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Subscribe to RSSHalloween is barely over and major retailers including Target and Best Buy already are trying to lure holiday shoppers to their brick-and-mortar stores with promises that they will match Internet prices, at least temporarily. But some of the offers may fall short of their claims.
A just-released survey of nine major retail chains by the website ConsumerWorld.org shows there are a lot of exclusions and exceptions that could limit your savings.
“They’ve put so many restrictions in place that you may not be able to get a price match at all,” warned Consumer World founder Edgar Dworsky. “For example, some stores that say they’ll match websites only have a specific list of websites that they will match. And they may limit the price matching to certain categories, such as just to appliances and electronics.”
Best Buy’s online price match applies to 20 stores. For Target, it’s only five: Amazon.com, BabiesRUs.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com and Walmart.com. And the offer expires Dec. 16.
“Go onto Target’s website and you’ll see what amounts to about three pages worth of exclusions and fine print that you’re going to have to comply with,” Dworsky noted. (You can click here to view the price-matching policies of Best Buy and Target.)
Store policies can be confusing
The price match at Home Depot does not apply to Internet prices. And that policy is only good at the time of purchase, not afterward, as is common practice at most other big-name retailers.
“If you buy the item and see it for less after you walk out of the store, you’re out of luck, unless you find a soft-hearted store manager,” Dworsky said.
But how would a customer at Home Depot know that? On its website, the store’s explains its price match policy in just two sentences:
If you find a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any local retailer, we will match the price and beat it by 10%. Excludes special orders, bid pricing, volume discounts, open-box merchandise, labor and installation, sales tax, rebate and free offers, typographical errors and online purchases.
Notice that it does not say anything about at time of sale. But that’s what Dworsky was told when he called the company’s public relations department to get specifics about their policy.
“The nuances of Home Depot’s policy are not obvious, such as when the extra 10 percent does not apply,” said Dworsky. “I went to one store and asked for a copy of their detailed policy, but there is apparently no such document.”
Jennifer King, senior manager of external communications at The Home Depot, confirmed to NBCNews.com that the company’s price match only applies at the time of purchase. When asked why this wasn’t specifically disclosed to customers on the store’s website, King wrote: “We will consider updating, but that is what we mean by saying we will match a current price. This has been our policy for years.”
She went on to say that the store managers have “some discretion on a case by case basis.”
How do you deal with this?
Before you go shopping, read and understand the store’s price-match policies. That’s not always easy to do. The information isn’t always clearly listed on the company website and store employees may not always know.
Don’t expect a price match on the big sale dates including Black Friday, Cyber Monday or any time during Thanksgiving week at some stores. Special doorbuster prices for early bird and night owl sales are also excluded from most price-match gurantees.
Don’t wait too long if you spot a better price. At some stores, the price-match guarantee is only good for seven days.
Before you go back to make a claim, get the required proof, and be ready to argue your case if you feel you’re being unfairly treated.
“Stand your ground,” Dworsky advised. “Despite their stated policy, stores hate to match prices because they may wind up losing money.”
ConsumerMan savvy shopper tips
Some credit cards offer “price protection” as a cardholder benefit. If you make a purchase with the card and that exact item is advertised for less within a certain time period (usually 60 days), you get the difference back. If you have one of these cards, you don’t have to worry about a restrictive store policy. These credit card programs generally do not apply to Internet ads or purchases.
Late last week, PayPal rolled out a price-match offer. Use PayPal online or at a physical store (between now and December 31) and if the item is advertised at a lower price – even online – PayPal will reimburse you for the difference up to $250 in the form or a credit to your account. They’ll even accept screen shots of non-auction online advertisement.
The PayPal price match does have restrictions and limitations. It doesn’t cover jewelry. It doesn’t apply to any items purchased on Thanksgiving, Black Friday or Cyber Monday, or advertised for sale only on these dates. Door buster sales, cash-only sales and close-out sales are also ineligible. That still leaves a lot of stuff that is covered, including eBay Buy Now purchases of new items from top-rated sellers.
My two cents
If a store is going to use a price-match policy to get me to shop there, they darn well better make it easy for me understand that policy. It should be clearly posted – with all nuances and exclusions – on their website and available at the store. This is not always the case and that’s wrong.
Home Depot really needs to get its act together. The price-match policy posted on their website is inaccurate and could be misleading. Customers should be told the price match is only valid at the time of purchase.
Herb Weisbaum is The ConsumerMan. Follow him on Facebook or visit The ConsumerMan website.
If you're ready to begin the holiday shopping blitz, TODAY contributor Elizabeth Mayhew has tips on what to buy this month, including the best deals on electronics you'll find on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as low prices on cookware and kitchen appliances.
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Leave a Comment:
Bed, Bath and Beyond will not let you use coupons on price matched items.
Stand your ground is right. After arguing with the manager that that policy was was NOT included on the coupon's fine print with the other restrictions he had to honor the coupon or it would have been false advertising.
I say..Is it really worth it? I don't have the time and the energy to run around from store to store, let alone print off ads and argue with store clerks and managers.
It's worth it if you already know what you want and are shopping around for specific items. If you are doing general shopping then it really seems like a waste of time.
Amazon is easiest and cheapest. Sorry Walmart, et al.
HomeD's policy is the only one worth anything? Why would I bother with a price "match" policy. I want a price "beat" policy. I already comparison shop a bit. All these stores already have web sites. I can simply look online at walmart, target, amazon, etc, and find the best price. Why would I then bother to drive to a Target or WalMart and say, "match this price I found online." I wouldn't, I'd just buy it online and be done w/it.
If they want my business, they'll already have the best price without me doing all their work.
If you know what you want and find it at a reasonable price, buy it, go home, forget about it and do something else. The cost of gas running around to multiple stores and the aggravation factor of debating with less than cerebral chain store managers is not worth it.
Don't forget the "golden rule" when you are haggling to get a better price. Don't get snippy or use fowl or demeaning language. Be nice and respectful and you get way further with people - done it a hundred times myself at all sorts of stores. Also, remember that the first person you encounter - the cashier or server, typically does not have the authority to do anything about pricing issues. Usually only a manager can, so being rude to the first person who says "no" or "I can't do that" will get you nowhere, and really annoy the rest of us in line behind you. And if the manager does honor a price or sides with you on an issue, thank them and even write the company on their behalf (you may get coupons for taking that time).
Cluck, cluck. Careful with that fowl language.
So if I use "fowl" language does that make me a chicken?
Some use fowl language when trying to save a couple of bucks...."buck buck"
It's either a few F-bombs or a 9mm.
Mamma always said.....if it sounds too good too be true......
Walmart wouldn't even match their own online price. The website price was less than the store price. They wouldn't give me the same price at the store even if they would match a competitor price. So I had to order online and have it delivered to the same store!
It's not just Wallyworld. In a moment of weakness, I once bought something from WorstBuy that I needed sooner than waiting for an online purchase. The in-store price was $X, but the online price was $X-25. They wouldn't give me the online price at the department, but suggested that I use their terminals to order it online for in-store delivery. Did that, and when the paperwork appeared, they handed me THE SAME ITEM that I was about to buy. But for the $X-25 price. You just gotta shake your head.....
plus shipping!
You're just figuring out NOW that Home Depot doesn't have its act together?
And BTW Herb, if you're going to get paid to write, you ought to learn how to place "only" correctly in a sentence.
I personally like Home Depot, and have always understood their price match policy. Only a person looking for 'something for nothing' would criticize them. All stores that I deal with will match prices but only if the item is advertised in print cheaper elsewhere, and only at the time you buy it. What is so hard to understand about that? It's always been that way, and now because a few stores have come out with a policy that will let you get money back after the purchase, now you choose to blast stores like Home Depot that have done it the same way for years. How childish!
SO, are retailers going to be expected to decide which model is best for your house? What color?
Jeezum criminy folks, this isn't that hard, although some retailers have ridiculous 'exceptions,' yes, we mean you Target. But when they say, "The price match at Home Depot does not apply to Internet prices." That's not entirely true. I found a MUCH better price at Sears ONLINE for a refrigerator, I printed the page, verified it was the same model at HD, and they gave me the price from Sears online, no hassle.
Interesting how folks get upset that if they find a better price LATER! somehow it's the stores fault?
The Consumer World table is a great summary of price-match from popular companies. If anyone plans to do price-matching while shopping that is the thing to read.
Another old gimmick, the IDENTICAL ITEM clause. Many of the larger outlets control the model and part numbers of the products they stock from branded manufacturers. You might find a certain manufacturers product at one store and a feature to feature identical match at another, yet the model or part numbers differ.
Ergo it's not the identical item.
Who cares? Just order it online and be done with it.
Hmm... how do I fight back?
I go order the stuff from Amazon. The ultimate leverage consumer has on business.
BTW, Best Buy doesn't have a written copy of the new price match policy in their stores either.
Went to Home Depot to price hardwood flooring, got a "bid" from the salesperson's computer which was the same as the marked store price. And, there was going to be a 15% special order charge even though the shelf sample was labeled "In Stock" and another 15% restocking fee for any unused boxes of flooring. Oh, and it was going to be delivered to the store and they would charge me $80.00 to deliver it to my home. When we got home we went online to the Home Depot site and found the same flooring for about $.75 per square foot less, free home delivery and no charge for returning unused boxes. Saved almost $1500.00 and it's the same product from the same company! Man, does "let the buyer beware" ever apply these days.
For stores like Home Depot that won't match online, and where you must find the lower price before you buy the item...wouldn't a rational person just buy the item at the lower-priced store in the first place? That's a much simpler alternative that trying to prove through ads, photos, phone calls, or whatever that another place has a lower price. (Unless a lot of driving or time is involved in going back to the original store).
Well, the way the stores are structured, the actual employees are not incentivised and given authority to make sales and actually do business.
That's why the people who the customer deals with, don't give a $h&t if you buy it there or not.
This is just one example of why I don't understand why people trust corporations, even more than government. Everything the companies do is misleading. But here we are, election time, and about 45% of the voters want to elect a president that wants fewer, and even no regulations against Wall Street. Wake up, America, corporations are here solely to make as much money off of you, whether through honesty or not.
Save yourself the headache and do what every other normal person does. Shop at Amazon.
Price guarantees can often guarantee the highest prices in an area. I used to work in a small home theater store in northern California. ( technically this is not current, but the principles still exist today ) We were very proud of the fact that we matched anyone's advertised prices. Then Circuit City came into town. We had to raise our prices to stay competitive! If a store guarantees to give you the difference plus 10 percent of the difference to match a lower price, they are in effect fixing prices at the highest possible price. Example: We sold a popular CD player for $169, because that was the lowest price in Sacramento, 100 miles away. But when Circuit City came into town, they were selling it for $199. If we kept it at $169, the customers would go to Circuit City and get it for $169 minus about $3. We had no incentive to match lower prices anymore. So we raised all our prices to retail. We had to cleverly tell customers, without a policy or price quote that we could easily beat their price. It wasn't always easy as customers always wanted it in writing, which we would no longer do. I know this is old, but the concept is practiced in various forms all the time. I like Amazon too, but don't assume for a minute that they are always giving you the lowest price. I just bought a desk chair at Staples, after realizing that the same chairs with different brand names were all too similar and with shipping, embedded into Amazon's prices, they were more expensive than Staples (not to mention I got to sit in them first). Do your homework and remember that marketing PR and guarantees are usually some form of deception.
Until states (or at least mine in particular) succeed in pinching online retailers to collect taxes, a day I hope NEVER comes, any price matching by any brick-and-mortar store (B&M) is going to have to be the same or lower even after taxes. Otherwise, it's stupid.
With it being so easy to get free shipping online, it just makes no sense to buy a $500 item from a B&M and have to pay $35 in taxes when the same item online is also $500 but NO tax. When I think 'price', I think, "What is the total amount of money I have to part with to legally walk out of the store with this item?" I don't care how the state and the retailer split up the money; I only care about how much comes out of my pocket!
So what if I can't have the item that day? Only in very rare cases do I need to have an item the same day. The patience to wait a few days for something saves me hundreds of dollars a year. That's a nice set of tires, a handy-sized TV, a very nice suit, etc., etc.
If they won't match the other store's price then tell them to pi$$ off. Go buy the thing at the other store.
As long as you know their policies, price matching is a good thing. You can go through your grocery ads and shop at Wal Mart and get the same price using multiple different store ads. However, the unspoken fine print at Wal Mart must say that the ad must be verbatim of the grocery product. If the ad says Pork Chops, it cannot be WalMart's Assorted Chops of Pork.