If you’re considering working for Wally World, or maybe you’ve been hired recently, you’ll want to know how the Walmart employee discount works. It has some MAJOR nuisances to it, and can be very confusing to many new employees. So with the help of a friend, who’s also a 10-year Walmart employee and current assistant manager, I figured out exactly what items the discount works on so you can start saving some money when you become eligible. Here’s what you need to know.

What Employee Discount Does Walmart Offer?

Walmart offers a 10% employee discount, good for both in-store and online purchases.

From their website comes this VERY murky statement, “Our associate discount card offers a 10% discount on fresh fruits, vegetables and regularly priced general merchandise at Walmart stores.”

What the heck constitutes general merchandise?

So with the help of my friend, who’s been working in management positions at Walmart for over 10 years, I got some answers to the following questions…

What Items Are Eligible for the Discount?

According to my friend, the following items are the most frequently purchased with the employee discount card in her particular store.

NOTE: She also said to think of the discount as good for most things in an “old Walmart” store before Super Walmart stores existed.

They include the following:

– Fresh Fruit and Produce – Stay healthy my friends and get a 10% discount.

– General Merchandise – Fairly ambiguous term but includes most things that you can’t eat. I was told to think about the stuff that you don’t buy on a regular basis and there’s a good chance it’s eligible.

– Clothing and Shoes – Stock up your wardrobe and get it all for 10% off.

– Code 82 Items – I was told most employees know “Code 82” items as the snacks, candy, and soda sold in the checkout lane. These items are all eligible for your 10% discount.

– Electronics – Not all electronics are eligible, but most are. Employee tip: When trying to buy video games or consoles and your discount isn’t working in-store, DON’T give up, instead try buying them online and you stand a great chance of getting the 10% discount.

See Also: The Walmart Dress Code: Here’s What You Can and Can’t Wear

Are Any Items Excluded From the Discount?

Yes, quite a few actually and this has many employees disappointed in the discount.

More specifically, my friend cleared up some confusion and pointed out the items that are NOT eligible:

Meat and Dairy – This includes frozen meats and frozen dairy products like ice cream.

Most Food Items (including Frozen) – This exclusion is often lifted during the month of December, as it was in 2023.

Alcohol and Tobacco – Gonna have to pay full price for your booze and smokes.

Clearance Items – All clearance products that are already marked down are ineligible.

Rollback Items – I was told that Rollback items typically go back to their original price within 90 days, so you’ll have to wait until then to get your discount, unless the sale price offers greater savings than your 10% discount, in which case you should just buy it.

Price Matches – Fortunately, Walmart only price matches some online retailers so this won’t be much of an issue.

Photo Orders – This includes photo gifts.

Gift Cards – This one makes sense otherwise employees would abuse it.

Travel Purchases – I wasn’t aware until now that Walmart even sold travel packages.

Shipping Charges – Not an issue as Walmart.com offers free shipping on $25 or more.

Marketplace Items – Marketplace stuff is sold by 3rd parties on the Walmart platform.

How Long Do I Need to Be Employed?

You have to work at Walmart for 90 days before you’re eligible for the employee discount.

What is the Walmart Associate Discount Card?

After you’re hired and have worked for 90 days, you’ll get your own Walmart Associate Discount Card.

This card can be used in-store and online to get your discount.

For in-store purchases you’ll simply present it at checkout to score your discount.

See Also: Walmart Clearance Hacks: Ways to Score a BIG Deal

HACK ALERT: Always Swipe Your Discount Card

My friend said she always tell new Walmart employees to swipe their Associate Discount card whenever they buy something as you NEVER know what items might be eligible.

She said the system can by wonky and sometimes products that you don’t think are eligible, will be.

Can My Family & Friends Use the Discount?

No.

Only you and your spouse can get the discount.

Other family members and friends CANNOT get the employee discount on their own.

But…you can certainly use your discount on their behalf.

This can be done in-store as well as in the online “Discount Center” (see Below).

See Also: The Smart and Dumb Buys at Walmart According to Employees

What About Christmas-Time Discounts?

While I couldn’t find anything specific on the Walmart website, I’ve heard on several occasions that you’ll get a better employee discount around the holidays.

Specifically, according to ex-Walmart employee Julie, the discount in December “opens to all items in the store including discounted food and rollback items while excluding milk, gift cards, alcohol and cigarettes. That starts after black Friday and runs until January 1st.”

She also told me that “employees who work the day before, the day of, and the day after Thanksgiving will get a certificate of a one time use of an extra 15% discount on top of the their 10% but the coupon does expire.”

Thanks Julie, great info.

Can Employees Use Their Discount on Tires?

Yes.

Thanks to Walmart employee, Ryan, who dropped the knowledge on buying tires from Walmart and even included a screenshot to prove it.

What Other Employee Discounts Does Walmart Offer?

Walmart offers a very cool online portal called the Walmart Associate Discount Center.

Once you login, you’ll find a bunch of exclusive discounts on vacation packages, cell phone plans, along with deals on countless products and services.

The cool thing about this website is that many of the deals are negotiated exclusively by Walmart for their associates.

The deals change all the time so it’s worth bookmarking and checking back often for new bargains.

See Also: Amazon Employee Discount: Here Are the Nuts & Bolts

What Are Some Other Employee Perks?

Here are a few of the most popular perks that come with employment at Walmart.

1. They offer an associate stock purchase plan with company match.

2. Ability to contribute to a 401(k) starting on your first day. Walmart offers a 6% match after 1-year on the job.

3. Medical plans starting at around $26 per pay period.

4. A generous 10 weeks of paid maternity leave where you’ll get 100% of your pay.

5. You’ll also get $5,000 to go towards the expenses of adopting a child.

Ask the Reader: Do you work for Walmart? If so, what specifics of their employee discount can you share?

By Kyle James