Target is the latest big store to allow consumers to pay for groceries online using their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. The payment method has been accepted in stores for a long time. Still, online grocery stores offering curbside pickup and delivery have only started to accept it.
This was also true for Target, where shoppers could only pay with SNAP in-store. Customers will now be able to pay for SNAP-eligible food goods on Target.com, according to the store. The Target app will soon provide mobile payment alternatives for digital orders. Customers can use SNAP to buy groceries that can be picked up the same day through Target's Order Pickup and Drive-Up services. There are no minimum order conditions or membership payments.
Customers may also use Target Circle savings on food goods when available, or they can browse the grocery specials in the retailer's weekly advertising.
Customers must first connect to their Target.com account and add their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) account number as a new card under "Payments" to start. Then, they can put SNAP-eligible items in their online basket before paying with EBT and using their PIN to confirm the transaction.
Also Read: Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard For $68.7 billion
When Did Target Start Accepting SNAP Payments
"Food and beverage is an enormously essential aspect of our customers' lives, particularly as we approach the Christmas season," Target's chief food and beverage officer, Rick Gomez, said in a statement. "I'm delighted that we're expanding our digital payment and finance choices for food shopping so that the full Target experience is more accessible to all families," he said.
Earlier this year, Target said it would soon accept SNAP for online food purchases. After testing the feature in Minnesota earlier this summer, it started pilot-testing the option in a few states, including Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. With this week's announcement, Target said that the SNAP payment option is now accessible in all states except Alaska.
As several companies have previously said, online buying should no longer be a luxury. People with lower incomes, especially those on SNAP, can often save money by shopping online, where they can compare prices from different stores and find deals they might not have found otherwise. Furthermore, buying groceries online may save time — especially for individuals who work long hours or numerous jobs to make ends meet.
Other Retailers Accepting SNAP Payments
Many major U.S. retailers, like Amazon and Walmart, have recently added SNAP support for online shoppers. Amazon and Walmart also participated in a 2019 pilot program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that aimed to let people on public assistance shop for groceries online. When the COVID-19 pandemic started the following year, people tried to avoid shopping inside to avoid getting sick. This made the need for the program even more important.
Along with merchants, other grocery suppliers have been trying to serve people who get help from the government. After originally working with ALDI to provide the option in 2020, Instacart has been progressively spreading SNAP support throughout multiple U.S. states this year, letting consumers use its app to purchase groceries from certain stores using their benefits.
Amazon, too, has been working to improve its support for lower-income customers, recently reorganising its website to include a new centre that consolidates its discounts and numerous aid programs under one roof. Shoppers can find out about Amazon Cash and SNAP EBT payments and how to get a cheaper Prime membership.
Featured image: Target
Subscribe to Whitepapers.online to learn about new updates and changes made by tech giants that affect health, marketing, business, and other fields. Also, if you like our content, please share on social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and more.