Technology has made shopping online or in person easier and more rewarding than ever before, and this is pretty much the same no matter where you shop. After all, you might shop with a rewards credit card for the convenience, but you also get cash back or reward points for every dollar you spend. Many credit cards also allow you to tap to pay, which means you can check out and pay in person without having to insert your card into a potentially germ-ridden payment terminal.
Digital wallets like Walmart Pay allow you to pay for your purchases with the click of a button, no touch required, and mobile wallets also allow you to leave your credit and debit cards at home.
If you’re wondering how Walmart Pay works and whether you should use it, read on to find out more.
What is Walmart Pay?
Walmart Pay is a mobile wallet that is convenient for shopping at Walmart stores. This makes it different from other mobile wallets like Google Wallet and Apple Pay that can be used at various retailers and stores. Simply put, you only need to download Walmart Pay if you want to shop at Walmart.
When you download Walmart Pay to your mobile device, you can also store your credit, debit and gift card information, meaning you can shop at Walmart without having to bring your wallet into the store.
When you get to Walmart, use it as a touch-free payment method: just scan your items at the register, open Walmart Pay and scan the QR code on the register. Then your receipt is saved in Walmart Pay, so you don’t need to pick up a paper receipt at the register.
Walmart Pay Features
Walmart Pay doesn’t have a lot of fancy features, since it’s just a mobile wallet that stores your credit and debit card information. One benefit is that you can still use paper coupons when you use Walmart Pay to pay for your purchase. Walmart says you can just bring your paper coupons into the store and hand them to the cashier as you normally would.
However, it’s important to note that Walmart Pay is a component of the Walmart mobile app and is available on Android and iOS. Walmart Pay is also completely free to use. You can’t connect Walmart Pay to your checking account, but you can use it with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards, as well as Walmart gift cards, eGift cards and prepaid cards.
What is the difference between Walmart Pay and the Walmart app?
It’s easy to confuse Walmart Pay with the Walmart mobile app, especially since Walmart Pay is part of the Walmart app. The main difference is that Walmart Pay is a mobile wallet that stores your payment methods, while the Walmart app can actually be used to shop online.
If you want to shop millions of products online through Walmart, the Walmart app lets you do so using your mobile device. You can also use the Walmart app to set up grocery pickup or delivery, get household goods and essentials, and even “try on” glasses and clothing virtually. From there, you use the app to pay for your virtual purchases.
Walmart Pay, on the other hand, is useful if you want to use your mobile wallet to pay for Walmart purchases in-store.
How to set up Walmart Pay
Keep in mind that Walmart Pay is free to use and works on Android and iOS. With that in mind, as long as you have the right device and a payment method that seamlessly integrates, setting up this mobile wallet is easy.
To get started with Walmart Pay, here’s what you need:
- Step 1: Download and open the Walmart app
- Step 2: Select “Services” and “Walmart Pay”
- Step 3: Follow the instructions in “Get Started”
- Step 4: Log in to your Walmart.com account or create a new account
- Step 5: Add payment methods, like debit cards, gift cards, and rewards cards
- Step 6: Wait until the setup verification is complete and select OK.
Right now, Walmart Pay can be used when shopping in Walmart brick-and-mortar stores, meaning you can leave your wallet at home and pay securely and seamlessly for whatever you’re buying.
Walmart Pay Security: Is it safe?
Like other mobile wallets, Walmart Pay is safe to use. First, Walmart says it maintains “multiple layers of security” and is constantly updating its methods to check for possible improvements. It explains that the information Walmart Pay transmits is always encrypted with a secure network called “Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).” Additionally, your actual credit card information is never transmitted to Walmart stores.
If you want to use Walmart Pay with an extra layer of protection, you can also add a credit card with 0% fraud liability to Walmart Pay instead of a debit card. The good news is that most credit cards don’t hold you liable for a cent for fraudulent purchases, and the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) limits federal liability for credit cards to $50.
Should I use Walmart Pay?
If you shop at Walmart stores often and want touch-free payments when you do, then Walmart Pay is the obvious choice. This component of the Walmart app is free to use and allows you to store any credit card, debit card, or Walmart gift card information. This means you won’t need to carry your wallet when you shop in-store and you’ll always have digital copies of all your Walmart receipts.
And if you have a Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®*, keep in mind that you can earn even more rewards during your first year when you use Walmart Pay. This cash-back credit card has no annual fee, but it also earns you 5 percent cash back when you shop at Walmart.com. You also get 2 percent cash back on purchases at Walmart stores, Walmart-branded gas stations, restaurants and travel, and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. During your first 12 months as a cardholder, you’ll also earn 5 percent cash back in Walmart brick-and-mortar stores when you pay with your card through Walmart Pay.
Walmart Pay FAQs
If you’re on the fence about using Walmart Pay, you should learn all you can about this mobile payment method. These frequently asked questions and answers will explain in more detail how Walmart Pay works and its limitations.
Conclusion
If you’re a frequent Walmart shopper, Walmart Pay is a safe and easy way to make in-store purchases without carrying cards or cash. Simply download the Walmart mobile app, open the Walmart Pay feature and add your preferred credit, debit or gift card. Then, when you visit the store, open the app on your phone and complete your purchase.
Even better, you can add your rewards card to Walmart Pay and earn points while you shop. Learn more about the best rewards cards here.
*All information regarding the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been verified or endorsed by the issuer.
