDonalds put in credit cards the average sale went up by 47% (Source: http://www.daveramsey.com/article/the-truth-about-credit-card-debt/)

    Waving or scanning your phone diminishes it even more.

    This is more about getting you to spend more than it is about just providing a new way to pay.