HOT New Info About the Walmart Online Price Match Program!
UPDATE: If you are in our Walmart Coupon Deals and Ad Match Sharing room, you know we have been talking about this Walmart Online Ad Match program rolling out Nationwide this week. Well now I can announce that it is indeed nationwide starting Friday November 14th. This will of course be a perfectly smooth rollout with not a single hitch anywhere to speak of. Or not. There are a few other tweaks to the story blow that I will cover with the UPDATE tag.
As this story comes out on Walmart.com tomorrow we may have more info so make sure you are following us on FaceBook or Twitter for all the latest info.
Walmart recently released an internal memo to its associates clarifying some the important info about the Walmart Online Price Matching policy. (You can see the original post here) Most of this FAQ is great and offers some important things we need to know as consumers but there are a few confusing points as well. I’ve included the full text of the FAQ below along with potato quality photos of the memo. Thank you to the incredible members of our Walmart Coupon Deals and Ad Match Sharing group for providing this to all of us.
A Few Clarifications Might Still Be Needed
Let’s focus on the confusing items first, just to get them out of the way. The memo lists the sites that they will price match and includes 2 sites not listed on the original press release, Sams.com and Costco.com suggesting they will price match those sites. Then later in the document they say they will not price match membership or auction sites, specifically referencing Sams.com and Costco.com.
I haven’t gotten confirmation yet but my gut feeling is that the inclusion of those sites in the first list was a mistake and they will not be price matching those sites. However, I have occasionally been wrong before.
UPDATE: I was right the first time, Sams, Costco or any other membership site will not be included.
We Get to Price Match the Price BEFORE Shipping!
The second thing that stood out to me was whether or not the price match would include any shipping charges. It says very clearly that the price matched price is to be the price of the item only, not including any shipping charges. Before we get to why this is confusing, let me just point out that this is a BIG deal. Not having to roll the shipping charge in to the price of an item to price match it means that there will be AWESOME deals to be matched this year. I’ve already seen people with $.50 shampoo and body wash because of great deals they PM’d from Amazon.
Here’s why this could be a smidge confusing though. If the item is Ship to Store or Pick Up today it says they will price match the item plus shipping. I’m not sure if it’s actually the price of the item PLUS the shipping cost for the item on that website OR if they will just PM the price and charge the normal Walmart shipping. Having just written that sentence out, I think it’s the latter with them PMing the lower price and charging whatever Walmart would normally charge for shipping.
UPDATE: Again, I was right the first time. If you PM something and Walmart would normally have to charge shipping to get it to you, you will still have to pay that shipping charge.
It Gets Even Better!
Now that the slightly confusing stuff is out of the way, here’s the awesome stuff that we really didn’t know before.
You can indirectly price match on Walmart.com.
If you buy something on Walmart.com and find a cheaper price within 7 days, you can bring your receipt and the competitor’s info in to the store and receive the difference back on a Walmart Giftcard.
You can price match layaway items.
If you price match something you can then put it into layaway at the lower price, giving you time to pay it off. (Here’s what you need to know about Layaway) I don’t think you can price match something that is already in Layaway but it isn’t 100% clear.
Also, just an FYI, no price matches in the Tire & Lube Express, Pharmacy, or Vision Center.
So this is all great news and promises to make for a very Merry Christmas for all our wallets. No word yet on when this program will be taken out of Beta and made available everywhere but as soon as I know, I will let you know.
UPDATE: One other pont of clarification. Cashiers can ok a PM up to a $20 difference, a PM between $20 and $50 requires a CSM, and over $50 requires a salaried member of management,
You can also see a complete list of Black Friday ads here with lots of great ways to save.
Now here is the memo and transcript.
Q: How does a cashier complete “Online Price Match” Overrides at the register?
A; Complete the “Price Override” using Action Code #2, the same as in-store Ad Match
Q: Is the customer required to show the online price they are matching?
A: No, it will be the stores’ responsibility to validate any pricing.
Q: Does the store need to validate all Online Price Matches?
A: No, it is only necessary to validate pricing with discount more than $50 or a discount that seems unrealistic. Take care of the customer.
Q: Does the item have to be instock at the online retailer
A: The item must be instock at the online retailer and at the Walmart store for Walmart to honor the online price.
Q: How does the cashier validate the “Online Price Match”?
A: For price differences of $20, request a CSS on the register with an action code 209 “Need Price Check”, to validate the price on the MC 65 or at the Service Desk
Q: Are there limits to the quantities of items that can be price matched?
A: Where applicable, Walmart reserves the right to limit quantities of an item and to exclude dealers. The Store Manager has final approval on any “Online Price Match”.
Q: Which Online retailers do we price match?
A: We match ALL online retailers, below is the list of retailers the CSS/management will be able to access to validate the online price match on the MC65 or at the service desk
- Walmart.com
- Target.com
- BestBuy.com
- Lowes.com
- Staples.com
- Sears.com
- Amazon.com
- Kmart.com
- ToysRUs.com
- OfficeDepot.com
- Academy.com
- SportsAuthority.com
- BassPro.com
- HomeDepot.com
- Cabelas.com
- Sams.com
- AutoZone.com
- PetSmart.com
- PetCo.com
- DicksSportingGoods.com
- Walgreens.com
- DollarGeneral.com
- BedBathandBeyond.com
- BabiesRUs.com
- JCPenney.com
- Kohls.com
- CostCo.com
- TigerDirect.com
- NewEgg.com
- FamilyDollar.com
- Michaels.com
- OReillyAuto.com
- PepBoys.com
Q: Do we honor online retailers that are not listed above?
A: Yes, however the Store Manager has final approval on all “Online Price Matches”
Q: Do we offer “Rain Checks” if the item is not instock?
A: No, we do not offer “rain checks” if we are not instock on the identical item.
Q: Do we offer a “substitution” if the item is not instock?
A: No, we do not offer a substitution if we are not instock on the identical item.
Q: When verifying the listed price of an online item, does the price being verified need to include the shipping price/fees?
A: No, it is the price of the item only
Q: Will Site to Store/Pick Up Today honor online prices?
A: Yes, if the customer finds a lower price for the identical item (size, flavor, brand, color, quantity, etc.) on a competitor’s site, we will match the total price item plus shipping. Stores can give the customer the difference on a gift card.
Q: If I purchase an item on Walmart.com will the store “price match” an online competitor?
A: Price adjustments will be given on prior Walmart.com purchases within 7 days of purchase with a valid Walmart receipt and “Competitor” item information and price. The difference should be refunded on a giftcard utilizing the 1061 “Customer Satisfaction” account.
Q: Can online price match items be placed on layaway?
A: These items can be placed on layaway if the item meets the layaway criteria.
Q: Are there any areas of the store that are not participating in online price match?
A: Yes, there are certain areas of the store that will not match online prices. This includes; TLE (Tire & Lube Express), Vision Center and Pharmacy.
Q: Do we match Sam’s Club or Costco or Auction Sites?
A: Walmart does not price match any Membership clubs or Auction sites (e.g. Ebay)
