topic Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work? in Credit Cards

Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 14:44:44 GMT

This is my first post. I'm not posting links, quotes or sources since I'm not sure what the policies are around that. I have a question about the Kroger Mastercard rewards system.

This card gives you 5% cash back on mobile wallet purchases. The fine print defines mobile wallet pretty much as anything where you use a mobile device to make a payment. (I know that's not literally true because there's no way they will give me cash back if I buy something on an ecommerce site with my phone).

That same fine print also states that the definition of "mobile wallet" includes Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. (edit:
longtimelurker points out that they also list Garmin Pay and LG Pay. Oops.)
My first thought is that what they really mean is that mobile wallet is Samsung+Google+Apple+Garmin+LG, and nothing else. (this edited thanks to longtimelurker)
Can anyone confirm that? Anyone want to speculate? Does anyone know the full list, or the process for determining that?
Has anyone tried Walmart Pay?

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

ptatohed — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 06:03:47 GMT

I think you may be overthinking this. I believe you will get 5% CB when you use your mobile smart device to pay at the store's POS, with your Kroger card linked to your mobile wallet app. What mobile wallet app do you wish to use?

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

xenon3030 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 06:15:34 GMT

The majority of stores cover Samsung/apple pay, incluing Walmart supercenters. So, this card meets the purpose almost at all locations. You can try the other digital wallet possibilities but only a few stores may cover them.

If you think the card is interesting, apply for it. It is a co-branded card and not difficult to get it (the prime US Bank cards typically need ~1/12).

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 06:23:19 GMT

Thanks xenon3030, appreciate the advice! It's #4 on my list and I'll let you know if I learn anything. When you talk about the prime US Bank cards, I think you are saying that those are harder to get than the branded ones, correct?

Why I care:

I'm basically worried that either

I will end up at a Walmart without NFC (I don't have a device that can use Samsung Pay with MST); or
I will end up at a Walmart that blocks other mobile wallets (I have heard of this through the unreliable grapevine); or
Walmart Pay will take over the world and drive the others out.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:28:30 GMT

The fine print;

"Mobile wallet" is defined as the method of paying for a transaction by use of a mobile device (in a store, in-app or online) and includes Apple Pay®, Samsung Pay, Google Pay™, Garmin Pay™ and LG Pay

So more than just the big three, but maybe not much more!

I was excited till I saw it caps at $3K a year.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

xenon3030 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:32:08 GMT

Hahaha. You are over-thinking. In such cases, simply use a manual CC at the checkout.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

NRB525 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 08:47:20 GMT

@xenon3030 wrote:
Hahaha. You are over-thinking. In such cases, simply use a manual CC at the checkout.

Manual CC at checkout definitely doesn't get 5% on the Kroger card, anywhere

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

NRB525 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 08:59:28 GMT

@TyrannicalDuncery wrote:
This is my first post. I'm not posting links, quotes or sources since I'm not sure what the policies are around that. I have a question about the Kroger Mastercard rewards system.

This card gives you 5% cash back on mobile wallet purchases. The fine print defines mobile wallet pretty much as anything where you use a mobile device to make a payment. (I know that's not literally true because there's no way they will give me cash back if I buy something on an ecommerce site with my phone).

That same fine print also states that the definition of "mobile wallet" includes Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
My first thought is that what they really mean is that mobile wallet is Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and nothing else.
Can anyone confirm that? Anyone want to speculate? Does anyone know the full list, or the process for determining that?
Has anyone tried Walmart Pay?

Actually, if you have a US Bank issued Kroger CC in ApplePay, checking out on a website with your iPhone or iPad at a site or app that uses ApplePay, you would get the 5% on the Kroger card. I am confident of this because US Bank also issues the Altitude Reserve, where a big attraction is "mobile wallet" and such purchases on ApplePay get the higher point earnings on ApplePay wherever I use it. I can't vouch for Google Pay and Samsung pay, but these sites usually have the range once they have one, so should work similarly.

Since the 5% is capped at $150 back each year ( actually capped at $110 more than what you would get with a basic 2% Everywhere CC ) the question becomes; is it worth the hassle to try to get this card to work at WalMart?

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

CreditCobra — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:53:51 GMT

I looked at this card as a great fill-in for categories not typically covered. Car Insurance comes to mind. Then maybe some in-store purchases and it would be easy to hit the $3,000 cap and maximize the rewards. Absolutely not a daily driver. Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

ptatohed — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:36:22 GMT

@CreditCobra wrote:
I looked at this card as a great fill-in for categories not typically covered. Car Insurance comes to mind. Then maybe some in-store purchases and it would be easy to hit the $3,000 cap and maximize the rewards. Absolutely not a daily driver. Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Can you use it to pay auto insurance and receive 5% CB?

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

xenon3030 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:42:44 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
@xenon3030 wrote:
Hahaha. You are over-thinking. In such cases, simply use a manual CC at the checkout.
Manual CC at checkout definitely doesn't get 5% on the Kroger card, anywhere

You will use another card that gives ~5% at such store. If you line-up your cards accordingly, you almost can get ~5% everywhere. Search in this forum and you will find several lineup suggestions.

This card is good to get 5% with 3k cap per year in the stores that do not get typically counted as groceries or the other categories by the other cards that typically give 5% (e.g. CFF, Discover, Cash+). Not sure why the users are over-thinking. You are not using that for any 2% categories and as soon as you hit the 5% cap, switch to another card.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

xenon3030 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:45:30 GMT

@ptatohed wrote:
@CreditCobra wrote:
I looked at this card as a great fill-in for categories not typically covered. Car Insurance comes to mind. Then maybe some in-store purchases and it would be easy to hit the $3,000 cap and maximize the rewards. Absolutely not a daily driver. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
Can you use it to pay auto insurance and receive 5% CB?

Possibly no, unless you can pay insurance with your mobile using digital wallet. None of my insurances accept such a payment method.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

CreditCobra — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 18:35:32 GMT

@xenon3030 wrote:
@ptatohed wrote:
@CreditCobra wrote:
I looked at this card as a great fill-in for categories not typically covered. Car Insurance comes to mind. Then maybe some in-store purchases and it would be easy to hit the $3,000 cap and maximize the rewards. Absolutely not a daily driver. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
Can you use it to pay auto insurance and receive 5% CB?
Possibly no, unless you can pay insurance with your mobile using digital wallet. None of my insurances accept such a payment method.

My car insurance provider will allow me to pay using Apple Pay, so in theory - yes. I don't have this card yet, but it's part of my multi-year strategy.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

NRB525 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 18:40:45 GMT

@xenon3030 wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:
@xenon3030 wrote:
Hahaha. You are over-thinking. In such cases, simply use a manual CC at the checkout.
Manual CC at checkout definitely doesn't get 5% on the Kroger card, anywhere
You will use another card that gives ~5% at such store. If you line-up your cards accordingly, you almost can get ~5% everywhere. Search in this forum and you will find several lineup suggestions.

This card is good to get 5% with 3k cap per year in the stores that do not get typically counted as groceries or the other categories by the other cards that typically give 5% (e.g. CFF, Discover, Cash+). Not sure why the users are over-thinking. You are not using that for any 2% categories and as soon as you hit the 5% cap, switch to another card.

What card did you have in mind that gets 5% on the card ( no mobile wallet tricks ) at WalMart?

If you have such a card, it goes right to the issue OP is trying to solve for.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

digitek — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:05:07 GMT

Just want to add that I tried US Bank Altitude Reserve with GooglePay on a website or two and it was only worth 1 point, not 3 for mobile wallet. They know when the payment is done through an actual mobile wallet on a phone and when it is done through a website payment service.

Might be different for other providers but that is how US Bank does it.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:45:42 GMT

@digitek wrote:
Just want to add that I tried US Bank Altitude Reserve with GooglePay on a website or two and it was only worth 1 point, not 3 for mobile wallet. They know when the payment is done through an actual mobile wallet on a phone and when it is done through a website payment service.

Might be different for other providers but that is how US Bank does it.

I think this works for Apple Pay, including with the Alt Reserve. Google (and Samsung) on websites don't seem to count anywhere, whereas Apple Pay (apparently) will count as mobile wallet however it is invoked.. One up to Apple I guess! (Still a Samsung user)

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

xenon3030 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:59:55 GMT

For shopping at Walmart there are several cards that give up to 7%.

This quarter, Affinity Cash Rewards gives 2%+5% Hi5~7% on Walmart. For online purchases at any time, you can count on Walmart/Cap1 to get 5%.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 20:05:11 GMT

Can you use it to pay auto insurance and receive 5% CB?

Just based on what's been said in this thread and common sense, I think the answer is "no, UNLESS you can get a similar situation to what user NRB525 had."

NRB525 paid for something online using ApplePay and a different US Bank card that also had mobile wallet rewards. But that required the site to take ApplePay, and possibly other fanciness that I'm not aware of (like maybe ApplePay works this way and the others don't, or maybe the Altitude works differently than the Kroger, or maybe there are other arcane payment system details I don't know about.)

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

unsungivy — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 20:54:46 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
The fine print;

"Mobile wallet" is defined as the method of paying for a transaction by use of a mobile device (in a store, in-app or online) and includes Apple Pay®, Samsung Pay, Google Pay™, Garmin Pay™ and LG Pay

So more than just the big three, but maybe not much more!

I was excited till I saw it caps at $3K a year.

Um, LG Pay has been defunct since last year, before they premiered this Kroger MC rewards update with the mobile wallet feature. Strange that they would include it on the list.

Re: Kroger Mastercard: What all mobile wallets work?

UncleB — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:26:55 GMT

@CreditCobra wrote:
@xenon3030 wrote:
@ptatohed wrote:
@CreditCobra wrote:
I looked at this card as a great fill-in for categories not typically covered. Car Insurance comes to mind. Then maybe some in-store purchases and it would be easy to hit the $3,000 cap and maximize the rewards. Absolutely not a daily driver. Maybe I'm over thinking it.
Can you use it to pay auto insurance and receive 5% CB?
Possibly no, unless you can pay insurance with your mobile using digital wallet. None of my insurances accept such a payment method.
My car insurance provider will allow me to pay using Apple Pay, so in theory - yes. I don't have this card yet, but it's part of my multi-year strategy.

Payments made through the State Farm app using Google Pay trigger the mobile wallet bonus on the Altitude Reserve for me.