Starbucks is coming on every bit as strong as its coffee in the realm of mobile payments.
On Wednesday, the coffee giant announced that it is expanding its mobile payment system across the US – a move that augments the service’s availability to 6,800 Starbucks stores and roughly 1,000 Target-based locations.
As a result, smartphone users equipped with an iPhone or BlackBerry can now fund their in-store purchase directly from their handset.
Starbucks customers who download the free Starbucks Card Mobile App now have the ability to pay for their purchase simply by holding their phone directly in front of a counter-top scanner.
“Today, one in five Starbucks transactions is made using a Starbucks Card and mobile payment will extend the way our customers experience and use their Starbucks Card,” said Brady Brewer, vice president Starbucks Card and Brand Loyalty.
Starbucks reports that its customers have successfully adopted this technology in test markets in Seattle, Northern California, New York and hundreds of select Target stores where Starbucks has set up shop.
“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,” Brewer adds.
According to the caffeine juggernaut, more than one-third of U.S. Starbucks customers use smartphones, of which nearly three quarters use BlackBerry smartphone or iPhone mobile devices.