Starbucks has gone nationwide with its mobile payment service, allowing customers to pay for in-store purchases with BlackBerry smartphones, the iPhone and the iPod touch at nearly 6,800 stores and more than 1,000 Target locations.
Starbucks customers pay with their smartphone by holding the device in front of a scanner on the countertop and scan the Starbucks Card app's on-screen barcode to make a purchase. The service has undergone successful trials in Seattle, Northern California, New York and more than 1,000 Starbucks in U.S. Target stores.
The free mobile payment app is powered and managed by mFoundry. The app lets customers pay for goods, manage their Starbucks Card account, check their card balance, reload their card, check for rewards and find nearby Starbucks stores.
"With mobile payment, the Starbucks Card platform further elevates the customer experience by delivering convenience, rewarding loyalty and continuing to build an emotional connection with our customers," said Brady Brewer, vice president of Starbucks card and brand loyalty, in a press release.
Starbucks estimates that more than a third of its customers use smartphones, of which nearly three-quarter use BlackBerry or iPhone devices. One-fifth of all Starbucks transactions are made using a Starbucks Card or mobile payment.