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'Walmart Pay' Expands Nationwide as Apple Pay Holdout Continues [Updated]
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That is true to a point, but Walmart doesn't make uniform hardware changes throughout the company. Different stores still do have different card readers. I frequent two locations and both card readers are different. One is significantly older than the other.
Yes, they've switched out a lot of stores card readers, but the vast majority of the readers that were in stores have read the new credit card chips for years.
It is very much so possible that a vast majority have NFC turned off. But the point is that Apple has provided little to no incentive for companies to use ApplePay aside from giving them free stickers on their windows. So companies like Walmart and Chick-Fil-A are making their own way. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sure, the native way is easier, but they are making good logistical decisions because the alternative is a poor.
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We're literally counting seconds here. 1-2 seconds vs 3-5. You have to press two buttons vs 1. But you can use scan the QR code and use WalmartPay at any time when the cashier is checking you out(you don't have to wait until they are done.) So really, it's a moot point. You can only pay as fast as your cashier rings up all of your items.
I'd like that as well. Wallet stores the transactions, but not their details. I can see the total amount I spent in each store for each visit, but not what I bought.
As for Walmart Pay, I'm sure one of the reasons the company is pushing it is to mine customer data. With Apple Pay, they don't get to track their customers.
I can't comment on the readers in the US, but the ones at the Canadian store technically can do NFC, but is disabled.
You forgot to mention Apple Pay's better security and privacy.
Here are the steps to use Walmart Pay:
1. unlock the phone with TouchID
2. open the Walmart app
3. tap 'Walmart Pay' in the app
4. use TouchID again
5. point the camera at a QR Code
How is that faster than Apple Pay?
Apple Pay wakes up when the phone is near the reader... and you just use your thumb with TouchID. You don't even need to unlock the phone fully... or open an app at all. It all happens on the lock screen.
Yet another reason not to support Walmart
People are deluded, that's why. Apply Pay is near instant for me. I can't believe people are comparing seconds here.
Gotcha.
Did any of Walmart's readers... past or present... ever support "contactless payments" using PayPass or PayWave?
Contactless payment were around long before Apple Pay. Some credit cards used it.
I can understand Walmart not wanting to support Apple... but they'd also be cutting off all other forms of contactless payments.
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Not that I know of. I've been with the company for 8 years and we've never accepted anything other than the standard card. Not like in the case of CVS, who did accept tap-to-pay credit cards, which disabled ApplePay.
Theoretically, they didn't need to--the (effectively) required hardware upgrade for chip should have been enough. Of course, who could have predicted that retailers would be whining about that too?
Honestly, the US will likely never have contactless infrastructure as good as it is elsewhere. I bet Apple Pay ends up really only being usable at 50% or so of stores simply because a lot of smaller businesses and restaurants will still hide their terminals from customers. Faced with that, it's no surprise that people are okay with using apps like Walmart Pay (what an uncreative name, btw) or simply just inserting their cards.
This comment screws with the prevailing narrative. Please delete and post something more appropriate. Something like "No Apple Pay, will not shop there" will be perfectly acceptable.
Apple Pay or not, I will not shop at Walmart. I have so many other and better alternatives that for me Walmart could disappear and most likely I would not even notice that.
The thing is they already did change out the card Readers for one with NFC built in! It's very little extra work for Walmart! When they did the chip upgrade the new terminals have NFC!
That being said. I used Walmart pay today and it isn't too bad. It's as fast as Apple Pay thanks to 3D Touch and Touch ID. Also no new training or fighting with the cashier as they just see it as a credit card on their end.
And I love the receipts. Just wish that they would take Apple Pay though and that Apple Pay has options for receipts like this in the future.
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The new readers are either
Ingenico isc250
Or Verifone Mx915
Both of which have NFC built in.
Attachments
Uh, okay. Apparently, emoji aren't as effective as a conveyance of jocularity as I thought they would be.
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When the cashier finishes ringing in your purchases aren't you at the exact same point whether you use Apple Pay or Walmart Pay? As bigredmachine pointed out up thread, all of the pre-processing can be done while the cashier is ringing up the items. You're getting out of the store at the same time regardless. Even with more steps in Walmart Pay, what time have you actually saved?
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When I first replied... I was questioning the time.
But then I discovered all the steps:
Walmart Pay makes you unlock your phone, open an app, press a button in the app, use TouchID again, then point the camera at a screen.
I change my concern from time to hassle.
QR codes have always been a ridiculous solution.
It doesn't matter if I can "pre-process" all those steps before the cashier finishes ringing me up.
It's the steps themselves that are the problem!
And I use self-checkout most of the time anyway.
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I like that answer. Especially the part where you acknowledged time really wouldn't be a factor. As for the steps, I guess each of us would have to judge if it's actually a hassle. The process you described sounds like it might take 5 seconds. Tapping a couple buttons doesn't rise to the level of hassle in my book, but I can respect that it might in yours. But can we both agree that Walmart's process doesn't rise to the level of an exclamation point.When I first replied... I was questioning the time.
But then I discovered all the steps:
Walmart Pay makes you unlock your phone, open an app, press a button in the app, use TouchID again, then point the camera at a screen.
I change my concern from time to hassle.
QR codes have always been a ridiculous solution.
It doesn't matter if I can "pre-process" all those steps before the cashier finishes ringing me up.
It's the steps themselves that are the problem! <-- omg, look at that thing!! {insert big eyed emoji staring at double exclamation points}
And I use self-checkout most of the time anyway.
I like that answer. Especially the part where you acknowledged time really wouldn't be a factor. As for the steps, I guess each of us would have to judge if it's actually a hassle. The process you described sounds like it might take 5 seconds. Tapping a couple buttons doesn't rise to the level of hassle in my book, but I can respect that it might in yours. But can we both agree that Walmart's process doesn't rise to the level of an exclamation point.
Yes... we're not talking about minutes or hours here.
But there ARE more steps to use Walmart Pay than to use Apple Pay.
You can't possibly think the two processes are equivalent, can you?
Apple Pay is ready to go as soon as your iPhone is placed near the reader. No unlocking the phone or opening an app. Just press your thumb and go.
Walmart Pay, on the other hand, makes you unlock your phone, open an app, press a button in the app, use TouchID for a second time, then point your phone at a QR code.
It's not impossible to do those tasks... but come on.
I Googled the word "hassle" just to see what it would come up with.
It returned "irritating inconvenience"
Nailed it.
Obviously there is a large cost to upgrading their terminals. But just last year the local Walmart got newterminals, why didn't they buy NFC compatible terminals? They could slowly swap out as the old ones are replaced on their normal schedule.
And yes, it really does take a sec. Double click friend button and tap watch to screen. Done.
Wrong. So wrong. Tokenization and not worrying about corporations who worry less about security and more about selling you lunch meat and cheap clothing.
Yes... we're not talking about minutes or hours here.
But there ARE more steps to use Walmart Pay than to use Apple Pay.
You can't possibly think the two processes are equivalent, can you?
Apple Pay is ready to go as soon as your iPhone is placed near the reader. No unlocking the phone or opening an app. Just press your thumb and go.
Walmart Pay, on the other hand, makes you unlock your phone, open an app, press a button in the app, use TouchID for a second time, then point your phone at a QR code.
It's not impossible to do those tasks... but come on.
I Googled the word "hassle" just to see what it would come up with.
It returned "irritating inconvenience"
Nailed it.
You forgot a step to using Walmart Pay, "find the app. So open the folder and swipe till you get to it. Or swipe home screens till you get to it."
I think with Walmart it really was a cost thing. I mean, they're currently suing Visa so that they can force PIN for debit cards. Allowing NFC means that they have to run debit cards over Visa/MC, which is slightly more expensive. At least with Walmart Pay the data collection in theory makes up for the extra cost.