Walmart supports gift card payments, meaning you can easily check out with your gift card or even consolidate it with any other payment method linked to your account to complete a payment.
In this guide, I'll show you how to add a gift card to your Walmart account in the Walmart app and online so you can use it for payments whenever needed.
What Gift Cards Does Walmart Accept for Payments?
Just so you know, I think it's important that you know exactly which gift card works with Walmart before you even consider adding it to your Walmart account.
Walmart, just as any other store, is specific when it comes to gift card payments, and they do not accept gift cards from other retailers like Amazon, Target, etc. So if you were thinking about adding a store-specific gift card to Walmart, other than their own store brand gift card, I'm afraid you won't be successful with the process.
However, this doesn't mean that Walmart accepts only its store gift cards. You can also add and use other gift cards, like open-loop gift cards (anywhere gift cards like the Vanilla gift card, American Express gift cards, etc.) or multi-brand gift cards to your Walmart app whenever the need arises. You can also add and use gift cards from brands sold in the Walmart store, like Apple, Xbox, or PlayStation to purchase their respective products through Walmart. For example, you can use a PlayStation gift card to purchase a PS5 controller at Walmart.
Simply put, if you have any other store-specific gift card (besides Walmart), you won't be able to add it to Walmart, but if your gift card is an open-loop gift card or a multi-brand gift card, you should be able to use it at Walmart.
How to Add Gift Card to Walmart Online
If you own a Walmart gift card, open-loop gift card, or even a multi-brand gift card (that works at Walmart), you can easily add it to your Walmart account online.
To do so:
- Go to the Walmart website and shop for your favorite items as you usually do.
- After that, go to checkout and open the "Payment Method" section.
- Select "Gift Card".
- Add your new gift card to your account by entering the card's number and PIN.
- After adding and applying it, you should see it in the Purchase Summary of your account.
It is just as easy as that!
How to Add Gift Card to Walmart App
While the Walmart app can be limited when it comes to managing your payment methods, you can still add your gift card directly to the Walmart app.
To do so:
- Download the Walmart app on your phone and sign in to your account.
- Go to the "Account" tab and select the "Settings" gear icon at the top right.
- Tap "Wallet" and select "Add new payment method".
- Select Gift Card and enter the gift card number, PIN, and optional nickname for your gift card (can come in handy if you have many gift cards).
- After entering the required information, tap "Save card" to add your gift card to your account.
Now that you've added your gift card to Walmart, you should be able to use it when making payments. If the gift card is a Walmart gift card, taking the above steps should activate your card. However, if it was issued by another issuer other than Walmart, you'll need to make sure that the card has been activated before you can use it at Walmart.
One thing I love about these gift cards is that you can consolidate up to five gift cards in a single payment. Of course, they should work well if they are Walmart gift cards.
Why Won't Walmart Let Me Use My Gift Card Online?
There are plenty of possibilities why Walmart might decline your gift card for online payments, ranging from card support to purchase restrictions.
Starting with the gift card's support, Walmart won't support your card for payments if it was issued by another retailer like Amazon. Think of it, you using a gift card from another retailer is more like giving way for their competitor to dominate their market.
On the other hand, if your card was declined for a specific purchase, it means the item you're looking to purchase has been restricted from being purchased with Walmart gift cards.
Walmart gift cards work on a set of purchase restrictions that govern the way you use the card. For example, the Walmart gift card cannot be used to purchase alcohol or cigarettes. So you should know exactly what you're purchasing with your gift card.
Final Thoughts
Walmart supports gift cards from other issuers, but these gift cards shouldn't be issued by other retailers. For example, if you have a Vanilla Visa gift card, you should be able to add it to your Walmart app and use it for payments.
Using gift cards at Walmart can be very convenient, especially if you're looking for an easy way to spend the value on the card. This guide compiles the steps you should follow to add a gift card to Walmart and mentions exactly the type of gift cards that work with Walmart.
