WalMart

[Kered13]

Went to the local Wal Mart to purchase the SIM card.

Their response was more than negative.

Did more research on PM.

Decided you were for me, so I ordered mine through you.

Glad I did.

[cloud7]

Didn't know that.  Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[darlicious]

@cloud7 

Good on you! BTW...are you an LDX member? If not LDX members recieve a $5 "coupon" on their birthday and earn another $5 coupon for every 10 "visits" to LD with a min.$10 spend. LD sells $10 pm vouchers (that are immediately valid to load onto your account) that will earn you a "visit". You can also use the $5 coupons to purchase pm vouchers and earn a "visit" at the same time. This represents a 5% savings equal to the gst making a pm voucher purchase (×10) in Alberta basically "tax" free! You can still have a card registered to earn the $2 autopay reward even if you solely pay with vouchers.

[computergeek541]

---

@cloud7 wrote:

The mobile customer service guy at the Walmart that I visited (Deerfoot Mall in Calgary) said that they don't sell just the SIM.  The SIM has to be activated by them. I didn't really have time to activate with them so I left.  I ended up getting a SIM from London Drugs later and activated myself.

---

The downside of refusing to activate at the store has to do with retail locations sometimes willing to not charge for the SIM card if you activate there because they want an increased chance at receiving the sales activation commission.

[cloud7]

The mobile customer service guy at the Walmart that I visited (Deerfoot Mall in Calgary) said that they don't sell just the SIM.  The SIM has to be activated by them. I didn't really have time to activate with them so I left.  I ended up getting a SIM from London Drugs later and activated myself.

[jonathanlee]

It can be hit and miss with Walmart, depending on which one. There is a sole one not far from where I live, and sometimes, my experiences there have been mixed, depending on the situation and my reasons for going. 

[Anonymous]

 @HALIMACS : Ah yes, the hubris of "management". How could they be wrong? They made it to management didn't they? They must know better right? /s

[HALIMACS]

---

@darlicious wrote:

@hTideGnow 

A perfect summation of walmart....YMMV.

---

YMMV is absolutely the case @darlicious 

So much so, that I got one mobile guy (who was the 'manager' of one Wal-Mart location) telling me something which was directly contradicted by 2 other mobile staff from another location.

Funny this is... the 'manager' was incorrect and when I apprised him of what the others had said, he exclaimed "i'm gonna have to contact them and correct them".    HILARIOUS considering HE was the one with the incorrect information!!!

[darlicious]

@hTideGnow 

A perfect summation of walmart....YMMV.

[hTideGnow]

I would say YMMV..

I did have good experience with Walmart @ Markville and Walmart @ Stouffville .  Actually PM activation caused issues and the experience rep called PM directly and sorted it out.

Not questioning your experience, just want to say it's really depends on who you are dealing with. 

[jonathanlee]

Walmart is NOT the place to go. The staff aren't always properly trained in terms of proper customer service. Go to London Drugs, and you'll find more knowledgable and caring staff! They will help you port your number over to PM!

[LoreckAvery]

thanks! I found another retailer near me. Just discouraging when Walmart is the number one hit from public 

[LoreckAvery]

I did, he said it’d be 60 min wait...

[darlicious]

@LoreckAvery 

Order one from pm or a $4.99 one from CCS or find another retailer like TMS or London drugs. Heck you could tell us what city you live in and ask anyone to pm you if they have an extra one and wait for the next flash sale....on Friday? Just remember to take a temporary number when you activate as landline ports take up to 7 days sometimes more.

[computergeek541]

---

@LoreckAvery wrote:

I'm a current public mobile account holder and wanted to get another account for our "home line". Went to walmart to get a sim and had the EXACT same response from them!

---

I'm assuming that you wish to perform that activation is there. Since you're already there when asking for a SIM, you could ask if you activate there, would they include the SIM card for free. Sometimes, retailiers will do that.

[LoreckAvery]

I'm a current public mobile account holder and wanted to get another account for our "home line". Went to walmart to get a sim and had the EXACT same response from them!

[DDM69]

One Walmart in Kitchener wouldn't sell me a SIM card unless I activated in store.  I refused and stood my ground till they caved and sold me the card so I could take it home and activate it myself.

Another time they talked my referral out of Public and convinced them to try something else.😩

[darlicious]

@Jb456 

Not only do you get little extra bonuses with promotions in Quebec even Wal-Mart is better in there too! Which reminds me for my first visit to the Vancouver/Burnaby Wal-Mart ever ( 4th time overall) I ordered two free 5×7 photos and they're ready for pick up! Gotta ride!

[Jb456]

Was at my Local Walmart today picking up Halloween chocolate since it's all on sale now 😁. 

Stopped at electronics and asked the worker if they have PM Sims.

Convo went like this.

Wally mart "We sure do sir. We can activate an account for you or we can sell you just the sim card and you can activate at home yourself".

Me "What's the difference if I activate with you or I activate at home?"

Wally Mart "No difference at this time as we currently don't have any in-store promotions for Public Mobile. If we have an in-store promotion you have to activate with us."

Me " Ok can I ask why some Walmart stores refuse to sell just the sim card?"

Wally mart "I can't speak for other Walmart's but here we will sell sims no problem however if the person asking for a sim card seems to not understand how PM works we will not tell them no sorry but hint and recommend that we activate the sim for them".

Me " What do you mean not knowing what they're doing?"

Wally mart " Some people ask multiple questions like when I go home how do I activate, how do I transfer my number, can I call PM support, etc. Clearly these type of people don't know what they're doing so we tell them it would be best if we activate the sim."

Me "ok I understand. Thanks for your time I don't need a sim card. Was just checking if you sell them as the PM forums lots of people post that Walmart won't sell them just a sim"

Wally mart "No problem sir. As I said I can't speak for other Walmart's. If someone has an issue they should ask to speak to a manager or go to a different location. Have a good day!"

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@Kered13 

This is the problem with Wal-Mart for the most part they don't want to sell you a sim card unless they activate it for you but they might offer you a free sim card. However many of pm's flash sales are only available to you if you activate online not in store. So you have been forced into ordering it from pm and waiting for your sim card. Will it take 3 days or 3 weeks to arrive? Who knows.....but continue to register for each flash sale.

This is the one time of the year it's probably worthwhile waiting as they build up to black Friday. This year being very different from all others but last year those who waited out each successive flash sale in November lucked out and scored a promotion that at the prices at the time was worth over $200 in freebies!!

[Anonymous]

---

@RosieR wrote:

@dakidd1 that is odd.  I don't think Walmart allows other vendors to sell inside their store.

Um...McDonalds? 🙂 iirc the contracted cell company is something like glentel or something. I'd have to look it up.

[RosieR]

@dakidd1 that is odd.  I don't think Walmart allows other vendors to sell inside their store.

anyway, how is your service?  Calls and texting in and out ok?  Data ok?

Now go here to create your self-serve account.  Your PIN number will be texted to you.  It will be a 4-digit number.  

Welcome to Public Mobile!  

[dakidd1]

I purchased a SIM at my local Walmart today.. they insisted that their policy required them to activate it for me, which was a bit of a pain.  However they did apply a free SIM card offer, so I didn't pay anything for the card.  They are somehow separate from Walmart, the guy told another customer he would have to get a Walmart associate to help them with something else in the electronics department.

[esjliv]

Hello @Kered13 ,

Sorry to hear of the negative experience. 😞

Glad you stuck with PM! 

I hope it will be clear sailing with savings for you from this point on.

🙂

[Bullet77]

Walmart phone people seem to work for an outside company. If you go there and the phone person is on break, no one else  will or can help you in phone department. That what I have seen in my past experiences.

Walmart will sell you a Sim Card you can bring home.

They do have promotions where it is free, only if you activate in the store. 

[Jb456]

@Kered13  it's hit or miss at Walmart. They're just Walmart employees. You could always try another Walmart or if there is a London Drugs in your area. 

At Walmart you can just say you want to buy just the sim card. Then activate online at home. If they give you issues. Say you lost your phone and need a new sim for another phone that you have and that you already know how to log into your account to change your sim.

In any event you ordered one now online. Due take note with covid and all people have been reporting 2/3 weeks to receive the sim.

Once you receive it don't forget to use a referral code for a $10 signup bonus. 

[will13am]

@Kered13 , feedback from Walmart from other customers is rather mixed.  They are known to give away free SIM cards from time to time if you activate in store.  So, experience can be YMMV.