Branded mobile wallets are the wave of the future because they help companies give their customer loyalty a boost. First, they offer a quick and convenient method of keeping track of customer loyalty programs. Second, they offer an easy payment method. Third, they keep customers engaged in the brand experience through the use of a payment app.

Starbucks is an example of a company currently boasting a successful branded mobile wallet, as noted by a December, 2015, article in Mobile Payments Today. Their loyalty program, familiar to almost all their regular customers, is made even more accessible by their payment app, which automatically keeps track of when they will receive their next free beverage. 

The Starbucks app also offers its customers the convenience and security of paying on their mobile device. To use it, customers simply hold their phone up to the scanner as they check out. In addition, this method of payment is only accessible through their mobile device, which can be locked and coded via password or thumbprint, ensuring the security of the payment process.

Finally, the Starbucks branded mobile wallet makes certain that customers maintain consistent contact with the Starbucks experience, since they access payment and loyalty program points through the Starbucks app. This way Starbucks customers remain "in the know" regarding new promotions and other changes to the Starbucks experience, without having to deal with a third-party app. This substantially increases customer loyalty to the brand.

As noted above, the Starbucks branded mobile wallet has been most successful in today's increasingly app-minded society. Mobile Payments Today tells us that 16 million customers use the mobile wallet app, accounting for 21 percent of Starbucks transactions. Other companies, such as Wal-Mart and Target, are now following suit with their own branded mobile wallets.

Our very own mBeaconPay smart payment technology, which works with and operates on a wide variety of POS and smartphones, allows customers and retailers to exchange payment information in a quick and efficient manner via a branded mobile wallet.

So next time you get a coffee or even head toward the check-out counter at your local department store, get ready for quick and easy payment with your mobile device. You'll be joining a growing number of people who enjoy the same convenience.