Hey there! Have you ever tried to use Apple Pay at the Walmart checkout only to find it doesn‘t work? I‘ve been there too. It can be confusing when a major retailer like Walmart doesn‘t accept a popular payment method like Apple Pay.
But don‘t worry – with a few simple steps, you can actually use your Apple Card with Walmart Pay to mimic Apple Pay when shopping in Walmart stores. I‘ll explain why Walmart doesn‘t take Apple Pay directly and walk you through how to set up and use this clever workaround.
Stick with me and you‘ll be earning Apple Card rewards at Walmart in no time!
Why Doesn‘t Walmart Accept Apple Pay?
First, let‘s talk about why Walmart doesn‘t accept Apple Pay. There are several strategic reasons behind this decision:
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Promoting Walmart Pay – Walmart has its own proprietary mobile payment solution called Walmart Pay that‘s built right into the Walmart app. By only accepting Walmart Pay, they obviously promote their own payment system over Apple Pay.
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Avoiding fees – Apple charges retailers a small transaction fee for each Apple Pay purchase, typically around 0.15% of the total payment amount. For a high-volume retailer like Walmart, these fees would quickly add up to a large sum:
Annual Walmart revenue: | $573 billion (2021) |
Estimated Apple Pay transaction fee: | 0.15% per transaction |
Potential annual fees from Apple Pay: | $859 million |
Avoiding nearly $1 billion in annual transaction fees gives Walmart a strong incentive to only allow Walmart Pay.
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Keeping prices low – Walmart has built its reputation on everyday low prices. Accepting Apple Pay would drive up costs, which could force Walmart to raise prices – something it wants to avoid.
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Competition with Apple – As a retail giant, Walmart restricting Apple Pay also prevents Apple from gaining market share in the payments space. It‘s a strategic competitive move.
Essentially, Walmart wants to promote its own payment method, avoid Apple‘s transaction fees, keep prices low for customers, and limit Apple‘s reach – all by not accepting Apple Pay.
This policy probably won‘t change anytime soon, so let‘s look at how we can work around it!
How to Use Apple Pay at Walmart in 6 Steps
Despite Walmart‘s lack of direct Apple Pay support, you can still use your Apple Card with Walmart Pay to mimic the Apple Pay experience. Just follow these six simple steps:
Step 1: Download the Walmart app
First things first – you‘ll need the official Walmart app installed on your iPhone or Android phone. This is required because you‘ll be using Walmart Pay.
Search for "Walmart: Shopping & Savings" in the App Store or Google Play Store and tap download. It‘s free!
Once it‘s installed, open up the app.
Step 2: Create or sign into your Walmart account
When you open the Walmart app for the first time, you‘ll need to either:
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Create a new account – Tap "Create Account" and follow the prompts to set up a new Walmart account.
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Sign in – Already have an account? Enter your login email/phone number and password to sign in.
You don‘t need a paid Walmart+ subscription to use Walmart Pay, so you can skip signing up for the free trial for now if you‘d like.
Step 3: Go to the Wallet
After signing in, tap on the "Account" icon on the bottom right. Next, select "Wallet" from the menu.
The Wallet is where you can view and manage any credit/debit cards, gift cards, offers, and Walmart Pay.
Step 4: Add your Apple Card
To use Apple Pay with Walmart Pay, you need to add your Apple Card to the Wallet.
Tap "Add new payment method", choose "Credit/Debit Card", then enter your Apple Card details:
- Card number
- Expiration date
- Security code
Select "Save" and your Apple Card will be added to Walmart Pay.
Important: This will only work with an Apple Card – regular credit cards won‘t allow you to mimic Apple Pay.
Step 5: Locate Walmart Pay
Now you‘re all set up! When you‘re checking out in-store, look for the Walmart Pay QR code displayed at the self-checkout kiosks.
Open the Walmart app and select "Walmart Pay" from the "Services" menu at the bottom.
Step 6: Scan and pay
With Walmart Pay open, tap "Scan Code" and scan the QR code on the self-checkout kiosk screen. This links the payment.
Next, select your Apple Card as the payment method. Follow the remaining prompts to securely pay for your purchase using your Apple Card through Walmart Pay!
And that‘s it – you‘ve successfully used your Apple Card to mimic Apple Pay at Walmart. Pretty cool right?
While not as seamless as true Apple Pay, this workaround lets you earn your Apple Card Daily Cash rewards and utilizes the security of Apple Pay when shopping at Walmart.
Tips for the Smoothest Experience
Here are some handy tips for ensuring this workaround goes smoothly whenever you shop at Walmart:
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Only use self-checkout kiosks – These have the Walmart Pay QR code to scan your phone.
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Keep your phone battery charged – You don‘t want your phone dying in the middle of payment!
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Ensure you have an internet connection – Walmart Pay requires a connection to process payments.
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Update the apps frequently – Current versions of the Walmart and Wallet apps work best.
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Watch for Apple Card rewards – You‘ll see your Daily Cash appear in Apple Pay shortly after purchase.
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Know it only works in-store – This won‘t work for online Walmart grocery orders or pickup/delivery.
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Use a phone case – Protect your phone from drops and damage during scanning.
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Keep phones dry – Water on the camera lens could prevent scanning the QR code.
Following these tips will make for smooth sailing whenever you shop at Walmart and want to maximize your Apple Card benefits!
The Perks of Using Apple Pay at Walmart
Although it requires a few extra steps compared to true Apple Pay, there are some nice perks to using your Apple Card via Walmart Pay:
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Contactless convenience – It‘s quick, easy, and convenient to scan your phone to pay.
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Rewards and cash back – You earn 2-3% Daily Cash back on Walmart purchases with Apple Card.
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Enhanced security – Apple Pay offers additional security via Face/Touch ID verification.
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Access to cash – Daily Cash on Apple Card can be used right away via Apple Pay Cash.
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Itemized receipts – Walmart Pay provides detailed digital receipts through the app.
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Financing options – Apple Card financing is available for large Walmart purchases.
While not accepted directly, Apple Pay delivers many of the same major benefits when channeled through Walmart Pay. For many shoppers, it‘s worth the extra couple of steps!
The Growth of Mobile Payments
It‘s clear that mobile payments are growing extremely quickly – especially among younger shoppers. Let‘s look at a few statistics:
Mobile payment user penetration rate in the US: | 64.5% (2022 forecast via Statista) |
Percentage of US smartphone users who used mobile payments: | 44% (2021 via eMarketer) |
Most preferred payment method among 18-34 year-olds: | Digital/mobile wallet (63% via PYMNTS) |
It‘s clear that mobile payments like Apple Pay and Walmart Pay are becoming more and more mainstream. Customers appreciate the ease, security, and quickness of paying with their smartphones.
Given this trend, it seems likely that adoption of mobile wallet payments will continue growing rapidly in the coming years. Savvy retailers like Walmart want to make sure their own mobile payment solutions are ready to meet this demand.
The rise of contactless payments is here and accelerating quickly – look for mobile payments like Apple Pay to dominate the future of in-store checkout experiences!
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this guide gave you a better understanding of why Walmart doesn‘t directly take Apple Pay and the simple process for using your Apple Card and Walmart Pay to mimic the Apple Pay experience when shopping at Walmart.
While not as seamless as true Apple Pay acceptance, the extra couple steps are worth it to earn up to 3% Daily Cash back on your Walmart purchases via your Apple Card rewards.
The growth of mobile payments shows no signs of slowing down, so look for Walmart and other major retailers to continue expanding their own mobile wallet payment offerings to meet this surging demand in the years ahead.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to chat more about Apple Pay, mobile payments, earning credit card rewards, or anything finance/shopping related. Enjoy those Apple Card perks at Walmart!