Is Apple Pay Only For Rich Countries?

[Buadhai]

Although I've used Apple Pay (via NFC) when traveling in the US, Australia and elsewhere, I have doubts it will be implemented here in Thailand any time soon. I suspect the problem is the expense of implementation; something the many small mom-and-pop retailers and vendors simply can't afford.

On the other hand, other cashless payment systems are becoming increasingly popular. This is partly because they're easy and cheap to implement and partly because they can be used by almost any smart phone with a camera.

I do almost all of my cashless transactions in Thailand using QR code scanning. It can be used for cardless withdrawals at ATMs and to pay for goods and services. All a shop needs is a piece of preprinted paper or cardboard with their QR code on it. The customer scans the code with their phone, enters the payment amount and approves the transaction. The merchant does nothing but look at the customer's phone to verify the transaction has been finalized. It can be more sophisticated. Terminals are available which generate QR codes that include the price. These can either be printed out or displayed on an LCD screen. With these one-time-only QR codes the customer doesn't need to enter the price; just approve the transaction.

It seems to me that Apple has missed the boat in the developing world. It will be hard to overcome the lead established by cheaper and easier cashless payment systems.

 

[cmaus]

Not really. It has been around in many places before it arrived in Germany.
But ok, calling Germans rich is a tough thesis.
So you might have a point there…

 

[Buadhai]

Well, I deliberately used the word "rich" to invite comment. Perhaps "fully developed" or "first world" would have been better choices. Or perhaps "countries that are able to deliver potable water to most homes", a group of which Thailand is definitely not a member.

 

[cmaus]

Yes, I understood that.
Coming from there, Germany is VERY late to the show,
the Netherlands and Austria have also only recently gotten an Apple Pay launch.

 

[MisterSavage]

Although I've used Apple Pay (via NFC) when traveling in the US, Australia and elsewhere, I have doubts it will be implemented here in Thailand any time soon. I suspect the problem is the expense of implementation; something the many small mom-and-pop retailers and vendors simply can't afford.

On the other hand, other cashless payment systems are becoming increasingly popular. This is partly because they're easy and cheap to implement and partly because they can be used by almost any smart phone with a camera.

In the US I go to several small businesses that accept Apple Pay thanks to a Square Reader.

https://squareup.com/shop/hardware/us/en/products/chip-credit-card-reader-with-nfc

 

[samwa3]

When your standard are QR codes printed on paper and confirming the transaction by looking at the customer's device, then Apple Pay might indeed be out of your reach. Sure, I would say Square or SumUp readers are dirt cheap (and I once bought one just for kicks -- I don't even have a business), but I understand that's not possible for everyone.

And so my conclusion would be: Yes, indeed, Apple Pay is mostly a better, secure, easy way to pay when you're coming from regular physical credit cards and terminals. It doesn't beat the price of printing out a single piece of paper.