Walmart Coupon Policy & Store Guide

About Walmart

Walmart is one of the largest retail corporations in the United States and the world. Their stores sell everything from furniture to food and clothing. Shoppers know Walmart for their low prices, decent coupon policy, and excellent price matching policy. These three things make the store a mecca for couponers and bargain hunters. Before heading out on a trip to Walmart, shoppers should understand the coupon policy and know what to expect.

Walmart’s Coupon Policy

Walmart offers a detailed coupon policy that lists what type of coupons they will and will not accept. Due to high turnover and a confusing coupon policy, shoppers should carry a copy of the official Walmart coupon policy with them when shopping there using coupons.

Acceptable Coupons

  • Print at home Internet coupons
    • Legible
    • Must say “Manufacturer Coupon”
    • Have a valid remit address
    • Have a valid expiration date
    • Have a bar code that scans
    • BOGO coupons need a specified price
    • Black and white or color are acceptable
    • Cannot be duplicated
  • Manufacturer coupons
    • Must be for dollars or cents off
    • Walmart honors limitations
    • Free items are acceptable (not Internet coupons)
    • BOGO coupons are accepted
    • Must say “Manufacturer Coupon”
    • Must have a valid remit address
    • Must have a valid expiration date
    • Must have a scannable bar code
    • Cannot be duplicated
  • Competitor coupons
    • Must specify a certain price for the product (like the coupons in the Walgreens weekly ads)
    • BOGO for items that list a specific price
    • Must have a valid expiration date
    • Can be black and white or color
    • Cannot be duplicated
  • Soft drink container caps
  • Catalinas (checkout coupons)
    • Must be for dollars or cents of a specific item
    • Must say “Manufacturer Coupon” and have item requirements
    • Must have a valid remit address
    • Must have a valid expiration date
    • Must have a bar code that scans
    • Can be in color or black and white
    • Cannot be duplicated

Walmart Does Not Accept Coupons That Are:

  • Checkout coupons with dollars and cents off the whole purchase
  • Internet coupons that do not require a purchase
  • Competitors coupons that:
    • Are dollars and cents off a specific retailer
    • Are percentage off of purchases
    • BOGO without a specified price
    • Double/triple value coupons

Acceptance Guidelines and Limitations

  • Walmart only accepts coupons for merchandise they sell
  • Coupons must be presented during checkout
  • Only one coupon per item is allowed
  • Walmart reserves the right to limit the number of identical coupons and coupons for the same item in a transaction
  • Items purchased must be identical to the coupon requirements
  • Coupons must have valid expiration dates
  • If the coupon exceeds the price of the item, the customer can have cash back or apply the remainder to the rest of the transaction.
  • Walmart reserves the right to limit purchase quantities to one per household to discourage dealers
  • Store managers have the final decision when taking care of customers
  • SNAP items purchased in a SNAP transaction are not eligible for cash-back
  • WIC items purchased in a WIC transaction are applied to basket purchase and may not be eligible for cash back
  • The system prompts for verification when:
    • 4 or more like coupons are used in a transaction
    • There is a coupon for more than $5
    • There are $50 or more in coupons in a transaction
    • There are coupons totaling a percentage off the total sale

Walmart’s Ad Match Guarantee

Walmart offers an excellent price matching policy with their Ad Match Guarantee. Their price matching policy is better than most other retailers are which makes shopping there very attractive. However, you still do miss the ExtraBucks, Register Rewards, and other benefits of shopping at some of the other retailers. When using price matches, bring along the ad where you found the price to get the same low price.

Walmart Accepts Price Matches For:

  • BOGO ads as long as there is a specific price of the item
  • Competitor ads that specify the price of the item
  • Preferred shopping card prices for items in a printed ad
  • Fresh produce and meat items as long as the price is in the same units (lb. for lb.)

Guidelines and Limitations

  • Walmart matches any local competitor’s advertised price
  • Walmart does not require customers to have the physical ad (it’s helpful)
  • Items purchased must be identical to the ones in the ad
  • Walmart can limit BOGO quantities to one per household

Walmart Does Not Price Match the Following:

  • Items that require a separate purchase for the sale price (buy this to get that for $5)
  • Items without price information that require a purchase for a free item (B2G1 free, but no price)
  • Items that require a purchase to get a gift card
  • BOGO ads without prices listed
  • Closeout pricing
  • Percentage off ads
  • Private label price promotions
  • A price that omits characteristics of items ($2.50 off all of a brand name)

Walmart Does Not Honor:

  • Ads with unknown prices for products
  • Internet pricing
  • Misprinted ads
  • Closeout prices and ads for stores going out of business

How to Navigate Walmart Matchups

Walmart matchups include sale prices from Walmart circulars and price matches from local retailers. When viewing these matchups, you might now find the same deals as locations and competitors vary with the geographic area. The matchups list an item and all corresponding coupons available. Below there are some common abbreviations for terms you might see in the matchups.

  • BOGO or B1G1: Buy one get one, this could mean a free item, 50% one item, etc.
  • RP: Red Plum
  • SS: Smart Source
  • PG: P&G insert
  • $1/1, $1/2,…: $1 off one item, $1 off two of the same items
  • GC: Gift card
  • MIR: Mail in rebate
  • PSA: Prices starting at
  • PC: Price cuts
  • ETS: Excludes trail sizes in coupon/promotion
  • TMF: Try me free promotion (usually in coupon form)
  • Q: Coupon
  • MQ: Manufacturer coupon
  • CQ: Competitor coupon
  • WYB: When you buy
  • X: Expiration date on a coupon
  • YMMV: Your mileage may vary, this means you might not find the same deal at every store
  • OOP: Out of pocket, the amount you spent on the purchase

 

 

 

 

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