Two major shopping updates are heading your way this month, with Amazon raising its gadget prices and Walmart finally letting you pay with your phone.
First, the bad news for your wallet. Amazon is quietly boosting the prices of many popular gadgets, including Echo smart speakers, Kindle e-readers, and eero mesh Wi-Fi systems, which are devices that spread internet signals throughout your home. The basic Echo Dot has jumped from $50 to $80, while the cheapest Kindle now costs $150 instead of $110. Even the Fire TV Stick HD is up to $40 from its old $35 price. Amazon blames this on the rising cost of memory chips, which are the hardware parts that store data on your devices. Other tech giants like Apple and Roku have made similar price jumps recently.
Fortunately, your next grocery trip should get a lot smoother. Walmart is finally adding tap-to-pay technology to its registers, allowing customers to use Apple Pay and Google Pay. This technology uses short-range wireless signals to let you pay securely with a quick swipe of your phone or smartwatch. Walmart has resisted this feature for years to push its own payment app, but it is finally changing its mind. The feature starts rolling out to select Walmart and Sam's Club locations on August 24, with plans to reach all US stores by 2026 and their gas stations by 2027.
These changes matter because they will directly affect how you spend your money and how you check out. If you need a new e-reader or smart speaker, you may want to wait for Amazon's next big discount event. But on your next grocery run, you can look forward to leaving your physical wallet at home.
