If you‘ve received an Amazon gift card, but do most of your shopping at Walmart, you may be wondering – can I use an Amazon gift card at Walmart to pay for my purchases?
The short answer is no, unfortunately Amazon gift cards cannot be used at any Walmart store or on Walmart.com as of 2022.
I‘ll explain the reasons why, discuss exactly where you can use Amazon gift cards, which gift cards are accepted at Walmart, and provide tips for maximizing your gift card.
Whether you‘re a bargain hunter, Prime member, or just a confused gift recipient, this detailed guide has you covered!
Why Can‘t You Use Amazon Gift Cards at Walmart?
As one of Amazon‘s biggest competitors, Walmart does not accept Amazon gift cards for several strategic business reasons:
Direct Competition
Amazon and Walmart go head-to-head across many retail categories:
- Electronics – tablets, streaming devices, smart home
- Home goods – furniture, kitchenware, decor
- Clothing and accessories
- Pantry food and grocery items
- Books and media – physical and digital
- Toys and video games
According to market research firm eMarketer, Walmart holds the largest share of the US retail market at just under 6%, but Amazon is a close second at 4.2% as of 2022.
As two retail giants competing for the same customers, neither company wants to promote the other by accepting gift cards.
Incentivizing Own Gift Card Use
Gift cards encourage shoppers to spend within that brand‘s ecosystem.
Walmart wants to incentivize purchasing of Walmart products, not Amazon devices or content. They do this by only accepting their own gift cards.
Amazon takes the same approach – their cards can only be used on Amazon platforms.
No Business Affiliation
Amazon and Walmart have no partnership, parent company relationship, or other affiliation.
This lack of relationship provides no incentive for either brand to accept the other‘s gift cards.
Blocking Competitor Exposure
By not selling Amazon products or allowing Amazon gift cards, Walmart limits exposure of Amazon devices like Fire tablets, Echo smart speakers, and Ring cameras in their stores.
Every Amazon gift card that goes unredeemed at Walmart represents a potential lost Amazon customer. Walmart has a vested interest in blocking this competitor awareness.
Where Can You Use an Amazon Gift Card?
While Amazon gift cards cannot be used at any Walmart stores or Walmart.com, there are still plenty of options for redeeming an Amazon gift card:
Amazon.com
Amazon gift cards can be used to purchase anything sold directly by Amazon online across all product categories:
- Electronics – Kindle, Fire tablet, Echo, Ring, Blink cameras
- Media – Books, music, movies, magazines, apps, Alexa skills
- Home – Furniture, kitchen, home decor, smart devices
- Clothing and accessories
- Health and personal care – Vitamins, beauty, oral care
- Groceries and pantry items
- Toys and video games
- Tools – both hand tools and smart home installation/repair
- Pet supplies
- Automotive accessories like dash cams and GPS
Virtually anything sold directly on Amazon.com can be purchased with an Amazon gift card.
Amazon Physical Store Locations
Amazon has been expanding into physical bricks-and-mortar stores where their gift cards can be used:
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Amazon Fresh – These are Amazon‘s grocery stores that combine in-store and online ordering/delivery. There are currently only locations in California and Illinois.
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Amazon Go – Cashier-less convenience stores where you check in with an app and cameras track what you take. Locations are currently limited to New York, California, Washington state, and Illinois.
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Amazon Books – Amazon‘s own bookstores with books, devices like Kindles, and other merchandise. Stores across over 20 states.
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Amazon 4-star – Retail stores stocked with products rated 4 stars and above on Amazon.com. Currently in 9 states.
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Whole Foods Market – Since Amazon acquired this grocery chain in 2017, you can use Amazon gift cards in any of the 500+ Whole Foods stores nationwide.
So if you have an Amazon Fresh, Go, Books, 4-star, or Whole Foods near you, your Amazon gift card is valid there too.
Partial Payments
Amazon gift cards can be used for a partial payment on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market.
You can pay for a portion of your order with an Amazon gift card, then pay the remainder with a credit/debit card, EBT card, or other payment method.
This allows you to redeem your gift card balance without having to cover the full amount.
Which Gift Cards Can You Use at Walmart?
While Amazon is excluded from Walmart‘s payment options, Walmart does accept several other types of gift cards:
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Walmart Gift Cards – Can be used in any Walmart store, on Walmart.com, at Sam‘s Club locations, and on SamsClub.com. Applies to purchases made directly through Walmart.
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Visa Gift Cards – Both physical and virtual Visa gift cards are accepted online and in stores. This includes Visa prepaid cards.
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Mastercard Gift Cards – Similar to Visa, you can use Mastercard gift cards and prepaid cards for payment.
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American Express Gift Cards – Walmart accepts American Express physical plastic and virtual eGift cards.
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Sam‘s Club Gift Cards – Since Sam‘s Club is owned by Walmart, their gift cards can be used to shop at any Walmart as well.
Here is a quick comparison of which gift cards can be used where:
| Gift Card Type | Accepted at Walmart? | Accepted at Amazon? |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | Yes | No |
| Amazon | No | Yes |
| Visa | Yes | No |
| Mastercard | Yes | No |
| American Express | Yes | No |
| Sam‘s Club | Yes | No |
So when shopping at Walmart, opt for a Walmart, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or Sam‘s Club gift card for easy payment.
Gift Card Usage Statistics and Trends
To understand the competitive dynamic between Amazon and Walmart gift cards, let‘s look at some gift card industry statistics:
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There is around $200 billion in unused gift card funds as of 2022, per Mercator Advisory Group research. This demonstrates the opportunity for retailers when customers have gift card balances to spend.
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Approximately 50% of gift card recipients redeem their cards within the first 60 days, according to Blackhawk Network data. The remaining 50% have balances that could potentially go unspent.
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eCommerce gift card sales grew 43% YoY in November 2021, compared to 4% growth for physical retail gift cards, per Blackhawk Network. This indicates the increasing preference for online and digital gift card options.
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Among different spending categories, Amazon tops the list of most preferred gift cards at 53%, followed by Visa at 47% and Walmart at 41%, based on Researchscape survey data. Amazon gift cards have gained significant popularity over the past decade.
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However, Walmart still holds the majority of the retail gift card market, with 67% share compared to Amazon‘s 18% as of 2021 gift card sales data according to SMBC Consulting.
This data demonstrates the market lead Walmart retains in retail gift cards, but also the growing consumer preference for Amazon gift cards. Walmart restricts Amazon gift card usage to protect their dominant position.
Should Walmart Accept Amazon Gift Cards? Perspectives for Comparison Shoppers
As a bargain hunting consumer who loves comparing prices and finding deals, you may think Walmart should accept Amazon gift cards. It would provide a few potential benefits:
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You could comparison shop more easily across Amazon and Walmart for a given product, and purchase wherever the current price is lowest.
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When you receive an unwanted Amazon gift card, you could still redeem it by spending the balance at Walmart on groceries, home necessities, or other items.
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If Amazon is running a special promotion like extra discounted gift cards, you could essentially transfer that savings to Walmart by first buying Amazon cards on sale, then using them at Walmart.
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For price matching, it would be convenient to pay with the same Amazon gift card in either store.
However, Walmart likely views these aspects negatively as they could undermine Walmart‘s own pricing strategies and gift card sales. By not accepting Amazon cards, they avoid driving traffic to a top competitor.
Should Walmart Accept Amazon Gift Cards? Perspectives for Prime Members
As an avid Amazon Prime member, you may prefer if you could use your Amazon gift cards at Walmart. Here are some potential perks:
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You could apply your Prime benefits like discounts to purchases at Walmart, essentially making your membership more valuable.
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It would allow you to consolidate shopping trips instead of having to go to both Amazon and Walmart separately. The convenience could make you more likely to renew Prime.
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Your free expedited shipping with Prime could apply to Walmart.com orders when paying with an Amazon gift card linked to your Prime membership.
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You may spend more overall if you could shop both Amazon‘s selection and Walmart‘s assortment in a single transaction using your Amazon gift balance.
However, these benefits for Prime members are exactly what Walmart wants to avoid. Accepting Amazon gift cards could make Prime more attractive and competitive against Walmart‘s own membership programs.
Expert Perspectives on Amazon vs. Walmart Gift Card Usage
Industry analysts have some thoughts on Walmart‘s refusal to take Amazon gift cards:
"Walmart‘s rejection of Amazon gift cards hinders consumers but benefits Walmart strategically," says Patrick Campbell, CEO of Price Intelligently. "Walmart is playing defense to prevent losing sales to Amazon. For consumers, the inability to redeem Amazon cards at Walmart is inconvenient."
"Accepting a chief competitor‘s gift cards would be corporate self-sabotage," argues Suzanne Tager, CEO of retail consultancy Havelength. "Walmart is being smart in blocking this major risk, even if consumers dislike it. Amazon would never accept Walmart gift cards either."
"Shoppers increasingly prefer more flexible, universal gift card options like Visa and Mastercard," says Ant Taylor, Managing Director at FTI Consulting. "Walmart may need to rethink their restrictive gift card policies as this trend accelerates, or risk losing customers."
These perspectives demonstrate how Walmart‘s strategic self-interest clashes with convenience for gift card users. Retail analysts view restrictions like blocking Amazon cards as short-sighted as shopper preferences evolve.
Scenarios Where Customers Ask "Can I Use My Amazon Gift Card at Walmart?"
There are a few common scenarios that lead shoppers to ask if they can use Amazon gift cards at Walmart:
Renewing a Prime Membership
Your Prime membership is expiring, and you have a $20 Amazon gift card balance. You consider letting Prime lapse and just shopping on Amazon when you have gift card funds. But you‘d really like to renew Prime for the free shipping perks.
Unfortunately, Amazon Prime memberships cannot be paid for with an Amazon gift card. So you cannot renew Prime using your gift card balance at Walmart or anywhere else.
Buying Groceries
You received a $50 Amazon gift card from a family member for the holidays. But you do most of your grocery shopping at Walmart for the low prices.
You have to budget carefully each week for groceries. Being able to put the Amazon gift card towards your weekly Walmart grocery trip would be extremely helpful.
But because Amazon gift cards are not accepted payment at Walmart, you‘ll have to plan an Amazon Pantry order for shelf-stable groceries to use the gift card balance instead.
Purchasing Gas
You‘re low on gas, and there‘s a Walmart gas station on your way home. You have a $25 Amazon gift card in your wallet you‘ve been holding onto.
Rather than having to stop at another gas station, you consider trying to use the Amazon card to pay for your fuel at Walmart.
Unfortunately, Walmart gas stations do not allow payment with Amazon gift cards. You will have to pay with credit/debit or cash to fill up there.
Shopping Online
You just received a $100 Amazon eGift card from a client as a thank you. But when browsing for a new pair of shoes for your daughter, you find the perfect sparkly sneakers on Walmart.com for only $49.
Rather than spending $100 on Amazon, you think you could just use the Amazon gift card balance for this cheaper Walmart.com order.
But Amazon gift cards are not able to be used on Walmart.com either. Your only options are using a Walmart gift card or other major credit/debit card to place the order.
Tips for Maximizing Amazon Gift Cards
Since Amazon gift cards can‘t be used at Walmart, here are some tips for making the most of Amazon gift cards:
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Register your gift card on Amazon.com. This protects your balance if your card is lost and allows you to view your full redemption history.
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Reload it with more funds. You can add money to any registered Amazon gift card, whether it‘s plastic or an eGift card.
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Use it for an Amazon Prime membership. Paying for a new or renewing Prime subscription is a great way to get benefits like free shipping and streaming media.
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Buy Amazon devices like a Kindle, Fire tablet, Echo speaker, or Ring doorbell camera. Great options for using the funds.
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Save it for a large future purchase like a laptop, TV, furniture, appliance, or other big ticket item.
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Re-gift your balance to someone else by transferring funds to an Amazon eGift card. Easily share all or a portion of your unused funds.
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Sell or trade it if you don‘t want an Amazon gift card. You can exchange it for cash, a different retailer card, or cryptocurrency.
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Use it for Amazon subscriptions like Audible audio books, Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Music Unlimited, video channels, and more.
The Bottom Line – Can You Use Amazon Gift Cards at Walmart?
Hopefully this detailed guide has clearly answered the question – unfortunately, no, Amazon gift cards cannot be used at any Walmart retail store, Walmart.com, or Walmart gas stations as of 2022.
Due to the intense competition between the two brands, Walmart strategically blocks Amazon gift cards as payment to avoid indirectly promoting a chief rival.
Instead, make sure to redeem Amazon gift cards at Amazon.com, Whole Foods, Amazon Go and Books stores, Amazon Fresh, or on Prime memberships and Kindle/Fire products.
And for shopping at Walmart, opt for Walmart, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Sam‘s Club gift cards for seamless payment.
While the gift card restrictions between Amazon and Walmart are unlikely to change given the companies‘ dynamics, you can still maximize the value of cards from each brand.
Hopefully this guide has equipped you to better understand and navigate your Amazon and Walmart gift card options. Happy shopping!
