While many mobile payment apps like Google Wallet have struggled to gain traction with consumers, the Starbucks mobile payments app stands out as a success.
At 6 million average weekly transactions in the U.S., it now accounts for a full 15% of transactions made at the U.S. Starbucks-operated stores.
In a new research note from BI Intelligence we take a deep dive into how the Starbucks app works, why it's so popular and whether other retailers could have success with a similar mobile payment model.
Access The Full Report And Data By Signing Up For A Free Trial Today >>
Here are some of the key takeaways from the note.
- A billion-dollar volume driver: The Starbucks app is on track to process over $1.5 billion in payment volume in the U.S. in 2014, according to our estimates. In the second quarter it accounted for 15% of the transactions in U.S. company-operated stores, averaging 6 million transactions per week.
- Customer loyalty to Starbucks plays a role: Starbucks stores are everywhere, coffee is purchased habitually, the app incentivizes regular purchases through its rewards-loyalty program, and the app works on the majority of smartphones. The app's success is not due to the ease of payment with a phone. So it has succeeded despite the fact that it is not more convenient than credit or debit cards or cash.
- Opportunities for growth: There are a number of features that could help reinvigorate growth including order-ahead capability and beacon-powered alerts and offers.
- Other retailers could emulate Starbucks' success: These retailers include quick service restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies. Starbucks has said it is in talks to license the app's technology as a white label solution.
In full, the research note:
- Gives a detailed walk-through of the Starbucks app.
- Explains how the features of the app and Starbucks' business as a whole have contributed to the apps success.
- Analyses whether slowing growth in mobile transactions is a problem and what Starbucks can do to reignite it.
- Identifies why four types of retailers could emulate Starbucks' success with their own mobile payment apps.