ite Aid Adds Apple Pay, Google Wallet for in-Store Payment

Starting Saturday, Rite Aid Customers Will Be Able To Use Pay Apple and Google Wallet to make a Smartphone Payments at its NEARLY 4,600 stores nationwide. Android Pay will be also available at stores When That service launches in the coming months.

Rite Aid has been a supporter of yet another Competing in-store payment system, known as CurrentC, Which is backed by WalMart and dozen of other major Retailers in a group known as MCX.

Before today's announcement, Rite Aid and Other Retailers had turned off the Apple Pay and other NFC (Near Field Communication) payment Capabilities on Their in-store payment terminals out of allegiance to MCX.

They rise so as a result of a protracted battle Between Major US Retailers and major credit card companies over the added cost of "swipe" fees That Retailers pay the card companies and banks. Swipe fees, add 2% to 4% per transaction, and MCX members have offered up an alternative That cuts the card companies, and the banks behind Them, out of the payment process.

Despo moving to Apple Pay and other NFC systems, Rite Aid remains a strong supporter of CurrentC, "spokeswoman Ashley Flower said in an email. "Our mobile payment strategy includes the acceptance of CurrentC When It Becomes available on a nationwide basis."

In addition to supporting Smartphone Payments with NFC, Rite Aid said it will accept Payments with "tap and pay" credit and debit cards, Which are cards That Incorporate a computer chip for added security. Many Retailers Will Require chip cards without the Inserted, or Dipped, into a payment terminal. The "tap and pay" approach is a few seconds faster than dipping a card, and is Considered as fast as using a smartphone with NFC That ACTIVATES a payment by Bringing a phone near a payment terminal.

Rite Aid joins Best Buy and others in sticking with MCX but ALSO accepting Apple's Pay and other payment systems.

Rite Aid CEO Ken Martindale said the move to Mobile Payments is a way to offer custom "an easy and convenient checkout process, Which we know is important to Them." Analysts view the small Payments for candy and other items SUNDRIES like Those made at pharmacies as the best way for Smartphone Payments to catch on.

Apple Pay has steadily Gained ground with Retailers, and Apple has stated it will no accepted at 1.5 million locations in the US by year's end. There are an Estimated 12 million payment locations in the US, but Apple's pay is by far the most Successful Smartphone payment system so far.

MCX is expected to Rely on QR codes to accept Payments, with the possibility of adding NFC at some point. Customers would transfer funds from Payments for Their own accounts to the MCX merchants and possibly use store credit accounts, instead of credit from Visa or MasterCard. The rollout of CurrentC was slated to have begun at the midyear point, possibly July 1, in an unnamed, midsize city. MCX was not available to comment on the status of its rollout.