Loading
Michael Wynn may be the president of Sunshine Ace Hardware in Naples, but he's also a self-proclaimed tech geek.
So it's no surprise that Wynn's six hardware stores in Southwest Florida were among the first in the region to offer Apple Pay to their customers. Apple Pay lets people make purchases with their iPhone 6 thanks to a special antenna in the smart phone.
Wynn says he spent about $600 to outfit each store with a special communication device that transmits directly to First Data, the firm that handles Sunshine Ace's credit-card transactions.
Sunshine Ace was able to process Apple Pay transactions on Oct. 20, the day the service launched. “We had it up and running and tested within 30 minutes of the release,” Wynn says.
So far, Wynn says about 30 customers have used the service in the first week. But he says he expects that number to grow as people get used to paying for items with their phones instead of swiping a credit card or using cash. “If there's any investment we can make that will make it more convenient for customers, we're going to do it,” he says.
Wynn says he's had no glitches with Apple Pay and he's confident about the security of the transactions. “It's fun to look at customers' faces,” Wynn says. “This is the future.”
Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning business news.
Join thousands of executives who rely on us for insights spanning Tampa Bay to Naples.
