MXC has been in full damage control mode ever since its partners began blocking Apple Pay at stores, and while the consortium behind CurrentC claims there aren’t any fees for supporting Apple Pay, its partners should think twice before defecting.
In an interview with The Verge, MXC CEO Dekkers Davidson revealed what happens to stores that ignore the Apple Pay ban, stating merchants have to ultimately make the best decision for their businesses, but there are consequences for breaking ranks.
“There are consequences, so if you decide to not keep the agreement that you made with the other merchants we’re not going to put a lot of energy in helping get those merchants launched in the near term.
In other words: “Break our Apple Pay ban and you’ll be one of the last merchants to get CurrentC.”
Those consequences don’t sound too bad, considering Apple Pay already has more than 1 million users, and CurrentC isn’t even expected to launch until next year. And who knows if the QR-based wallet will enjoy the quick success of NFC solutions like Apple Pay and Google Wallet.
Meijer grocery stores have been the only MCX partner to ignore the Apple Pay ban, but Davidson says his startup’s focus will be on on partners that are “keeping connected” to one another, explaining that merchants invested too much capital, time and talent into CurrentC to jump onto other platforms like Apple Pay yet.
Tim Cook dismissed the attacks on Apple Pay, calling the ban a “skirmish,” and said retailers who aren’t loved by their customers aren’t relevant. Meanwhile, Davidson has backpedaled on the ApplePay ban recently, saying it will last “months, not years.”
