Starbucks expands mobile payment options

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. launched an application Wednesday that lets customers purchase goods with their Android smartphones. The company already has similar applications nationwide for BlackBerry and iPhone and iPod touch in January.



The application also allows customers to load their Starbucks loyalty card accounts, check card balances and find stores nearby, and it notifies customers of promotions and other discounts.



In addition, the company said that Safeway plans to rollout mobile payment in July at nearly 1,000 Starbucks cafes inside Safeway supermarkets across the United States.



Starbucks already uses the technology at its 6,800 company-owned stores and more than 1,000 cafes within Target stores.



“The expansion of our mobile payment footprint has been driven by customer interest and input. With the addition of Starbucks for Android to the Starbucks app line-up, a Starbucks mobile payment app may now be used on approximately 90 percent of smartphones currently in use,” said Adam Brotman, VP, general manager, digital ventures at Starbucks Coffee Co.