E-receipts are becoming widely offered – we’re seeing more and more retailers make use of digital receipts. For someone like myself, who tends to lose receipts from time to time, this is pretty useful.
Walmart has recently started offering the same, though it was something I found on my own. Once I tried it out, I learned that it is more than what others seem to be offering at this point.
One nice feature is that they are going to start allowing returns with e-receipts. Lists can be created from these receipts as well, which is useful if you tend to do regular shopping there and typically purchase the same items.
However, I didn’t realize another benefit of uploading receipts.
I noticed the receipt changed on a recent shopping visit, and it introduced the concept of e-receipts. I learned that I could download the app and scan the QR code on my receipt, which would store the receipt for me. I was curious, so I checked it out.
The first thing I came across on the first page of the app was a Savings Catcher. It instructed me to scan the QR code and register my receipt. From there, it would review my purchased items and determine if there is a lower price out there somewhere. If there is, they will refund the difference to me in the form of a Walmart Rewards egift card. I learned that the process takes up to three days, so as of now, I have not found out if there was anything with a better price. I will update this post as soon as I get notification.
While I registered the app with my online Walmart account information, I do not see anything related to the e-receipts online. It would be nice if this information was accessible here as well. After doing some digging, I found that you can also enter receipts and manage your Savings Catcher/e-receipts online on a separate area in Walmart’s website. On the app, it indicates that this program is only currently available for iPhone users. Android is coming soon. This is something that they will need to streamline so that users can access their information on their phone and on the website, without needing to go to a different website for the Savings Checker.
Looking further into this, I found more information on what this program entails. From reading the FAQ’s, it seems that not all stores include this program and not all items are part of this program. From the site, here is a list of what items are included in the Savings Catcher Program:
Savings Catcher applies to many items sold at Walmart stores. This includes:
- Most groceries such as cereal, rice and most fruits and vegetables except for: store brand items, deli, bakery and weighed items like meat.
- Consumable items such as paper towels, bleach and trash bags.
- Health and beauty items such as shampoo and makeup.
- Select general merchandise items.
And here are the items that are not included:
Savings Catcher does not currently apply to:
- Store brands, deli, bakery and weighed items like meat.
- General merchandise items, (including, but not limited to, electronics, media and gaming, toys, sporting goods, housewares, small appliances, home décor, bedding, books and magazines, apparel and shoes, jewelry, furniture, office supplies and seasonal products).
- Non-branded items.
- Tobacco, firearms, gasoline, tires, prescription drugs, optical and photo products and services, or products that require a service agreement such as wireless, automotive or financial products.
Walmart is doing their best to stay true to their claim of offering the lowest prices. By saying above that the list of items are not “currently” included in the Savings Catcher program, it makes me wonder if they will change up the program once it starts gaining traction.
It’ll be interesting to see if there are any lower prices found, and how the program progresses as I continue to upload receipts. If it works in finding lower prices, at least on a sporadic basis, I believe it will encourage customers to continue to use the program in hopes of building up some extra money.
Have you heard of this new program? I thought I was one to keep up with the latest trends, but found this one completely randomly. I was also surprised that this new feature wasn’t pointed out to me at the time I made my purchase.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this new program – if you were aware of it, if you’ve used it, and how you see this changing mobile apps in retail. Share your comments below!
