Leave your cash and credit cards at home. To get your caffeine fix these days, all you need is a smartphone.
Starbucks is teaming up with Square, a start-up that allows shoppers to pay with their smart-phone at affiliated stores. Starting this fall, Square will process all of the coffee giant's debit and credit card transactions. That means that at 7000 Starbucks locations, customers who download the "pay by Square" app will be able to pay for their latte with their phone.
Just show a barcode on the app to a cashier, who then scans the code.That's similar to starbucks' existing mobile payment app, but this gives the customer another option. But eventually, the app will go a step further, all you'll have to do is tell the cashier your name.
Here's how it works: Your phone will recognize when you're in a Starbucks and it will notify the store. Your name and photo will appear at the register. Just say your name, the cashier matches your account, and your payment is processed.
Starbucks doesn't know when this feature will hit stores, but it's in the works. The coffee giant will be the first big chain to partner with Square. This should put the young start-up on the national radar. And if other companies latch onto this technology, you might never need your wallet again.
Starbucks is teaming up with Square, a start-up that allows shoppers to pay with their smart-phone at affiliated stores. Starting this fall, Square will process all of the coffee giant's debit and credit card transactions. That means that at 7000 Starbucks locations, customers who download the "pay by Square" app will be able to pay for their latte with their phone.
Just show a barcode on the app to a cashier, who then scans the code.That's similar to starbucks' existing mobile payment app, but this gives the customer another option. But eventually, the app will go a step further, all you'll have to do is tell the cashier your name.
Here's how it works: Your phone will recognize when you're in a Starbucks and it will notify the store. Your name and photo will appear at the register. Just say your name, the cashier matches your account, and your payment is processed.
Starbucks doesn't know when this feature will hit stores, but it's in the works. The coffee giant will be the first big chain to partner with Square. This should put the young start-up on the national radar. And if other companies latch onto this technology, you might never need your wallet again.
