If you’ve ever brought an Amazon or Walmart price to the Target checkout to save a few bucks, that option is about to disappear. Starting July 28, Target will officially end its Price Match Guarantee for competitor prices. That means no more matching prices from Amazon, Walmart, or other stores.
Instead, the policy will only match prices elsewhere at other Target stores or online at Target.com. So if the same item is cheaper online than at your local store, you can still ask for a price match—but only if both are Target.
What was the price match guarantee?
Target’s faith-inspiring Price Match Promise was designed to make consumers believe they were paying the lowest price, without needing to price-check at other retail outlets. You could arrive armed with proof that an item was cheaper at Walmart or Amazon, and Target would price-match at checkout.
You also had up to 14 days after purchasing something to get back the difference if it dropped in price. That part of the policy will continue to be valid.
Why is Target eliminating it?
Most customers weren’t using the policy to match prices at other stores, Target said. They were matching Target’s prices—like asking for the online price instead of the store price.
Target said that customers “overwhelmingly” used price matching within the world of Target, which meant that they could capture the advantage of Target’s pricing in general.
That is: folks were using the policy more to shop smart within Target, not to price match them with Walmart or Amazon.
Read this later:
What about Walmart and Amazon?
You won’t believe it, but Target was the only big-box retailer still price matching with its two biggest competitors.
Walmart does not price match at all.
Amazon will not price match, saying it is constantly re-pricing to stay competitive.
So with Target eliminating this amenity, none of the big three retailers are letting you price match one another anymore.
What you can still do
Although this is seeming to go in the opposite direction, there still is some price protection at Target.
These are the things you can continue to do after July 28:
- Compare Target prices online vs in-store
- Get a refund if the price goes down at Target within 14 days
- Shop Target Circle for discounts and rewards
- Shop Target-owned brands, which are cheap but good quality
Target maintains that it remains dedicated to having low everyday prices and establishing shopper confidence through savings plans.
Things to keep in mind
So yeah—it’s a little disappointing to lose that extra advantage of price-matching Walmart and Amazon. But you still do have some ways to save at Target, especially if you buy smart and take advantage of the resources they offer.
The switch takes effect on July 28, so if you’ve had something on your wish list and you find it cheaper somewhere else—now’s the time to take advantage of that Price Match Guarantee before it runs out.”
