Retail price matching

Price match like a pro

                       

One of the benefits of retailers being eager for your business is that they’ll often guarantee the best deal by price matching. They may even beat their competitor’s price.

But running from store to store for the best price is costly and time consuming. There’s a better way. Here are some tips to win the price matching game:

1. Let apps do the footwork

Apps such as Flipp and Reebee will help you compare all the prices. They’ll also let you compile a list of the items you need (valuable for trips to the grocery store).

2. Make your list

Compile a list of desired items in your app of choice. The app will then pull up where specific items are on sale so you can determine who has the lowest price. Either save or take a screen shot of the best priced item showing who is offering the best deal.

3. Pick a price matching store

Choose a price matching store and take your itemized list showing who has the best price and ask them to match it. I’ve found that this little maneuver can leave you with an extra $15 – $20 or more (per shop) in your pocket. Of course, this depends on the size of your list.

4. Brand names work best

Retailers will only match like brands. This is great for brand names but not useful for generic or house brands (i.e. President’s Choice branded food items). Most retailers will only price match exact items as well. This can be difficult when big chains carry a model exclusive to their stores. For example: if Staples carries laptop model XYZ and Best Buy carries an almost identical, but exclusive to Best Buy model XYZb at a cheaper price, it’s unlikely that Staples will match the price. This is true even if the only difference is one feature because the models are not identical.

5. Find out if it’s in stock                                                                                                                                  

Stores may only match a competitors’ price if they have it in stock. If the competitors’ item is a door crasher or limited quantity item that sells out quickly, they may not offer a price match. Some retailers will give you a 30-day price guarantee, meaning if within that time frame you find the item elsewhere at a lower price, they’ll match it. This can be useful on non-perishable items that frequently go on sale. It’s also great for items you buy in December that are likely to go on sale after Christmas. If you find it on sale return to the store with your receipt for a price adjustment.

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