It seems Apple Pay’s in-app purchasing capabilities are sometimes forgotten in the hullaballoo over the service’s in-store capabilities. But big-box office supplies retailer Staples has found in-app use of Apple Pay has really taken off. But in their stores… Not so much.
During a panel discussion on Tuesday, Prat Vemana, vice president of mobile commerce at Staples, said that Apple Pay users account for 30 percent of purchases made through the retailer’s iOS app, reports FierceMobileIT.
Staples was included in the first wave of U.S. retailers to support Apple Pay, enabled following the rollout of NFC support at 1,400 locations back in November.
“Right now it’s the number one payment method for us in our iOS apps,” Vemana said. “Apple Pay has been one of the most successful implementations when it comes to payments.”
Apple Pay has proven to be a growth driver for Staples, as immediately following the launch of Apple Pay support in the Staples app, 65 percent of transactions by Apple Pay users were first time Staples purchases.
Vemana said that while Staples app users are split almost evenly between iOS and Android users, 70 percent of mobile revenue comes from iOS users.
Vemana says the company is still trying to figure out why the gap is so large, saying perhaps Android users are hesitant about in-app payments.
Although Staples has enjoyed a tremendous impact from Apple Pay in its app, Apple Pay usage in its stores hasn’t quite taken off. Vemana revealed that Apple Pay is not one of the top three payment types for in-store purchases.
“… I think it will be a slower adoption in stores,” Vemana said.
