As you already know, Walmart is the perfect place to get all your shopping done in one place. At Walmart, you can buy things like groceries, a new vacuum cleaner, and household cleaning products in one trip.
Another item you can almost always find at Walmart is alcohol, like beer, wine, and liquor. But what do you need to know before buying liquor from Walmart? I’ve looked into the matter, and here’s everything I discovered!
15 Things to Know Before Buying Liquor From Walmart In [currentyear]
1. You Can’t Find Liquor at Every Walmart
Currently, one state where you won’t be able to buy liquor at Walmart is Texas. In fact, no grocery stores can sell liquor, like vodka, whiskey, and other spirits, because of state law.
That said, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission placed a ban on liquor in grocery stores and superstores like Walmart.
However, Walmart recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas, so the retail chain might be permitted to sell alcohol in the state soon.
2. Walmart Associates Can Refuse to Sell Liquor
In certain circumstances, a Walmart associate can refuse to sell a customer alcohol. For example, Walmart won’t sell alcohol to customers that fall under the following circumstances:
- The customer appears to be intoxicated at the time of purchase
- The customer appears to be buying alcohol for an underage individual
- The customer cannot prove that they are at least 21 years old with a valid photo ID
- The customer attempts to purchase alcohol outside the legal hours the store has in place (which is determined by state law)
3. You Can Buy Liquor at Walmart with a Minor Present
If you’re 21 or older, you can still buy liquor at Walmart if you have a minor present.
That said, it doesn’t violate any laws to purchase alcohol with an underaged individual present at the time of purchase.
However, if a Walmart associate suspects you are buying the liquor for the underage person to consume, they can refuse to sell the item to you.
4. Buying Liquor at a Walmart Self-Checkout Station Is Possible
Fortunately, you can still purchase alcohol at the self-checkout stations, just like you would at a normal register.
To buy liquor at a self-checkout kiosk, check out your other items first.
Next, scan your liquor and wait for a Walmart associate to verify the purchase. Of course, you’ll still need to present a valid ID to purchase liquor at the self-checkout station.
Moreover, some Walmart locations (like ones in California) banned the sale of alcohol at self-checkouts, so keep that in mind.
5. Walmart Associates Will Always ID
In almost every instance, Walmart will ask for an ID if you’re purchasing liquor, like vodka or gin.
That said, if you look under the age of 40 years old, you’ll always have to present an ID to the Walmart associate ringing up your items.
However, if you appear above this age threshold, a Walmart associate might not ask you for your ID.
6. You Can Return Liquor at Walmart
At Walmart, almost every product has a generous 90-day return period, no questions asked. Surprisingly, this return policy also applies to liquor and alcohol sales at Walmart.
However, the alcohol bottle or container must be unopened for the return to be eligible.
Additionally, you can only return liquor to Walmart in-store, and you must bring your original receipt and a valid ID.
7. Walmart Allows Online Alcohol Purchases
Recently, Walmart’s been steadily expanding its online eCommerce platform, making online orders much easier for customers.
Further, walmart.com allows customers to place orders and pick them up at their nearest Walmart within a few hours.
That said, you can order liquor online and later pick it up at your closest Walmart location. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to present your ID when you pick up the alcohol.
8. Walmart’s Website Makes Buying Alcohol Simple
If you’re ordering alcohol online at Walmart, the retail store’s website makes it very simple to narrow down your selection.
First, to find the liquor selection on Walmart’s website, follow these steps:
- Find “Departments”
- Hover your mouse over “Grocery”
- Click on “Alcohol”
After doing this, you can narrow down your search by price, brand, pickup options, and type of alcohol.
9. Walmart Carries Popular Liquor Brands
No matter what brand of liquor you’re looking for, Walmart likely has it in stock. That said, Walmart carries all the most popular alcohol and liquor brands both online and in-store.
So, some of the alcohol brands that Walmart carries include:
- Bud Light
- Tito’s
- Grey Goose
- Jim Beam
- Captain Morgan
- Smirnoff
- Truly
- Bacardi
- Svedka
- Jose Cuervo
- Mike’s Harder
10. It Might Be Cheaper to Buy Alcohol at Costco
Although Walmart sells alcohol at extremely low prices, it’s sometimes cheaper to buy liquor and other alcoholic beverages at Costco.
At Costco, you’ll have to buy more alcohol at one time, since the store sells everything in bulk. However, you can save a little money by purchasing alcohol in bulk.
11. Not All Walmart Stores Can Sell Liquor
Depending on state laws, some Walmart stores can’t sell liquor like rum, tequila, or vodka.
However, just about all Walmart stores are permitted to sell beer and wine, because the alcohol content is lower.
If you’re wondering whether or not your local Walmart sells liquor, simply give your store a call.
12. Walmart Stores Sell Alcohol at Different Times
Depending on your location, the times when you can purchase liquor at Walmart will vary. For example, state and sometimes county laws prohibit alcohol and liquor sales at certain times.
Most often, alcohol sales coincide with regular store hours at Walmart. That said, you can buy alcohol as early as 6 am in states like Alabama, Arizona, California, and Hawaii.
However, in other states like Utah, you can’t purchase alcohol at Walmart until 11 am.
13. You Can Buy Alcohol on Walmart’s Mobile App
As part of Walmart’s initiative to make online orders easier, the store also allows you to make orders on its mobile app.
That said, you can buy liquor like whiskey or rum on the Walmart app, and pick up your order at the store later.
In some states, you can even have alcohol delivered to your door using Walmart’s delivery option. In each case, you’ll need to provide your ID to the person giving you your order.
14. Walmart Makes Buying Liquor Extremely Convenient
At Walmart, alcohol sales are a significant profit-earning department. With that, the reasoning behind this is that it’s extremely convenient to buy liquor at Walmart.
For example, 90% of people in the United States live within 15 miles of a Walmart. So, going to Walmart to buy liquor instead of a designated liquor store is the faster option.
Also, Walmart’s everyday low prices assure customers that they’re not overpaying for liquor.
15. Walmart Carries All Sorts of Alcohol
No matter what type of alcohol you’re looking for, Walmart carries it! For example, Walmart sells the following types of alcohol:
- Beer (individual cans, individual bottles, four-packs, six-packs, 12-packs, 15-packs, 18-packs, 20-packs, 24-packs, and kegs at some locations)
- Wine (Red, white, rosé, sparkling, champagne)
- Liquor (Vodka, rum, gin, tequila, malt beverages, prepared cocktails, whiskey, cognac)
Additionally, keep in mind that the alcohol selection between Walmart stores varies based on location and state laws.
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Walmart sells alcohol, Walmart alcohol policy, and if you can buy alcohol with a Walmart gift card.
Conclusion
Buying alcohol and liquor at Walmart is incredibly convenient because most Americans live only 15 miles from Walmart. Walmart carries an extensive selection of liquor, like vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey, to name a few.
Finally, you can order liquor on Walmart’s website or mobile app and pick it up at the nearest store or have it delivered to your door.
