Are Walmart Online Prices The Same As In Store? [You’ll Be Surprised] 

It’s a common belief today that buying online today is cheaper… However, this can be false, depending on what products you buy and where you shop. 

Because of this, I wanted to get to the bottom of whether or not Walmart’s online prices are the same as in-store. Here is what I discovered!

Are Walmart Online Prices The Same As In-Store?

In some cases, Walmart’s online prices can be more expensive or cheaper than the prices in-store at Walmart. As Walmart.com is a different operation from their physical stores, prices can vary drastically for electronics, groceries, clothes, and other items.

Continue reading to discover the differences between Walmart’s online and in-store prices and how to save!

Why Do Walmart Online Prices Differ From Its In-Store Prices?

One of the main reasons for Walmart’s online prices being so different from in-store is because Walmart.com is operated as a separate entity.

Additionally, products sold on Walmart.com are kept in fulfillment centers, rather than in individual stores, so it is up to Walmart.com to discount their online prices to sell excess stock from these warehouses.

Because of this, prices can vary on Walmart.com as opposed to in-store. Additionally, this also goes the other way as a Walmart store may sell its excess stock at a cheaper rate than online.

Even Walmart themselves have acknowledged this by listing certain products on their website with either “online” or “in-store” prices.

So since prices can vary in-store and online, it is critical for customers to be aware of Walmarts hidden clearances and how to price match online prices against in-store prices.

Are Walmart Prices The Same In All Walmart Stores? 

Are Walmart Prices The Same In All Walmart Stores? 

No, prices may vary from store to store mainly due to the fact that each Walmart store is in charge of managing its own inventory.

As a result, store managers may lower the price of a product to clear out an overstock item, reward customers with an in-store discount, or compete with retail competitors in the local area.  

For this very reason, prices from Walmart to Walmart can vary drastically (and shoppers can’t price match between Walmart’s, which is a shame!).

How To Ensure You Get The Cheapest Price Either In-Store Or Online

If you have noticed a price difference either in-store or online, Walmart offers price matching for the base price of items sold online at Walmart.com and Jet.com for items identical to items sold in Walmart stores. 

To do so, a customer must first inform the Walmart member of staff of the price of the item. Additionally, the item in question has to be currently in stock on walmart.com and be the same model, color, and brand.

Walmart has the right at any time to verify and check the price and the availability of identical items.

Also, if you are on the Walmart.com website and notice a cheaper product at your local store, you can call the Walmart Customer Care number and request a price match online.

To view the full process, you can see our full guide on price-matching Walmarts online prices.

Additionally, you can also download the Walmart app while in-store to see the “real price” of an item as it might be on clearance on the Walmart.com website.

Who Is Cheaper, Walmart Or Amazon? 

It is very difficult to say which one is cheaper, it mainly depends on what type of product you are buying. A study carried out in 2018 comparing 50 identical products from a variety of different categories found that Amazon was 10.37% more expensive than Walmart. 

When comparing the cost of their delivery memberships for online shopping, Amazon Prime works out as slightly more expensive than a Walmart+ subscription. An amazon prime yearly subscription costs $119, and a Walmart+ yearly subscription costs less at $98.

Overall, despite some variations and differences in price for certain items, Walmart prices online and in-store are quite closely matched. There are not gapingly obvious consistent price differences between Walmart products sold online and products sold in its stores. 

To ensure you are getting the lowest prices at Walmart, you can see our guides on whether or not Walmart price matches Amazon.com and other stores such as Home Depot, GameStop, Staples, and Best Buy. Additionally, you can also see our guide on the Walmart wrong price policy.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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