If this week’s headlines are any indication, price matching will be hot this holiday season.
Brick and mortar stores see price matching as a way to fight back against “showrooming” by customers who try out products in store but buy online from stores like Amazon or even at other brick and mortar retailers.
Though it may seem like a somewhat obscure practice, more stores will allow you to price match than you may think (see the list below for some). Stores’ price matching policies usually exclude internet-only retailers, but this year we’re seeing some exceptions.
Target, for example, will price match against Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Toys R Us for several weeks this holiday season. And if you’re shopping for a video game system, you’ll be pleased to know that Best Buy evidently plans to roll out Amazon price matching, too. Word has it that there are exclusions, though. For example, you can’t price match for several days before and after Black Friday (see policy for details).
Want to know how price matching works? Read on.
7 Essential Price Matching Tips
- Stores with price matching policies generally accept prices from “competitor” brick and mortar stores only.
- Read the fine print on price matching policies carefully. Print out the store’s price match policy and take it with you along with the ad from the store you want them to price match with. That way you can show the manager if there’s any question.
- Items must be identical–same variety, quanitity per pack, etc.
- Tell the cashier you’re going to be price matching before she/he rings up the item.
- You can generally use coupons when you price match (yay!).
- As with coupons, the store manager has the final say about whether the store will price match or not.
- Sometimes you can price match items up to a week or so after you buy. See stores’ price matching policies to find out if yours will.
Think price matching still sounds intimidating? The Krazy Coupon Lady has a terrific video walking you through a price match at Walmart.
Price Matching Policies at Popular Stores
- Walmart’s Price Matching Policy
- Toys R Us and Babies R Us Price Matching Policy
- Target’s Price Matching Policy
- Kohls Price Matching Policy
- Sears Price Matching Policy
- Buy Buy Baby (and Bed Bath and Beyond) Price Matching Policy
- Best Buy Price Matching Policy
What about you? Have you ever tried price matching? How did it work out?
Do you think you’ll try it this holiday shopping season? If so, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Read More:
- Target to match online rivals’ holiday prices@ USA Today
- Target To Match Online Prices Of Walmart, Best Buy, Toys R Us This Holiday Season @ Huffington Post
- Amazon, watch your back: Target, Best Buy to match online prices @ LA Times
- The One Big Asterisk in Retailer Price-Matching Guarantees @ Time Magazine
Wow! Good to know! I know I’ll be taking advantage of this limited-time policy.
On a related subject – competitor coupons, I got really annoyed last year b/c Toys R Us advertises that they will accept competitors’ coupons, but when I showed up with one from Buy Buy Baby, the cashier said that he’d be glad to accept it *if* it scanned. Of course it didn’t. On the surface it was a coupon that absolutely would have fit the situation. I wonder if price matching will be a similar harrowing experience.
I do it all the time, mainly at Buy Buy Baby because they have the best policy and will happily price match your item with no issue. Babies R Us/Toys R Us are notorious for not complying with thier own store policy. To beat them at their own game, call BRU/TRU 800 number BEFORE YOU go to your local store. Ask the customer service rep what their price match policy and THEN explain that your local store doesn’t always comply even when you have the proper paperwork to do so. The rep will then give you a reference number on the particular item you want to price match and if your local store doesn’t want to do it, you can give the store manager that reference number and that will FORCE THEM TO COMPLY! In most cases, the store manager will honor it because they don’t want a complaint filed against the store. If they still don’t want to, then you can call back that 800 number to file a complaint against the store. They will also price match your item and send it to you w/free shipping, at least that’s what happen to me.