According to a report the other day, it was revealed that Starbucks had plans to expand the functionality of its mobile app by letting customers pre-order their drinks. However it seems that Starbucks’ plan for their mobile app is not stopping there, nor will it be limited to it being used at just Starbucks outlets.
Speaking to the folks at Re/code, Starbucks’ chief digital officer, Adam Brotman, revealed that Starbucks is currently in talks with potential partners about using the Starbucks app to act as a form of mobile payment. What this means is that not only can your Starbucks app be used to purchase coffee and other merchandise at Starbucks outlets, but it could also be used to purchase non-Starbucks related goods at other stores.
It’s an interesting take and would no doubt expand the functionality of the app, although admittedly it does sound like it would be going beyond Starbucks’ core competency. As it stands, there does not appear to be a standard when it comes to mobile payments, and companies such as Google, Isis, and Apple (rumored) are all clamoring to make their systems the industry standard.
However given that Starbucks already has a system in place and its ubiquitous nature, it would no doubt give them a headstart. Not to mention the idea of extending the Starbucks loyalty program to other products and services could be somewhat appealing as well. Unfortunately Brotman declined to mention which companies Starbucks was in talks with, but what do you guys think? How does the idea of being able to pay for non-Starbucks products with the Starbucks app sound to you?