Apple Pay holiday promotions offer online shoppers free rush shipping, discounts, rewards

By Neil Hughes

A new initiative intended to drive Apple Pay use on the web, coinciding with the debut of Touch ID on the new MacBook Pro, offers shoppers exclusive offers and discounts this holiday season.

A new section on Apple's website announced the promotion, revealing exclusive deals available when using Apple Pay on the web in Safari. Touch ID capable devices with Apple Pay, including the new MacBook Pro and iPhone 7, are required to qualify.

Partners highlighted by Apple include:

Apple has also promised that new merchants -- as well as some banks -- will be jumping on with their own promotions soon. They include:

Similar promotions were done by Apple in the past, offering discounts and rewards when using Apple Pay for in-app purchases. The company has also incentivized adding credit cards to Apple Pay by offering a $5 iTunes gift card when enrolling in an Apple retail store.