Cambridge-based Openbay, a startup trying to improve the car maintenance industry, announced today that it will allow users to pay for car repairs using Apple Pay.
Openbay is an online service and mobile application that allows customers to input the problem they are having with their car and get competitive offers from surrounding auto repair shops for service. Users can both book and pay for the maintenance through Openbay’s online dashboard.
By adding the Apple Pay option to its mobile app, Openbay makes it that much easier for customers to pay for auto repairs, even if the maintenance shop doesn’t use Apple Pay in its point-of-sale units. “We already have a bunch of people who are using it, and have paid for auto repair using Apple Pay, which is really cool,” said Rob Infantino, Openbay’s founder and chief executive. “I think we are the first in the market to allow consumers to pay for auto repairs using Apple Pay.”
“Since Openbay launched, new customer flow has steadily increased for our business,” said Bob Chandler, service manager at Bonded Transmissions in Framingham.”Having Apple Pay available to those customers eliminates another layer of friction for those customers who are apprehensive about sharing credit card info.”
OpenBay raised an undisclosed amount of funding in 2013 from a group of investor that includes Google Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Boston Seed Capital, Stage 1 Ventures and a group of angel investors that includes Andy Palmer.