One of the biggest criticisms of Walmart is that the store doesn’t accept Apple Pay. With 640 million Apple Pay users around the world, many potential customers seem to be left out.
But one TikToker, Nae (@naemillie._), says there’s a way to pay for your Walmart order with your iPhone. No need to hand over cash or tap and swipe your card. All you need is an iOS or Android phone with a camera and you’re good to go.
She explains her technique in a viral TikTok that has garnered over 750,000 views. While numerous people said her claim wasn’t entirely accurate, others thanked her.
How to pay with your phone
“Ok I see you Walmart!!! I may be late to the party but I think this is cool!!,” reads the text overlay over Nae’s video.
Speaking off-screen while recording the screen of a self-checkout kiosk, Nae explains that she just learned how to pay for her Walmart items with her phone. Although the store doesn’t equip its POS systems with a Quick Tap NFC module, the TikToker says there is another option.
“I want to show you all something… when you come to Walmart and put your stuff in,” she says, tapping the screen. Nae then points to the Scan & Go QR code on the kiosk screen.
All they have to do is scan the transaction QR code using your phone’s camera, and then, they claim, shoppers will be presented with payment options on their device.
“Because Walmart doesn’t accept Apple Pay,” she explains. “But if you have Apple Pay on your phone, you can actually pay at Walmart with your phone.”
She says the shopper receives a text message with the receipt. “When you scan the barcode with your phone, it also links to the cash register,” she explains. “It links directly to that cash register. Awesome.”
The opinion of the audience
One user of the app responded to Nae’s post, saying he wished he had known about it sooner. If he had, he might have had fewer pointless trips to the store. “Baaaaaa, how many times have I stopped at Wally World and turned around just because I didn’t have my card,” he said.
Someone else said, “I have been using Walmart Scan and Go for over a year now.”
Another replied: “This is hands down one of the most helpful videos I have ever seen! Thank you!!!!”
One TikToker said the Scan & Go feature also allows shoppers to pay in a variety of other ways. “It doesn’t just work with Apple Pay, if your card is linked to your Walmart app, it works too,” they said.
Does it work?
However, Nae explains in her clip that this isn’t technically as easy as using Apple Pay directly. Another user addressed this in the comments section, saying that payments are processed through the Walmart app. Shoppers can save their card information in their phone’s Wally Word mobile application. This information is then used to process the transaction over the phone.
“I don’t think it’s Apple Pay, you have to save your card in the Walmart app and pay from there,” they wrote.
The TikToker continued, “If you have Walmart+, you can scan the items as you shop, then go to checkout, scan the code, and pay.”
Nae detailed in the comments that shoppers actually have to download the Walmart app first.
Others didn’t care about the technical complexity of paying. They were just happy that they could use their phone to pay, even if they had to scan a code.
“I haven’t been to Walmart in over a year because they didn’t have Apple Pay. Maybe I’ll go back now,” wrote one commenter.
Other payment options
Redditor @bt1234yt posted on the r/Apple subreddit that they found a way to use Apple Pay at Walmart, but their method was different from Nae’s because they used the cashback application Ibotta.
“The cashback app ‘Ibotta’ recently added a feature that lets you pay for your order at a number of major retailers using their app and receive a percentage of your total as cashback,” they wrote. “Here’s how it works: When you check out, you open the app, enter your total, pay with your credit or debit card, then show the cashier the barcode on the screen (it’s like instantly purchasing a mobile gift card). And recently, they not only added Walmart as an option, but also the ability to use Apple Pay as a payment method.”
News about the deal A step-by-step guide was also published detailing the same Apple Pay payment method that Nae references in her clip. According to the outlet, all people need to do is:
- Install the Walmart Pay app
- Sign in or create an account
- Once you’re in the Walmart Pay app, go to the Account tab. Then click on Wallet to view your saved payment methods.
- Add a new payment option and select Credit/Debit Card.
- Enter your information just as you would with Apple Pay and enjoy mobile payments at Walmart.
Why doesn’t Walmart accept Apple Pay?
And if you’re wondering when/if Walmart will ever accept Apple Pay directly, it doesn’t really make sense for the brand to do so. Sure, droves of customers will appreciate the ease of use. But how Digital Trends points out that the Arkansas mega-retailer seems determined to push its own mobile payment technology. Why would it allow Apple Pay to undercut its own internal solution? If you were Walmart, wouldn’t you want to process your customers’ transactions directly, rather than through an intermediary?
The Daily Dot contacted Walmart and Apple via email and Nae via a TikTok comment.
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