Every Store's Price Match Policy in 2026 (and How to Use Them)

Price match policies are broadly underused. Retailers offer them because most people don't bother to ask. For anyone tracking prices across multiple retailers, a price match turns a competitor's low price into a discount at your preferred store.

Here's how the major policies actually work.

Best Buy

Best Buy has one of the most consumer-friendly price match policies in retail.

What it covers: Best Buy matches prices from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, B&H, Crutchfield, and a few others. It also matches Best Buy's own online price at in-store locations.

Time window: 15 days after purchase for a retroactive price match (they call this a price adjustment). You can also price match before purchase.

Exclusions: Marketplace sellers on Amazon or Walmart are excluded. The competing product must be in stock at the competitor. Open-box and refurbished items are excluded from matching.

How to claim: In-store, show the associate the competitor's current price on your phone. Online, use the chat function with a link to the competitor listing. Keep the transaction record in case you need to follow up.

Target

Target matches prices from Amazon, Walmart, and a defined list of other retailers.

What it covers: Matching competitors and Target's own sale prices.

Time window: 14 days after purchase for price adjustments.

Exclusions: Limited-quantity deals, Marketplace sellers, club membership prices (like Costco), and items sold as part of a bundle.

Target Circle interaction: Target Circle deals are additional discounts on top of regular prices. If you price match and are a Circle member, you can still apply Circle discounts.

Walmart

Walmart's price match is more limited than Best Buy or Target.

What it covers: Walmart matches identical items sold and shipped by Amazon (not third-party sellers). In-store Walmart also matches Walmart.com prices.

Time window: At time of purchase only. No retroactive matching.

Exclusions: Third-party sellers on Amazon or Walmart Marketplace. Limited-time flash sales.

Practical note: Walmart's policy is narrow enough that it's most useful for Amazon.com-fulfilled items where Walmart is slightly higher.

Amazon

Amazon does not have a formal price match policy. Their prices change algorithmically and frequently. If you buy something and the price drops within 30 days, Amazon's customer service may offer a partial refund as a courtesy, but this is not guaranteed.

The alternative: Track the Amazon price before buying. Price history tells you whether you're buying at a sustainable low or a temporary dip.

Costco

Costco has a price adjustment policy rather than a cross-retailer price match.

What it covers: If the price of something you bought at Costco drops at Costco within 30 days of your purchase, you can get the difference refunded.

Cross-retailer matching: Costco does not match competitor prices. They compete on their own pricing rather than committing to match others.

Membership prices: Costco's pricing is already structured around the membership model. The value proposition is volume pricing, not price matching.

B&H Photo

B&H has a strong price match policy specifically designed for electronics.

What it covers: B&H matches prices from authorized dealers for the same item in new condition. This includes Amazon (fulfilled by Amazon), Best Buy, Adorama, and others.

Exclusions: Grey market dealers, open-box, and unauthorized sellers.

Why B&H matters: For cameras, audio equipment, and professional electronics, B&H is a serious retailer with knowledgeable staff. Getting a price match here means buying from a reputable dealer at the competitor's price.

How to Use Price Match with Price Tracking

The combination is straightforward:

1. Track the product across multiple retailers using Slasher.
2. When the price drops at any retailer, check if your preferred retailer has a price match policy covering that competitor.
3. If it does, buy from your preferred retailer at the matched price.

This is especially useful for in-store purchases. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy but Amazon has a lower price, Best Buy will match it. You get the lower price plus the in-store experience.

Document everything. When you request a price match, have the competitor's product page open on your phone showing the current price, the product model, and that it's in stock. Screenshots help if the price changes during your conversation with a sales associate.

For the full picture on cross-retailer price tracking, How to Track Price Drops on Any Website (Not Just Amazon) is the starting point. For how to stack a price match with coupons and cashback, see Coupon Stacking + Price Tracking: The Double Savings Strategy.