Why Doesn't Walmart Match CVS "With Card" Prices?!

[vbamother]

Yesterday I went to Walmart to see if they would price adjust for some Viactiv vitamin chews I had recently purchased for $7.77. CVS had them "with card" for $5.99 Two customer service employees told me that they could not price adjust for any "with card" sales (CVS or Winn Dixie etc) because they were "gimmick sales". I explained I had a CVS card (which is free to anyone) and would gladly show it to them. They still refused to adjust my price, but did refund my money so I could go to CVS down the street to buy the Viactiv there (which I did, plus an extra box too!)

 

My question is this: If Walmart had my money, why on earth would they prefer to give it back, rather than just do a price match, or price adjust? I mean, is this good business sense?

[fairydustcrissy]

Its basically a way to keep from Price matching.

[sm1kla]

It's all part of their gimmick policy, the Walmarts near me have their price matching policy posted at all registers. They will not match gimmicks like "set price (3 for 9.99)", BOGO, with card purchases- I think there are a few more that they consider gimmicks. In my experience a lot of times the younger cashiers will still match it.

 

This policy is good for competitors, we have a small grocery store near our Super Walmart- I think that is the only reason they are still in business- they usually run "gimmick" ads b/c its Walmarts policy not to match'em.

[vbamother]

Our Walmart doesn't have their price-matching policy posted anywhere, or at least I haven't noticed it.

 

I still think it's not very smart business for them to return money rather than price match with a large chain store like CVS. (I'm all for the small stores, but I don't know of any that offer "with card" sales except for the chainstores which should be Walmart direct competitors.)

 

PS: Thanks much for the comments, it does help to know that other Walmarts do the same. (We didn't know that some Walmarts accept internet coupons until someone here mentioned it once. We were able to get the manager of our local Walmart to begin accepting them...previously they would not.)

[vbamother]

UPDATE: Yesterday I received a call from the Walmart Asst Mgr after I sent an email to the corporate office asking about them not price-matching the CVS price. He was very nice, asked lots of questions to confirm everything, then apologized about me not being able to get the price match. He said he considered it a "training issue with employees" and assured me that it wouldn't happen again, and that should I have any problems in the future to ask for him by name.

[nikkilugi]

When we price match groceries around here I don't have any problem with them price matching the prices from places that use cards like Price Chopper or Dillons (Kroger). I know they don't price match percentages off or bogo of course but they do price match everything else - again even from the stores where you need a card to get that sale price. In fact the cashiers don't even ask to see the grocery ad when price matching grocery items. I just tell them the price and they do the price adjust.

 

So what I am trying to say is that there is really no reason why they wouldn't price match CVS. If they price match the other card retailers like grocery stores then they should price match all retailers.

[vbamother]

When we price match groceries around here I don't have any problem with them price matching the prices from places that use cards like Price Chopper or Dillons (Kroger). I know they don't price match percentages off or bogo of course but they do price match everything else - again even from the stores where you need a card to get that sale price. In fact the cashiers don't even ask to see the grocery ad when price matching grocery items. I just tell them the price and they do the price adjust.

 

So what I am trying to say is that there is really no reason why they wouldn't price match CVS. If they price match the other card retailers like grocery stores then they should price match all retailers.

Yep, my point exactly. Probably if I had known about the CVS sale price on the day I purchased the Viactiv, the cashier would have handled it. But I didn't get a CVS flyer until the next day, so I had to try for a price adjustment. Evidently the Customer Service reps weren't as in the know as the cashiers.

[MelissaS]

Our Walmart does. All of the grocery/drug stores around here have "loyalty" cards and I've never had a problem price matching those ads. The problem we have is that for years you never had to have the ads with you so I stopped bringing them (they are posted near the entrance anyway), yesterday when I shopped the cashier said I needed the ad. So I guess I will start bringing them again. I wish Walmart had CONSISTANT policies!

[tiffbiles]

Does anyone know if Walmart will take "double coupons" if another grocery store in the area has an ad offering it (like Country Mart does daily with their card). I actually have a letter from Country Mart offering this which I could present to Walmart.

[tmking]

I've had problems price matching at my local walmart. I think a lot of it is the cashiers. Because sometimes I don't have problems. One time I tried to price match on cokes from the store a cross the street from walmart and they told me they could not price match because i did not bring the ad in. I told the lady to step outside and she could see their banner right across the street. and another time they wouldn't price match food lion because you have to have the mvp card. but every grocery store around here you need a card. they do not have their price matching policy up and didn't they use to have the sales papers of the others stores at the registers before so it would be easier to price match? now they don't.

[MelissaS]

Does anyone know if Walmart will take "double coupons" if another grocery store in the area has an ad offering it (like Country Mart does daily with their card). I actually have a letter from Country Mart offering this which I could present to Walmart.

They don't match "gimmicks" and they (Walmart) consider double & triple coupons to be gimmicks.

[Rockfordmom]

I was recently told that they keep the sales papers behind the customer service desk, might not hurt to ask. Walmart will not match double or triple coupons. Most people will not return the item if they find it cheaper elsewhere, and that's what they are banking on.

[jdflores]

I had the same problem not too long ago. I was shopping at Walmart(which I consciously don't do often) and since I was there I wanted to get whatever item was in the CVS ad(it was probably soft drinks, but CVS was OOS), but because I needed a card at CVS they wouldn't do it. The only thing the card does is basically keep track of our shopping and obviously gives us rewards. You would think the way Walmart was going they'd want to keep your business, but it looks like they are getting better at driving people away. Even at Christmas time, my mom wanted to price match with Circuit City for the Gameboy SP and we asked at the service desk to make sure they still price matched. The cashier at electronics had no problem doing it. But when she needed an override(maybe because of the $30 difference and the fact that it was on three), the "manager" questioned her on it. She basically told her "superior" that Walmart still price matched.

[sm1kla]

I was recently told that they keep the sales papers behind the customer service desk, might not hurt to ask. Walmart will not match double or triple coupons. Most people will not return the item if they find it cheaper elsewhere, and that's what they are banking on.

My Walmart has competitor ads on the bulletin board at the front of the store. The cashier managers (the ones who stand at the little podium) also have copies.

[mom_of2boyz]

Our store matches the CVS "card" price. Maybe that is something that is up to the individual SM. Our store stockpiles the weekly ads. There is one at all the registers.