Walmart Forcing You to Use Your Savings Catcher Balance

Updated August 10, 2020 by Kyle
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I’m a big fan of Walmart’s Savings Catcher app which allows you to scan your Wally World receipts and get money back if they find a lower price from local competitors. I was actually working on building my balance to $100 so I could buy a new Bluetooth speaker.

So I was a bit surprised yesterday when I got an email from Walmart telling me that my Savings Catcher balance was going to be forced into a Walmart eGift card soon. Here are the details…

Walmart Savings Catcher

When Will It Happen?

According to the notice, “We’ll be transferring your Savings Catcher rewards balance to an eGift Card between October 11 and October 31 – just in time for the holiday season. Your eGift Card can be used toward any Walmart purchase.”

They also call it “Great News!” which is hilarious. “Great News”, we’re forcing you to spend your Savings Catcher money in order to pad our Holiday season bottom-line.

You also have the option to redeem your Savings Catcher rewards via the American Express Blue Bird card by October 11th. After the 11th they’ll force an eGift Card on you.

So if you have a Savings Catcher balance, keep an eye out for an email with your eGift Card attached. It’ll have directions within on how to redeem the sucker.

Update 1/25/18:

I just got another email from Walmart and as of 2/01/18 your rewards will automatically be transferred to your Savings Catcher eGift card each time they’re earned.

Also, I thought this tidbit from the email was worth passing along: “You don’t have to immediately spend your rewards when they’re transferred to your eGift card. You can choose to accumulate them as desired – simply manage your eGift card settings in your account payments method.”

Savings Catcher balance

What Happens Moving Forward?

According to the email, everything returns to normal after they force the eGift Card on you. This is a one-time deal in theory.

But be warned, Walmart can pull out this trick whenever they want moving forward.

The bottom-line for me is that with all of the reward cards, loyalty cards, and gift cards already in my wallet I don’t need another thing forced upon me that I have to remember to use.

At least the eGift Card doesn’t expire or have any fees attached to it.

Ask the Reader: Do you use the Savings Catcher app regularly? If so, how much money have you accrued so far?


By Kyle James

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lee magri

Why are they changing the way we input out receipts on Feb 2018 how are they going to know what we have spent, if the input will end?

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Chad

During the month of October we performed a pre-holiday redemption for all of our Savings Catcher customers.

This is a one time transfer of rewards to make them more accessible. After the transfer is complete, you may continue to use the Savings Catcher program as you currently do.

To access your Savings Catcher reward dollars, please follow the instructions below to send your Egift card and check your balance.

On your desk/laptop computer.

1.Login to your Savings Catcher account and click on “My Account.”
2.Click on “My Rewards Card”
3.Select “Resend my eGift Card”

To resend on Mobile App, follow these steps:

1. Login to app and go to the Savings Catcher section
2. Click “More Info & Help” at bottom of page
3. Click “Get Help” at top of page
4. Scroll through the FAQ until you reach “Redeeming My Reward Dollars”
5.Click on ‘What if I haven’t received my Walmart rewards egift card?
6.Click “Request an Email” which is located in step 4
7.Once you are on next screen, it will prompt you to sign into your Savings Catcher account
8. Click the top left button that has 3 lines running through it
9. Click “My Rewards Card”
10. Select “Resend my eGift Card”

Once you have received your eGift Card, you may follow the steps below to check your gift card balance.

Go online to http://SavingsCatcher.Walmart.com:
•Sign into your account
•Click My Reward Card (at the top)
•Select eGiftCard Transaction History
•Enter the requested information to check the card balance and transaction history

Or go online to http://Walmart.com:
•Click Gift cards (at the top)
•Select Check Card Balance
•Enter the requested information to check the card balance

Or call the Gift Card Hotline at 1-888-537-5503
•16 digit card number and PIN is needed
•PIN and card number are located in the email sent to you
•Card balance will be provided as well as your last transactions on the card

To resend eGift Card on Desktop/ Laptop:
1.Login to your Savings Catcher account and click on “My Account.”
2.Click on “My Rewards Card”
3.Select “Resend my eGift Card”
To resend on Mobile App, follow these steps:
1. Login to app and go to the Savings Catcher section
2. Click “More Info & Help” at bottom of page
3. Click “Get Help” at top of page
4. Scroll through the FAQ until you reach “Redeeming My Reward Dollars”
5.Click on ‘What if I haven’t received my Walmart rewards egift card?
6.Click “Request an Email” which is located in step 4
7.Once you are on next screen, it will prompt you to sign into your Savings Catcher account
8. Click the top left button that has 3 lines running through it
9. Click “My Rewards Card”
10. Select “Resend my eGift Card”

ATTENTION ONE LAST NOTE!!
If you are transferring your money to the American Express bluebird card, that is going to stop on February 1. You will not be able to transfer your reward dollars onto that card after February 1. Your money can stay on there and use it when you need it after February 1, but like I said up above you will not be able to transfer money onto your bluebird card after February 1.

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Kyle

Thanks Chad for coming by and the detailed explanation.

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Trish

The only problem is there is NO “resend my eGiftcard” link on any browser I use to go to my account?

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Chad

You’re very welcome. First of all I am not from Walmart. That is an email that I got from Walmart. I had the same problem everybody else was having on this board. I was doing a search on Google to figure out what happened to my savings catcher rewards and it led me to this page.

I sent an email in that’s what I got for response. I followed the instructions and I found my card with the number and the pin, and when I called everything was there. I was confused about why it didn’t go to my American Express and they told me about the February 1 thing.

I hope I’ll be able to help out everybody else on the score. Have a great day everybody.

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Chad

UPDATE!!

For the people that are ignoring their emails from Walmart. I just received this email at 9:06 PM in it’s 9:22 PM now:

At Walmart, we’re committed to helping you make the most of your Savings Catcher rewards, in a hassle-free way.

Starting February 1, 2018, the Savings Catcher program will undergo the following changes:

Your rewards will automatically be transferred to your Savings Catcher eGift card each time they’re earned. No need to manually redeem your rewards.
Your Savings Catcher eGift card will be automatically saved to your Walmart.com account for you, so you will no longer receive emails with your Savings Catcher eGift card bar code.
The ability to transfer rewards to a Bluebird card will be discontinued.
Walmart Pay will become the preferred way to spend your Savings Catcher rewards in-store. Additionally, you will continue to be able to spend your rewards on Walmart.com.
You don’t have to immediately spend your rewards when they’re transferred to your eGift card. You can choose to accumulate them as desired.

But you don’t have to wait for February 1 to take advantage of this improved experience! You can start auto-redeeming your Savings Catcher rewards to Walmart Pay now by selecting Auto-Redeem to Walmart Pay in the Savings Catcher app.

For more information about this February 1st change, watch this video about “How Savings Catcher will work” .
Have questions? Please feel free to reach us at 1.800.WALMART.

Sincerely,
Your Walmart Savings Catcher Team

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admin

Thanks Chad for the update!

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Tanya

Confused! I wanted my balance to grow before I choose when to redeem it. But now my savings results say now available to redeem $16.14, but my lifetime accumulated results are $41.86. So none of that makes any sense why only a portion is available and why I have to redeem them at all until I am ready?? Any help appreciated?

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Marcia

So, I also received the email from WalMart about the Savings Catcher change on February 1. My issue is: I don’t want to use Walmart Pay. With all of the data thefts that have hit major retailers lately, the last thing I want to do is link the Walmart Pay app to one of my credit/debit cards. I don’t want that information in any of Walmart’s databases, thus making it too vulnerable to identify theft!!
I’ve searched everywhere for alternative ways to use the Savings Catcher after Feb.1, (e.g. WITHOUT Walmart Pay) and I can’t find anything. Does anybody know if there is another way to use my Savings Catcher dollars after Feb. 1?

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Judy

I’m trying to find out, also, Marcia

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Carol

I think I have found a way. I have set up Walmart Pay on my phone but I don’t want to use it except to redeem my savings catcher points. So on the Walmart App, tap “Services” at the bottom and then select “Walmart Pay.” A screen pops up where you have to put in your PIN number (which I guess I created years ago with my Walmart.com account.) Then the phone uses your camera and says to “find the Walmart QR code and center it in the frame.” Look down at the bottom of this screen. On the left it says “use gift cards first” and it has my savings catcher rewards balance. Then over to the bottom right it says “then use VISA ending in XXXX.” (This is my VISA card I already have associated with my Walmart.com account. It showed up on my phone automatically when I set up Walmart Pay because it is saved in my Walmart.com account.) Tap on those words and it will give you the option to “use gift cards only.” Tap that and then tap the little green gift card symbol in the center. Now, at the bottom right of the QR scan screen, it says “not using credit or debit cards.” I have not used this in the store yet so I’m not sure how a transaction will play out. If anyone tries this, please post what happens in the store. I hope this helps.

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Susan polson

What are you complaining about, so it officially becomes an e-gift card. It spends the same.
Also, I have been using savings catcher since it began in CA, Nov 2014, $713.00 in the three years. Well worth it, I also use Walmart pay, my savings catcher funds automatically go to the pay app and is used first. I love it

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Judy

This works if you have a smart phone…some people do not

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ginagp

So they transferred the savings catcher money to the Egift Card so the funds are available to use and now someone has hacked my account and spent the money in New Jersey…I am in Florida. Oh and he also had the nerve to put his name on my account as well as an email address. Probably fake…I called Walmart and they said “no problem”…gave me a reference number and said it takes 30 days…SMH. We will see..

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asdf

>>”I called Walmart and they said “no problem”…gave me a reference number and said it takes 30 days…SMH. We will see..”

Were they able to reinstate your balance? or did they tell you to pound sand?

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Bunny

Why are you discontinuing bluebird for savings catcher I’d rather have a card plastic

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Elaine

They may SAY you have to redeem to an e-gift card after Feb. 1, 2018, but the fact is I have been redeeming to a Bluebird card for years, and that option has already been taken away from me via an email thanking ME for choosing an e-mail gift card which I did not choose.

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George P Burdell

What difference does it make when you get your refund?

I roll whatever I get into my card, which is tied to my Walmart Pay account. It gets spent the next time I shop there.

It’s the same amount of money, and you are spending it the same place. It makes no difference whether you save up big piles before cashing in or do it a dollar or two at a time.

Building up a balance is just allowing Walmart to hold onto your money.

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Laurie

Yes pretty mad . Today I went to see about cashing in my saving catchers reward and all my money is gone . I know they said it would automatically be transferred to a e card well they didn’t send mine . Mine is gone !!!

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Toni

Mine are gone also! No email and not on any card! I had 148.00 saved up! I went to check my balance and it said 00.00! I’m MAD!

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Michelle

Mine is go too sent an email hopefully I’ll hear something soon.

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brie

Mine is gone as well, just checked … I hope it’s just a temp thing while they transfer all the money to an E Gift Card. But I planned on using mine today and now it’s all gone. So not very helpful.

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Donna

Mine is gone also.

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Brynne

Same thing happened to me! Had nearly $40 saved up and big fat 0 on my ecard/reward balance

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Tony

as of today 2/1/18 i had $40.00 that was not on my egift card and now that $40.00 is gone.

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Brynne

Emailed them and got a response!
We recently are having technical issues due to the nationwide rollout of the February 1st Walmart.com/Walmart Pay integration. The Mobile Application and the Walmart.com website have been experiencing technical difficulties and incorrectly informing our Customers that their Savings Catcher Rewards have been erased from their accounts. Your reward dollars and receipts are still in the system and by February 5th should be correctly reflected in your account.
If after February 5th you are still missing your rewards on your Walmart.com account, please contact our support team again so we can verify that there are no other account issues that need to be addressed for you to once again be able to take part in our Savings Catcher Program.
At Walmart we appreciate your feedback and input. If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or by phone at 866-224-1663.
Sincerely,
Walmart Savings Catcher Team

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Beth

I also went to check my Savings Catcher Balance and found out it was gone! Apparently a lot of people are experiencing this issue and Walmart is pretty much ignoring everyone. I have been trying to get a straight answer out of Walmart all day long concerning the missing Savings Catcher Rewards money…and have yet to get an answer. I just get the runaround. Taking peoples Savings Catcher money…Not cool, Walmart. Not cool.

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Brynne

I got a response from them see above

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sharon

I would rather have my bluebird card back this e gift card is so confusing I was sent a bar code with a pin # will I be using this same bar code every time I shop Walmart or do I receive a new one come on Walmart give me back my bluebird

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