King Soopers began as a single supermarket which has grown exponentially to become a widespread supermarket chain of 118 locations in the United States.
It has branched into several franchises, such as Fresh Fare King Soopers and King Soopers Marketplace. Along with this growth in stores and stock variety, the company’s target has also increased. Thus, King Soopers has grown in many ways.
Technology is a key point for the development of any business, in which contactless payment methods are key.
Apple Pay is one of the most prominent payment platforms in the United States, so the question may arise whether King Soopers locations have incorporated payment methods offered by Apple Pay.
Is Apple Pay available in King Soopers?
Contactless payment methods are quite popular in the United States due to their effectiveness and convenience to customers. Their market positioning has been such that most citizens prefer contactless before traditional payment methods because they represent customer independence and reinforce payment convenience in physical stores.
For this reason, many customers think King Soopers has not considered implementing the Apple Pay payment system in its physical establishments, website, or app. However, the truth is that King Soopers has no plans to link its payment systems to Apple Pay company on the short run.
Why is King Soopers not considering Apple Pay as a payment method?
Apple Pay is one of the best-known benchmarks for contactless payment methods because of how quickly and efficiently it works and its benefits. Therefore, it may seem that King Soopers may consider incorporating it.
However, the truth is that King Soopers is partnered with Kroger Pay, another contactless payment system that can be used both in physical stores and online on the website or app.
Is there a chance that King Soopers would take both payment methods?
The answer to this is no. Larger companies have bought the founding company of King Soopers over time as the supermarket chain has grown. In 1983, Dillon companies, which owned the King Soopers chains, was bought by The Kroger Company, which was born as a retail chain of supermarket items.
Over time, Kroger Company expanded its services to include pharmacies, finance, and portable and mobile technology. From there, Kroger Pay was born, and with King Soopers being part of the Kroger Company family, it will remain with its services, not with the competition, in this case, Apple Pay.
Is Kroger Pay and Apple Pay the same?
Kroger Pay and Apple Pay are direct competitors in the contactless payment method market. However, they are not identical services; their differences make them stand out.
Different types of mobile software
The most significant difference between Apple Pay and Kroger Pay is their target public. Apple Pay is a tool developed by Apple, so it is targeted only at iOS users. This makes the system more exclusive.
However, there is a reason. The goal is to generate payment security because Apple Pay is directly linked to iCloud, and only the Apple user can access it. In the case of Kroger Pay, it does not use that distinction; users of both Apple and Android devices can use this payment tool.
Verification
Both systems require user verification before withdrawing money from the account to purchase. However, Apple Pay and Kroger Pay do not use the same verification system.
Apple Pay uses fingerprint or facial verification to authorize payment when the reader is scanned. On the other hand, Kroger Pay provides a personal QR code that works as a verification system; payment is previously required.
Digital Vs. Physical founds
Another aspect where the two systems diverge is how funds are projected. Apple Pay is a digital wallet; there is no physical card to prove it exists. All payments are made through the digital Wallet provided by the Apple tool. Therefore, there is no physical evidence of having an Apple Pay account.
With Kroger Pay, you pay through the card generated by the company. However, this card differs from traditional debit or credit cards with contactless technology; the user swipes over a reader and achieves an individual checkout without needing to give the company bank details.
Other payments methods in King Soopers
While King Soopers does not accept Apple Pay, it doesn’t mean that Apple users lack other payment methods at the supermarket. Being a Kroger Pay user is not necessary to pay the final bill.
Payment methods vary from the more traditional means of payment, cash, to point-of-sale, mobile payment options, and even specialized payment instruments offered by the King Soopers chain.
The other payment methods accepted at King Soopers are cash, credit cards, EBT cards, debit cards, and King Soopers gift cards.
References
- “Kroger Mobile Pay Faqs.” Kings Soopers, https://www.kingsoopers.com/f/kroger-mobile-pay-faqs
- “Kroger Mobile Pay.” Kings Soopers https://www.kingsoopers.com/d/kroger-mobile-pay
María Laura Landino is a journalist who graduated from Boston University with more than four years of experience in the financial sector. He has been responsible for several research papers published by major universities.
Content Manager of allaboutgroup company. You will find me in job and Finance sections.