MEMPHIS, Tenn. –Shopping and saving is getting a lot easier these days, all because retailers are willing to battle for your buck.
Price matching isn’t new, but Kyle James of Rather Be Shopping said more and more retailers are adding official policies.
“They realized that a lot of people are going to leave their store if they don’t kind of catch up to the wave of this price matching idea,” explained James.
James recently put together a list of 19 stores that will price match Walmart.
He said lots of people enjoy the retail giant’s low prices, but don’t necessarily like the big crowds or long lines that come with it.
Price matching is a way around that.
James named a few stores will price match Walmart.
“Bed, Bath and Beyond, Dick’s Sporting Goods along with Sports Authority, Michael’s, Petco.”
Also, why fork over the cash for membership at warehouse stores if you can get the same price elsewhere?
Here’s a list of retailers that will now price match Costco.
Price matching typically works best on big ticket items like electronics, but recent changes to product sizes at warehouse stores means shoppers can save on several items.
“Costco and Sam’s Club have really gotten better at packaging products in smaller quantities where you don’t have to buy a huge quantity, which makes the product identical to other stores.”
That’s critical, because if consumers are hoping to price match, the products need to be the same.
This might mean same color, product number or SKU.
Also, geography matters.
Brick and mortar stores will sometimes only match a price if the other store is in the same area.
Online prices aren’t the same.
When in doubt, shoppers should visit customer service, ask for a manager and always be polite.
“A lot of times if it’s just something really small like a color, or maybe it’s just a tiny little difference in the product, they will still give you that price match or they’ll say hey, we can’t price match it, but here’s a coupon for 20% off,” added James.
The key to price matching these days is using a smart phone while inside a store.
Apps like Shop Savvy allow users to scan bar codes and compare prices on the spot.
It’s also a good idea to download apps for major retailers to check their prices directly.
In addition, keep receipts.
Some price matching policies also include price adjustments.