Android Pay Launches in Coca-Cola Vending Machines Nationwide
More smartphone users can conveniently buy a Coke with mobile pay
The Coca-Cola Company announced that by the end of 2015, 100,000 of its vending machines would support Apple Pay across North America. Now Android smartphone users can get in on the convenience of buying a Coke — and racking up and redeeming My Coke Rewards (MCR) points — with their devices.
Android Pay, which Google unveiled at a conference in May, offers simplicity, security and choice when paying for things with an Android phone – including things like soft drinks. Those same 100,000 Apple-pay enabled machines currently being rolled out will also be equipped for Android Pay by the end of 2015. What’s more, Android phone users can easily sync their MCR accounts with Android Pay—currently not something Apple Pay users can do, though Apple Pay plans to launch this feature this fall. “Our vision is to curate seamless pathways to both refreshment and reward, which Android Pay delivers,” says Derek Myers, group director of channel strategy and development, Coca-Cola North America.
Android Pay streamlines the MCR experience, allowing consumers to accumulate and redeem points more easily — without paper coupons. “Mobile payments combined with loyalty and digital offers create a ubiquitous way for Coca-Cola brands to deliver value-added experiences to our consumers and our customers,” says Michelle Routh, chief information officer for Coca-Cola North America.
“When most consumers walk up to a vending machine today, they immediately dig into their pockets for cash or search for a credit card,” Myers says. “But we almost always have a smartphone in our hands when we get there, making mobile payments the easiest way to pay.” And assuming that customers are more likely to make a purchase when it is convenient and easy to do so, mobile pay could lead to a greater sales volume for retailers.
Mobile payments currently account for only a small percentage of
Coca-Cola vending transactions in North America (you can find locations that accept mobile payments online). But Myers says that number is projected to climb to 20 percent or more by 2020 as new devices and technologies become available.
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