One easy way to save money is to price match competitor’s ads. I have had some questions from readers about how to price match at Walmart, so I wanted to go through these questions to help you learn how to make this work for you!
How does price matching work? If you find an item in a competitor’s ad which is priced lower than what you find on the store shelf at Walmart, they will match the price.
The store with the reduced price is not close to my Walmart, will they price match? There is not any policy that says that the store must be close to yours. However, the store has the right to not match if you can not easily get the same deal nearby. Consult with the local store manager if you have questions.
Does Walmart match internet prices? No, they do not.
What types of ads will Walmart match? Walmart matches the following types of ads:
- Buy one, get one free ads with a specified price
- Example: Buy one for $2.49, get one free (BOGO)
- Competitors’ ads that feature a specific item for a specified price
- Preferred shopping card prices for specific items that are in a printed ad
- For fresh produce and meat items when the price is offered in the same unit type (lb. for lb.; each for each)
Do I need the physical ad to price match? No, you do not need the ad in order for the competitor’s price to matched. However, it can be very helpful if you have it with you either the print ad or even the ad on your smart phone.
Will Walmart match store brands? They will not. The product must be the same name, size, weight, quantity and/or model number in order to be matched. For example, if you find Archer Farms or Market Pantry on sale at Target for a price less than Great Value at Walmart, they will not be matched since the brand is not the same. That being said, it has been reported that some stores will honor store brands, but do not shop with that assumption that yours will too. When in doubt, check with your store manager so you do not have surprises when you proceed to checkout.
Can I use coupons when I price match? Yes – you can! You simply redeem them the same way you would if you were not price matching.
If I find a lower price after I make my purchase, can I go back for an adjustment? No, you can not receive price adjustments on previous purchases.
Do I need to price match at the register or Customer Service? You will just match the prices at checkout. In order to make the process simpler for your cashier, try to keep all items you are matching until the end of your transaction (or the beginning) so that you can go through them all quickly.
Are there any other exclusions to the price matching policy? Yes, there are. Here are a few of the most common ones you should know, but you will want to make sure you review the entire list on their website:
- Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price
- example: “Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C”
- Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product
- example: “Buy both [items A & B] to get [item C] for free”
- Items that require a purchase to get a competitors’ gift card
- example: “Buy [item A] to get a $B gift card
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) ads with no actual price given
- Going out of business or closeout prices
- Percentage off
- example: “All mascara, 40% off”
- Competitors’ private label price promotions
- Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price
example: “Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C” - Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product
- Items when the actual price can not be determined
- Ad misprints for other retailers
- Going out of business or closeout deals/prices