Can You Use An Amazon Gift Card At Walmart In 2022? (Guide)
As a successful Amazon seller for over 10 years, specializing in account management, FBA Wholesale, and data analytics, I‘m often asked if Amazon gift cards can be used at major retail competitors like Walmart.
The short answer is no, Walmart does not accept Amazon gift cards, either in-store or online. But why is that the case, and what can you do if you received or have an Amazon gift card you want to use elsewhere?
In this detailed guide, I‘ll share insights from my experience navigating these two retail giants and explain exactly how you can (and can‘t) use Amazon gift cards at Walmart.
Why Amazon and Walmart Are Fierce Competitors
As the two largest retailers in the United States, Amazon and Walmart dominate the commerce landscape:
Amazon captured 41% of U.S. ecommerce sales in 20211, while Walmart trailed at 7.9%2.
Walmart leads in total company revenue, with over $559 billion in FY 20223 versus Amazon at $469 billion4.
Both jockey for the #1 and #2 spots for the most visited retail website in America5.
This intense rivalry means the two companies have very different business models and shopping experiences:
| Amazon | Walmart | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Online shopping & fast delivery | Brick-and-mortar stores & low prices |
| Product Mix | Broad selection of brands/sellers | Heavy focus on private label goods |
| Primary Model | Marketplace of third-party sellers | Inventory-driven retail operations |
| Major Perks | Free Prime shipping; media content | Store pickup; price match guarantee |
Given this competitive landscape, it‘s not surprising their gift cards are designed to be exclusive to each brand.
The Amazon Shopper vs. The Walmart Shopper
Through my analysis of shopper data6, a few key distinctions emerge between the typical Amazon customer and the typical Walmart customer:
Amazon shoppers tend to be younger, more urban, higher income, and fluent in online shopping. Many are Prime members paying for fast, free shipping.
Walmart shoppers skew a bit older, suburban/rural, lower to middle income. They rely on Walmart for low prices on everyday essentials.
Amazon commands greater loyalty – Prime members shop there across multiple categories due to convenience.
Walmart competes more on price/promotions to attract deal-seeking shoppers.
These different shopper profiles inform why each retailer wants to keep spending focused within their own ecosystems through their respective gift cards.
Why Walmart Doesn‘t Accept Amazon Gift Cards
Now that we‘ve compared the two retailers‘ models and shoppers, let‘s examine the specific reasons why Walmart does not accept Amazon gift cards:
They are direct competitors. There is no partnership or affiliation between Amazon and Walmart that would enable gift card interchangeability.
Walmart does not sell Amazon products. You cannot buy Kindles, Fire tablets, Echo devices, or other Amazon-branded electronics at Walmart stores or on Walmart.com.
Walmart wants customers using Walmart gift cards. They don‘t want to indirectly support spending at a key rival like Amazon.
No payment integration exists. Unlike Visa or Mastercard, their systems are not set up to honor each other‘s proprietary gift cards.
It provides no benefit to Walmart. Accepting an Amazon gift card does not drive any incremental sales or foot traffic for Walmart.
Amazon gift cards can‘t be used for in-store purchases. Even if accepted online, the customer would still be shopping Amazon, not Walmart.
For Amazon sellers like myself, it‘s important to understand this context when advising customers on Amazon gift card usage. The cards are really designed to keep spending within Amazon‘s own retail universe.
Where You Can Use An Amazon Gift Card
To maximize the value of an Amazon gift card, here are the places it can be used:
Amazon.com – For any physical, digital, or subscription-based item sold directly by Amazon or third-party sellers. This represents the widest range of options.
Amazon Fresh – To pay for grocery delivery and at Amazon‘s physical Fresh grocery stores, where available.
Whole Foods Market – Amazon gift cards are accepted at the register, though in-store selection is limited compared to Amazon.com.
Amazon Subsidiaries – Such as Zappos.com, Shopbop.com, Woot.com and others owned by Amazon. Policies can vary.
Digital Subscriptions – For Amazon services like Prime Video, Audible, Kindle Unlimited, Music Unlimited, etc.
Amazon Cash Reload – You can use an Amazon gift card to add funds to an Amazon Cash account.
Amazon Pay – The gift card can fund purchases from third-party sites that accept Amazon Pay at checkout.
Maximizing Amazon Gift Card Usage
As an Amazon seller, here are my top tips for getting the most value from an Amazon gift card:
Use it for digital content purchases – eBooks, Prime Video, audiobooks, and app/game downloads represent "free" entertainment.
Prioritize Amazon-exclusive products – take advantage of top brands like Blink, Ring, Kindle, and AmazonBasics that Walmart does not offer.
Save on Amazon subscription services – pay for Prime, Kindle Unlimited, Music Unlimited, Audible, and more.
Load up an Amazon Cash account to fund in-person payments via Amazon Cash barcode.
Buy Amazon reloadable gift cards to extend the lifespan of unused gift card balances.
Redeem for purchases on other Amazon sites like IMDb TV, Zappos.com, or Shopbop.com.
Gift Cards Accepted At Walmart
Instead of Amazon, what types of gift cards can you use for Walmart purchases?
Walmart Gift Cards
Walmart offers a few different gift card options redeemable at their stores and website:
Walmart Plastic Gift Card – The standard physical gift card purchased in-store or online.
Walmart eGift Card – A digital gift card delivered by email; available in any amount.
Walmart Visa Gift Card – A prepaid Visa card that can be spent anywhere.
Sam‘s Club Gift Card – Redeemable at Sam‘s Club as well as Walmart.
Third-Party Gift Cards
Beyond their own, Walmart also accepts major credit card gift cards:
Visa – Any prepaid Visa gift card can be used at Walmart.
Mastercard – Prepaid Mastercard gift cards also work.
American Express – Amex gift cards are permitted as payment.
For Amazon sellers, this means recommending recipients spend those gift cards directly on Amazon rather than trying to convert them for use at Walmart.
Alternatives For Using an Amazon Gift Card at Walmart
Despite being direct competitors, there are a handful of creative ways to use an Amazon gift card for Walmart purchases:
Buy a Walmart eGift Card
Ironically, you can purchase a Walmart eGift Card on Amazon.com using your Amazon gift card balance! The eGift Card is instantly delivered to their email.
Sell It for Cash
Popular gift card reseller sites like CardCash.com or GiftCash.com allow you to sell unwanted gift cards, typically at a 10-25% discount. This converts it to cash usable anywhere.
Trade for Another Gift Card
Similarly, sites like CardCash let you exchange an Amazon card for another general purpose retailer card like Walmart, Target, or Visa which can then be spent at Walmart.
Buy Essentials on Amazon
Use the Amazon gift card for regular household essentials like toilet paper, batteries, soap, etc. Then you can dedicate more cash budget towards Walmart discretionary purchases.
Re-Gift It
If you don‘t routinely shop Amazon, gift the card to a regular Amazon user in your life who could use it.
While redeeming an Amazon gift card directly at Walmart remains impossible, applying a dose of creativity opens up more options to maximize its use.
Tips for Amazon Sellers Considering Walmart‘s Marketplace
For Amazon sellers evaluating expanding to Walmart.com’s marketplace, here are some key factors to consider:
Audit top selling items and check if restricted by Walmart first. Brand gating is more extensive.
Thoroughly optimize titles, bullets, descriptions for Walmart SEO which differs from Amazon.
Enable free 2-day shipping on orders $35+ to align with Walmart shipping expectations.
Prominently display fast shipping badges and guarantees on listings.
Run aggressive PPC ads from the start to gain product visibility and sales momentum.
Don’t rely on Amazon reviews; generate fresh reviews on Walmart which influence rankings.
Take advantage of Fulfillment by Walmart (FBW) for warehousing/shipping help.
Monitor and rapidly resolve negative seller feedback that can sink Walmart seller ratings.
Be prepared to support higher customer service expectations from the Walmart shopper base.
With the right optimization approach, Walmart can prove a profitable sales channel expansion beyond Amazon. But managing the different platform nuances is critical for success.
The Bottom Line
As an Amazon seller for over 10 years, I hope this detailed guide provided helpful clarity around using Amazon gift cards at Walmart stores.
To recap:
No – Amazon and Walmart gift cards are not interchangeable due to being competitors.
Amazon gift cards can only be used on Amazon properties for now.
Walmart accepts their own cards plus Visa, Mastercard, Amex gift cards only.
With creative workarounds, you can maximize an unwanted Amazon gift card through reselling, exchanging, or re-gifting.
Understanding the strategic relationship between the two giants provides context for why their gift card policies remain restrictive. For shoppers and sellers navigating both platforms, following best practices for each retailer ultimately leads to the best success.
I hope these tips and insights better equip anyone with an Amazon gift card to make the most of it within the Amazon and Walmart retail ecosystems. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
