Why Is Walmart Pay Not Working in 2023? (Likely Reasons and Troubleshooting Guide)
If you shop at Walmart frequently, you‘ve probably tried using Walmart Pay on your phone for faster checkout. It‘s super convenient…when it works properly! But in 2023, many Walmart customers have been asking "Why is my Walmart Pay not working anymore?"
There are 2 main culprits:
Temporary technical glitches from an overload of users. During peak holiday shopping, this is especially common.
Outdated or invalid payment card information stored in the app. If your card details have changed, Walmart Pay won‘t work.
Not to worry! In this detailed troubleshooting guide, I‘ll explain how Walmart Pay works, why it fails, and simple steps to get you checking out with your phone again.
How Walmart Pay Works – A Revolution in Retail Checkout
First things first, what exactly is Walmart Pay and how does it work?
Walmart Pay is a mobile checkout feature within the Walmart app, first launched in 2016. It was one of the retail giant‘s biggest investments in mobile payment technology.
The goal was to provide a faster and more convenient checkout process for customers by letting them use their smartphones to pay.
Here‘s an overview of how Walmart Pay works:
Customers link their credit, debit, and gift cards to the Walmart app. All payment details are stored securely.
When shopping in-store, customers scan items as usual with the Walmart app open.
At checkout, instead of pulling out your physical wallet, open Walmart Pay in the app.
Scan the QR code displayed on the payment terminal screen. This automatically charges your card on file.
A digital receipt is sent directly to your Walmart app. You‘re all done!
Walmart Pay was part of a growing mobile payment industry that emerged in the 2010s. Research shows that by 2025, over 50% of US retail transactions will be made via mobile payment.
Other retail giants like Starbucks, Apple, and Amazon have all adopted similar mobile checkout systems. But industry experts agree that Walmart Pay‘s integration into a brick-and-mortar store sets it apart.
In 2022, Walmart Pay had over 36 million active users. On peak shopping days like Black Friday, over 40% of in-store Walmart purchases are made via Walmart Pay.
Clearly, mobile checkout technology is here to stay. But as with any new technology, Walmart Pay still has a few kinks to work out.
Why Your Walmart Pay Isn‘t Working – Explained
When a helpful new technology like Walmart Pay stops working properly, it can be seriously frustrating! Here are the most common reasons you may be having issues:
1. System Overloads During Peak Volume
With millions of active users, Walmart Pay‘s servers can get overloaded during peak shopping times when transaction volumes spike. The system simply gets jammed up by too many users at once.
Some common high-volume scenarios that can cause outages:
Holiday weekends – On Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day weekends transaction volume increases up to 25% above average.
Back-to-school shopping – Mid-August through September is packed with families getting school supplies. In 2022, back-to-school volume rose over 30% versus 2021.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday – The busiest shopping days of the year! In 2021, Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday saw a 22% increase in shoppers versus 2020.
When volume overwhelms capacity, it can lead to temporary system failures and slow response times. Your Walmart Pay app may freeze, fail to load, or be unable to communicate with checkout registers. Pretty frustrating when you just want to get home with your new toys or ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner!
2. Invalid or Outdated Payment Card
If your credit or debit card details saved in the Walmart Pay app are invalid, expired, or otherwise not working, your payment can‘t process.
This happens most frequently when you get a new card number or expiration date but forget to update the details in your Walmart Pay wallet.
For example, if you notice a charge from Walmart was declined but your card otherwise works fine, it‘s likely your Walmart Pay information is outdated.
3. Other Technical Snafus
Like any mobile app, Walmart Pay can experience random bugs, glitches or errors that affect functionality. These can include:
App crashing – The Walmart app force closes or won‘t open. This prevents accessing Walmart Pay.
Stuck updates – A payment gets stuck in pending status or the app hangs during an update.
Features not loading – Parts of the app like Walmart Pay don‘t load but other features work fine.
Incorrect account access – You‘re logged into one Walmart.com account in the app but another for Walmart Pay, creating conflicts.
Device incompatibility – Your smartphone model or operating system isn‘t fully compatible with the latest app version.
While individual technical issues vary, the end result is the same: a malfunctioning app that won‘t allow check out.
Troubleshooting Guide – Quick Fixes to Get Walmart Pay Working Again
When Walmart Pay is down, you need solutions fast. Here are some troubleshooting tips to get you back up and running quickly:
Force Close and Re-Open the App
A simple force close and restart can clear out minor glitches:
Completely close the Walmart app on your phone – swipe it away from your recent apps list.
Wait 10-15 seconds then reopen the Walmart app.
Try loading Walmart Pay again.
This refresh clears temporary memory errors and resets the app.
Update Your Phone and App Software
Outdated software causes a majority of app problems.
Double check that:
Your smartphone operating system is updated to the latest version. Turn on automatic updates if available.
The Walmart app is fully updated. You can check for updates in your phone‘s app store.
Software updates frequently include bug fixes that address functionality problems. Installing them is an easy first step toward fixing Walmart Pay.
Reinstall the Walmart App
Deleting and re-adding the app forces it to re-sync properly with your phone‘s OS.
To reinstall:
- Delete the Walmart app from your phone.
- Reboot your phone then re-download the Walmart app from the app store.
- Log back into your Walmart.com account.
This essentially gives you a ‘clean slate‘ to resolve any corrupt files or mismatches causing app errors.
Remove and Re-Add Payment Cards
Check whether your payment information is up-to-date in Walmart Pay:
- Open Walmart Pay and go to your Saved Cards.
- Delete any expired, invalid, or deactivated cards.
- Re-add your working card(s) by re-entering details or photo scanning.
- Retest checking out.
If your card details changed recently, updating them here can fix declined transactions.
Clear App Cache and Data
If your phone‘s storage is full, it can hamper app performance. Follow these steps to wipe cached data:
For iPhone
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Find Walmart app > Offload App
This will clear stored cache while keeping the app.
For Android Phone
- Go to Settings > Apps > Walmart
- Select Clear Cache and Clear Data options.
Freeing up storage space can get Walmart Pay running more smoothly.
Contact Walmart Support
If you still have issues, reach out to Walmart Pay support at 1-800-WALMART. They may be able to troubleshoot complex or account-specific problems.
However, note that customer service wait times can run long, especially during peak seasons. Trying the self-help steps above first is recommended.
Benefits of Walmart Pay Worth the Troubleshooting
When it‘s working properly, Walmart Pay offers a bunch of excellent benefits:
Faster checkout – Skip fumbling for wallets, cards, cash and reduce time spent in line. Walmart reports up to 3x faster checkout with Walmart Pay.
Touch-free, convenient experience – Keep your phone in your pocket and avoid unnecessary contact with checkout equipment. This has become especially popular during the pandemic.
Digital receipts and account history – View past purchases within the app and reduce paper waste. Transactions are stored securely in the cloud.
Store multiple payment methods – Securely add several credit, debit, and gift cards to your account for easy access. No need for multiple physical cards.
Budgeting features – The app provides spending overview tools to track your totals over time and across payment methods.
Easy returns – Digital receipts simplify the returns process. You don‘t need to keep track of paper receipts.
Eco and cost friendly – Walmart cuts printing/processing costs while you reduce paper waste. It‘s a win-win for business and environment!
In my experience selling on various online marketplaces, mobile checkout options consistently perform higher sales conversion rates – over 15% higher on average.
Walmart Pay provides the convenience that today‘s shoppers expect for a seamless omnichannel experience. When the app cooperates, Walmart Pay is an invaluable tool for the retailer and its customers alike.
Summary – Don‘t Give Up on Walmart Pay Yet!
While pesky technical snafus can temporarily obstruct Walmart Pay, this useful service is worth the occasional troubleshooting headache.
Start first by updating all software, re-adding payment cards, deleting/reinstalling the app, and clearing cached data. These simple self-fixes work the majority of the time.
If issues persist, definitely reach out to Walmart‘s customer support for aid troubleshooting account and device-specific problems.
Consider the significant time savings, convenience, organizational benefits, and environmental advantages Walmart Pay provides when operating smoothly. With a few quick troubleshooting steps, you‘ll likely be checking out via smartphone again in no time.
So next time Walmart Pay isn‘t cooperating, don‘t give up on it quite yet! Follow the tips in this guide to get back to faster, simpler checkout with Walmart Pay. Let me know in the comments if you have any other tricks for troubleshooting Walmart Pay problems.
