Hey everybody,
I'm two weeks into my Samsung Pay experience, and so far so good. I've had good luck using it at the usual places, but the jury is still out if I'll continue using it once the new wears off. In most cases it does seem to add time to the checkout experience (other than Publix, where swipe transactions are still much quicker than EMV) but it's not slowing me down enough to be annoying (usually).
I will add that I'm enjoying the promos... there was a Capital One promo a week or so back (use three times, get a rewards card) and there's now a USAA promo (use your USAA card three times, get $15 rewards card). I'll definitely continue to use it as long as these promos are around. 
What are your experiences? Feel free to share the good and the bad here. And of course any tips from seasoned users are welcome! 
Well, I can't add any experiences UnlceB, since I don't even use the Apple Pay with my own phone, but those rewards are nice, and definitely add up. Every little bits helps
Glad its going well for you so far!
Glad its going well for you so far!
@pizza1 wrote:
Well, I can't add any experiences UnlceB, since I don't even use the Apple Pay with my own phone, but those rewards are nice, and definitely add up. Every little bits helps
Glad its going well for you so far!
Thanks!
I admit the Capital One and USAA promos have been my primary motivation so far, but it's actually OK.
So far it's been consistent; I have seen some weird random error messages from the terminal at Wal-Mart but it's always worked. Usually I just keep holding it there and it goes through, except for a few days ago where it said 'security code error'. I had to touch 'cancel' on the self-checkout screen before reselecting 'credit' and trying again (it worked the second time).
I've still not tried it with a Wal-Mart cashier, and I'll probably avoid doing so for a while. My store seems to have a high turnover and can be really hit-or-miss even with a 'normal' credit card - self checkout is always easier (and if you happen to need help the cashiers there are usually experienced).
@DantGwyrdd wrote:Last year the rewards redemptions were insanely lowered around Christmas time so I made out with a bunch of free/discounted Samsung stuff since you could get a $50 off coupon code for samsung.com for some ridiculously low amount of points (ended up with two free wireless chargers, one of them portable power banks, a couple of free 128 gig SD cards, gear vr for ~ $10, and $50 off an SSD drive) so I'm hoarding my points now hoping they might do something similar this year as well and if they don't I'll probably just redeem for credit on that reloadable e-debit card (right now best redemptions are the $50 for 10k points and up).
That's awesome and definitely something to watch for!
Something I figured out (by accident)... I got the Samsung Rewards card as a new customer, and after getting it to $0 I deleted the card. Upon earning the USAA promotion they automatically loaded what I thought was another Samsung Rewards card, but upon closer examination it appears to be the same card that was loaded for the first promo (the transactions from the first promo are present), just reloaded with the new promo.
I've wondered if the Samsung Rewards card would 'auto drain' if used at a store, but honestly that's just adding another moving part to an already gangly process so I'll likely leave that for somebody else to explore. I've read that Amazon GCs can be purchased for any amount from within the Samsung Pay app, so if that's accurate there's little to be concerned about in any case.
@DaveInAZ wrote:I don't know about Samsung Pay as my phone is an LG. I did try Andoid Pay. My older LG G2 is just fine for me, but it doesn't have the finger scanner, so Android Pay required that I lock the screen with a PIN. I'm not going to enter a PIN 20 times a day to check text, email, weather, etc. just for the 2-3 times a week I might use Android Pay, so I quickly uninstalled it.
I had a Wells Fargo account earlier this year for the new account bonus, and they also offered a one time $10 bonus for using the Wallet mobile pay feature on their Android app. To use it you just had to open the app & enter a PIN for that app and you're good to go. That's the way to do it, a PIN for the app, not the entire phone.
I know what you mean... if it weren't for the fingerprint scanner I doubt I would bother, either.
I took advantage of the Wells Fargo promo as well; it turns out you have to have a 'default' mobile payment method set so Samsung Pay was disabled if the WF payment app was active. I used it at a Coke machine to get the $10 credit (applied instantly), then I promptly changed back to S. Pay.
I did have something unusual to happen a few days ago... I used Samsung Pay at Sears (first time) and nothing happened when I held the phone over the NFC reader so I held it over the magnetic strip reader, and it accepted it like a card was swiped (so far, so good...). Then it asked for the CID from my Amex, which the digital card doesn't have. 
I told the cashier I only had the last four digits of the digital number, but not the CID, and he suggested trying that. I initially objected but tried anyway for 'giggles' and was surprised when it worked (I was actually already taking my wallet out... LOL). So, I have no idea if either Sears or Amex simply let it "slide" due to the low dollar amount ($17) or if the last four of the digital card number actually is the CID. In any case, it worked.
The only situation Samsung Pay has failed has been at Walmart with my Wells Fargo Propel Amex - I've gotten a 'card declined' message both times I've tried (different from the usual mis-read messages I've occasionally seen). S. Pay works at Walmart with my USAA card, and the plastic WF Propel works there with no problem. I called WF to see if there was an account issue and they didn't have a record of the decline so it's a glitch somewhere between my phone and the Walmart register. Notably I've used S. Pay with the WF Propel Amex at Kroger with no problem (as a test only... I always use my BCP at Kroger) so the issue is unique to Walmart/S. Pay, at least for me.
Next I might try the PRG/Samsung Pay combination at Walmart to see if I'm having an Amex network issue or a Wells Fargo issue (in any case the issue is unique to Walmart). I'm also using the self checkout at Walmart so I can consistently see what's going on (I don't have to wonder if the right button is being pressed behind the counter).