A developer's perspective on the benefits of incorporating Apple Pay within apps
A few months in, we're starting to finally some some interesting metrics relating to Apple Pay. Just last week, for example, Bank of America disclosed that over 800,000 customers have already activated approximately 1.1 million credit cards via Apple Pay.
Aside from the inherent security benefits of Apple Pay, the mobile payment platform is a boon to users because it provides an extremely quick and intuitive checkout process, not only in stores, but within applications as well. Because Apple Pay already knows a user's credit card and shipping information, paying for goods and services requires nothing more than a fingerprint.
On this note, Merchbar last week highlighted some of the benefits they've seen with Apple Pay after incorporating it into their updated iPhone app. Merchbar notes that entering in shipping and payment details via Apple Pay is 7 times faster than using the mobile web and 5 times faster than using their desktop website.
Our legacy (and still pretty fast) Merchbar App checkout process requires 103 seconds for customers to type in their full credit card and shipping information, whereas Apple Pay require just 17 seconds to provide us with the same information.
Equally as important, Merchbar notes that conversion rates with Apple Pay are 6.3% higher than without it. One plausible theory is that Apple Pay is so quick and painless that there is less time for users to get discouraged, rethink their decision, or perhaps abandon a purchase due to laziness or a laborious checkout process. Merchbar also adds that because Apple Pay already houses user data, there is no likelihood of information being entered incorrectly.
Less review, means faster decision making and ultimately likely enhances our ability to convert impulse buyers
More than anything, most of the Apple Pay stories we've seen thus far have centered on the service from the perspective of banks and brick and mortar retailers. Merchbar's blogpost provides one of the first takes on Apple Pay as an in-app purchasing option and is well worth checking out in its entirety.
