You ever walk into Walmart, toss something in your cart, and later find out you could’ve gotten it for like 25% less if you’d just bought it online while standing in the same freaking aisle? Yeah. That’s this story. Because turns out, Walmart’s in-store prices and online prices live in completely separate universes, and if you’re not checking both you’re probably paying too much.

Wait, What? Isn’t Walmart Supposed to be Cheap?

Sure. But “cheap” is relative, and Walmart’s pricing game is kind of like playing 3D chess with a blindfold on.

Here’s the dealio: Walmart uses dynamic pricing online which means the prices on Walmart.com will change based on things like your zip code, a store’s inventory levels, and probably the mood of some intern in Bentonville.

In the mean time, in-store prices are more like an old dog…slow to update and not very flexible.

So that $24.88 Rubbermaid container set you’re looking at in the kitchen aisle? Pull it up on Walmart.com (via their app) and it’s $14.88. Same product. Same store.

But online… it’s cheaper.

It’s not a sale. It’s not a glitch. It’s just… how it works.

See Also: 9 More Walmart Savings Hacks That’ll Knock Your Socks Off

Why Not Just Ask a Cashier For a Price Match?

Technically, Walmart does allow you to price match their website in-store.

BUT…it’s one item per day, and you’ll probably need a manager.

Also, the item MUST be identical and in-stock and not every associate knows or follows the policy consistently which can be super frustrating.

Also, while not a big deal, it’s not allowed in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.

I’ve had better luck just flipping the game: Order it online while I’m still in the aisle, choose store pickup, and walk out with the lower price minus the drama.

No confrontation. No awkwardness. Just straight-up savings.

Here’s the 3 Steps to Pull It Off:

Step 1: Get the Walmart app.

If you don’t already have it, go download it. (If you’re trying to save money but can’t be bothered to download one free app, I can’t help you.)

Open the app, tap the little barcode icon, and get ready to scan. Start walking through the store like you’re on a mission from the frugal gods.

Step 2: Scan everything you’re about to buy.

I’m talking groceries, shampoo, patio chairs — whatever. Just scan it and see what the app says. If the online price is cheaper? Do not go to the checkout lane.

Step 3: Buy it online… for store pickup.

Yup. Literally just stand there in the aisle and order it on your phone. Select “store pickup”, pay for it at the lower online price, and go pick it up an hour later at customer service — while the full-priced suckers walk by with their $24 Rubbermaid.

It’s legal. It’s easy. It’s weirdly satisfying.

PRO TIP: COMBINE PICKUP WITH SAME-DAY CLEARANCE SCANS

Here’s the galaxy-brain move: while you’re doing your online price-checking in-store, also scan nearby clearance items with the app. Sometimes they’re marked down even more online -OR- labeled wrong in-store.

Stack that lower online price with a same-day pickup, and you just doubled down on the discount.

I once scanned a $29.97 blanket labeled “Rollback” in-store, found it on Walmart.com for $14.82, ordered for pickup, and got the exact one off the same shelf.

Yes, I made eye contact with the cashier. No, I did not blink.

Real Life Example #1

A few weeks ago, I was standing in the back-to-school aisle, eyeing a pack of Paper Mate Flair pens, you know, the ones teachers get weirdly territorial about. The shelf tag read $14.72. Painful, but fine.

The price seemed high so I scanned the barcode in the Walmart app… and the same exact 12-pack showed up for $9.97 online, eligible for same-store pickup.

Same product. Same store. Different universe.

So I did what any mildly unhinged bargain hunter would do: I left the pens on the shelf, stepped six inches to the left, and ordered them on my phone for pickup.

An hour later, after running another errand nearby, I walked back in, showed my order number, and left with those pens — now 32% cheaper — like some kind of frugal wizard.

See Also: All the Smart and Dumb Things to Buy at Walmart

Real Life Example #2

Walmart had a Black+Decker 4-slice toaster tagged at $38.97 in the kitchen aisle. I’d been watching it for a while, and it had barely budged from that price for weeks.

Quick scan in the app while leaning on my cart and the online price was only $29.96. Same toaster. Same aisle.

So I ordered it on my phone and picked it up an hour later.

Fun fact: That damn toaster was literally bagged up from the same shelf I found it on. I know because I watched the associate grab it.

3 Next Level Bonus Nerd Tips

1. Change your ZIP…Walmart’s weird like that – So here’s the deal: open the app, go into your settings, and change your store ZIP to somewhere random — small towns are gold. Prices change.

For no reason. I once saved $18 on a car seat just by picking a store 30 minutes away. Still picked it up at my local one. No one questioned it. Not even a side-eye. It’s stupid and makes no sense and I do it all the time.

2. Use cash-back apps like Rakuten or Capital One Shopping – when you check out online. Yes, even for pickup orders. Click it. Rakuten, Capital One, whatever.

It works on pickup orders too, which feels like stealing but somehow isn’t. You’re stacking savings like a clearance ninja.

3. Pickup-only discounts are sneaky AF – Walmart will sometimes just quietly drop the price if you choose “pickup” instead of shipping.

No banner, no confetti. It just… gets cheaper. I’ve seen it go down a couple bucks and had to double-check I wasn’t hallucinating. I don’t know why they do it. I don’t care. I’m in.

See Also: Shop Smart! These Stores Will Price Match Walmart

PRO TIP: FIND ONLINE COUPONS TOO

Walmart.com sneaks in little online-only deals all the time. Stuff like “$5 off this brand” or “Buy 2, save $4”. You won’t see these deals on the shelf at the store, but if you order online for pickup? Jackpot.

So if you’re scanning something in the app and spot a tiny “Save $3 now” banner? That’s real money. Skip it and just grab it off the shelf, and you’re basically donating that discount back to Walmart.

What to Use This Trick on:

• Groceries (especially name-brand snacks and canned goods)
• School supplies
• Diapers and baby gear
• Toiletries and beauty products
• Small kitchen appliances
• Toys and seasonal decor

Basically, anything that’s stocked both online and in your store = fair game.

Closing thoughts from your resident Walmart gremlin:

If you’ve ever stood in a Walmart aisle holding a $55 blender and thought, “There’s gotta be a cheaper way”, there is. It’s this.

It’s not flashy. There’s no secret handshake or underground coupon cabal. Just you, your phone, and a willingness to double-check Walmart against… itself.

Don’t worry, you’re not scamming anyone. Now go forth and flip those prices.

And if you ever see me ordering Great Value peanut butter on my phone while standing in front of the shelf, mind your own business.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever tried this savings trick at Walmart? How did it turn out and was it worth the savings? Let me know.

By Kyle James

Kyle James( Owner/Founder )

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)