Walmart Canada has finally given the news: you can now pay for your purchases in installments in any of its more than 400 physical stores (in Canada, of course). And no, you don’t need to get into credit, or interests, or paperwork, nothing. You just split the payment into four equal parts, with no extra cost, scan a QR code at checkout… and done. No fine print or weird stuff.
Until now, this option was only available on its website and app since 2023, but of course, not everyone shops online. So now they have decided to bring that convenience also to the checkout counter. And hey, it’s appreciated, don’t you think?
Klarna + Walmart = convenience
The alliance between Klarna and Walmart had already been growing little by little these last years, but this marks a before and after. Joseph Godsey, one of Walmart Canada’s executives, said clearly that his goal is to be the most trusted retailer in the country. No small thing. And to achieve it, offering more flexible payment options (and without bleeding anyone with fees) is key for everyone. Because of course, if you give trust and don’t squeeze the customer for every cent, you’ve got everything to win.
How does it work exactly?
Well, easier, impossible. You go to pay at checkout, and a QR code appears. You scan it with your phone and choose: either pay everything at once (as it was done until now), or split it into four interest-free payments (as long as the purchase is over 50 dollars).
No credit card, no signing anything, no other things that might look strange. You just choose the option that best fits your pocket and that’s it. And for many families, that means making it to the end of the month with more peace of mind, especially if there are big purchases to make or an unexpected expense came up.
Shopping without stress
Obviously, Walmart is not doing this out of charity. But the move could work out perfectly: they help people not have to give up what they need at that moment… and at the same time, they encourage more shopping. Because when you don’t feel like you’re going to go broke at checkout, you shop more calmly.
It’s a strategy that works, the customer feels more in control of their purchases (even if it’s not really true), and that always gives a good image of the company.
Klarna wants to be everywhere
From Klarna they are clear that digital is fine, but that the future must also involve connecting that with the physical experience of a lifetime. David Sykes, its commercial director, said that reaching the point of sale was the step that had to be taken, and doing it with Walmart gives them very good visibility.
And the most interesting thing is that this is only the beginning. They are thinking about bringing this formula to other sectors and even to bigger investments. But for now, they want shopping in stores to be much more comfortable and accessible.
Canada, the perfect laboratory
In the United States they already took the step, and since March of this year, Klarna is the exclusive flexible payment provider for Walmart. And now it is Canada’s turn to see how this story works. More than 400 stores will test the system, so the impact will be felt, for better or worse.
The important thing is that there are options
What not long ago was a digital extra has become a daily tool to shop without stress. Walmart has understood that the future of retail is not only what you sell, but how you help people pay for it. In the end, most people are not looking to spend less, but to organize themselves better. And giving that option, with no trick or catch, could be exactly what retail needed to take the next step.