Due to having its own payment system, and having concerns with third-party applications, Walmart does not accept Google Pay or any other type of digital wallet.
I am an avid tech user who has spent a lot of time with various digital wallets, including both Google and Walmart Pay. My personal experience with the technologies and brands allowed me to properly break down and analyze the themes covered in this guide.
To gain a better understanding of such systems, the following article covers how Walmart’s payment system works, compares it to other popular models, and breaks down why the retail giant goes their own way.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Walmart no longer accepts Google Pay as a payment system due to the fact that they now offer their own digital wallet in Walmart Pay.
- Walmart Pay is a digital, easy-to-use wallet service that enables customers to pay in-store. It’s simple to use, and extremely convenient for all Walmart shoppers.
- If you do not have Walmart Pay, the store allows customers to pay through traditional cards (debit and credit) as well as both checks and money orders.
Walmart and Google Pay
Google Pay is one of the most efficient digital payment services on the market. It’s simple to use and widely accepted by most retailers. However, Walmart is not one of them. Though the store used to accept the service, they no longer accept it at any of their stores.
That may seem surprising, but the shift came when Walmart decided to completely cut all third party payment systems, including Samsung Pay as well, out of their system. That may be surprising, but Walmart has their reasons for the sudden move.
The main reason they don’t want other popular payment systems in their stores is because they launched their own digital wallet in Walmart Pay.
Being able to access its own contactless payment platform creates less competition and makes it so Walmart customers are only using Walmart products.
In addition, Walmart Pay allows the company to better collect purchasing data. That then enables them to offer more specific promos, reward points, and select services to their customers. They also get to avoid the two percent credit card fee that comes with digital wallets.
Walmart has certain security concerns with third party payment systems as well. They believe that keeping everything in house makes them much less susceptible to any attacks.
Understanding Walmart Pay
As the name suggests, Walmart Pay is a digital payment service that allows all customers to easily link their various cards to their mobile device and use it when checking out at Walmart. It works just like Google Pay, but is only usable through Walmart.
Rather than going with NFC technology, however, the service utilizes a special QR code that you scan at the register to complete your purchase. Though some argue the system creates more problems than it solves, there are quite a few benefits that come with it.
First, the QR code system means anyone with a smartphone can use it regardless of their device. On top of that, Walmart Pay also allows you to get cash back and directly tracks/updates all of the reward points on your Walmart account.
Convenience is big as well. You can use Walmart Pay with self checkout and you don’t even have to bring your wallet into the store. It’s a secure way to make your purchases, and is incredibly reliable to boot.
All you need to do to access it is download it from the app or play store, then open the app and create a four-digit PIN or fingerprint ID. Once that’s done, you just pull it up during checkout and you’ll be good to go.
What Payment Types Does Walmart Accept?
It might be disappointing to some that Walmart no longer accepts Google Pay, especially if they don’t want to spend a lot of time messing with other payment methods. However, the store does offer quite a few other options.
Of course, you can always pay with a traditional credit or debit card (Visa and MasterCard being the two most popular). The store takes American Express and Discover/Novus as well.
If that’s not enough, Walmart accepts both checks and money orders. Just be aware that when paying with either of those methods you need to call Customer Service ahead of time before going into the store. Checks must also be drawn from a US Bank.
Those options on top of Walmart Pay mean that all customers are able to choose their preferred method when going to checkout. That versatility is great, and never backs people into a corner.
FAQs
Here, I go over some of the largest questions surrounding both Walmart and Google Pay.
Where is Google Pay Accepted?
Google Pay is accepted in a wide range of different stores. Anywhere that you see a contactless symbol or the Google Pay logo, no matter if it’s in-store, online, or in-app, it accepts the payment service.
What Mobile Pay Does Walmart Take?
Walmart does not take any popular mobile wallet services. Rather, it only accepts Walmart Pay both in-store or online. You can still use traditional forms of payment if you so wish, however, including debit cards, credits cards, and PayPal.
Can I Withdraw Cash From Google Pay?
While Google Pay offers a wide range of services, they don’t give users the option to withdraw cash. If you want to take money out of your account, you need to do it at an ATM with your normal debit card.
Final Words
Walmart might not allow you to use Google Pay in their stores, but they give customers plenty of alternatives. It doesn’t matter if you only stop in every once in a while or go all of the time, you’ll always be able to pay in the exact way you want.
Have you ever used Walmart Pay? What did you like and not like about using it compared to other options? Let us know in the comments below!
