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Since its introduction last month (and even before), Apple Pay has presented physical and digital retailers with an unprecedented means of executing payments. The service has distilled the process into a “one-tap” action within an eligible mobile device, resulting in rampant adoption (34 major retailers and 14 apps including Nike, Uber, and Target are now Apple Pay-ready, with 17 more preparing to accept payments made through the service).
Despite its popularity, however, Apple Pay is incomplete – at least according to ShipTable.
Based in Boulder, ShipTable describes itself as a “hosted Web backend for Apple Pay.” ShipTable was developed to provide a payment-processing and tracking service for iOS apps using Apple Pay, especially those that might not have the wherewithal of the aforementioned large-scale merchants. Apps that use ShipTable, according to the company, are able to accept payments, track sales, send receipts and track emails, and manage orders, refunds, and returns.
“I was surprised that Apple Pay didn't have a built-in admin section for actually processing and tracking payments,” said founder Will Ronco. “So I took the natural next step and started working to make one.”
If an iOS app were equipped to accept payments through Apple Pay, Ronco said, its developer(s) would have to create a separate Web application to insure the app and its payment processor worked in concert, and that the information processed were properly transmitted to and from its customers. This additional step, Ronco asserted, can be highly discouraging to developers and businesspeople.
“As an entrepreneur, I'm conscious of the need to stay very, very focused, and to me that means not wasting time on services that are not core to your business,” Ronco said. “Being able to offload that set of tasks to ShipTable lets app developers focus on the most important parts of their business.”
ShipTable also integrates with shipping providers via API and offers CSV export for customers who need to upload files to other providers. “I think we're the first to offer a truly comprehensive backend platform for app developers that want to sell physical products,” Ronco said.
The service is currently in private beta, with a launch projected for early December. App developers with an Apple Pay-enabled Stripe account who are interested in using ShipTable can request service on the company website.
At this point, Ronco isn’t concerned that Apple will incorporate further backend support into Apple Pay. It’s this confidence that yields his two-pronged mission: to be adopted by over 100,000 small businesses, and “to become the de facto standard for selling physical products through Apple Pay.”
