‘CVS Pay’ App Launches in Select Markets to Expedite Your Trip to the Pharmacy

It seems like everyone wants to hop on the mobile payment bandwagon these days, doesn’t it? I mean, Apple Pay is almost certain to remain the creme de la creme when it comes to expediting the checkout process at select banks and retailers around the world..However, even in recent months we’ve seen our fair share of Apple Pay defectors sprout up, so there’s definitely competition still brewing out there

Customers who prefer to pay via smartphone now have Walmart Pay, for instance, when checking out at select Walmart stores across the U.S. There’s also CurrentC, which has unfortunately suffered its fair share of set backs while trying to get off the ground running. And, of course, let’s not forget about JP Morgan’s ‘Chase Pay’, right?

In any case, this seemingly incessant influx of mobile payment solutions is showing no signs of dying down anytime soon — as CVS, one of the nation’s largest drug store chains, has apparently launched ‘CVS Pay’ in select markets — including Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — this week, with plans for a nationwide rollout of the service by the end of the year.

To be fair, CVS Pay is perhaps a little bit different from a standalone payments platform, though — as it not only integrates a QR code-based payment solution, but also your vital prescription drug pick up information, and even your CVS ExtraCare loyalty card information — all of which are accessible from the standard CVS app.

Customers looking to use the service will have to first download the CVS/Pharmacy app (link provided below) on their iPhone. At the store, you’ll then present your cashier or pharmacy attendant with a series of barcodes provided within the app — including one for payment, one for your prescription drug information, and one which is linked to your CVS ExtraCare card (if you have one), respectively.

The chain is hoping that the app will help customers at the checkout, by ensuring they only have to open the app from their smartphone — not their wallets or pocketbooks or anything else. Also, the cashier or pharmacy attendant will be there to help walk you through the QR code scanning process, too.

In a move that might one-up on Apple Pay, CVS Pay is offering support for all major credit card issuers — including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and even Discover. You can also use your personal HealthSavings or Flexible Spending account cards to pay.

Its a fairly simple process, you’ll just have to ensure your personal information — including credit card and CVS ExtraCare card numbers — are uploaded to the CVS App on your iPhone prior to waltzing into the store. But that’s pretty par for the course, wouldn’t you say?

The CVS App can be downloaded now, by clicking here.

What do you think about CVS Pay? Has it made your trip to the pharmacy any quicker?
Let us know in the comments!