Walmart Pay now available at all Walmart locations in US
Walmart on Wednesday announced it recently completed the nationwide rollout of in-house mobile payments service Walmart Pay, a system promised to one day support third-party digital wallets like Apple Pay.
The deployment to more than 4,600 stores officially wrapped up last week after months of testing in pilot markets, reports CNBC. Walmart Pay was first integrated into Walmart's iOS app in December.
When the service launched seven months ago, Walmart VP of services Daniel Eckert hinted at future support for other mobile wallets, saying Walmart Pay is designed to handle NFC solutions like those marketed by Apple and Google. Eckert declined to comment on upcoming third-party integration during a media conference call today, adding that discussions with unnamed developers are ongoing.
With a full rollout now complete, and no word on an expansion timeline, it seems the retailer has further entrenched itself against outside competition.
Unlike Apple Pay, which offers a streamlined tap-to-pay interface, Walmart Pay transactions are completed by opening the app and taking a picture of a unique QR code generated by a point of sale terminal. The code triggers the app to deduct the purchase price from a credit card, debit card or preloaded gift card linked to a user's account. Customers have the option of using Apple's Touch ID fingerprint recognition module for added app security.
While Walmart positions Walmart Pay as a plus for customers, touting payment flexibility, tools like shopping lists, and in-app receipt management, the company undoubtedly benefits from greater control over the checkout process (the solution is restricted to Walmart's own stores).
Walmart's mobile payments sector ambitions began with its backing of CurrentC, a system designed to skirt credit card network fees by linking directly to user bank accounts. Beset with technical issues and a series of delays, that project effectively died in June, a month after Walmart Pay expanded to more than 750 stores.
The deployment to more than 4,600 stores officially wrapped up last week after months of testing in pilot markets, reports CNBC. Walmart Pay was first integrated into Walmart's iOS app in December.
When the service launched seven months ago, Walmart VP of services Daniel Eckert hinted at future support for other mobile wallets, saying Walmart Pay is designed to handle NFC solutions like those marketed by Apple and Google. Eckert declined to comment on upcoming third-party integration during a media conference call today, adding that discussions with unnamed developers are ongoing.
With a full rollout now complete, and no word on an expansion timeline, it seems the retailer has further entrenched itself against outside competition.
Unlike Apple Pay, which offers a streamlined tap-to-pay interface, Walmart Pay transactions are completed by opening the app and taking a picture of a unique QR code generated by a point of sale terminal. The code triggers the app to deduct the purchase price from a credit card, debit card or preloaded gift card linked to a user's account. Customers have the option of using Apple's Touch ID fingerprint recognition module for added app security.
While Walmart positions Walmart Pay as a plus for customers, touting payment flexibility, tools like shopping lists, and in-app receipt management, the company undoubtedly benefits from greater control over the checkout process (the solution is restricted to Walmart's own stores).
Walmart's mobile payments sector ambitions began with its backing of CurrentC, a system designed to skirt credit card network fees by linking directly to user bank accounts. Beset with technical issues and a series of delays, that project effectively died in June, a month after Walmart Pay expanded to more than 750 stores.
Comments
WM wants full control of the payment processing, fees, and the ability to track you.
This Q-Code scanning business is for the birds.
People have to unlock phone before using it, which some people won't do. people have to launch application, find QR code button, aim at QR code, and then that is all. That all takes a lot of time. Some people won't know how to use it, so they often hand their phone to the cashier to help them. That is all a giant pain. Paying via cash or credit is far easier and faster. I silently groan when people ahead of me try to use the payment system.
BUT, some people (like in this country) seem to like doing things that are MORE COMPLICATED for some reason, and they get the rush of using something new.
To me, a new payment system should be at least two of faster, easier, or more convenient. This is neither, but the people in that country love using it for reasons I will never understand.
Also perhaps of interest, from Ingenico itself ..
June 22, 2016 - 'Android Preferred Method of Payment'
https://blog.ingenico.com/posts/2016/06/android-pay-preferred-app-for-payment.html
I was adamant that I wouldn't use some dumb QR code thing. I've tweeted to walmart, criticizing them for not using Apple Pay. And when they announced that CurrentC bull shit, I emailed them and tweeted them the same criticism. Especially since CurrentC required access to your checking account as opposed to a credit card.
But I like using Walmart Pay for the reasons:
1) Electronic receipt - I don't have to worry about saving a receipt in case of future returns; along with all the benefits of e-receipts.
2) There's a "Savings Catcher" feature that automatically searches for lower prices on the things you bought to give you back the difference in lower prices in the form of "credit"; it's little by little and accumulates but it's pretty kool since it's automatic.
3) The Walmart app has a 3D Touch shortcut for Walmart Pay. It saves a step; not much but it does save a step.
4) I use the walmart app while inside walmart anyway. I scan the product, and sometimes the prices on walmart.com are lower than in store, and they'll match the price. Don't think the "savings catcher" feature compares between their online vs in store prices. Their details say prices are compared to local advertised circulars; not a word about their own online prices.
Some other comment said that the app wants your savings account? Wtf?
No, and actually it won't allow you to link/add a savings account or checking account. Only two payment methods you can add are Walmart gift cards or Credit and Debit cards. I added two credit cards.
And security concerns, well I added credit cards. So if they get fraudulent charges one day, they should be easily fixed with my bank. I've had a few fraudulent charges on credit cards and my bank makes it easy to dismiss them.
The steps are less convenient than Apple Pay. 100% agree. But I do the Walmart Pay thing while the cashier is ringing up the items, and by the time he/she finishes, the payment is already in place, no receipt needed, and I walk away as they say 'thank you'. I know, you can swipe (or insert for chip credit cards) the credit card too before the cashier actually finishes ringing up the items, and it saves time; few people actually know this and the cashier never tells you that you can do it.
When I do Self Checkout, well I guess it's not any longer than having to use my credit card with the chip reader. That chip reader takes a while to read/process the damn payment. Walmart Pay takes about the same to unlock iPhone, swipe on page over to find my walmart app, 3D Touch for walmart pay, it scans fingerprint with Apples Touch ID (not some walmart pay version of fingerprint scanning), and line up the QR code on screen. After that it's virtually instantaneous to "accept" the payment. Inconvenient, but the e-receipt and savings catcher are incentives.
It's not that bad.
I just really hope they add Apple Pay somehow. Although I can't see how it'll be seamlessly integrated the way Apple Pay works today. And walmart would have to upgrade thousands of Point Of Sale terminals to ones with NFC support. Which would cost a lot. I don't see it happening in the near future.
Now I really won't be.
The main difference between a direct debit scheme and a credit card scheme, is that for direct debits Walmart need to make a contract with all banks of all end-users, while for credit card payments it only needs to make a contact with a single credit card payment provider. Direct debit has higher set up costs (more contracts) but lower transaction fees, as there is 1 party less in the chain (no credit card provider).