'Walmart Pay' Mobile Wallet Rolls Out to Nearly 600 Stores in Texas and Arkansas

[kdarling]

The difference is the Starbucks app was around before there were more viable options, such as Apple Pay. I used the Starbucks app and it was great, but now that we have an option that can potentially be used everywhere, individual retailers do not need to come up with retailer-specific options.

As long as Apple Pay requires store-specific cards in order for customer loyalty programs to work, merchants will feel a need.

If we could register our loyalty cards using our token accounts, it'd all be much easier. The real account number still stays secure, while customers get all their usual loyalty benefits automatically.

This choice of allowing an association should be up to each consumer, not Apple.

It will only benefit Wal-Mart, not the shopper.

How does it only benefit Walmart and not the shopper?

• The shopper can use any card they want, not just one from a bank that pays Apple a ransom fee.
• The shopper gets their loyalty benefits, and ads / coupons tailored to their desires.
• The shopper automatically gets the benefit of Walmart's Savings Catcher, which checks nearby box stores for lower prices and refunds the difference to the shopper.

This is not to say that customers should not pressure Walmart to also take NFC payments, but as long as Walmart is unable to easily associate an EMV token with a user loyalty account, they have little incentive. This is true for any tokenized payment method.

 

[AsherN]

wrong. There are plenty of contactless merchants who don't support ApplePay or SamsungPay. CVS is a prime example.

It's the insane implementation of NFC in the US. Apple Pay has only been recently (last week) been deployed in Canada, for 2 banks. However, if using a supported US credit card, it has always worked at every store supporting NFC.

Please don't confuse the backwards US implementation with the rest of the world.

 

[beaker7]

Didn't know they had electricity in Wal Marts.

 

[mantan]

As long as Apple Pay requires store-specific cards in order for customer loyalty programs to work, merchants will feel a need.

If we could register our loyalty cards using our token accounts, it'd all be much easier. The real account number still stays secure, while customers get all their usual loyalty benefits automatically.

This choice of allowing an association should be up to each consumer, not Apple.



How does it only benefit Walmart and not the shopper?

• The shopper can use any card they want, not just one from a bank that pays Apple a ransom fee.
• The shopper gets their loyalty benefits, and ads / coupons tailored to their desires.
• The shopper automatically gets the benefit of Walmart's Savings Catcher, which checks nearby box stores for lower prices and refunds the difference to the shopper.

This is not to say that customers should not pressure Walmart to also take NFC payments, but as long as Walmart is unable to easily associate an EMV token with a user loyalty account, they have little incentive. This is true for any tokenized payment method.

Great thoughts. The anonymity/security of Apple Pay is it's greatest feature. But a lot of customers value the use of loyalty cards. Having the ability to 'opt-in' as a customer is really best of both worlds from a customer perspective.

Retailers, understandably, are going to look for options that make that connection a bit more automatically.

 

[Rigby]

As long as Apple Pay requires store-specific cards in order for customer loyalty programs to work, merchants will feel a need.

If we could register our loyalty cards using our token accounts, it'd all be much easier. The real account number still stays secure, while customers get all their usual loyalty benefits automatically.

This is already possible. You can register Kohls and Walgreens loyalty cards (not store credit cards!) in Wallet. If you set them to "automatic activation", the loyalty account number will automatically be transmitted to the store's POS terminal when you first tap the phone. The Wallet app then switches to your default payment card for the actual payment. It just needs more retailer support.

 

[kdarling]

This is already possible. You can register Kohls and Walgreens loyalty cards (not store credit cards!) in Wallet. If you set them to "automatic activation", the loyalty account number will automatically be transmitted to the store's POS terminal when you first tap the phone. The Wallet app then switches to your default payment card for the actual payment. It just needs more retailer support.

Interesting, thanks. I wonder if that means that Apple has coded a fake "payment applet" into the NFC Secure Element.

During negotiation with the merchant terminal, the first tap would send the loyalty account number as "payment", which would get recorded but not allowed. Then the second tap would flip to using a real payment applet.

Have to dig around to see if Apple has a merchant software kit to let this work.

 

[Whiplash]

11 pages and nobody uses cash. Quick, secure, got some if I don't have my phone around, keep some in the car if I forgot my wallet. Nobody selling my buying prefs, accepted everywhere, including flea markets and street corner vendors.

As an older guy, I find it disappointing that the level of tech addiction these days is so high. Arguing about theoretical seconds saved is silly. You cannot live life like that because it all comes out in the wash. You exchange a little small talk with the cashier, you look at other merchandise on the way to the door, people and cars cross behind you until it is safe to back out of your parking spot.

People like that are always driving nuts, as if they are really going to get to their destination any sooner. And, what if they did? Nothing is more "consistently" efficient than cash. Relax.

 

[Rigby]

Interesting, thanks. I wonder if that means that Apple has coded a fake "payment applet" into the NFC Secure Element.

During negotiation with the merchant terminal, the first tap would send the loyalty account number as "payment", which would get recorded but not allowed. Then the second tap would flip to using a real payment applet.

Depending on the terminal it may even work with a single tap. Kohls' terminals support that. At Walgreens you need to tap twice.

 

[marco114]

Looks like Walmart is the new owner of the reality distortion field. Sorry Wally World, won't be using your crappy app to pay. Unless it's easier than using my card or as simple as Apple Pay, I wont use it. How about letting me just walk out of the store with my stuff and it charges me? That would be way cooler.

 

[American Hero]

11 pages and nobody uses cash. Quick, secure, got some if I don't have my phone around, keep some in the car if I forgot my wallet. Nobody selling my buying prefs, accepted everywhere, including flea markets and street corner vendors.

If you spend $50,000 in a year, you get $0 back.
If I spend $50,000 in a year, I get $1,000 in cash back.

If the store refuses to accept your return, you're out of luck.
If the store refuses to accept my return, my credit card company pulls the money out of their account and returns it to me.

If your TV you purchased within the last year breaks down three days after the warranty expires, you're screwed.
If my TV I purchased within the last year breaks down three days after the warranty expires, I don't have to worry--my credit card doubled the warranty, so I have nothing to worry about.

Want tickets to a sold out concert? Sorry, you use cash. I'll use my Visa/MasterCard/AMEX concierge to get them.

Oh that $1,000 TV you bought five days ago is now on sale for $699? Sorry, you use cash. Meanwhile, my credit card company will reimburse me the $301 back.

Also, cash isn't accepted everywhere. Try buying something online, making hotel reservations, or renting a car with cash. Here's a little something for you: The only people who use cash are the ones where the real world has passed them by. You keep using your cash, I'll keep using my purchasing power.

 

[Whiplash]

If you spend $50,000 in a year, you get $0 back.
If I spend $50,000 in a year, I get $1,000 in cash back.

If the store refuses to accept your return, you're out of luck.
If the store refuses to accept my return, my credit card company pulls the money out of their account and returns it to me.

If your TV you purchased within the last year breaks down three days after the warranty expires, you're screwed.
If my TV I purchased within the last year breaks down three days after the warranty expires, I don't have to worry--my credit card doubled the warranty, so I have nothing to worry about.

Want tickets to a sold out concert? Sorry, you use cash. I'll use my Visa/MasterCard/AMEX concierge to get them.

Oh that $1,000 TV you bought five days ago is now on sale for $699? Sorry, you use cash. Meanwhile, my credit card company will reimburse me the $301 back.

Also, cash isn't accepted everywhere. Try buying something online, making hotel reservations, or renting a car with cash. Here's a little something for you: The only people who use cash are the ones where the real world has passed them by. You keep using your cash, I'll keep using my purchasing power.

Sorry, had to laugh at your attempt at making me feel antiquated. Since this thread was primarily discussing relatively minor purchases at Walmart and other stores, I made my point. You trot out a bunch of unrelated scenarios, and then assume I "only" have cash. I have cards for the big stuff, PayPal for the online stuff, and I have no interest in a 2% reward when I can often get 10 or 20 percent off for paying cash to locals for services or products.

Try buying items from Craigslist sellers with your card, my friend.

When *you* are 60, you may actually find that insults like "the world has passed you by" aren't really insults. I lived my youth in a much better time, and I wouldn't trade any of it to have been born 40 years later. The water is swirling around the porcelain.

 

[American Hero]

when I can often get 10 or 20 percent off for paying cash to locals for services or products.

10 to 20% off eh? Where do you shop? I never see cash discounts for 10-20% off. Liar.

Try buying items from Craigslist sellers with your card, my friend.

I'm not dumb enough to buy from Craigslist sellers. Ebay provides better protection for me.
[doublepost=1463525626][/doublepost]

You trot out a bunch of unrelated scenarios, and then assume I "only" have cash.

Hardly unrelated. I gave you all of the good reasons to use cards over cash.

The best part is you're sitting here questioning why nobody is talking about cash, and then trying to argue with me when I tell you why. Do you know how that makes you look? Smart people use cards, not cash.

 

[Whiplash]

10 to 20% off eh? Where do you shop? I never see cash discounts for 10-20% off. Liar.



I'm not dumb enough to buy from Craigslist sellers. Ebay provides better protection for me.
[doublepost=1463525626][/doublepost]

Hardly unrelated. I gave you all of the good reasons to use cards over cash.

Wow, huge chip on your shoulder. Cash discounts are not advertised; it's something you negotiate, especially for services. If you don't like C-List, fine. I've never needed "protection" for anything I've purchased that way, but I've sure made a boatload of profit reselling some of it. As I've already said, I have cards for the big buys. Comprehension? I retired with enough to last me 30 years. I must be stupid. And a liar.

You don't seem to have much life experience yet. It's always the young and self-righteous that fail to benefit from learning. You'll see. If you're lucky.

 

[American Hero]

ash discounts are not advertised; it's something you negotiate, especially for services.

Lol, where? Oh that's right, nowhere.

Yeah, lets use cash so there's no paper trail!

but I've sure made a boatload of profit reselling some of it.

I've sold one or two things on Ebay and Amazon. The people on Craigslist are cheapskates. We'll start there. No I won't sell them an iPhone 6 in perfect condition for $100. Craigslist is sketchy.

You don't seem to have much life experience yet. It's always the young and self-righteous that fail to benefit from learning. You'll see. If you're lucky

No, see, I have life experience. It's your type that likes to not adapt to anything new.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

When you have more Pay apps installed than Banking or Credit Card apps, you're doing it wrong.

 

[Whiplash]

Lol, where? Oh that's right, nowhere.

Yeah, lets use cash so there's no paper trail!

Sure, much better to have a digital trail.

I've sold one or two things on Ebay and Amazon. The people on Craigslist are cheapskates. We'll start there. No I won't sell them an iPhone 6 in perfect condition for $100. Craigslist is sketchy.

I never said I sold anything on Craigslist. Comprehension?

No, see, I have life experience. It's your type that likes to not adapt to anything new.

My type? Successful? My Commodore was replaced by a Mac SE, a Performa, an eMac, and this Mac Pro because I don't like to adapt to anything new.

And "new" isn't always better.

I wish you continued misery and frustration. I think you've adapted to that just fine.

 

[American Hero]

Sure, much better to have a digital trail.

It is if I'm the consumer.

Are you ignorant enough to pay in cash for a service? Better hope that person doesn't take you to court a week down the road claiming you didn't pay when you did, but since it was with cash there's no record of it.

I never said I sold anything on Craigslist. Comprehension?

Even though you've previously said:

If you don't like C-List, fine. I've never needed "protection" for anything I've purchased that way, but I've sure made a boatload of profit reselling some of it

Sounds like to me you've purchased items on Craigslist but now you're backtracking because your argument is weak.

I'll tell what dude. Instead of wasting my time arguing with someone who doesn't see why everyone else uses cards, I'll let you move on with your life so you can live in the past. Hopefully when we fully adopt a cashless society, you'll finally learn.

 

[tmiw]

For those complaining about the number of pay apps one would need to install, consider this: how many different retailers do you actually visit on a day to day basis? I'd imagine for most, there's always that one specific gas station you go to, one specific supermarket, etc. Added together, it's likely not all that many apps. And for the likely rare instances where you're somewhere that doesn't have a nearby location for which you have an app, you can probably still use your card or cash (assuming they don't take NFC).

That said, a Square mobile checkout/ordering app that works with all of their merchants would be nice.

 

[Fenez]

Wow, huge chip on your shoulder. Cash discounts are not advertised; it's something you negotiate, especially for services. If you don't like C-List, fine. I've never needed "protection" for anything I've purchased that way, but I've sure made a boatload of profit reselling some of it. As I've already said, I have cards for the big buys. Comprehension? I retired with enough to last me 30 years. I must be stupid. And a liar.

You don't seem to have much life experience yet. It's always the young and self-righteous that fail to benefit from learning. You'll see. If you're lucky.

My customers always get a cash discount. Last vehicle I bought...cash. cash is king. Credit has been putting people in debt deeper and deeper. Of course some knucklehead will reply about paying all their purchases off completely every month, but if everyone was actually doing that then Americans wouldn't be in debt. Any mom and pop store will give you a cash discount, any contractor, mechanic. Credit is good for some stuff of course but cash works just fine and is still king.

 

[American Hero]

Any mom and pop store will give you a cash discount

That's hilarious. My old mom and pop hair cutting places didn't give cash discounts. In fact, they're 0/3 when it comes to that. Also, none of my local mechanics give cash discounts. The only places I've ever seen give cash discounts are gas stations. And if you're going to try to tell me you can negotiate a price for a cheeseburger at McDonald's or at a local mom and pop restaurant (which I haven't seen discounted prices there either) just because you decide to use cash over credit I roll my eyes at you sir.

cash is king

With zero advantages, of course.

Of course some knucklehead will reply about paying all their purchases off completely every month, but if everyone was actually doing that then Americans wouldn't be in debt.

Why do you care if someone else is in debt? Also, those who are responsible with their cards and use them for their intention aren't "knuckleheads," they're actually very smart people.

 

[Fenez]

That's hilarious. My old mom and pop hair cutting places didn't give cash discounts. In fact, they're 0/3 when it comes to that. Also, none of my local mechanics give cash discounts. The only places I've ever seen give cash discounts are gas stations. And if you're going to try to tell me you can negotiate a price for a cheeseburger at McDonald's or at a local mom and pop restaurant (which I haven't seen discounted prices there either) just because you decide to use cash over credit I roll my eyes at you sir.



With zero advantages, of course.



Why do you care if someone else is in debt? Also, those who are responsible with their cards and use them for their intention aren't "knuckleheads," they're actually very smart people.

Just negotiated a cash deal In guitar center (a national chain). Also saved a total of $65 on my tires recently. Plenty of people like dealing in cash. Any of my customers pay 5% less for cash. Nothing wrong with credit cards at all but there certainly isn't anything wrong with cash either.

 

[American Hero]

Okay, we can agree to disagree, I just don't understand your argument.

Your customers get a 5% discount for cash? So you'd rather lose more money giving cash discounts than taking a credit card?

You're telling me the cashier at a national chain guitar store took it upon himself for giving you a cash discount? I would've fired that employee. Since when does a cashier for a national chain dictate prices?

Also, do you really think it costs $65 in credit card fees to sell tires. It seems like you're dealing with some stupid people.

 

[Whiplash]

It is if I'm the consumer.

Are you ignorant enough to pay in cash for a service? Better hope that person doesn't take you to court a week down the road claiming you didn't pay when you did, but since it was with cash there's no record of it.

Well, since you called me a liar, please be OK with me calling you stupid beyond belief. See, there are things called printed receipts. You know, where the seller WRITES the labor and parts down on a piece of paper that has the business name on it, marks it paid, and signs it. Legal in every court of law if the need arises, as it has been for a couple hundred years. Do you realize that's what you get when you buy a new car? Not old enough yet?

Even though you've previously said:

Sounds like to me you've purchased items on Craigslist but now you're backtracking because your argument is weak.

LOL. Really? Do you understand that if I turn over an item anywhere besides Craigslist, I'm still reselling it? IF I did resell on Craigslist, would it matter as long as I turned a profit?

I'll tell what dude. Instead of wasting my time arguing with someone who doesn't see why everyone else uses cards, I'll let you move on with your life so you can live in the past. Hopefully when we fully adopt a cashless society, you'll finally learn.

"Dude". Pegs you as a punk. I knew it. By the time we have a cashless society, where the powers that be can monitor every single little you buy or sell, this country will have become unraveled to the extreme. "Hopefully" I won't around.

And YOU need to understand that a discussion forum is where people exchange ideas, opinions, and experiences, not where you call them names because you don't agree. Keyboard warrior here, eventually someone in Real Life will clean your clock when you can't control your mouth.

 

[Fenez]

Okay, we can agree to disagree, I just don't understand your argument.

Your customers get a 5% discount for cash? So you'd rather lose more money giving cash discounts than taking a credit card?

You're telling me the cashier at a national chain guitar store took it upon himself for giving you a cash discount? I would've fired that employee. Since when does a cashier for a national chain dictate prices?

Also, do you really think it costs $65 in credit card fees to sell tires. It seems like you're dealing with some stupid people.

Just ask for a manger and negotiate, I do it a home depot, Lowes, best buy... Its common practice. Negotiated 2 grand off a truck which already kbb for a thousand less then the asking price. Cash allows for a savvy negotiator to save quite a bit of money on larger purchases.

 

[Whiplash]

Why do you care if someone else is in debt?

Well, that clinches it. You have no concept what massive credit debt does to our country. Why am I not surprised?

Also, those who are responsible with their cards and use them for their intention aren't "knuckleheads," they're actually very smart people.

You've done a stellar job of disproving this statement.