In short:7-Eleven has now announced support for Google Pay, with the option to use the online payment solution due to go live in 7-Eleven stores throughout the US during September. At which point consumers will be able to pay for all of their purchases made in a 7-Eleven store using their Google Pay-enabled device.
Background: Formerly known as Android Pay, Google Pay underwent its rebrand in January of this year although it had already built up a fairly substantial physical and online store compatibility. Since the rebrand, Google has continued adding more features and support, with the most recent of which being the addition of thirty US banks and credit unions. With this latest announcement, 7-Eleven is the latest mainstream retailer to add Google Pay support to its list of payment options. The announcement was technically a dual announcement as in addition to Google Pay Support, 7-Eleven customers will also be able to pay using Apple Pay. While now announced, 7-Eleven has not specified exact dates in which store support will go live although it’s understood that “most” stores in the US will see the support for both digital wallet options switched on before the end of this month.
The impact: 7-Eleven will be a big addition to the likes of Google and Apple Pay as the chain accounts for a significant number of convenience stores in the US, with the company stating it has a retail presence of 11,800 in North America alone. In the US, for example, 7-Eleven stores can be found in at least 35 states. As a result, this will significantly increase the exposure and availability of Google Pay at the consumer level, and add to the number of products that can be purchased using Google’s payment solution. From the chain’s perspective, this simply marks the latest technology-based adoption it has made in recent years, with 7-Eleven highlighting how it has previously partnered with the likes of BillPay and Amazon, as well as launching its own-branded apps. One of the most recent of which is the 7-Eleven NOW app which offers consumers the option to order products from a local 7-Eleven store and have them delivered.