By this point, most major retailers offer a price match guarantee somewhere in their store's policy — they'll match any price a competitor offers on a specific item, in theory helping customers make sure they're getting the best possible deal out there. Even so, as the Star Tribune reports, only about 5 percent of shoppers actually take advantage of these guarantees.
Perhaps they think it's a waste of time. Perhaps they're not aware that a better price is out there. Either way, the result is the same: They're leaving money on the table.
Price matching is a smart and easy way to save money on your day-to-day purchases, but if you don't know which stores offer a price match guarantee and what the rules are, you could easily miss out on your savings.
We've rounded up 11 major retailers that offer great price match guarantees, detailing exactly what you need to do to get the lowest price. Read on to see where you'll find the most savings.
Read: 12 Stores With the Best Return Policies
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walmart price match
1. Walmart Price Match
Walmart will match the prices on any competitor's ad that features a specific price for a specific item. What's more, it'll match prices that can only be obtained with preferred shopping cards at other stores, and honor competitors' "buy one, get one free" offers (as long as an actual price is listed on the ad).
For fresh produce and meat price matching, the advertised prices must be in the same unit type (pound for pound, for example). For all other price match items, the products have to be identical in brand name, size, color, quantity, etc.
Walmart does not offer price matches on auctions, closeouts or misprinted ads.
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target price match
2. Target Price Match
Target will price match almost any item in its store, as long as the lower priced item is identical and customers bring proof of the lower price (and, in the case of retroactive price matching, a receipt). The caveat: Target or a competitor must advertise a cheaper price in the next seven days or in the next week's weekly ad for a price match to be honored, and the item must be in stock at Target at the time of price matching.
Online price matching only applies to Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com and BabiesRUs.com.
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amazon price match
3. Amazon Price Match
Most people use Amazon.com to price match items, but you might have wondered if the online retailer actually honors price matching for its own products, too. Here's the answer: Sometimes. Amazon will match the prices of certain televisions and cell phones at select retailers, but for all other products it does not price match.
To enact Amazon's price match guarantee, you need to find a lower price on a qualifying retailer's website within 14 days of your item shipping. The items must be identical and the cell phones should have the exact same service plan.
To request your price match, navigate to the "Order Summary" page in your account, then click “Order Details” and “Found a lower price?" Check on Amazon.com to see which retailers qualify for a price match guarantee.
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staples price match
4. Staples Price Match
Staples will price match virtually any of its products, as long as the items are identical in size, model number, etc. The office retailer will honor almost all competitors, including online retailers like Amazon.com — as long as the store sells the products both in-person and online. (Note that Staples doesn't price match marketplace items and third-party sellers.)
If you make a purchase at Staples and discover a lower in-store or online price within 14 days, the retailer will refund you the difference. Simply visit the customer service desk.
Here's what Staples doesn't price match: its own or competitors' special events and timed sales, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, along with Staples EasyTech services, postage, gift cards, phone cards and apps.
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best buy price match
5. Best Buy Price Match
Best Buy will price match all local competitors and their websites prices, as well as these online-only retailers: Amazon.com, Bhphotovideo.com, Crutchfield.com, Dell.com, HP.com, Newegg.com and TigerDirect.com.
The store will also match its own online prices and refund the difference on past purchases if the price goes down during the return and exchange period. All price matches can be made at the customer service desk.
Caveat: Only one price match per identical item per customer is allowed. Best Buy will not price match free items, mispriced items, coupon and clearance offers. bundle deals, offers that happen from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, or items that are advertised as limited quantity.
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the home depot price match
6. The Home Depot Price Match
The Home Depot will price match its local retail competition on any item, as long as it's in stock and identical. Not only that — the retailer will beat a competitor's price by 10 percent. This guarantee excludes special orders, bid pricing, volume discounts, open-box merchandise, labor and installation, sales tax, rebates and free offers and typos.
Online purchases are not subject to the additional 10 percent off, though they will be price matched.
Read: 30 Ways to Spend Your HELOC at Home Depot
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lowe's price match
7. Lowe’s Price Match
Lowe’s will beat its local competitors' prices by 10 percent with a current ad. The retailer will also match a competitor’s percent off discount by the item's final net price. Customers cannot price match for installation labor, closeout sales, or clearance, discontinued and damaged items, and special orders.
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fry's price match
8. Fry’s Electronics Price Match
Fry’s Electronics will price match any authorized local or online competitors. If you buy an item at Fry's and then find a lower price elsewhere within 30 days of purchase, the retailer will refund 110 percent of the difference. You just need your original receipt and proof of a lower price. In the case of a number of electronic items, including computers, tablets, MP3 players, cameras and air conditioners, the price match period is just 15 days.
Note that when price matching online competitors, Fry’s will include the cost of shipping. The policy doesn't include rebates, one-of-a-kind items, educational discounts, coupons and promo codes.
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bed bath and beyond price match
9. Bed Bath & Beyond Price Match
Bed Bath & Beyond will honor price matches with any direct competitor, even Amazon.com, as long as the items are the same manufacturer and model number.
Bonus: Bed Bath & Beyond will also let you use manufacturer's coupons on top of the price match — though not if it's a brand that also has retail stores (and could therefore be considered a competitor).
Bed Bath & Beyond will not price match membership stores, such as Costco, third-party sellers or websites for stores it does not consider direct competitors. For in-store price matching, just ask a sales associate. You can also request a price match for a purchase on bedbathandbeyond.com by calling 1-800-Go-Beyond or by emailing customer.service@bedbathcom.
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sears price match
10. Sears Price Match
Sears will price match identical items at local competitors if you bring the original advertisement to a sales associate at the time of your purchase. The retailer will also match online pricing if you bring the order page in — though keep in mind that the costs should include shipping and handling.
Sears will not price match internet-only retailers (no Amazon) or marketplace and third-party sellers on competitors' websites. The store will also not honor retroactive price matches (so you'll need to do your research before you buy).
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toys r us price match
11. Toys"R"Us Price Match
The Toys"R"Us price match guarantee is only available for in-store purchases. The store will match prices at local competitors and online retailers, including Walmart.com, Target.com, BestBuy.com, Sears.com, Kmart.com, buybuyBaby.com, Meijer.com, FredMeyer.com, diapers.com, BabyDepot.com, LEGO.com and Amazon.com.
Toys"R"Us will also match prices on Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com (except for online-only prices). The store will not honor competitors' "buy one, get one" deals, doorbusters, category or storewide discounts, percentage-off discounts, or deals from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Walmart and 10 Other Stores Offering Price Match Guarantees