Time to take Apple Pay Seriously
Apple Pay is fast becoming the 5th most popular online payment on the web and used by the top 100,000 websites. It is behind PayPal, Stripe, and Braintree but ahead of Google Wallet, Amazon Payments, and more than 50 other platforms. Impressive achievement. Apple has done it again!
Time to consider adding Apple Pay to your WCS website as an easy and secure way to accept and process payments. Apple Pay on the Web enables customers to purchase products in the Aurora starter store with a single touch in Safari on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. And because your card details are never shared by Apple when you use Apple Pay, it is the safer, more private way to pay.
Apple Pay Integration with WebSphere Commerce
Apple Pay on the Web integration with WebSphere Commerce enables multiple interactions between Aurora starter store pages, WebSphere Commerce server, Apple Pay server, and Payment Service Providers (PSP) such as IBM Payment Gateway, which ensures seamless payment and check out methods.\nApple Pay is simple to use and works with the devices you use every day. Easily pay with your debit cards and credit cards with just a touch.
You can enable Apple Pay on the Web either by using the Accelerator assets or by installing Mod Pack 4.
Alternative #1 – Using Accelerator assets to enable Apple Pay
The Accelerator assets are sample assets that are provided to you as is, as file downloads and documentation provided in the Knowledge Center. The Accelerator assets contain storefront and backend assets to help you integrate with Apple Pay on the Web. For the backend, services and REST APIs are provided to support the enhanced payment functions. These enhancements facilitate multiple interactions between Aurora starter store pages, WebSphere Commerce server, Apple Pay server, and Payment Service Providers (PSP) such as IBM Payment Gateway, to ensure seamless payment and check out methods. The Accelerator assets are sample assets that are provided to you as is, as file downloads and documentation provided in the Knowledge Center. The Accelerator assets contain storefront and backend assets to help you integrate with Apple Pay on the Web:
1) For the storefront, Apple Pay sample helper assets are provided and contain new JSP and JavaScript files that enable the Aurora starter store to call out to Apple Pay on the Web functionality. The samples are designed and written so that they can provide new self-contained code assets that can be inserted into any store, and have no dependency on Dojo. Halleluija! See jQuery Aurora store article.
2) For the backend, services and REST APIs are provided to support the enhanced payment functions. These enhancements facilitate multiple interactions between Aurora starter store pages, WebSphere Commerce server, Apple Pay server, and Payment Service Providers (PSP) such as IBM Payment Gateway, to ensure seamless payment and checkout methods.
Alternative #2 – Installing Mod Pack 4
The Mod Pack 4 assets contain streamlined storefront and backend updates to ensure a seamless integration with the Aurora starter store. Apple Pay on the Web is enabled in the Aurora starter store by using its store function, and most of the manual backend integrations are available by default. However, installing Mod Pack 4 may involve a migration exercise so it is not to be taken lightly. Does it sound lie a familiar scenario?
In conclusion
If you are considering ways to improve sales and attract new shoppers, Apple Pay is a good candidate for your company since IBM has made the investment for Aurora starter store. Based on our experience, using Accelerator assets to enable Apple Pay is easier than migrating to Mod Pack 4. Contact us or get recommendations for good resources to work on this project since it involves financials!
