Apple Pay is one of the most popular payment systems used in smartphones and smart watches. This allows people to pay at stores without the need of carrying cash or physical cards. However, Walmart, one of the largest supermarket chains in the U.S., doesn’t accept Apple Pay or any other contactless payment systems, like Google Pay, in its stores. So, let’s learn more about this decision.
Why Walmart doesn’t accept Apple Pay
Even though Apple Pay is popular, Walmart decided not to use this platform or other similar NFC-based systems. This means that in Walmart stores, you cannot simply tap your phone to pay.
This can feel inconvenient for some shoppers, especially if they forget their card or cash, or for people who are used to paying with their phone. Even so, Walmart has decided to focus on its own contactless payment option rather than using services like Apple Pay.
A different Walmart option
Instead of using Apple Pay, Walmart offers Walmart Pay, which is a system integrated into its mobile app. With Walmart Pay, customers can:
- Pay at checkout without a physical card.
- Use the Scan and Go feature, which allows Walmart Plus and Sam’s Club members to scan products as they shop and skip the checkout line.
These tools allow customers to pay fast and safely inside Walmart’s digital ecosystem, although it isn’t Apple Pay or Google Pay.
How this affects customers
Many customers don’t know about this policy and they are surprised when they find out they can’t use Apple Pay (or others). For some people, this might be a negative thing if they prefer contactless payment methods.
Yet, Walmart offers alternatives that allow customers to pay in an efficient way and avoid long queues, like Walmart Pay and Scan and Go, which eases the experience of purchasing.
Reasons behind Walmart’s decision
Walmart has several important reasons not to accept Apple Pay:
- Cost control and technology: Walmart has about 5,200 stores in the U.S., each with multiple checkout lanes. So, to accept NFC payments like Apple Pay, the company would need to upgrade hardware in every store, which would be a major investment and could cause operational disruptions. Therefore, by using its own system, Walmart avoids these costs and keeps full control over its payment infrastructure.
- Customer data collection: Payments made through Apple Pay usually anonymize card information, meaning Walmart cannot link a purchase to a specific customer. However, Walmart considers it important to track customer habits to provide personalized promotions, recommendations, and offers. So, with Walmart Pay, the company has full access to purchase data, which helps develop business strategies and better understand customers.
The future of payment in Walmart
Even though contactless payment has become more popular, especially among young people, Walmart doesn’t want to adopt Apple Pay in the near future. The company continues to rely on its own digital system, focusing on keeping costs low and understanding its customers better, rather than adding outside payment platforms.
So…
By using Walmart Pay, you also get the benefit of promotions and offers tailored to your shopping habits. So even though you can’t use Apple Pay, there’s still a way to enjoy a modern, fast, and convenient checkout experience every time you visit Walmart.
Next time you head to Walmart, consider trying Walmart Pay because you might find it makes shopping simpler and more enjoyable than you expected. Do you think Walmart’s decision is a good idea? We’ll see if customers get used to this new contactless payment system.