Roku has announced a new partnership with Walmart that will allow you to purchase what its ads recommend using your TV and streaming device. But the whole process can be too easy.
So-called "shoppable ads" will recommend various Walmart products based on your interests. Clicking on one with your remote will take you to a checkout page on your TV; You no longer have to scan a QR code to complete the transaction on your smartphone or tablet.
If you've already entered your payment details into Roku Pay - opens in a new tab, Roku's own payment platform, these will automatically populate on the checkout page, meaning you just need to press "OK" to complete the checkout. buys.
Those two clicks and your purchase transaction are clearly super simple and cut down on the time you spend skipping the shows and movies you love, but it could be a parent's nightmare. If your son sees the toy she's desperately looking for recommended, she can easily order it if he uses Roku Pay.
So what can you do?
Option A would be to disable Roku Pay, but then you would have to enter your payment information inappropriately every time you want to buy something through your Roku device. Instead, you can choose option B: set a pin.
To set up a PIN for purchases, you must first sign in to your account at my.roku.com (Opens in a new tab), then go to PIN Preference in your account and tap Update. From there, you'll need to go to Make Purchases and Add Content, then choose an option:
- Always require a PIN to make purchases and add Channel Store items.
- Always request a PIN to make purchases.
Finally, if you haven't already, be sure to create a pin (or change it if your family already knows what it is).
Adding a pin will make the checkout process a bit longer, but it might save your little one from spending a lot. We've reached out to Roku to find out if there are any other metrics users can use, and if we hear anything, we'll be sure to update this page.
It will be interesting to see how this development affects rumors that Netflix is looking to acquire Roku. Will this Walmart deal help Roku stay independent or make it an even better target for Netflix to buy and market its ad-supported tier? We'll have to wait and see.