Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wal-Mart's Price Matching Policy
Ok. I feel vindicated! After a comment on a previous post alerted me to Wal-Mart's price matching policy, I attempted it last week with milk. Meijer had their house brand of milk on sale for $1.99, so I brought my ad in to my local WM expecting to be able to get their house brand for that price. Request denied. My cashier even asked another cashier and they both chimed in together with, "Oh no. We don't do that here. See. It's the MEIJER BRAND of milk on sale." I tried to explain that I'd "heard" that WM does do it, but to no avail. I paid $3.29 for the milk I needed anyway. I did call their corporate office, but had not received a response. Until today. The manager from my local store called to answer my questions. He said that it really didn't happen that often, but that they had had a meeting & they will match house brand to house brand. *Insert Hallelujah chorus here* I was very nice about the whole thing & just said that maybe their cashiers weren't aware of the policy. I also asked who they considered a "competitor", as there really aren't any other major competitors in that small town. He said, "Bring in any ad." He even mentioned some southern stores {Publix?} & said to just bring in my ad. Needless to say, this guy's name is burned into my memory. Now I/you can get more things in one place! This week I even had a nearby SuperWM match the Airwick Freshmatic Mini that CVS has on sale for $4.99. Add a $4 coupon {click "print now" under Money Saving Coupons ~ requires registration} to that and you've got a great deal. My cashier was so funny. She just kept saying, "Wow. Now that's a great deal."
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27 comments:
It seems like you all are riping all these supermaket's.
The whole CVS thing is extremely weird.
Good to know if I ever go back. I had a serious addiction to that store a few months ago and had to break myself from it. (maybe not a literal addiction, but I would come out with WAY more than I was supposed to. So now I just resist temptation altogether...)
Dear Anonymous:
Thanks for your interest in my blog. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about couponing, price matching, CVSing, etc. I think you may have meant to say "ripping off" instead of "riping", yes?
Please keep your comments respectful. I don't mind thought-provoking discussions or answering questions, but rude comments will be deleted.
Cheers!
Any other Wal-mart questions, feel free to ask. I have learned alot since working there, and actually i did have a customer come up to me with WM brand milk and say Jewels is 199 I had never heard that before, next time that happens have the cashier ask her CSS NOT another cashier. I asked my CSS and sure enough the customer was right.
Jori
Thanks Jori! I actually tried calling you last week after my WM incident, but your line was busy :>) I even told Alicia that maybe I would just have to shop when you're working and check-out in your lane, LOL!
I never took the time or had the nerve to compare and asked about price-matching. I should work on that. My husband would never go shopping with me again:).
For anonymous: We obviously aren't ripping the stores off, if they are offering us the deals, are we? That's just their way of luring people to their store, and some of us know how to be smart about using the system.
Mon: The price matching was really easy! I just kept the item at the very end of my pile & had my CVS ad opened to the page with the pictured item & said "I'd like to price match THAT." I heard from a friend that some people price match from several different stores. It helps to just group your items separately & have the items circled in the different store ads. Especially with the price of gas these days, it would help to shop as few places as possible!
I spent over an hour in my local Walmart store today trying to get a price match to Radio Shack. They did not want to do it as the price from RS was _very_ low. They started by telling me they don't price match Internet prices. I showed them where it stated it was in store only. They they told me that the price listed could be the Internet price. Huh... what did they not understand about "In store only". After awhile they tell me the manager won't do it. I speak to the manager who tells me the item needs to be in stock at the other store (I volunteered that it was not... that was why I was at Walmart). I show them a copy of their Price Match policy and point out that it does not state this. They tell me since the other store does not have any in stock, it's not the price of the item. My head spins at that. Finally they tell me I don't have the "official" Price Match policy... it's 2 pages long and does not allow them to match items that are not in stock. They also tell me what I have is their online policy. I point out right at the bottom where is states to bring in the ad to the store and they will match the price. I ask to see the "official" policy. 45 minutes later and they can't find it. I finally get tired of waiting and ask for a manager. She shows up again and they find the policy. I asked her to point out what she told me. She can't, so she moves onto where it says they won't match "Internet Prices". Here we go again... I tell her it's printed _from_ the Internet, it's not their Internet pricing. I asked her what she wants me to do to prove the price, bring the RS manager in. She says yes and then moves on, realizing she should not have said that. I tell her she can call the manager on the phone. She does this. Then she comes back and tells me since they don't have any in stock anywhere in the state, this is called (I can't remember the word but is basically meant they offered a low price on limited stock). Fine, I asked her to show me where in her 2 page "official" policy it says they won't match limited stock.
I finally explained that I thought it rude that she kept telling me things that clearly were not true and that I pointed out time and time again that what she was telling me was wrong. I stated that it was obvious that she was simply choosing not to honor Walmart's policy and she should have just told me from the start rather then trying to lie to me.
I have a call into Corporate and they are to have a higher up manager call me back.
Hey Todd! Sounds bogus to me. Can't believe what a run around you were getting. Sometimes at WM it just seems like a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. I'm hoping a manager {higher up} can help you with your issue. I'm not sure where you live, but I just wanted to mention that Meijer does price matching as well, on only non-grocery items. HTH & Good luck ;>)
Todd, Sound slike you were trying to get the TomTom One XL-S. I went thru the same thing today at my local Wal-Mart. "We don't match internet prices". Well geee the ad it printed from the internet but it is IN STORE ONLY. What don't they get about that? I am calling Corporate Monday morning.
The over-all store manage called me and said if it was the same item he'd have no problem matching the price. But he needed to stop by Radio Shack and compare UPC codes. He did this and called me. He said that they did not have a record of the UPC code but RS did tell him it was a 1st edition unit. Walmart was selling 3rd editions so it was not the same product. Good enough for me. At least he was willing to honor his own price match policy. I can respect that.
Hey Todd! Glad everything worked out for ya. It seems to me, from the experiences I've had, that the upper management is a little more flexible & actually WANT a satisfied customer. Don't know why this philosophy hasn't quite trickled down to those on the front lines.....The whole not understanding the internet ad vs. internet pricing thing is baffling. Seems pretty simple to me. Anyways, again, glad you got what you wanted ;>)
Todd,
What's the phone number for Corporate? I posted a reply to corporate online but couldn't find a number. Did the store give it to you?
nice blog..
WM is a top notch retailer and knows a customer that even ASKS about PM will leave for another store.
Competition is the key.
I ran into the "internet pricing" at Sears and solved that with a three way call between the local manager and corporate. Results- if all is equal (Tax/shipping/price/availability) then Sears will match any price-anywhere. They try to pull the LOCAL retailer match thing but thats not true.
I always arm myself with a printout of the store policy and find it is NOT up to a store manager to interpret corporate policy- it is what it is.
Some more info...
I was told by someone that there was only one edition of this unit. I emailed TomTom and they confirmed this. So what Radio Shack told Walmart was incorrect (that makes 2 or 3 times now). I wrote a letter to Walmart to include the email. I thought I mailed it awhile ago but now I don't think I did. I'll mail it now and see what they say.
Walmart has done _everything_ in their power not to honor their price matching policy. They have denied what it states, stated that their were two policies, flat out denied to honor it, and visited he competing store to confirm information. Not sure how this lends itself to being a "top notch retailer".
Hello, I'm new here. Could someone clue me in on what BF day is, stands for? On many other sites people talk about PMing on BF. HELP
Black Friday... usually the day after Thanksgiving. A day when stores offer super deep specials in order to get people into the store.
I love the fact that I can just shop at 1 store and get the specials instead of hauling the kids around town to take advantage of sales.
I've never had a problem, and I hope it stays that way. :)
www.cheapiness.com
I know I am almost a year late to this conversation but I have a question about PM... for example in frys ad says "2.50 with VIP card, 2 dlls if you buy 10" what will WM price match to the 2.50 or the 2 dlls?
Thanks
No idea what "dll" is but I'd say that most Walmarts won't honor that offer as it requires a VIP card. Also, you don't mention it but it would also need to be offered in Fry's B&M stores.
Welcome Diana! Although I've never PMed for an ad that uses a Value Card of some sort, I would think they would match the price of $2.50, as that is the advertised price. I doubt they will match the "$2 if you buy 10" as I'm guessing that is considered a "gimmick" like %off, BOGO, etc and they don't match "gimmick" prices. This may be a YMMV. You could always ask a cashier or CSM first and see what they say....
Good luck!
Good Job.
Nothing like taking a good sale by a small local buisiness and taking it to wal-mart.
Drive you hometown shops out by using the deals they provide for you as a customer to get you in.
China needs your money, not the local neighbors.
@Anon: Wow. Where's the truth IN LOVE, man? Honestly, many of the places I PM aren't 'local'. They are more or less nearly 20 miles away or more, compared to just 7 miles for the SuperWM. The amount that I would save to actually patronize the 'local' place would be eaten up by the amount of gas I would use to get there. Also, to hit several of those 'local' places to take advantage of all the different sales just isn't feasible, especially with having several children to lug around. Being a small business owner myself, I am a proponent of the 'little guy', as much as I can be. In this case, it just doesn't make sense for my personal situation.
WM corporate phone # 1-800-walmart
Anonymous says:
April 17, 2011 at 9:25 am
They also will not match Target’s prices. Case in point. Walmart sells “Lost: Season 6″ for $44.96. Target currently has it for $19.99(unadvertised special with rest of the series for $19.99. The CSM wouldn’t override it because it would mean that Wally World would be losing about $25 off the items regular price!! What is even stranger is that they price matched “Mad Men: Season 4 ” on DVD for $19.99 at Target without the ad!! Needless to say I’m furious at them for not price match both items from the same store!! They claim they still need to see the competitors ad!! What’s even more ironic is this item is for sale this week in Target’s ad!!
How do they expect customers to price match when a lot of people don’t get the paper and get our ads via our cell phones? Or worse we can price check items in the store as we shop!! I think that Walmart has opened up a huge can of worms with this new price match gimmick or bait and switch thing going on!! Do they think that consumers as stupid or something??
Sorry this is long, I needed to vent about this!! This incident I wrote about happened on April 15,2011
Hi Rebecca,
I stumbled upon your blog by accident and I'm so glad that I did.
I actually am brand new at couponing.. i have a few questions for you? How does the price matching work exactely? for instance at walmart, if i have an ad from another grocery store, and the item is in it for a certain price that is lower than wm is offering it, do i present this to the cashier when i check out? also, if i have clearance by presenting the ad from their competion, can i still use my manufacturers coupons with that item? If i have a store loyalty card with a store like Kroger, Walgreens, CVS etc. Can i still use manufacturers coupons on top of the electronic coupons i load on those cards?
I'm very new to all of this, and I have been trying to search for these answers not having much luck. lol...any answers you may have will be helpful. You can email me at ashli22003@yahoo.com or I have a blog as well. I do digital scrapbooking and offer free kits to anyone that wants them, i also make kits by request. http://shannon-sharingscraps.blogspot.com/
thanks so much for your time. I really enjoy reading your post's. you have alot of interesting info here thats very easy to follow.
i have decided to follow your blog so i can keep up. take care, Shannon
We have a Walmart where I live and I TRY to price match all the time. It depends on what cashier is working. And what shift it is. If you go in around 5:30 AM u dont even have to have an AD but after 6AM have an ad and be ready to fight with them to get it for the price the other store has it. Or wait til after 11AM and than look for a young guy cashier and you wont have any problem. But the OLDER WOMEN went to fight you everytime on everything!!
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