Walmart Adds Bill Payment Service VanillaDirect to Stores

Walmart is rolling out a way for customers to pay bills with cash all over the U.S., according to a press release. The move will also allow for funding of prepaid accounts.

Both are being done in partnership with InComm Payments and will allow the VanillaDirect financial network that company operates to become available in the 4,700 U.S. Walmart stores, the release stated.

“This solution is another important milestone in our longstanding relationship with Walmart and our pursuit to provide their customers with leading-edge products and services,” said InComm Payments President Stefan Happ in the release. “VanillaDirect is an excellent addition to Walmart’s payment options that provides their cash-centric customer with a new, convenient and easy-to-use method for paying bills and funding the accounts that support their everyday lives.”

The service will give customers a way to access over 15,000 billers and account providers in that network, with financial service providers coming from several sectors like utility, telecommunication, tolling, banking, rental companies and insurance providers, according to the release.

The tech will let customers pay bills or take other related actions at a Walmart customer service desk or at a Walmart Money Center. By scanning an account barcode, they will be able to complete the needed actions and get funds transferred electronically, the release stated.

In other Walmart news, those who signed up for Walmart+ on Oct. 25 were able to get $9.95 cash back to be used toward that customer’s next online order.

Read more: Walmart+ Offers Cash-Back Promo for New Members

The promotion was put out the same day as Amazon’s grocery delivery service, provided by Whole Foods, put a $9.95 delivery fee in place.

In a PYMNTS survey of more than 15,500 U.S. consumers between Nov. 11, 2020, and April 1, 2021, Walmart+ regained members that dropped out after the initial free trial period earlier this year.