Almost everyone shops at Walmart. But is Walmart getting Apple Pay, one of the world’s most popular contactless payment solutions? Read on to find out.
With more than 4,700 stores nationwide, Walmart is undoubtedly one of the largest retailers in the US. It deals in almost every household item, from groceries and food to electronics, making it a convenient one-stop shop for many. Even better, Walmart’s consumer-friendly prices make it a favorite for many shoppers.
Now, when it comes to ways to pay for your purchases, is Walmart getting Apple Pay? Well, despite Apple Pay being one of the most popular and convenient ways to pay for purchases anywhere, Walmart still refuses to serve the service.
Why; We’ll find out later!
The fact is, Walmart does not accept Apple Pay, either in its stores or online. But that doesn’t make Walmart any less convenient. It still offers many other payment methods such as Walmart Pay, credit cards, cash, debit cards, PayPal and checks.
Why Walmart Doesn’t Accept Apple Pay
Walmart does not currently accept Apple Pay as a payment method in any of its stores or online. And as promised, let’s explore the reasons behind it.
1. Cost implications
Enabling contactless payments like Apple Pay requires retailers to update their point-of-sale systems with new compatible hardware and software. That can be a costly investment, especially for a retailer as large as Walmart, with more than 4,700 stores. This is one reason why Walmart wants to stick with its payment methods.
2. Exclusivity with Walmart Pay
In 2015, Walmart launched its own mobile payment system called Walmart Pay. It wanted customers to use this proprietary system instead of third-party options like Apple Pay.
Before then, Walmart had an exclusive deal with MCX. This agreement required MCX members to use only the MCX mobile payment service. This prevented the retailer from using Apple Pay even before Walmart Pay was launched.
3. Data collection
Walmart Pay allows Walmart to collect customer data and shopping habits in a way that using Apple Pay does not. This helps Walmart get first-hand customer data. This data allows the retailer to better understand its customers and target offers and promotions.
4. Walmart Pay is more popular
In 2017, Walmart claimed that Walmart Pay was a more popular mobile payment solution than Apple Pay. Therefore, the retailer was reluctant to include Apple Pay in its list of payment solutions.
While this may or may not be the whole truth, this statement attempted to explain why Walmart couldn’t accept Apple Pay. And until now, it still doesn’t accept Apple Pay payments.
What is Walmart Pay?
Walmart Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service developed by Walmart in 2015. It allows customers to pay for purchases at Walmart stores using the Walmart app on their smartphones.
Using this mobile payment service at checkout is easy. Shoppers only need to open the app, select their payment method and scan the QR code displayed at checkout.
Walmart Pay works with Walmart gift cards, credit/debit cards and stored balances. It allows Walmart to offer a mobile payment option while still collecting customer data, with the goal of creating an even better customer experience. The exclusive use of Walmart Pay appears to be part of the retailer’s broader strategy.
Set up Walmart Pay
Walmart Pay is the mobile payment option offered by Walmart. It links directly to customers’ credit, debit, gift card and Walmart store accounts. Here’s how to set it up:
- Download the Walmart app on your iOS or Android device and create an account if you don’t already have one.
- Open the app and tap Services
- Select Walmart Pay
- Sign in with your email if you already have an account, or tap Create a new one if you don’t have one.
- Add your preferred payment method – it can be a credit/debit card, Walmart gift card, or account balance.
- Fill in your card details and billing address, then tap ‘Save’.
- You will have the option to add even more cards if you wish
- Once set up, you can now use Walmart Pay to shop at any Walmart store or online.
How to use Walmart Pay
Using Walmart Pay at checkout is designed to be quick and easy. It can be used both in stores with staff registers or self-service. Here are the main steps:
- Go to the checkout lane and scan the items you want to pay for.
- Open the Walmart app and select Walmart Pay.
- Open your phone’s camera and scan the QR code displayed at the cashier, or ask the cashier to scan your phone.
- If you have a security feature enabled, authenticate with your Touch ID or PIN.
- The receipt and payment confirmation will appear on your phone.
Note: Walmart Pay does not offer paper receipts. So once you have the payment confirmation on your phone, you’re good to go.
See About: How to Get a Free Apple Gift Card
Is Walmart Accepting Apple Pay? Other payment methods accepted by Walmart
Although it doesn’t yet accept Apple Pay, Walmart does accept the following payment types:
- Credit and debit cards with a physical chip or magnetic strip
- Walmart gift cards and merchandise credit
- Controls
- Cash
- Money orders
- SNAP/EBT benefits
- Health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending account (FSA) cards.
- PayPal
- Funding Confirmation
- Walmart Pay
This list shows that shoppers here have plenty of options for paying conveniently at Walmart, even though Apple Pay isn’t currently one of them.
Groceries that use Apple Pay
Although Walmart does not, Apple Pay can be used at many other grocery chains. Here are some examples, although the list is quite long:
- Whole foods
- Aldi
- Costco
- Safeway
- Trader Joe’s
- Lucky Hypermarkets
- Macey’s
- Publix
- Baby food
- 7 eleven
- Albertsons, etc.
So if you prefer to use Apple Pay, you can always shop at any of these stores.
Other stores that don’t accept Apple Pay
Walmart isn’t the only grocer or retailer that doesn’t accept Apple Pay. Others on this list include:
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Kroger
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Hobby Lobby
- Home goods store
- Guitar Center
- Lowe’s
- K-Mart
- Sam’s Club
These are big, popular retailers that have remained adamant about not accepting Apple Pay. And while most of them accept contactless payment solutions, Apple Pay is still a big no-no.
Benefits of using Apple Pay
Apple Pay offers some nice advantages that may make customers prefer it over other payment methods:
- Security – Apple Pay transactions use dynamic one-time security codes and Touch ID authentication. This helps reduce fraud.
- Convenience – With a fingerprint or a glance at your phone, you can complete your transactions very quickly.
- Rewards Integration – Apple Pay is linked to your existing credit/debit cards, so you still earn rewards.
- Privacy – Apple Pay does not reveal your full payment card details to retailers.
While Walmart currently only supports its own Walmart Pay system, the future is still unknown. For example, the continued growth of contactless payments may encourage the retailer to eventually add Apple Pay as an option in the future. However, for now, Walmart shoppers will have to rely on other payment methods.
See About: Is the Apple Card worth it?
Walmart Pay functions
As mentioned earlier, Walmart Pay is a mobile wallet. Although it is designed to store your card details (credit and debit cards), it does not have any special features.
However, it allows users to use paper coupons for their purchases. Walmart says that with Walmart Pay, you can use your coupons to cover part or all of your bill. Just give the vouchers to the cashier and they will be included as part of your payment.
Walmart Pay is also available for Android and iOS devices. And it’s completely free to use.
You can link it to a variety of cards, including MasterCard, Visa, Walmart, Discover and America Express gift cards, as well as prepaid cards. The only limitation is that you cannot link it to your checking account.
Is Apple Pay Worth the Hype?
Apple Pay has garnered a lot of attention since its launch, but does the contactless payment system live up to its hype? For Apple device owners, Apple Pay delivers on the promise of a faster and more secure payment experience. Being able to check out with just Face ID or Touch ID is much more convenient than fumbling for cards.
Along with protecting card details, Apple Pay integrates seamlessly with budget apps to track spending. Users appreciate these tangible benefits in their daily lives.
However, Apple Pay’s closed ecosystem on Apple devices limits its universal adoption. And exclusive deals with retailers like Walmart for their own wallets put Apple Pay out of business. Although it is growing rapidly, its overall transaction volume still pales in comparison to older payment rails like credit cards.
For die-hard Apple fans, Apple Pay is a seamless extension of the Apple ecosystem. But its hype likely exceeds its real-world impact, at least for now. Non-Apple users have several other mobile payment options.
