Know the price-matching policies for Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and others

Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new pair of headphones, an OLED TV, or a laptop just to find out that you could have gotten it for a lot cheaper somewhere else. That's why, in order to keep customers happy and prevent them from going elsewhere, many retailers offer price-matching policies in which they promise to match a lower price found elsewhere. That kind of information comes in handy no matter the time of year, but it's especially helpful during shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon's upcoming Prime Day event - aka Prime Big Deal Days - which kicks off on October 8th.

What follows are the price-matching policies for a variety of major retailers. There are a few things to make note of here. First, all price-matching policies have a number of rules attached to them. We've summarized some of the rules here, but we recommend going to the links that we've provided and reading the policies carefully. Second, most retailers that serve as marketplaces for other sellers, such as Costco and Sam's Club, don't have price-matching policies, and many traditional stores won't match their prices.

Lastly, there are always exceptions to the rules. If you're looking for a deal on a product and you know it's available for a lower price elsewhere (or it was previously offered at the same retailer), it never hurts to call or chat with a customer service rep and ask if they'll match the price. You have nothing to lose but time, and there's always a chance they may find a loophole or make a special exception.

Amazon

Amazon doesn't offer price matching. Full stop. You can contact customer support, but even if you're an Amazon Prime customer, they're not likely going to help you out.

That said, Amazon does offer a pretty liberal return policy, meaning you can often return an item you purchased from Amazon if it's available for less elsewhere (or at Amazon). Then, you can just repurchase the product wherever it's cheapest.

Target

As of writing, Target will match the price of any item purchased online or in-store from Target that goes on sale. However, the current price-matching policy doesn't apply to products you may have bought from one Target store and found for less at another.

Target will also match the price of items purchased from Amazon, Walmart, and a select group of competitors if you ask for it at the time of or within 14 days of your purchase. You must bring the original ad or listing, whether digital or in print, along with your receipt into the store. Alternatively, you can call for online purchases at 1-800-591-3869 or chat online via contactus.target.com.

Be mindful, however, that Target's policy excludes doorbusters and competitors' lightning sales, like those that Amazon offers. It also doesn't apply to products that require that you log in to see the price, "Marketplace" items from third-party sellers, or lower-priced items purchased from other Target stores.

Best Buy

Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee states that a product could be eligible for a price reduction if it's new, identical to the competitor's product, immediately available at a qualifying competitor's store or on its site, and not shown on Best Buy's exclusion list (which includes "items for sale the Friday before Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after Thanksgiving"). Best Buy also doesn't price match discounts that are only available as part of a competing retailer's membership or loyalty rewards program, which disqualifies member-only events like Amazon's October Prime Day.

To get the difference, you have to contact Best Buy via its on-site chat and be able to show the ad or website with a lower price point. Alternatively, you can call 1-888-237-8289 or visit any Best Buy or Pacific Sales store.

Best Buy will also, upon request, match an in-store or online price that was lowered during the return and exchange period, which typically lasts up to 15 days.

Walmart

Walmart doesn't price match the prices of its competitors, though Walmart's online store offers price matching on items purchased from Walmart stores if the item is in stock at Walmart.com.

However, the policy doesn't apply to those who live in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. Additionally, it doesn't apply to special event prices, like those seen during Black Friday. Walmart also does not retroactively price match items bought from Walmart.com that have dropped in price after the time of purchase. The retailer additionally doesn't price match items purchased from Walmart Marketplace retailers or third-party sellers.

Apple

While we've seen some claims that Apple will price match up to 10 percent for products bought at certain major retailers, there is no official policy on the company's website.

Apple does say that if it reduces the price of an Apple-branded product within 14 days of when you receive your item, you can visit an Apple Store or contact the Apple Contact Center at 1-800-676-2775 to request a refund or get credit for the price difference. However, that doesn't apply to special sales like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

B&H Photo

B&H says that it might be able to honor a current lower price or match the price of a competitor, but it does so on a case-by-case basis. You have to contact its customer service team using the on-site chat, email, or by calling 1-800-606-6969 / 1-212-444-6615. If approved, B&H Photo will price match one identical item per customer.

Costco

Costco does not price match with competitors. However, according to its website, it will issue a credit for the difference between the price a member has paid and a promotional price if you bought the item online at Costco and requested the credit up to 30 days before the change in price. If you bought the product from a Costco warehouse location, visit the membership counter at the store where you made the purchase. Costco doesn't price match items bought from Costco warehouses with Costco.com purchases.

Dell

Dell will price match identical products from Dell, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, HP, Apple, Lenovo, and a number of other retailers. You can call 1-877-275-3355 or chat online to run a price check, but you'll need to provide a link to the competitor's product.

You can also contact the company about a price difference within 30 days of purchase. However, there is a long list of restrictions, and none of this is available between Thanksgiving Day and the Monday following Thanksgiving (or on Green Monday). Dell also doesn't match membership-only pricing or the exclusive discounts you'll find during Prime Big Deal Days or Best Buy's Member Deals Days.

eBay

As a general rule, eBay doesn't match the prices of purchases made during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. However, it does offer a generous price-matching policy for items bought before or after that period. If you find a lower price from a qualifying competitor on an eBay Deal item that you bought within 48 hours - or on another product with the "Best Price Guarantee" symbol attached to it - you'll get "110 percent" of the difference. That means eBay will give you an eBay coupon for the difference in price between what you bought the item for and what the competitor is selling it for, plus an additional 10 percent of that price difference. Note, however, that these coupons will expire within 30 days of being issued.

The products must be new, unopened, and identical to the competitor's item. You have to contact eBay Customer Service, and if they verify your claims are legitimate, you will receive the coupon and be able to use it toward your next eBay purchase.

GameStop

GameStop does not mention an official price-matching policy on its website. In 2022, however, GameStop tweeted that the store will price match items sold and shipped by Amazon as long as they're available online or in-store. Although GameStop only mentioned Amazon in the tweet, others have reported that the store will price match items purchased from Target and elsewhere.

Google

If a request is made within the standard return period, Google will match online pricing from select retailers - specifically Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, B&H Photo, and Target. It doesn't, however, match preorder pricing from other retailers or carrier deals. The product must also be in stock and identical, right down to the color and configuration. Plus, you need to provide a public link to the promo page or product listing to verify the lower price.

Other exclusions apply, too, including limited-time daily or hourly deals; wholesale, business, educational, or member-only pricing; mail-in offers and coupons; product bundles, clearance, and non-new items; and items from third-party sellers on a competitor's website.

You may also receive the difference if the product you purchased from the Google Store drops in price within the standard return period, though you'll need to contact Google directly to get the price match or correction.

The Home Depot

The Home Depot will match the price of identical, in-stock products from other retailers, except for membership-based wholesalers. The price-match policy does not apply to special events like Black Friday, though, and it doesn't apply to clearance prices, used and refurbished items, and rebate offers. You must bring the ad or listing with you in-store to the register. (You can also request price matches for online purchases that are shipped to the customer.) Additionally, The Home Depot will only honor requests submitted by the original buyer - no friends or family allowed.

HP

According to HP's website, the company will match the current pretax price for new comparable PCs and identical HP printer, display, and accessory model numbers from nationally recognized online retailers, such as Dell, Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy. The specs have to be the same to get a price match on PCs, but the product model number does not need to be identical.

You must ask for the match at the time of purchase by calling 1-800-888-0229. You can't request a price match via email or chat, though, and the policy does not extend to items bought during promotional periods. It also doesn't apply to membership stores like Costco and Sam's Club.

HP also offers price protection on the HP-branded products it sells. If a price drops during your return window, you can request an adjustment by emailing myhpsales@hp.com. This doesn't apply to products purchased during certain promotional events such as Green Monday and products on sale during the week of Thanksgiving and the week after, plus other seasonal holiday sales.

Lenovo

Lenovo matches pricing on comparable PCs from Lenovo, HP, or Dell with the same key specs as long as they're sold through a list of recognized retailers. That list includes bigger stores such as Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, Newegg, and B&H Photo as well as direct competitors such as Dell and HP. The comparable PC must also be in stock and readily available from both Lenovo and the competing retailer, and you have to contact a Lenovo sales rep with specific details about the specs and availability of the product you're inquiring about in order to facilitate the match.

That said, you can't take advantage of coupons or special discounts while receiving a price match, and the policy doesn't apply to membership stores like Costco. The policy also doesn't apply to "Marketplace" items where third parties fulfill the order, so double-check that you bought the product directly from the retailer.

Lenovo also offers a price guarantee refund for laptops and personal desktop computers bought from Lenovo.com within 30 days of purchase. To receive a refund, you must contact Customer Care and show the lower price of the identical product offered on Lenovo.com. This policy doesn't apply to doorbuster or clearance products, however.

Lowe's

Lowe's will match the price of identical, in-stock products when you present an ad, product listing, or photo from a qualifying online or local retailer, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. The product must be purchased directly from the retailer and not a third-party seller, however, and it doesn't apply to special sales events like Black Friday and other holiday promotions.

Additionally, Lowe's doesn't match prices from one Lowe's store to another, nor any rebate discounts or those available only to a select group of customers (such as loyalty clubs). To request a price match, you can head to the store, call 1-877-465-6937, or chat online.

Microsoft

Microsoft will refund you the difference if it drops the price of an in-stock physical product purchased online from the Microsoft Store within 60 days of your purchase being delivered. The same policy also applies if you find the identical product on sale at a lower price at a qualifying retailer like Amazon or Best Buy, though it doesn't extend to the Surface Hub, HoloLens, or Windows DevKits.

Furthermore, some eligible products have specific retailer exclusions. For example, price matches for Surface products at other retailers are limited to Amazon and Best Buy, while Xbox products are limited to the two aforementioned retailers as well as Target, GameStop, and Walmart.

You can contact Microsoft's Sales and Support team at 1-877-696-7786 to get a refund. If you purchase an item from a Microsoft Experience Center, you'll have to go back to that location with your receipt.

Newegg

Newegg offers price matching on select items; these products are identified by the label "Price Match Guarantee" that appears in the price box on the right side of the product page. This applies whether you find that lower price on Newegg or at what Newegg judges as a major retailer, which includes Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop, and Sears. The product must be identical, and the match won't apply to rebates, coupons, or price drops that are only available as part of a retailer's membership or loyalty program.

You need to notify Newegg of the lower price within 14 days of purchase. You'll then be issued a credit you can use on the Newegg website, though you'll only have 90 days to do so. Newegg's price-match guarantee is not valid during major holiday sales events, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Green Monday.

Sam's Club

You can request a price match against other Sam's Club stores but not competitors. Note that this doesn't apply to items on markdown or clearance.

Update, September 18th: Added a mention of Amazon's forthcoming Prime event and adjusted the copy to reflect current retailer policies.