PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods in the world, so it should come as no surprise that people wonder whether they can use PayPal with Trader Joe’s. So, does Trader Joe’s accept PayPal?
Technically, Trader Joe’s does not accept PayPal as a payment method. However, this doesn’t mean you are completely barred from using PayPal at Trader Joe’s. If you have an Android phone, you can pair PayPal with Google Pay and pay that way. However, you can’t use PayPal directly.
Let’s explain a little about how this works.
Trader Joe’s: An Introduction
Trader Joes’s is a major grocery store chain that does things a bit differently from your average grocery store chain. For starters, they are considerably smaller. This means that they will not stock a massive range of products. In fact, their product range is very, very curated.
Rather than load its stores up with the essentials, the company instead opts for far more unique flavors. Everything is sold under their own brand. If you walk into a Trader Joe’s, you’ll probably be overwhelmed by the sheer array of stuff they have loaded onto the shelves.
On top of this, the only way to buy from Trader Joe’s is to head to one of their stores. They don’t offer an online delivery system or anything like that.
We suppose that this is something that really plays into the desire of Trader Joe’s to be the ‘go to’ community store. They also want to offer affordable prices. As soon as they start selling online, it cuts into their profit margins, and this could potentially mean prices go up.
Payment Methods Accepted at Trader Joe’s
There are a few days to pay at Trader Joe’s. Most of these are methods that you’ll already be familiar with:
- Cash
- Personal Checks
- Credit/Debit Cards
- EBT Cards
- Trader Joe’s Gift Cards
- Google Pay
- Apple Pay
- Samsung Pay
Cash and credit/debit cards are probably going to be the most common way of paying for goods at Trader Joe’s but, in recent years, there has been a growing popularity for mobile wallets including Google Pay and Apple Pay.
As you can see, there is no PayPal option, but this doesn’t mean that you are barred from using PayPal although, this is something that we’ll discuss incredibly soon.
Paypal: An Overview
PayPal is an eWallet. One of the most popular eWallets in the world. It is an easy method for people to send cash online, as well as receive it. It originally gained popularity as the main payment method for eBay. In fact, it used to be part of eBay (it isn’t anymore), and you will now find it used by multiple stores all over the internet.
People love PayPal as it means that you can attach multiple payment methods to your PayPal account e.g. credit/debit card and your bank account. So, you can use PayPal online and won’t have to tap in your card or bank details when paying.
In addition to this, PayPal allows people to send you cash using nothing more than your email address, and this cash can then be withdrawn to your bank account. It is a pretty sophisticated system.
Does Trader Joe’s Accept PayPal?
No. Trader Joes’s does not accept PayPal. Not directly, at least. You can’t go in there and insist that you’ll be paying with your PayPal account. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t pay with PayPal.
If you have Google Pay (available on both Android and iOS), then you can attach your PayPal account to your Google Pay account. You can then set PayPal as your default payment method. So, when you’re in Trader Joe’s, if you use Google Pay, the cash will come directly from your PayPal account,
Understanding the Usage of PayPal at Trader Joe’s
If you want to use PayPal at Trader Joe’s, you’ll need a few things.
- A Google Pay account (download the app)
- A PayPal account linked to Google Pay
- A smartphone that has NFC tech (most modern phones do!).
Linking your PayPal account is easy. Just download Google Pay and follow the instructions. Make sure that PayPal is set to the default payment method. You’ll need to make sure that one of the following applies:
- There is a balance in your PayPal account
- You have a debit card attached to your PayPal account.
Once connected, ensure that when you pay, Google Pay is running and NFC is turned on. When you pay, hold your phone up to the scanner at Trader Joe’s and the money should be taken directly from your PayPal account.
If you do not have a balance in your PayPal account, money will be added to your debit/credit card in multiples of $10. Any cash not spent will remain as a PayPal balance e.g. if you spent $31.03 in-store, you’d have $40 added to your PayPal balance, and $8.97 would remain there.
Other Digital Payment Options at Trader Joe’s
The only other digital payment methods offered at Trader Joe’s are Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. They work in a similar way to Google Pay. In fact, you can even attach PayPal to your Samsung Pay account. Although, you can’t do that with Apple Pay. We recommend Google Pay for PayPal as it is just a whole lot easier to use.
Consumer Experiences and Feedback
Very rarely do people talk about PayPal as a payment method at Trader Joe’s, simply because it is not an accepted payment method.
Although a lot of people sing the praises of Google Pay, and since that can be tied to your PayPal account, you can be sure that it is a very smooth experience. In fact, head into a Trader Joe’s, and we can almost guarantee that you’ll see many people using digital payment methods like Google Pay.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does not accept PayPal directly, but it does accept Google Pay. If you tie your PayPal account to your Google Pay account, you can walk into a store and use your PayPal balance to make payments.
All you need to do this is a phone with Google Pay installed, a Google Pay account, and NFC on your phone switched on. Just hold the phone up to the scanner and make your payment. Couldn’t be simpler.