Walmart Making Changes to Savings Catcher Program
Shop at Walmart? 🛒
If you’re a Walmart shopper, their Savings Catcher program and Walmart Pay are two great tools to ensure that you’re not paying too much for your purchases and can pay (and get receipts) easily. Specifically, Walmart’s Savings Catcher compares your receipts to advertised prices from top stores in your area and if it finds a lower advertised price, you’ll get the difference back in a Walmart eGift card!
Within one week after picking up your groceries, just enter your Walmart Grocery receipt into the Savings Catcher section on the Walmart mobile app. Your rewards are automatically transferred to a Savings Catcher eGift Card each time they’re earned, and the eGift Cards are automatically saved to your Walmart.com account. You can then use the rewards to shop both online or in-store.
NEW Changes to Savings Catcher…
Effective October 29th, 2018, Savings Catcher changed their accepted payment methods and Walmart Pay is now the only way to submit your receipt to Savings Catcher. Due to this change, the ability to scan paper receipts within the app or submit via desktop is now discontinued. However, this change will allow you to both submit and spend your Savings Catcher rewards within the same Walmart Pay experience.
Here’s how Savings Catcher works now:
Rather than scanning paper receipts using the Savings Catcher scanner after paying, you’ll simply create an eReceipt using the Walmart Pay scanner when paying. Here’s how:
- Enroll in Walmart Pay.
- Use Walmart Pay at checkout to create an eReceipt for submission:
- Open Walmart Pay and select credit, debit, or gift card.
- Use Walmart Pay to scan the QR code at the register to generate your eReceipt.
- Tap “Submit Receipt” directly from your Walmart Pay confirmation page or from your Savings Catcher dashboard on the Walmart app
What are the benefits of using Walmart Pay?
- One touch submissions: Submit your eReceipt before even leaving the store!
- Save time and space: Reduce wallet and purse hassles when you turn your phone into your secure mobile wallet.
- Store your purchase history: Find your past purchases in your Purchase History, easily reorder your essentials, or start a Mobile Express Return—all within the app!
- Print eReceipts for cash back apps: Select a purchase from your Purchase History, share, and print from your phone or email yourself your eReceipt. Then submit for cash back apps like Ibotta and Checkout51.
I think it kinda sucks because I always scan my mom and grandmas receipts since they don’t utilize programs like that and don’t have smart phones anyway… BUT this sort of thing is probably why they are changing it to begin with lol. One thing to be careful of- the first time you sign up for and use Walmart pay, if you don’t deselect the “use saved card” option it will automatically pick up on which credit/debit card you pay with and use it the next time. I had a small gift card balance and the second time I ever used Walmart pay it automatically deducted the gift card first and then the debit card I had used to pay the first time. I was really shocked because I was thinking “ummmm what if I wanted to put this purchase on a credit card or something?!” So I had to go into the app and deselect that option. Apparently it’s automatic otherwise!
I hate it. sorry but you asked. I will be shopping less and less at Walmart….have been lately because they never have the rebate items. it’s ridiculous that we will have to go through all this now just to submit to other savings apps.
I think it’s a way of all these savings apps to get connected eventually. hope I don’t sound too negative but, personally, I’m getting tired of everything changing all the time and I have to learn a new way to do what worked fine the old way.
Maggie, you don’t sound negative! I agree with you. Walmart is not worth the hassle.
I agree. I’ve already stopped shopping there unless it’s an item Kroger or Dollar General doesn’t carry and I can’t wait for online shipping. They’re going to be their own downfall.
Ditto to Maggie, Angie, and Malinda. Exactly right!
Not negative at all! I’ll just shop the sales and be done with it. I wish now I had continued entering my receipts on my computer instead of downloading the app! Grrrrr!!
What does this mean for Ibotta users, if it will not generate a printed receipt?
nothing. it provides a receipt. see the last section of the post by Hip2Save.
You will need to print at home, wasting your ink and paper for each shopping trip. I’m very disappointed by these changes. I will be shopping less at Wal-Mart too.
If you want a paper receipt, put a few pennies into the coin slot FIRST, then select WM pay to continue with the transaction. If not, you won’t get a receipt b/c your transaction will be stored on the app. If you need to return something, the cashier will scan your qr code to verify the return.
O really?! I will try this next time!!!!!!!! Thanks I hope that works
If im understanding you correctly paying part cash and part walmart pay will allow you to get your rewards? Im upset bc i pay cash mainly but if i put a small amount on walmart pay would it work? Thanks
Ivory’s NEVER accepts my “printed” Walmart receipts. It only accepts the originals. Very disappointing
I know the manager at my local store telling us one time how people randomly pick up receipts in the parking lot. Among stealing and returning products with those receipts they also submit to savings catcher to benefit the little extra money. Where theres a will theres a way with people i guess..sad
So it seems you won’t be able to submit grocery pick ups any longer?
That’s why they are changing it.
Something I noticed with our local grocery pick up is it is more expensive anywhere from just a few cents to a whole dollar more than just going in and buying the item. I have refused to use the WM grocery pick up for that reason and instead use our local grocery store delivery service. The groceries are the same price online as they are in-store and for $5 they bring them to your front door.
I don’t intend to be forced to use Walmart pay. I guess it’s back to looking at grocery ads & shopping multiple stores. I always shop elsewhere for meats anyway, so I’ll just add sale items to those shopping trips.
Pretty much. I don’t normally buy things that are cheaper elsewhere except for the stores that are the furthest(30min) away and even then it is a pleasant surprise since I don’t even look at those ads. Just before this change we will FINALLY be getting a Costco that is in town were we were having to drive an hour away. A large portion of my grocery shopping will switch to Costco anyway. The grocery stores that have better sale prices than WalMart in my town are close by and I won’t have to travel too far. In the last 3yrs I have used this app I have gotten less than $75 back so it really isn’t a big loss.
I wont be forced to use Walmart pay either. What if someone who used Savings Catcher didn’t have a smart phone, I think this sucks that Walmart is doing this, it was the only thing left keeping me shopping there, I don’t care now I have to drive an hour to get my groceries.
Does anyone know how it will work with the Walmart grocery pickup? They usually email me a receipt and I can copy and paste the TC# into savings catcher to still get the price matches. As far as I know, Walmart Pay isn’t an option in the Grocery app.
I don’t use Walmart Pay. I prefer my Samsung Pay so nope. Will be doing my own price matching and shopping around like always. In all the years I have been scanning my receipts into Walmart’s savings catcher I have earned less than $15 total anyway so not a huge loss.
Peaches, I agree! I’ve been doing it since the program started and I don’t actually think I’ve gotten back $20 total lol
Wow….well the savings catcher has saved me over $200 and that’s not scanning every receipt. It was super easy. Keyword…was.
I saved as well, and it was easy to come home and submit via desktop so what is the big deal they have to change it? I guess so less people use it?
I refuse to use Walmart Pay, so nope! It’s unfortunate….and they wonder why they can’t keep up with Amazon…every time there is a way to save at Walmart, they up and change it making it more difficult…I’m fine with shopping in my jammies and letting it be delivered especially when it gains me nothing but a headache and frustration to get out and shop!
I have mixed feelings about it myself. I feel bad for the folks that don’t have smartphones , or are not tech savvy. These are usually people that benefit most from things like Savings Catcher.
I agree with you…people who are really struggling may not understand all of this…some could be using a goverment issued prepaid phone that’s not a smartphone…some may not own phones, just trying to get their groceries day to day. Walmart is supposed to help the hard working, but still struggling individuals provide healthy meals and reasonably priced home goods to care for their families and selves.
We are retired, on fixed income , live in a very rural area that does not have numerous grocery stores to chose from and do not have a smartphone. (Don’t think what we would save on price catcher would offset monthly charge for smartphone.) Have enjoyed the extra monies we got using price catcher and hate to see it end. Afraid Walmart may have not thought this one through. But- they did not ask my opinion.
thanks Angie 🙂
With all the chaos going on with smart phones, I will probably just go elsewhere. Most tech folks tell us to limit our exposure and one way to do that is not use your app. Not everyone has a smart phone and not everyone has a phone with the capabilities needed for this. Besides that, when local competitors advertise items for a lower price, WalMart is pulling the items from their shelves till the sale is over. If I have to go to another store to finish my shopping, it would seem the wiser and more efficient thing to do would be go to another store to do all my shopping.
What about if you use cash? Guess you’re out of luck
buy a gift card with that cash and add that gift card to the app.
IMO, they should allow you to reload a balance on walmart pay just like amazon does. Wouldn’t surprise me if they do allow that down the road for cash customers.
you can also partial pay with walmart pay. The other day, I had a $2 GC in walmart pay. I used that GC via Walmart Pay and paid cash for the rest of the bill.
I had the same question. Thanks for posting.
Not happy I have to print out the receipt to submit to Ibotta. Now I have to waste my paper and ink!! I am no sure why they would do this.
I still shop at Walmart Neighborhood Market since it’s easy to get around the store and has slightly discounted prices on stuff I buy. I don’t use a smartphone so this will eliminate me as a Savings Catcher user. It hardly matters, since WM constantly changes how they search for matches to other stores and they basically now match nothing with a result of little or no points. Last time I received a refund was the grand total of 2 cents (!) on some fruit. Yeah, I was on my way to Vegas with that one…
Oops I missed that 🤦🏼♀️😂
for cash only paying customers, not helpful at all!
Hey y’all- you don’t have to print out the receipt in order to submit for ibotta rebates. I just emailed the receipt from my Walmart Pay transaction and scanned the QR code on my computer screen from my phone in the ibotta app. Didn’t have to waste ink or anything. Totally paperless 🙂
Really cutting back on Walmart purchases, they do not always give you what you are due with savings catcher. I would check our local adds, Dierbergs, Shop n Save and Schnucks and just decide to purchase at Walmart since they have savings catcher program. So many times my email would say “we won” we had the lowest prices. You have to take the item and add back to the store just to get your quarter back. The manager always says, huh, wonder why savings catcher didn’t pick that up. To much of a hassle.
Agreed–I can see lower advertised prices in competitors’ ads, and still Walmart can’t find them. AND when Walmart does find a lower price, their communication and documentation are nonexistent–did I get the cash back or not? From what? I can never be sure…
Can anyone tell me how to use my balance now? Do I have to put in a credit card?
You do not have to enter a credit card. The savings catcher balance is applied from a gift card and can pay a partial balance.
To use your Savings Catcher balance on the walmart app:
1) open it and click on “services” at the bottom, then select “walmart pay” from the menu that comes up.
2) You will need to type in your pre-chosen security code to open it, but will see a scanner window. Below it your Savings Catcher gift card balance will be visible on your phone screen.
3) Do this at the register, because you’ll also need to select “Walmart Pay” as a payment method there.
4) On the register you will see a QR code–scan it with your phone. The gift card balance should apply automatically and then you can pay the remaining balance like you normally would.
This so annoying. I don’t shop at WalMart much anyway – they don’t sale much organic/healthy foods compared to Target and grocery stores…If you choose the sales wisely WalMart is usually not the cheapest anyway – ShopRite has great sales + double coupons along with Stop&Shop. Target is also good with the gift card promos, cartwheel and 5% off redcard.
Can you use Walmart Pay for online grocery orders for Walmart pick up? That’s the only I thing I use Walmart for so wondering if I can still even use the program.
I hate this. I love savings catcher. I have been using it for 4 years and have gotten back just over $1,000. I oaybin cash almost every time I go. I don’t really understand all of this. I don’t pay for anything using my phone. Is there a QR code I can scan but still pay in cash or is it strictly paying by phone.
I’m with you girl! I keep reading comments from people who say they have only gotten back like $20 over however many years since they started using the program. Since 2016, when I started using savings catcher, I have gotten back almost $600!! That isn’t a ton of money but it is $600 in my pocket for doing next to nothing. More importantly, it is $600 of free money that I will not be getting any longer since Wal-Mart decided to try and TELL me how I’m going to pay for MY groceries instead of considering that maybe I am capable enough to run my life without their help. Thankyouverymuch. This new savings catcher policy is anything but more convenient. I marvel at Walmart’s lack of concern for alienating so many loyal customers by this measure. Like someone said before, many people do not have a smart phone whether due to the lack of financial ability or the lack of technological know-how. Many customers prefer to pay cash and some just liked it better the other way. Either way, I think if Wal-Mart would have done more market research on the topic, they might have learned that people were happy with the previous savings catcher program. Either way, I will be taking my business elsewhere.
That screws me. my husband does most of the grocery shopping and he doesn’t have a smart phone. I would take the recipts and scan them on my phone 🙁
I am in the same boat Kathy! My husband does most of the shopping and doesn’t want to go from store to store to get the deals so that is why I loved savings catcher. There will be no way I will be able to get him to take the time to submit it.
Not worth the hassle… Target price matches at the counter and doesn’t make me wait/submit receipts. Plus, with my RedCard I save 5%. Bye Walmart!
If I want to do Ibotta then yea I need a receipt!
I hate this!!
I hate this. I guess I will start shopping else where like I use to.
I hate it also! Wish we could find a way Walmart would listen to us and stop this ! why change a good thing?
I use it all the time super easy 👏🏼👏🏼
Not happy. My husband does the shopping and I scan the receipt when he got home since I have the app and he doesn’t like to download apps. Don’t like not having a paper receipt for my other grocery apps either. Kinda confused how this works too. I don’t see why they can’t give us the option to scan if we want to…
This change does not impress me at all!!!😞
Our local delivery is 14 dollars a trip. I don’t notice the price issue with Walmart.
It’s personally saved me a ton of time and money, since I have little kids. 🙂 I will still be shopping regardless of savings catcher, but found the few dollars to be nice!
That’s probably the reason they have to keep changing all the programs because every time they do people come up with ways to get around the rules, so basically cheat.
how can you cheat if they were matching the price from the start. doesn’t matter who scans the receipt Walmart advertises they match the price period. if some people dont want that back and give the receipt away or toss it and someone else scans it then it’s not cheating because as advertised they are supposed to match with the lowest price from the beginning. this is there way to eliminate a big chunk of people to have to provide this to and it is mainly targeting if not only aimed at the lower income families and people which seems a bit discriminatory.
I do my best to not carry my wallet at all so walmart pay is the only way I pay at walmart so it doesnt make much of a diffrence for me since I like to pay using the app
I do not like this at all because I shop for my parents and I need a receipt to give them and I always scan the receipt so I will have a copy and benefit from the rewards. This makes me just want to go to Kroger. Really. Why shop at Walmart anymore? Kroger has gas rewards and lots of sales /coupons . I like Walmart because I can get things all in one place like adult diapers for my parents and toiletries like soap, however, dollar general has coupons also . This just doesn’t help me benefit for all the work I do. Makes me mad.
I don’t use my Walmart pay every time I go to Walmart . I like to save up for something that I really want like curtains , etc . Does this mean that I can no longer let savings catcher accumulate? This really makes me angry if I can’t save it for when I need to use it .
Well this is just sad. I don’t have the TIME to fumble with this nonsense in thr grocery store, with people in line behind me…using my 4G, my phone battery…my printer ink if I want an actual receipt. Sorry, but I want a paper receipt! Too many times computers, apps and programs just crash and then there is no proof of purchase. Plus, a lot of people still like to pay with cash! Good, reliable cash! In fact, on this site, someone gave me the idea to pay at the self check out at Walmart with my spare change rather then lose money to Coinstar. Back to the Savings Catcher….I like having my paper receipts and then within a couple days when I have a few moments, I sit down and scan them to the app, and Ibotta and Checkout 51 etc. I also scan for my parents, who don’t like to use apps and such. I don’t see why it matters whose receipt you scan, bc the purchase was still already made. It’s all very petty on Walmart’s part. There is too much competition for them to pull this.
So dumb! Our Wal-Mart has absolutely horrible cell phone reception so I can never get Wal-Mart Pay to load while in the store to use it!!! Guess I won’t be using Savings Catcher anymore…
not everyone has a smartphone. I do shopping for my mom and other family members. I will not nor would I expect family members to load their debit card information in my Walmart pay app. this is a horrible idea. why change something that is working? very dissatisfied with this change. time to look through the sales ads myself.
I’ve been saying the same thing! Some of my mom friends LOVE Walmart grocery pick up and always ask why I don’t use it. I tell them it’s because they bump up everything by a few cents. Milk is 10 cents more, box of 16 gogurts are $1.12 more than if you walked in the store. Easily a $10+ difference when I do a big grocery run.
I will not be signing up for this at all, my walmart account was hacked and all my account information was moved to an unknown email, thankfully none of my bank information was on that account, unfortunately i had over $100 in my savings catcher and there may be no way of getting that back….. Beware of scammers out there and change your passwords frequently, and keep an eye on emails you receive from Walmart i had got an email my info had been changed but it wasn’t until 3 days later i realized i had been hacked and could no longer access my account!
The exact same thing happened to me except I got (an read) the email immediately! So sad people so this stuff!
NO NO NO! I will not be participating either and I really hope Walmart can see these responses! This summer my Walmart account got hacked. The only thing the hackers could steal was my savings catcher money because I do not store my credit card info. There is no way I will add my info. Buh bye Walmart!
Bah that’s a total bummer because I typically don’t shop at Walmart but my parents do. My mom sends me a copy of her QR code which I load into my Savings Catcher. Guess that’s the end of that! I should probably buy something with the couple dollars I have on the GC currently and be done with Walmart. Super lame.
So frustrating when they have to change things that work just fine! I find this happening with so many thing. If it’s not broken, don’t “fix” it!
Everything they “change”, “improve” or do is solely for their benefit, not for the customer’s.
So true!
Elizabeth- I found a work around. If you pay thru Walmart pay, just go to receipt and click paper logo in ver top and it’s will show you paper receipt on your phone. Now click pic of receipt/qr code and forward it to your husband phone or spare phone. Open ibotta, scan Walmart qr code from phone which u sent receipt. And it will process it like paper receipt.
Wow. Well that’s that. Hubby pays cash for the groceries there and will 100% not want to be bothered to buy a GC first just so I can submit my receipt. Geez. This just sucks. It was so nice having a few extra dollars here and there when I just needed to run in for milk or ibuprofen or something small like that. D-o-n-e. 🙁
And that’s what they want I believe unfortunately. It’s a ploy to make it harder because by doing so imagine how much money they will keep in their coffers by people unable to get price matching and rebates for items cheaper at other stores. Likely easily hundreds of MILLIONs of dollars potentially.
I use this all the time and i scan my moms receipts. I hate using my phone for any kind of Pay system or stand there pushing button making people wait behind me or now we all will have to wait for that person in front of us to figure out how to so this junk on the registar.
I guess I won’t be shopping at Walmart anymore. I don’t have a smartphone. How do you get a receipt ?
My only question is will the clerk’s that ring you up at Walmart know how to instruct you to use this program? because the last time I tried to use the Walmart pay the girl didn’t know how to do it I had to figure it out myself while I was standing at the cash register. so they make it sound so easy but even their employees don’t know how it works