How to Score a Walmart Price Match (If You Actually Qualify)

We love a bargain … but hunting for the absolute lowest price anywhere — either online or IRL — can be exhausting. If we wanted a major research project, we’d investigate whether aliens are real. (Or baby squirrels, for that matter. Have you ever seen a baby squirrel?)

Walmart is known for its across-the-board Everyday Low Pricing, so if you don’t have the time or stamina to comparison shop, you might as well just head there; your expenses will remain comparatively affordable without having to clip newspaper coupons like a ‘90s sitcom mom.

But what happens if you do spot a lower price from a local competitor? Or even Walmart’s own website? Well, it’s complicated, so let’s break it down.

Does Walmart match competitors’ prices?

The short answer: not anymore.

Walmart used to match competitors’ prices but stopped in 2016, which feels like yesterday but was actually a freakin’ decade ago. If Target has your favorite shampoo for a dollar less, Walmart won’t blink. “Sorry, we do not match [a] competitor’s online or in-store prices," explains Walmart’s Price Match Policy.

(If your price match request is denied, please don’t get angry at Walmart associates. The policy isn’t their fault!)

Do Walmart stores match Walmart.com’s prices?

The short answer: it’s gonna require a long answer.

Technically, yes, your local Walmart will honor prices on Walmart.com, but there are plenty of restrictions. These include:

• “Clearance, Rollback, Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, or other limited-time promotions"
• “Bundle offers, Instant Rebates, Mail-in Offers"
• “Prices from Walmart Marketplace Retailers or third-party Sellers"
• “The identical item (i.e., size, model, quantity, brand, or color, etc.) must be currently in-stock and available to purchase on Walmart.com"

This fine print will disqualify many — perhaps even most — price match requests.

Whatever, nerd. How do I claim my price match?

If the full online (and in-stock) price for an item sold and shipped directly from Walmart.com is lower than in-store price, here’s how to get your adjustment:

• Show the online listing to a Walmart cashier before paying. You can’t come back later waving your receipt and demanding retroactive justice.
• Price matches are generally capped at one item per customer per day.
• Location matters. Sorry, folks in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico — price matching isn’t available in your stores.

Sometimes, the cashier will need to call over a supervisor to approve your price match, so fair warning, you could be that person holding up the entire line. (We won’t judge, but the guy behind you buying just a soda and masking tape? Might be a different story.)

If I don’t technically qualify, does begging work?

Let’s say you spot an identical product elsewhere for less and think Walmart should match it. Should you plead your case to the manager? The answer is a resounding … maybe, actually.

Although Walmart’s official policy is no outside price matches, it also stipulates: “The Walmart Store Manager on duty has the final decision on any Price Match."

In rare cases, polite escalation to a store manager may result in discretionary approval. So, we’re saying there’s a chance. Not a big chance — but worst case scenario, you tried … and a penny matched is a penny earned.