A fantastic benefit of budgeting and managing your personal finances is that you have a clear idea of how much you can afford on things like clothes, make up, and other personal care items. However, even with the best intentions of saving money, life gets hectic and these things can quickly add up. With that in mind, I’ve had to find different ways to save money without clipping coupons or hopping from store to store. One of the ways I’ve found to be a great (and quick) way to save money is price matching.

What is price matching?

Price matching is a practice in which a store promises to match another store's prices for certain products. Click To Tweet

Each retailer’s policy is different, so today I’ve put together a list of five stores that offer great price matching.

1. Target
Target is already amazing, but in October 2015, they took their brand to a new level by updating their price matching policy to include online retailers such as Amazon, Ulta, Macy’s, Wayfair, and many more for both in stores and online. On top of that, if you find a lower price after your purchase, you have up to 14 days to come in for a price adjustment.

The details –
• The item must be identical (same brand, size, weight, color, quantity, and model number).
• The item must be in stock at the time of the price match.
• You must show proof of price via printed ad or online digital price.
• If you’re coming in for a price adjustment, you must have the original receipts or packing slips.
• They will match online prices to in-store prices and vice versa.
• They don’t price match during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales (Thanksgiving Day through the following Monday).
• Price matching is not valid on a list of things including clearance, used, refurbished, etc.
• Price matching doesn’t include Target Optical, Portrait Studio, Clinic, and Pharmacy.
• You cannot combine Cartwheel offers, Target coupons, or Target gift card offers with the price match.
Check out the full Target price matching policy here.

2. Lowes
I’m normally a Home Depot girl, but after finding out about Lowe’s price matching policy, the time has come to switch! Lowes will beat a competitor’s price by 10%! Even if a competitor is offering a percent off discount, they will match the final net price. The best part about their price matching policy is that they will give you up to 30 days to get a partial refund if you find a lower price on a purchased appliance.

The details –
• The item must be identical.
• They will match local retail competitors and their websites.
• They guarantee you’ll get the lower of two prices if you order online for store pick up or local delivery.
• Price matching does not apply to installation, competitor’s closeouts, damaged items, etc.
• The additional 10% applies to everyday low prices.
Read more about Lowe’s full matching policy here.

3. Walmart
Walmart has a similar price matching policy to Target, where they will match several local and online retailer’s prices (not as many as Target), however the biggest difference is they don’t honor price matches on previous purchases. So, if you find a lower price after you purchase an item, you would have to return it and repurchase with the other retailer (major hassle).

The details –
• The item must be identical.
• The item must be in stock (this applies to both in store and online).
• Online prices won’t be matched in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico for in store purchases.
• They can limit price match quantities (i.e. one per customer, per item, per day).
• They do not price match Marketplace prices, Walmart’s private brand, or percentage off/buy one, get one free offers.
Get the full details on Walmart’s price matching policy here.

4. JC Penny
JC Penny comes in fourth simply because they don’t match online retailers. However, they will give up to 7 days for a price adjustment if you find a lower price at a similar, local competitor. This means the match has to come from a store within a “reasonable” distance from where you’re attempting to get the price match (i.e. a store in southern California would only be able to price match another store in southern California).

The details –
• The item must be identical.
• They will not match jcp.com, Sephora, Optical, Portraits, or JCP custom decorating.
• You must bring proof in the form of a printed ad from the local competitor (JCP store managers have enough leeway to accept mobile ads, this just depends on your local store).
• They will not match club stores (i.e. Costco or Sam’s Club).
View JC Penny’s full price matching policy here.

5. Best Buy
Best Buy comes in at the bottom of the list because they will not price match on previously purchased items, and their online retailer matching list is very slim. One of the good things about their policy is that they will offer a price adjustment if their price reduces within 15 days of purchase. They will also match local retail competitors’ in store and online prices.

The details –

• The item must be identical.
• They promise to match Bestbuy.com with in store prices and vice versa.
• They will not match Marketplace prices.
Click here to see Best Buy’s full price matching policy.

Overall, price matching allows you to save money on things you already purchase. It also keeps you cost conscious and aware of which retailers offer the best prices for certain items. That’s a win-win!

Did we leave any stores off this list? Share your price matching win in the comments below.

Lifestyle

FILED IN:

SHARE ON:

You said:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Leave a Comment

Created by nationally recognized millennial money expert Tonya Rapley, My Fab Finance is a leading financial education and lifestyle blog for millennials who want to become financially free and do more of what they love.