Target joins 'contactless' wave, welcomes Apple, Samsung, Google payments

Target customers will be soon be able to check out of the store with a wave of their smartphone or credit card — no matter what kind.

The Minneapolis-based retailer said Tuesday its stores will soon accept Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay and "contactless cards" from Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover.

The company didn't set a precise date but a spokeswoman said the change would happen quickly and be available in all of its more than 1,800 stores within several weeks.

Until now, the only contactless payment Target accepted from a smartphone or other device happened via the wallet feature inside its mobile app.

Target added that payment feature to holders of its Redcard credit and debit cards in December 2017. Those customers could use the Target app to combine Cartwheel deals, weekly ad offers, as well as the 5 percent discount that the company provides through its Redcards. The app generated a bar code that was then scanned at the checkout.

The smartphones and contactless credit cards use a different type of technology, called near field communication (NFC), which exchanges wireless signals when held closely to a point-of-sale device.

Contactless payments are expected to account for about 15 percent of in-store transactions globally next year, a report issued last year by Juniper Research said. Americans have trailed consumers in parts of Asia and Europe in using them. Of those "tap" transactions, contactless credit cards are used far more than smartphones or watches, Juniper said.

Target, along with Walmart and Costco, were viewed by the smartphone makers as some of the last big holdouts in acceptance of contactless payment methods. Costco started accepting the smartphone payment methods last August. Walmart continues to only accept contactless pay via its own app.

"Offering guests more ways to conveniently and quickly pay is just another way we're making it easier than ever to shop Target," Mike McNamara, Target's chief information officer, said in a statement.

Target released an image that showed how the point-of-sale device that its customers use will be updated to show the various ways payments can be made. The first option remains "scan," referring to the Target app. The screen also shows "Tap" for smartphones, smartwatches and contactless credit cards, as well as "Insert" and "Swipe" for regular credit cards.

Apple separately announced that, with Target, its Apple Pay service can be used in 74 of the nation's 100 largest merchants, including stores, gas stations and fast-food restaurants. Apple said Hy-Vee food stores and Speedway gas stations, the chain that recently bought Minnesota-based SuperAmerica, will also soon accept Apple Pay.