As most of you know, Wal-Mart has a policy to "price-match" any competitor's store prices. I'm hearing reports that Target ads had a notice in them yesterday (see pages 2 and 3) saying that Target will now also be price-matching (we don't get the Sunday paper so I haven't been able to double-check on this myself yet). Hooray for more options!
I personally do not price-match at Wal-Mart for a variety of reasons–the biggest of
which is that I find my local grocery stores usually have much better markdowns than Wal-Mart does. In addition, they also double coupons and run catalina offers, neither of which Wal-Mart does.
Do you find price-matching at Wal-Mart (and now Target) to be beneficial or money-saving? Why or why not?
I have only price matched once or twice. My friend’s mom does it quite a bit. I have found Walmart is cheaper on some items but I am like everyone else and only mainly buy canned or boxed items there. Kroger is beginning to be my favorite store to shop at, mine doubles & triples coupons. Also they will have items marked Manager’s Special and these are even cheaper if you have a coupon for the item. I was able to get an 8 pack of Shick Quattro razor cartridges for $2.79 and that was without a coupon! I also prefer giving buisness to stores other than walmart since they have run a lot of businesses off. Walmarts prices aren’t as low as they used to be and their sales aren’t like they used to be. I would like to stop shopping there all together but you can sometimes find good deals and it is really close to our house. I actually want to take the time one day to sit down and see how much items usually are at walmart and how much at kroger so when the sales come I can see which one is cheaper.
yes i price match! walmarts must vary from place to place, because my friends and i match weekly and have never had to produce an ad for verification (walmart official policy is that you need to have the ads with you, so it’s wise to do so in case of a question, but when you’re matching 40 items no walmart is going to ask you to produce verification, flipping through ad after ad to show you are being honest-unless you’re not being honest and the cashier is suspicious, the workers at the register are very familiar with the match prices, i’ve found) and you actually can substitute store brand for store brand (kroger cheese for walmart cheese, for example). some of you mention that you find better deals at different stores, but that’s the point and beauty of price matching, you don’t have to go to different stores throughout the week to get your good deals. you can go to walmart and get kroger prices, bakers prices, aldi prices, etc. in one stop. add your coupons and you’re in the money! i do most all grocery shopping at walmart and save a bundle, and then get my free or near free target goods in another trip and i have more time with my family and friends through the week and avoid making stops at various stores. give it a try, it’s not as complicated as it may sound!
The best price-matching I do at Walmart is for sewing patterns. Joanns often has patterns on sale for just a dollar or two, but the nearest Joanns is 20 miles away. Our Walmart still has a sewing department, so I can get the patterns there at the Joanns price!
I price match at Walmart mostly because the majority of my groceries I don’t get coupons for, and when I look through the grocery ads, to get all the best deals on what I want to buy, I’d have to go to 4 different grocery stores. Or I can go to Walmart and get it all.
I am close to Walmart and 3 other grocery stores, so going to more than 1 place is not a big deal. The only time I match prices at Walmart is when the other store is out of stock and my coupon is going to expire soon. Often, I find that Walmart is out of stock on that item, too- other people must have the same idea. I get better prices on the rest of my stuff at the grocery stores, so I rarely shop at Walmart.
I do not price match currently just because in all honesty I do better at Fred Meyer than at Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart’s prices went through the roof when they went Super Wal-Mart up here) and Wal-Mart is HORRIBLY crowded, hard to get in and out of, and my experience 99% of the time with cashier’s there, especially if you use coupons, are not helpful, polite or competent.
I much prefer to just go and find my sales at Target and Fred Meyer and give them the money. Of course we have all three stores in town, so unlike other people I only have to travel 20 minutes to get to Wasilla and then hit all three stores before going home (unless I decide to do my Fred Meyer shopping in Palmer and then I’m literally like four minutes away tops).
Oh and in case Crystal doesn’t have time to reply about the coupons thing. She’s said in the past that she grabs the inserts out of the recycle bin every couple of weeks =).
I price match to avoid going to multiple stores. I do not price match if a store offers a promotion with the item ie ECB, RR, or catalina.
Sadly, there are no stores in my area that double coupons. So with a price match I’m good to go.
As an aside…Since I now have a printer that prints clear black images, I have had NO problems with Wal Mart or any other store for that matter taking my coupons (well Target, but they are ALWAYS difficult in my area). I’m so thankful that when we needed a new printer my husband chose a laser printer. It has made all the difference in the world with my coupon printing.
I avoid WM at all costs – the service is terrible and they never have the products I need. Using coupons and your website ideas, I have found everything I need at much better prices. But I do think you need to remember other stores price-match. Last Christmas I mentioned that another store had a better deal on a camera I was considering and Best Buy immediately changed their price to match saving me BIG bucks. I didn’t even do it on purpose!!!
Occassionally. I try to avoid Walmart as much as possible. But Walmart is about 7 minutes down the road and our nearest Kroger is about a 25 minute drive in the opposite direction from all other stores. I’ll price match Kroger’s milk because it’s about $1/gallon than anny other store around. I recently price matched BallPark hotdogs when they were on sale at Kroger. I ended up paying .75/pack with coupons. It was perfect for a church party and birthday party we were having!
As of July 12, Target now does price-match nationwide, not just in select test market locations. Complete details are here:
http://luv2bfrugal.blogspot.com/2009/07/target-stores-now-offer-price-matching.html
That being said, I don’t usually price match on grocery items much, because I’m at Kroger most of the time. Hard to beat Catalinas, pre-loaded coupons, and double coupons! But I might do all those other items they sell!
I price match all the time. I live in Bentonville AR, home to WM and the checkers all know how to price match. Unfortunatly, there are very few other grocery stores, so the deals arn’t that great elseware. I.E. Target had Kelloggs Mini wheats for $1.88, but they were already $1.78 at WM. It’s pick and choose. They won’t match % off, coupons or limit items.
WALMART’S PRICE MATCH POLICY –
http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/7659.aspx
Price Matching can really, really work particularly in areas where local grocery store prices are through the roof! At least this is my experience in it…
I have been price matching at Target for several weeks now (I am in MN) and I have gotten some great deals! I price matched strawberries to $1.48 and used the Target $1 q getting them for .48! I also price matched Edys icecream for $1.98 and used the $1 Target q to get them for .98! It is GREAT for pairing with their q’s.
I don’t regularly shop at Walmart because Meijer is a little closer and Meijer doubles coupons. As far as produce and meat go, I find in most cases that Walmart’s prices aren’t any better than Meijer and Meijer’s quality is better. I do sometimes get clothes for the children there, but sometimes I can get them even cheaper on clearance at Macy’s or somewhere else. (As with all clearance sales, it’s hit or miss.) I think you just have to be willing to shop around.
My Target ad does say that they will price match, I live in Minneapolis, MN. They have been price matching for a few months now I think.
Personally, I don’t price match unless it is a high ticket item like electronics. I already spend enough time figuring out my deals and coupons, and it seems like more work to figure out what I would need matched and then having to spend extra time at the store.
What page of the Target ad is their new price-matching policy on? I don’t see it in the KC area ad. By the way, the online ad that’s pulled up is according to the zip code you’ve entered on their website.
I don’t price match. I have started avoiding Wal-Mart like the plague. It is not conveniently located, and their employees are rude and the store is usually dirty. I have a Target and K-Mart across the street. I don’t price-match at Target because I didn’t know about it. I have found that most of the cashiers are clueless about sales, coupons etc. I usually end up waiting for a manager to get called over and approve that I can use a MQ and a Store Q on the same item, etc. I don’t need the extra hassle of price-matching. I only purchase food at Target if I have a great coupon, or a store coupon to match my MQ. Everything else I get at Kroger or with double coupons at K-Mart. K-Mart does Catalinas now, and I got some great ones the other day. I think price-matching is just too much of a hassle.
Maybe when we move to NYC and things are more expensive I will hange my mind!
I have to say I pricematch all the time. I don’t have the time to go to several grocery stores on a weekly basis and Walmart has better all around prices than the local grocery stores in my area (most of which do not double coupons). Some of the biggest things I save money on pricematching at Walmart though are non-food items and soda. Best Buy also pricematches, but sometimes Walmart’s more convenient if I’m already there. Some of the stores in my area that I get ads for are on the other end of town but they have awesome sales on DVD’s, SD cards, etc. So, I can just go to Walmart (which I also know most likely won’t be sold out of the product when I get there) and pricematch. I do make occassional trips to other local grocery stores when they are having good sales on meat to stock up, because I personally do not care for Walmart’s meat.
It’s usually a fairly painless transaction, but at my store they DO check the ad. Some cashier’s are stricter than others. Some will just take a brief glance, while others insist on looking at the ad themselves to check sizes, dates, etc. It’s not always completely painless, but neither is couponing, and many times I save $10 or more on each item so I figure it’s completely worth it in the end!
Price matching seems to me to be a good way to take advantage of an awesome sale when the regular retailer has been cleaned out! Like the Eggo Bake Shop stuff at Target right now, I am not sure though now some have had problems using a coupon with a price match. Seems to me though that I could use a coupon on a sale item at the regular retailer?!
I don’t price match as I avoid Walmart like the plague. It’s too big, too busy, and the employees never seem to know how to price match.
Give me Aldi any day!
I price-match veggies and meat at Wal-Mart and I wrote a post with tips on the best price-matching: And every week I post a Wal-Mart price-matching grocery list at my blog. (they are to price-match our local stores including Winn-Dixie and Publix)
http://frugalforyou.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-price-match-at-walmart.html
I’ve price-matched from stores I’ve never even visited (they’re within 20 miles of WM). Plus the loss leader sales at the local stores are really great but I would have to go to so many every week to get all of them.
I used to price match at my WM weekly until they remodeled it and reduced the mdse available. Now, when I go to price match, there is an empty space on the shelves where the brands were the week before and will be next week after the ads expire, and if a card is required at the original store, they refuse to price match. So, now I give them as little of my business as possisble!!!
I price match at Walmart all the time. It’s the closest grocery store to our house. Plus, the times I have made the long distance trip to Kroger for great deals the store never had what they advertised. I finally stopped going all together.
Jenna posted that they would honor the ad price during the holidays, like Black Friday. Really?! They wouldn’t make an exception saying that they won’t do it for events like that since it is such a steal? If not, that is a great tip!
My Walmart use to price match Meijer and all the other stores for about 2 months when I started couponing, then their manager must have not liked it because I was saving too much. After 2 months the cashiers and manager started giving me a hard time and told me they would only price match within 10 miles and that is the way the rules always were.(Nothing but the ripoff stores are in my town like Spartan, and Kmart) So now I don’t shop their hardly only for free stuff or next to free with coupons. Because I really don’t price match anymore there when the other stores are overpriced as it is and they are overpricesd on some things too in my town so I drive over 20 miles elsewhere to save over $100 at Meijers.
I don’t typically price match at Wal-Mart simply because of the very specific restrictions- they will price match only if an ad states that an item is $x.xx. If the ad states “2 for $5” or “Buy One Get One Free” or “75% off” then they will not honor that price, which I think is kind of silly, especially because that’s the way most stores advertise their sales. I rarely find sales that simply state the price in the ad, making it not very practical for me to price match at Wal-Mart. I suspect that the reason most stores state their sale prices that way is because they don’t want your business to go to Wal-Mart!
I try to avoid Walmart at all costs. I go there maybe three times per year. I was there recently, and the cashier took forever with my printed coupons. She actually spread them all out, printed off a receipt and checked each coupon against the receipt before she’d scan it. This, even though I only had TEN items! It took me longer there than when I have a cartfull at Meijer.
I have access to Meijer (my main store- they price match and double 2 identical coupons to 99 cents), Kroger (my second favorite, they also double unlimited to 99 cents), and Giant Eagle for chains, as well as Aldi, Whole foods (never go there though), Trader Joes (never go there), a few ethnic groceries and butchers and farmers markets in the summer.
I prefer Meijer and Kroger. Less hassle, the prices are identical if not better, they double coupons, and they have better corporate policies and pay their employees a fair wage (they are union members and so am I).
Chrissy, I have combined price matching and coupons many times. No problem. Also, the checkers all know how to price match. It sounds complicated but it really isn’t.
I’m a convenience price matcher too. Only when I’m not already going to the other store do I price match. And I don’t do it consistently. Bad I know. I just hate doing it. I already get stares for the stack of coupons! lol. I don’t care but price matching can be more of a hassle when you get a cashier that isn’t willing to work with you to make it happen.
(i can’t believe you have 50 comments!!)
i would price-match if it could be done quickly. no matter what store i’ve ever tried to price-match, it took way too long. the store calling the other store, looking for the store’s number, going through several employees just to find out the price of the item of the store, only to find that they sold out!?!?!?
i don’t even do rainchecks at drugstores. sad, I know but I’m totally going to start.
Thanks for this post! I am new to the ‘couponing’ scene (hit a few snags here & there, but otherwise..SAVING A TON!)…I never thought of price matching at WalMart before this post….and if Target is offering it now, WOOT!
I price match produce, too. Many stores around here will have good deals on produce, but not much else, and the produce is generally poor quality. I price match at the Wal-Mart near my house and get fresh, good quality produce for the cheapie prices. I’ve price-matched and used a coupon at the same time with no problems, Chrissy, if that helps your courage!
Chrissy, our wal-mart will accept a coupon with a price match. I have heard that some won’t so it may be best to just ask a manager.
I price match occasionally, but it’s tricky. Lots of times the sale item isn’t available at wal-mart. Or the ad is a % off, a BOGO, a rebate, or a store coupon. Wal-mart won’t match those. They also have to be exactly the same item, so if I’m looking for highlighters to match the office max sale, I have to have a Rose Art 2-pack, not any other brand, and not a 2-pack with a bonus anything, etc. Unless the price match is for a big ticket item like an i-pod or a wii, then the few dollars it saves me isn’t worth the time and frustration.
Price matching helps me when it’s a week where there are just a couple of great deals. There is a Walmart 2 miles from my house, but all the other stores are 10-14 miles from home. So once in a while I just take the ads to Walmart, get the 2 or 3 things there and skip the long trip to town.
http://www.tenthingsfarm.blogspot.com
http://www.allyougrocerychallenge.blogspot.com
I don’t have a Target or Meijer in my town. So I do price match alot of their items at Walmart. Especially if it’s something that I will get for free or almost free. But I also have a Kroger in town…so for coupons I want doubled I go there instead of price matching. It works pretty well for me.
At our Wal-mart, they price match as the item rings up, and then I hand them the coupons at the end of the transaction. In starting to use Target coupons there, however, they have to treat that as a price match, as the Target coupon is not recognized by their registers. So in that case, or in matching a Walgreens price that is based on a Walgreens coupon, you probably wouldn’t get to do both. It’s worth a shot, tho, as again, the price match can happen first and then perhaps you can still add a coupon after all is totaled.
We don’t have any stores that double coupons in our town, and sometimes it saves me having to go to three different stores to catch the deals. Also, Wal-mart will honor competitor coupons, and often their regular price is lower to start with. You just have to watch.
It seems that Target is getting themselves into a big thing that they can’t handle. According to the article someone posted above, you will not be able to price match at the registers but you will have to bring your receipts to customer service or check out your whole order there. A little crazy, imo…and who has the time to deal with that? I strongly think that Target emplyees/stores should first get on the same page about coupons before even thinking about trying this price-matching thing. I don’t have a Super Target or WalMart with groceries, so if anything, it should be helpful around the holidays with gift purchases, i.e. toys for the kids.
I just recently started price matching. I would prefer to never walk through walmarts doors, but to get the good deals I would want to shop at 3 different stores scattered across town. To save time and gas I shop walmart. I’m working on a better strategy. Just like w/ coupons I recommend having their price match info with you when you do it. Some cashiers just don’t know. And you can use a coupon with a price match item. You can’t match B1G1 or a % off, it has to be a specific price to get the match. They will match store generic brand for walmarts store generic brand. So if Albertsons has their store bread on sale for 88cents you can match Walmarts bread for 88cents. This is where it is good to have a print out of the store policy with you.
I would still prefer to shop somewhere other than Walmart but I save more money shopping there right now *sigh*
Okay, I may have a silly question but I have wondered this forever!
Hubby asked me last night why price-match one stores Ad to another store when you could just go to that store and buy it at that price? I didnt have a good answer for him other than if say Walmart had an item at a good price in their Ad and Krogers Ad didnt then Id price-match Walmart prices to Krogers because they would double my coupons and Walmart would not. So, I was wondering if thats the reason why you guys price-match? Or is there some other reason I didnt think of? Thanks in advance. 🙂
Yes, you can price match and use a coupon on the same item at WM. Don’t know about Target.
I price match at Walmart if I’m going there anyway. Meat and dairy items are always cheaper at Walmart, so often I’ll just have them match anything that I was going to buy with a coupon for $1 or more anyway (since they do not double the coupons there).
Also, it helps to price match because many times the Meijer here runs out of sale items, and it is still in stock at Walmart. I can also head over to Meijer later in the week for a raincheck, and then I have the same sale in a couple weeks by using the raincheck!
My Target ad (Dayton, OH area) also says that they now price match.
I price-match there occasionally but not often. A lot of times they will post the picture & price from the competitor’s ad right near the item, so you don’t have to ask them to price-match – they’ve already lowered their price to match. If I’m already going to the original store anyhow (say for meat which is better quality IMO, or low-cal bread which is a lot cheaper at the original store), I’ll just give them the business instead of buying at WM. Other times, I’ll do it to save time. Our WM has the other store flyers up at the registers for the cashier’s use, so you don’t even have to bring anything in.
I would love to know as well. Where do you get your coupons if you don’t get the Sunday paper?
I don’t price match. I, too, think that my local supermarkets far exceed those prices at Target or Walmart especially with double or even triple coupons. Of course, except for the great deals here and there.
I have never tried price matching because almost everything I but, I use a coupon on. I’m afraid that WalMart (and now Target) wouldn’t allow both a price match and coupon on one item. Does anyone have any experience with this??? Thanks!
I price match all of the time at Walmart because here in Omaha, it is harder to find great grocery deals at other stores. Our version of Kroger doesn’t double or triple coupons and no one else in town does either that I have heard of (we even get skipped over on the K Mart super doubles every time – booooooo). So for us, most of the best prices we can get are at Walmart and if not, I price match to get the lowest price. I always make sure to use coupons too but with Walmart, I don’t get near as much free stuff as I can at Target and Walgreens (but I don’t get groceries at those two places, just other items). I need to go check my Target ad to see if they are going to do price matching – I always wished they would as they would get a ton more of my business if they did!
I also price match to avoid the much longer drive to the nearest discount grocer. I get ads from several different stores in my Wednesday paper. I agree that they are very picky, and most of the time the cashier is not sure of their policy or not sure how to ring it up. But I just wait, and smile : ).
And I realize it is the middle of summer : ), but I thought I would throw this out there to tuck away for the holidays. For those of you who love the Friday after Thanksgiving shopping craziness – I know several people who take their ads to Walmart and get the price match for the same item without having to throw elbows to get it! I would scout Walmart a day or two before just to make sure they have the item you are after.
I price match at Walmart if one of my other stores is out of something on sale and I have coupons that possibly exp soon. Otherwise I can get a raincheck at my regular store (Meijer). My walmart is actually really good about price matching and WILL match another store brands price… So if I stop at walmart for something else and then realize I need milk and meijer milk is 1.98 I just get the great value brand and they DO price match for me.
Our walmart has actually done a very good job lately though matching other stores prices by having shelf stickers labeled with the competitors ad and then their price is one cent below. For example if meijer has hamburger helper on sale for 99 cents, walmart will put the picture below the hamburger helper and then theirs will be 98 cents.
I always price match at Wal-Mart.
I saw the price match announcements in this Sunday’s Target ad, too. Looks promising.
I only shop at Wal-Mart or Krogers and then Target for certain specials.
If I can use a coupon that will double or triple and make a good deal, I will get it at Kroger. If not, I buy it at Walmart. I have a spreadsheet of everything I always buy with the Wal-Mart price listed next to it. This way, I can quickly see if I am getting a deal at Kroger with my coupon or if it would be cheaper to buy it at Walmart.
I very rarely price match at Wal-mart. I prefer to shop at the grocery stores with their sales and doubling coupons, then to shop at walmart for groceries.
I do not price match because the closest super walmart to me is as far away as the farthest grocery store that I travel to. I do have a friend who has two little ones and I know she price matches all the time so she doesn’t have to get her two little ones in and out of the car 5 times.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ad matching at Walmart:) LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.
Can I just say I love it? LOL
Saves me a fortune and a ton of time-love it!!
I blogged about my tips for doing it, here a couple of months ago-
http://allthingsfrugal4-u.blogspot.com/2009/05/ad-matching-at-wal-mart-like-pro.html
LOVE IT!!!!!!!
I think it’s GREAT that Target is going to offer the program, even though my Target is an hour away… I encourage everyone to try it.
Just my 2 pennys:)
I’m trying to figure out exactly how they would do that-because Walmart does not really put out a regular sales flyer. ???
I have price matched before. But I agree with you Crystal-I do much better at CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger. On the few occasions I have matched, one cashier was very easy going. Another cashier (a manager) said I could price match OR use a coupon, but not both! I just decided to buy the item accross the street and not give the $ to Walmart.
I sometimes find employees unwilling to price-match willfully…
I find that most of the time that WM has already lowered their price to the ad. If not, then I will price match. I do most of my shopping once a month at WM. I then shop other stores if the sales and coupons make it worth the trip.
I price match at Wal-mart every week. I find all the cheapest prices/loss-leader items from the other stores in the area (mine even price matches store brand to store brand), but save gas and time by only having to go to one store. I just leave them at the end of my order and quickly tell the cashier at the end. The never ask to see my ads – just quickly and easily take my word for it. I was nervous to do it the first time, but now, several years later, can’t imagine not doing it! I might make an occasional trip to other stores for gimmicks or catalina deals, but do very well at Wal-mart!
I’ve never price matched at Wal-Mart. It used to be the main store that I would shop at – but since discovering how to work the system at other stores I haven’t really been back. Even with cheaper prices in general, they’re still more expensive than my other stores (who double coupons and have great loss leaders).
I have price matched at other stores like Toys R Us. Usually when I price match it is due to the store being closer to where I live or I have other items I need to buy at that store.
If I’m going to Wal-Mart I will price match; however, they (as in the manager I dealt w/ last time after YEARS of doing it this way) will no longer match CVS prices that advertise “with card” – even though the CVS card is free to anyone who walks through their door. It has to be item for item without rebates, ECB’s, register rewards, etc.
I always price match at WM. This week I mentioned this to the clerk and she told me a better price on milk from another store. I price match almost weekly because in my town we only have one other grocery store so things are pretty high there. My clerk confirmed that they do price match other store brands to their brand. They just had a commercial on TV about price matching as I was reading this.
Here, Walmart is pretty much the only choice. You people with all these options don’t know how good you have it! We just can’t get the same deals……..so I do price match. Usually produce to the Aldi ad, as the Aldi is WAY out of my way to drive.
I typically only price match at Walmart for produce, meat and products on sale at CVS or Walgreens that run out of stock quickly (like when the Electrosol is on sale).
I do not shop at Walmart but I do price match at my favorite local grocery store, Super Saver. I love price matching because then I do not have to run to 4 different stores for a few things here and there and Super Saver has the best produce in town. Now that Target is matching ad prices I am super excited because this is my 2nd favorite place to shop and with the great coupons they offer I am sure I can get super deals.
I price match fairly often. Not every week but I definitely do. Not one single grocer in my area doubles coupons. I envy those who have that option because like many of you, I am serious about my coupons!
Also, Wal-Mart more often than not has much better prices than our local grocer’s do. (One particular grocer in our area is quite a bit more expensive than the other.) Although, in a perfect world, I’d support our local grocer’s and not the retail giant. But we have little option at this point in our life…
I price match at Walmart so I am not running around to 5 different stores. I have a Hy Vee and Walgreens very close to me, so those are easy to shop for deals without much added hassle.
But we go to Walmart every other week for a “big” trip of what I can get cheaper and need vs Hy Vee or Walgreens. Having them ad match toilet paper, strawberries, or pop saves me quite a bit of time. And I know others have issues, but my Walmart is great and never hassles me about ad matching or coupons.
My Walmart has horrible produce. I won’t buy anything there that doesn’t come in a box- like crackers or something. No dairy, meat, produce, etc, so price matching doesn’t work that well.
I think stocking up when things are on sale at the grocery store and going to different stores depending what I need that week is better for me (though I will price match things at Walmart if I’m there already- but the clerks are usually slow and people behind in line look like they are going to kill you!)
I don’t price-match at Wal-Mart mainly because I do limited shopping there any more. There are only a handful of items I get there routinely, and between the hassle they have been giving me with internet coupons and only having 4-5 lanes out of 20+ open at any one time (including self checkout!), I can only imagine the headache I would have after trying to price-match!
I price match at Wal-Mart with produce because I never have coupons for that and it saves me from running all over getting good deals. But I agree…I normally go to the grocery store that doubles my coupons. 🙂
I price match my produce at the local Walmart Neighborhood Market. Reason being is we have 7 grocery stores and a few of them I would only go to for produce because they have the best deals. However I do not have time to drive around to all the stores. I find the neighborhood market to be very quiet and it is very easy to take all the ads in with what I am looking for.
Collen, I think it is everywhere b/c it is advertised in the online weekly ad.
How do you obtain you coupons if not through the paper on Sunday? On line?
I price match at WM and usually don’t have any trouble. I’m in a large metro area, but we don’t have any national grocery chains so don’t get all the great catalina deals that others do. Only one local store doubles coupons and it is the most expensive grocery store we have. I do much better price matching and using coupons at WM than I would at any of my local grocery stores. I AM excited to hear that Target is going to PM too, but WM is still more convenient for me.
I price match every time I go to Wal-Mart. It is the most cost effective and time efficient. There are two local grocery stores that double or triple coupons, but a majority of the time, the price after the doubled/tripled coupons is still more than Wal-Mart’s price. The Wal-Mart’s checkers are very proficient at price-matching and sometimes even tell you the better price before you say anything.
My ad does state that Target will price match. I’m in Portland Oregon.
no, my wm is pretty expensive when it comes to comparing. i hardly go there because hardly ever is the price i hear online the same as my store. 95% of the time my store is more expensive & its such a waste to go there most of the time for me. target is pretty good. but still my store prices are so much better with cats, coupons, double coupons, etc.
I price-match every time I shop at Walmart!! I have found it saves me a ton on produce, meat, dairy (things for which you typically do not have coupons that another store would double). Also, there are several Hispanic grocery stores in the Dallas area; these stores have the lowest prices anywhere on produce and meats. Walmart also honors their ads. Super Savings!!!!
only if it’s for one or 2 items and if I dont have a coupon to make it cheaper at Dillons(since they double and take expireds)
Walmart will price match store brand items. If someone tells you they don’t, ask for a manager or call corporate.
I price match at Walmart quite a bit. It saves a lot of time because I only have to go to one store. Sometimes I go to the other grocery stores if I want a lot of produce because Walmart’s produce is so crummy.
The stores that double coupons in my town only double up to 50 cents and I’ve tracked prices, and it’s not unusual at all for Walmart’s regular price to be $.50 to $1.00 less than the grocery store’s sale price, so double 50 cent coupons don’t do me a lot of good.
One grocery store triples coupons maybe once a year, and sometimes KMart does the double dollar coupons, but still, the prices are so high that sometimes I walk away from a double dollar coupon offer knowing I can STILL get it cheaper at Walmart.
I’ve lived in three different towns in the past 7 years and I’ve found that each Walmart has a slightly different price matching policy in practice, the biggest variations being on meat and dairy, so it really pays to ask a manager.
I think the best way to save money on groceries is to track prices so you’ll know when a double coupon deal is really a deal.
Price-matching at Target is a pilot program for now, and is not available everywhere: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/yourmoney/49277782.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUHPYDiaK7DUiacyKUUr
Just an FYI so people don’t rush their store without checking first.
We price match at Wal-Mart because that is the only store we have. Some employees are easier to work with than others. Our Wal-mart does not require an ad either. I view the ads online and write the deals on the back of my shopping list. If we lived closer to other stores like Albertsons, Walgreens and Rite-aid, we would take advantage of the double coupons and catalinas there.
I used to do price matching when I lived near a Kroger that would do it. I quit shopping Walmart several years ago due to my serious disagreement w/ their corporate policies. I was concerned that this might wind up costing us $ but it has not. I do have be vigilant about keeping an eye on local advertisements but I am lucky enough to be in reasonable distance of 3 grocery chains (and have 2 more that are not “that far” out of the way if the bargains are good enough). I am pleased to say that we are not spending any more per month on groceries today than we were 5 years ago when I quit doing Walmart even though 2 kids are much larger and older and prices in general have gone up.
I do price match b/c my local grocery stores do not double coupons, they don’t have many mark downs, other than the door busters their prices are way higher than Walmart. So I match the door busters from all the adds and fill in the rest at Wal-mart. With 2 little kids and one on the way on top of a 45 min drive one way- it is the easiest for me! Plus my walmart never askes for the add. I just put the price on my list and tell them when I am checking out. It doesn’t take very long.
I price match at Walmart nearly every time I go. It saves time and gas money – not having to run to the other store. And in response to Maria145, my Walmart does price match their store brand to another store’s brand. Price matching saved me at least $20 this last week on just 4 items alone.
I do not price match anywhere. I do not shop in WM or Target. I shop at Fry’s, Albertsons, CVS, and Walgreens. I live within walking distance to all of these stores. I live across the street from WM, but I find much better DEALS, SERVICE, and QUALITY everywhere else.
I ad match at Walmart out of necessity. I live in a rural Wisconsin dairy farming community where the grocery stores are few and far between. Ad matching saves me gas money since the nearest coupon-doubling stores are over an hour away. I must be one of the few people who actually take advantage of this program since most of the WM cashiers need help ringing up my ad-matches.
I will price match if I specifically “need” an item that week, or if the store that I am trying to buy it from is sold out. I have not had very good success with rainchecks, so I find this to be helpful in my area.
I just pulled out my Target add to check what it said, and it states “Red Hot Savings-we’ll match the price found in any competitor’s printed add* for an identical product. *Applies to current, local print ads for in-store products. See Guest Services for details.”
Sounds like this could vary from store-to-store how well this works, just like at Wal-Mart….
I price match for convenience. If I am already planning to shop there I will price match since it saves me gas to go to one store in stead of many different ones.
I price match occasionally to save gas. Wal-Mart is nearby but other grocery stores are not. If, say Oscar Meyer hot dogs are on sale for 98 cents each, I take the ad with me and get my cheap hot dogs at Wal-Mart. I would have to drive an extra 15 miles to get to the nearest grocery store so this saves me money in two ways.
I have price matched at Walmart before–but only on limited occasions. They are EXTREMELY picky. The item must be EXACTLY the same–for instance–Meijer milk can be on sale-but Walmart will not price match their brand to it. It has to be the exact same brand/size/etc. They won’t do Walmart brand to Meijer brand. Also, most of the cashier’s do not know how to do it and you end up waiting for a manager to come by. All in all, I find it very frustrating and not worth the mess. I hardly go to Walmart anyhow, since I get better deals elsewhere.
I price match with produce sometimes. For instance, if I am shopping at Walmart already and don’t need to go to Kroger I will request a price match. I am eager to price match at SuperTarget because they have better produce than my Kroger and I go to SuperTarget weekly. Don’t forget – you can price match at many stores, not only Grocery Stores. I was a Sales Manager for 10 years at an electronics store and we used to price match all the time. Any time I am making a big ticket purchase I feel it is worth it to inquire.
I use price matching at Walmart every week. I developed a simple grocery list on MicroSoft Excel that list what store the item is at and the price. I Also list if I have any coupons. I keep all my price matching @ the end of my order. It makes checking out very easy, and I only have to stop @ one store. Because I live in a more rural area sometimes it does not make it worth my while to go to several stores just to get the double coupons. I save on average $40.00 a week using the price matching & another $40.00 using coupons. Another bonus is my local Walmart just started a policy where they do not require that you show them the ad.