Can You Offer Apple Pay Through Text Messages?

Offering Apple Pay through text is one of several ways to ensure you offer your customers convenient payment options. Offering convenient methods that they prefer is an excellent way to boost customer satisfaction and help you get paid faster.

The good news is that yes, you can offer Apple Pay through text. This method makes it easy for customers to use a link in a text message to pay with this digital wallet. 

What is Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is a contactless payment solution from Apple. Apple-designed it as an alternative to paying with various credit cards in different locations. You add your debit or credit card to your iPhone’s Wallet app during the set-up process. From there, you will be able to use that Wallet application or Apple Pay to pay using that card. Conveniently, you can add multiple cards to your Wallet and choose which one to use on each transaction.

One note about Apple Pay is that there is no limit to the size of transactions. This adds convenience over other contactless methods, such as tapping a credit card. Those tapped transactions are typically limited in size, while Apple Pay doesn’t have transaction limits. 

Apple Pay will only let customers use it to pay with a Face ID or fingerprint for added security. Essentially, they must input their Apple ID password or an alternative to authorize the payment.

Apple Pay vs. Apple Cash

Apple Pay and Apple Cash are related, but they are two separate programs. Apple compares Apple Cash to a debit card, and it does appear as a card in your Apple Pay account or Apple Wallet, but it also has the functionality to let you use Messages on your iPhone to send and receive money. You can go into the Wallet app on your iPhone to set up Apple Cash within Apple Pay. From there, you load money onto your Apple Cash balance with a prepaid card or a debit card.

When it comes time to accept transactions at your store, you can accept Apple Cash just like you would Apple Pay. If you can take one, you can take the other, too. Customers simply select Apple Cash instead of one of their credit cards when it comes time to choose the payment method within Apple Pay. 

One important difference is that Apple Cash is primarily designed for peer-to-peer money transfers. For example, family members or friends can request money and send it over the messages app. That being said, the Apple Cash option appears when customers click on the Apple Pay button on their phone or Apple Watch, so you can accept it just like you would any other payment in the Apple Wallet. 

Apple Card

When discussing the Apple Wallet, you will also hear mention of the Apple Card or Apple Cash Card. The Apple Card is yet another credit card that you can place in your Apple Wallet and use with Apple Pay, but it comes from Apple. The Apple Card is primarily used digitally in an Apple Wallet, but it is also a physical card. 

How to offer Apple Pay through SMS step-by-step

There are two ways to offer Apple Pay as a payment option: online or in-store. If you have a credit card terminal that is NFC-capable, then it likely works with Apple Pay, although you should confirm this is the case. You can also set up your online store to accept Apple Pay. You can also send customers a link to pay via text. With this option, they receive a text with a link. They click on the link to pay and get to choose their preferred payment method, with the options including Apple Pay.

Another option is to offer Apple Pay through text even when customers purchase in your store. This way, it can be an alternative if your card reader isn’t NFC-capable. Plus, you can alleviate the congestion at your check-out counter.

So, how do you start offering Apple Pay text payments?

Step 1: Find a text-to-pay provider that supports Apple Pay

The first thing you will need to do to set up Apple Pay texts is find a provider that lets you accept payments this way. Text-to-pay is growing in popularity, but it is still not as common as other payment methods. But given the popularity of Apple Pay, finding an SMS payment provider with Apple Pay support should not be hard. Podium is one example, and they also offer other convenient payment methods, such as Google Pay and credit card payments for texting.

Step 2: Set up your account with the SMS payment system

Once you have chosen an SMS payment provider, it will be time to set it up. The best providers will make this process straightforward. You should be able to import customer contact information.

You should also select which payment methods you want to accept over text-to-pay. This gives you the chance to let your customers use SMS payments for Google Pay or credit cards in addition to Apple Pay.

Step 3: Let your customers know you accept Apple Pay through text

After you’re set up to accept Apple Pay over text messages, all that’s left to do is let your customers know that this is an option. It is wise to tell them about text-to-pay, as this prevents any concerns they may have when they first receive a text from your business. They can take advantage of this payment method when they know, which improves the customer journey.

There are several ways to let customers know that you accept Apple Pay via text messages. You can let them know at the time of purchase or in notices on your website and in your store. If you want to use this to attract customers, you can even include it in your advertising.

Step 4: Give customers the option and see your sales and on-time payments grow

Finally, you will be accepting Apple Pay just like you would any other payment method. You should notice that customers are more likely to pay on time because you offer a convenient way to do so.

This should help you manage cash flow and save you the time you would have spent sending text payment reminders or calling to remind them about missed payments.

It should also help drive sales, as customers will choose you over competitors that don’t offer Apple Pay if that is their preferred method. Additionally, the convenience of Apple Pay may increase order size. 

The impact of using Apple Pay through text messages

To help you decide whether to offer Apple Pay through text messages in addition to other payment options, like ACH payment, consider the following pros and cons.

Pros

• Customers want this payment method. By offering the payment method they prefer, you will better attract and retain customers. This is especially true if your competitors don’t offer Apple Pay through text.
• Customers can use it with all of their major bank and credit cards.
• No contact is required, making it a completely safe payment method during the pandemic.
• Customers can pay from anywhere using their smartphones.
• It is easy for customers to set up Apple Pay, and it is free for them to do so.
• Apple Pay is highly secure.
• Customers appreciate the privacy that comes with Apple Pay, as you do not see their address, credit card details, or other private information.
• Customers appreciate that it eliminates the risk of a credit card getting stolen.
• You don’t pay extra fees for using Apple Pay.

Cons

• Apple Pay will only appeal to customers with iPhones. Android users are not going to be able to use it. (However, they can use the other SMS payment options you offer.)
• If a software bug occurs, the payment option may be temporarily down.
• You have to teach your staff to accept Apple Pay over text and send the payment links. However, this is easy, especially with the right program. 

Conclusion

Offering Apple Pay through text is another convenient payment method that your customers appreciate. By providing this convenient payment option, you can improve the customer experience and get paid faster. It is easy to accept Apple Pay via text with the right platform, and it can easily integrate with your other payment solutions.