The answer is more complicated than it seems.
Maybe you're a loyal Walmart customer who just wants to know about Walmart's price adjustment policy before making a hefty purchase. Maybe you're a price-savvy consumer who has questions like, "Does Walmart price match Amazon?" or "Does Walmart price match Target?" because you care about getting the absolute best deal and know who the titans of the industry are. Regardless of your reasons for wanting to understand Walmart's price match policy, learning the nuances of how it works can potentially save you some money, particularly when you're prepping for the holidays and want to score the lowest prices.
Does Walmart Price Match?
When it comes to the Walmart price adjustment policy, the answer to this question can be broken down into two main categories. The first is whether or not Walmart will match the price of competitors. Unfortunately, for those in the above example asking "Does Walmart price match Amazon?" or "Does Walmart price match Target?", the answer is no. Walmart does not match the prices of any of its competitors.
For those wondering if the Walmart price match policy includes its own products, it depends. The customer must let a Walmart associate know at the time of purchase, and the item must be available for purchase at that price on Walmart's website. Price matching is also subject to supervisor approval, so there may be additional hoops to jump through. All Walmart price adjustments require certain criteria to be met before approval, which we will outline in more detail below.
What Qualifies for Walmart Price Matching?
For items purchased in most Walmart U.S. stores, Walmart will match the same item on Walmart.com. However, the following must apply:
- The customer must inform the Walmart associate of the price at the time of checkout.
- The identical item must be currently in-stock and available to purchase on Walmart.com at the time the price match is requested.
- Price matching of items sold on Walmart.com is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
- Quantities are limited in New Mexico only for the purchase for resale.
- Some price match transactions require a Walmart supervisor approval, which could lead to an extended transaction time to validate the eligibility of the requested price match before the price will be matched. Walmart reserves the right to limit quantities to one-per-customer, per item, per day.
The store manager on duty has the final say on all price adjustments, and Walmart reserves the right to change the terms of its policy at any time.
What Doesn't Qualify For Walmart Price Matching?
As stated above, Walmart's price adjustment policy does not include competitor pricing whether those prices are online or in-store. However, Walmart also has rules for whether or not it matches its own pricing. They include:
- Walmart.com prices from special events (including but not limited to clearance, Rollback, Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, or other limited-time promotions)
- Prices from Marketplace retailers or third-party sellers
- Prices from other Walmart or Neighborhood Market stores
- Bundle offers, instant rebates, mail-in offers, offers that include financing, advertisem*nts that require a purchase to receive a gift card, percentage off, or buy one get one free advertisem*nts without a specified price
Particularly as marketplace sellers become increasingly common on Walmart.com, it's important for customers to be aware of whether or not they are making a purchase from Walmart directly or one of its third-party sellers. This information will be located below the "add to cart" button on the site, underneath the shipping and pickup options.
The fact that Walmart's price match policy does not cover special events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday means that shoppers will need to do their due diligence of shopping around online to find the best prices. While Walmart will not honor a price that changes, shoppers may be able to score that item at a lower price using the return policy. Be sure to read the policy thoroughly before returning your item if you decide to go down this path as there are several rules and exceptions in it.
How to Price Match at Walmart?
To get a Walmart price adjustment in-store, simply locate the identical item online (sold only via Walmart.com) and show it to a sales associate. The associate may require a supervisor to override the price. So long as the item matches and is available for purchase online, there should not be any additional hassle.
Does Walmart Price Match Online?
When so many transactions are completed online, Walmart's online price match policy may be surprising.
Because Walmart tries to offer the best possible price every day, it does not offer any price matching for items sold via Walmart.com. Those hoping for a Walmart online price match for competitor prices or purchases that have since dropped in price are out of luck. This also includes matching prices found in Walmart Stores and Neighborhood Markets, as well as anything available from third-party sellers via the Walmart Marketplace. While shopping online is certainly convenient and likely to yield already-strong lows, the fact that you cannot get a Walmart online price match may dissuade some shoppers from making online purchases via Walmart's website. In such cases, you will need to rely instead on the return policy, so it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with it before shopping online.
How Long Does Walmart Price Match After Purchase?
Walmart's price adjustment policy requires a price match to be completed at the time of purchase. If you want to acquire an item at a lower price after making your purchase, you will need to return your item and repurchase it at the lower price.
What Stores Does Walmart Price Match?
Walmart does not match other stores' prices. Walmart strives to have already-low prices every day and typically matches or beats major retail prices.
Additional Walmart Price Matching Tips
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Keira Wagner
Editor
Keira is an editor and content jockey in Las Vegas, NV. She handles all the content leftovers like a hungry dog parked under the Thanksgiving table and is the most likely to have someone hold her hostage on a plane.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).
