How great would it be to utilize your mobile phone as your wallet? We’ve heard rumblings about this for years that utilize technologies such as Near Field Communications which would mean you just swipe your phone on a little machine (much like keyless entry systems to your work place) and some text messaging centered ones.
However, it seems Starbucks found the special sauce. Starbucks customers armed with smartphones are utilizing the Starbucks Card Mobile app – in huge numbers. The coffee superpower is reporting that more than three million users are using the app on their iPhones or BlackBerry devices, to pay for their coffee delight at more than 6800 Starbucks locations.
In addition to the mobile app, Starbucks customers are digging the physical Starbucks card as well, with Starbucks Card sales now accounting for 22% of all transactions. That means 1 in 5 customers are paying via a card rather than their traditional credit card or cash. Wow!
(Photo Credit: Flickr User Josh Russell)
I’m a sucker for the card, hooked on the free drinks/rewards. I have yet to use the app to pay though, but I do use it to reload. Time to try it and dump the card from my wallet.
I have a card to pay with as well. I haven’t used an app because they don’t have an Android app yet…I have a BB but I don’t use it regularly enough to be in SBUX with it.