Sam’s Club, owned and operated by Walmart, is a popular warehouse club offering members great deals on name brand items. With Scan & Go mobile checkout and an app allowing you to skip the lines, Sam’s Club aims to provide a convenient shopping experience. However, with the rise in mobile payments, many shoppers wonder if they can use Apple Pay at Sam’s Club.
Apple Pay Compatibility at Sam’s Club
Unfortunately, Sam’s Club does not currently accept Apple Pay in their stores or through their app. The warehouse club only accepts traditional forms of payment like credit cards, debit cards, checks, and cash. They also have their own branded credit card called the Sam’s Club Mastercard which members can apply for.
So if you were hoping to check out using just your iPhone or Apple Watch at Sam’s, you’ll need to bring a physical credit or debit card instead. This applies to both in-store and curbside pickup purchases.
Key Takeaway: Sam’s Club does not work with Apple Pay for in-person, app, or online transactions at this time. You’ll need to pay with a credit card, debit card, check, cash, or the Sam’s Club credit card.
Why Isn’t Apple Pay an Option at Sam’s?
Sam’s Club has not announced any specific reasons why Apple Pay is not supported. However, there are a few possible explanations:
High Transaction Fees
Apple charges 0.15% per purchase made with Apple Pay. For a warehouse retailer like Sam’s Club that emphasizes value, this additional percentage per transaction likely cuts too far into their margins across the high order volumes they handle.
Technical/Backend Challenges
Enabling Apple Pay requires hardware upgrades for NFC payments and integration with Apple services. As a subsidiary of Walmart, there could be complex backend upgrades needed to Sam’s Club’s systems before seamlessly accepting Apple Pay across stores and online.
Lack of Consumer Demand
If Sam’s Club is not hearing from many members requesting Apple Pay, they likely have focused resources on enhancing the shopping experience via other means like Scan & Go. However, if more customers start demanding Apple Pay support, they may revisit discussions.
Key Takeaway: Why can’t you use Apple Pay at Sam’s? Transaction fees, technical challenges, and currently low consumer demand are likely reasons Sam’s doesn’t take Apple Pay.
Alternative Payment Options Available
Though Apple Pay would provide added convenience for some, keep in mind there are alternative mobile payment options you can use for faster checkout at Sam’s:
- Sam’s Club App – Download for free on iOS or Android to access Scan & Go mobile checkout, avoiding the register when shopping in-club.
- Walmart Pay – If you also frequent Walmart, link your Walmart Pay account to seamlessly use those payment methods at Sam’s locations.
- Credit Cards – In addition to regular credit card payments, Sam’s provides their own branded Mastercard offering members additional rewards and discounts.
So while Apple Pay is still unavailable for now, Sam’s Club does try to streamline payments through digital options like Scan & Go and their own payment card.
Key Takeaway: Though you can’t yet use Apple Pay, Sam’s Club offers mobile checkout through Scan & Go, Walmart Pay integration, and their branded Sam’s Club Mastercard.
Will Sam’s Club Ever Get Apple Pay?
There is still a possibility that Apple Pay and Sam’s Club expand their partnership in the future. However, Sam’s Club has not made any official announcements confirming development or testing connected to adding Apple Pay as a payment method.
The decision likely involves a cost-benefit analysis on their end, factoring in member demand, implementation costs, potential increases in sales, and negotiating any transaction fees with Apple.
If more customers start frequently requesting to use Apple Pay at Sam’s Club locations, this could motivate their management team to reassess when the benefits balance out the required investment.
For now though, there is no expected launch timeline and you will need to keep using alternative payment forms when shopping there. But check back for any official announcements in case Apple Pay does eventually expand to Sam’s members!
Key Takeaway: Sam’s Club could possibly start accepting Apple Pay in the future, but has provided no official updates on timeline or status of any implementation plans yet.
FAQsย
Q: Does Sam’s app accept Apple Pay as a payment method for curbside pickup orders?
A: No, Apple Pay is currently unavailable on the Sam’s Club app. You will need to pay using another card when picking up curbside orders.
Q: Can Sam’s Club Plus members use Apple Pay when shopping in-store?
A: At this time, unfortunately neither regular nor Plus members have the ability to pay via Apple Pay during in-person shopping trips.
Q: When buying gas at Sam’s Club fuel centers, can I checkout with Apple Pay?
A: Sam’s Club fuel centers are not compatible with Apple Pay. You’ll need to insert or swipe a physical credit/debit card to pay for gas.
Q: If I link my Sam’s Club and Walmart accounts, could I then use Apple Pay via Walmart Pay at Sam’s Club locations?
A: No, even with linked memberships across their brands, Apple Pay via Walmart Pay would still not be usable for purchases at Sam’s Club stores, app, website, or fuel centers.
Q: As a business member, am I able to enable Apple Pay acceptance either on invoices or for fleet transactions?
A: Unfortunately at this time Sam’s Club does not offer Apple Pay integration for any business member billing scenarios either.
Q: Will Sam’s Club notify me if or when they officially decide to allow Apple Pay in stores?
A: There have been no announcements regarding timeline or plans for Apple Pay at this point. But any updates would likely be communicated on their website and app landing page once available.
Q: Why would Sam’s Club decline adding Apple Pay when it seems convenient for members?
A: Transaction fees from Apple likely pose more financial risk than benefit currently. Integrating to properly accept Apple Pay also involves hardware updates that may be costly and time consuming to implement nationwide at their scale.
Q: Could I call my local store directly and ask an employee if Apple Pay works there yet?
A: Store associates likely do not have access to any insider information beyond public announcements stating Apple Pay is not currently supported. All locations follow the same payment acceptance policies so individual stores cannot decide independently when or if to take Apple Pay.
Conclusion
Sam’s Club shoppers will unfortunately need to stick to tried and trusted payment methods beyond Apple Pay for the time being. Unless Sam’s announces an upcoming Apple Pay integration, you’ll want to carry your Sam’s credit card, debit card, or cash when shopping there so you can seamlessly pay for those bulk bargains.
Down the road, contactless payments may play a bigger role at the warehouse chain. But for now, don’t get caught unable to finalize your transaction due to incompatible payment tech. With Scan & Go, credit options tailored to Sam’s Club members, and all the regular staples like cash and standard cards, you still have reliable ways to pay on your next Sam’s run.