Walmart has figured out that it costs more to mail items to your doorstep than it does to ship stuff to their physical stores. Makes sense. Because of this, they recently started offering a Pickup Discount for those willing to shop online and stop by and grab their purchases themselves.

The Walmart pickup discount averages between 5% and 15% and there are times when it’s REALLY smart to take advantage and times where it’s smart to pass. Keep reading and I’ll distinguish between the two.

When Does Walmart’s Pickup Discount Make Sense?

Scenario #1 – A smart time to use their In-Store Pickup Discount program is when the item doesn’t qualify for free shipping.

This typically happens when it’s priced at less than $35, which is the minimum order size required for free shipping to your house.

For example, if you’re buying a fleece pullover that costs $19.88, the pickup discount is only $0.43, BUT the shipping charges are $5.99.

In this case, either opt for the in-store pickup or wait until you have over $35 worth of stuff to purchase.

Scenario #2 – Also, consider the pickup discount on large items when you have the ability to grab it yourself.

Why? Because these big and heavy items easily give you the biggest pickup discount at Walmart.

Discounts like $15 off a $500 HDTV from Vizio, $10 off a $364 Energizer Generator, and $7 off a $299 Disney Frozen Mercedes Ride-On.

If you know you’ll be shopping in-store anyways, and have the ability to haul it yourself, opt for the pickup discount and save yourself some cash.

This also makes sense if you need the item right away and can’t wait 2 days for UPS to deliver it. December 23rd jumps to mind. Haha.

When Should You Pass?

Pretty much every time your purchase doesn’t fit with scenario #1 or #2 above, you should pass.

So if you’re unable to load and haul large items, and the item qualifies for free 2-day shipping, the pickup discount simply doesn’t make sense.

But if you’re heading out to Walmart today, and the items are fairly small, why not take advantage of the pickup discount? It’s kind of like free money, ya know.

Ask the Reader: Have you taken advantage of Walmart’s pickup discount yet? If so, how much money did you save?

By Kyle James