8 Reasons Why We Love Walmart’s FREE Grocery Pickup & 1 Reason Why We Do NOT
Have you tried Walmart’s FREE Grocery Pickup?
I don’t know about you, but the thought of not having to brave the busy grocery store to shop makes me giddy. 😆 NO crowded aisles, NO long checkout lanes, and NO fighting for a parking space at Walmart sounds like pure bliss, right? If you agree, you’re gonna love Walmart Grocery Pickup as much as we do! Here are a few reasons why…
1.) It’s a FREE service.
That’s right – NO service fees and NO markups with Walmart Grocery Pickup ! You’ll pay the same prices you would if you shopped in-store… and you can even shop select Rollback and Clearance items! Although you cannot sort by Rollbacks on the Walmart Grocery app or on the Walmart Grocery Pickup site, you can identify rollback and clearance items at Walmart.com and then search for those same items on Walmart Grocery. SWEET!
2.) You’ll save time AND money.
Too busy? Walmart Grocery Pickup is a lifesaver for busy moms! Just use the free Walmart Grocery App to shop anywhere (in bed, at home, on your lunch break, or while sitting in the carpool lane at school). Set a time window for your grocery pickup, and a Walmart employee hustles to prepare your order so you can pick it up when it’s ready! Note that a $30 minimum order is required and you cannot use coupons or gift cards.
I love not having to step foot inside a busy Walmart store. Plus, Walmart Grocery Pickup saves your list of most commonly ordered items to make ordering easy and fast.
3.) Walmart Grocery Pickup is for more than just food.
If you’re in need of a baby shower gift, school or office supplies, party decorations, pet food, or even toys (not to mention health and beauty products, household cleaners and more), you can purchase all of those items right with your Walmart Grocery Pickup order! You can even buy an Instant Pot, vacuum cleaner, tools, or an all-in-one printer – without having to go inside the store. Sweet!
4.) Get the items you requested… or better.
If an item’s price changes between the time you place your order and the day your order is packed, you’ll be charged for the lower priced item!
Also you can choose to allow for substitutions in your order (substitutions are made by the Walmart associate preparing your order). If an item you requested is sold out, they will substitute a similar item and you’ll pay the original price, even if the item substituted is higher priced.
That means if you ordered Great Value Cinnamon Crunch Cereal but it is out of stock, they can substitute it for GM Cinnamon Toast Crunch – and you will only be charged for the lower priced item.
P.S. I recently decided to try Walmart Grocery Pickup and placed a $50 order to take advantage of the $10 off $50 promo code WOWFRESH (for new customers). One item was out of stock, but they still gave me the full $10 discount even though my order was under $50! So awesome!
5.) Avoid impulse purchases.
Running in-store to grab a few items can quickly escalate into a free-for all stuff your cart kind of situation! With Walmart Grocery Pickup, you’ll avoid those impulse purchases, so you won’t be tempted buy those candy bars in the checkout lane or toys that the kids see while walking the aisles.
6.) Oops. Forget something? No worries!
Forget to add something to your order? With some exceptions, you can add or remove items (and even change the time/date for your order) until the day before your scheduled delivery/pickup. If you sign into your account and select My Orders, you can see the exact cutoff time for submitting changes.
7.) No need to get dressed or wake the kids!
Waking up grumpy toddlers to haul them into a store is THE WORST! Once your Walmart Grocery Pickup order is ready, you can roll up in your pajamas or with a car full of sleeping kiddos, and an employee will load your grocery order right into your car! So simple! You don’t even have to get out of your car AT ALL!
NOTE – Tips cannot be accepted, but a “thank you” and a smile are always welcome. 😀
8.) Possibly get free gifts.
If you’re a new Walmart Grocery customer, don’t be surprised if you receive a free goody bag while picking up your order! I’ve heard from several readers and friends that they’ve received a tote bag filled with samples or other freebies. Awesome!
In fact, check out reader Jeffery’s recent experience…
“Just wanted to share my experience today with Walmart Grocery. First time doing it and they were super nice. They made sure to explain that some of the stuff I ordered wasn’t available, so they either upgraded the item or took it off our bill. They also gave us a Valentine’s Day card, a tote bag full of goodies, and a free Walmart men’s grooming box. Just thought I would share with you.”
9.) The one reason why we are NOT lovin’ Walmart Grocery Pickup…
You ready for this?!
You cannot, I repeat CANNOT use a Walmart Gift Card on Walmart Grocery Pickup! WHAT?! 😮
When you go to checkout there is no place to enter a Walmart Gift Card. We called to verify this and it’s true. You can only pay with a Debit/Credit Card or an EBT card. This is the one downfall of Walmart Grocery Pickup. Honestly, it’s just totally bizarre that you cannot use a Walmart gift card at Walmart. 🤔 We are sure hoping they get this fixed soon.
Haven’t tried Walmart Grocery?!
First-time customers are in for a treat. Use the promo code WOWFRESH to save $10 off your first $50+ order!
Written by Mary for Hip2Save. Mary is a proud mom to 3 kids in Austin, TX, who thrives off Jesus, running long distance, bargain shopping, warm Texas weather, a yummy latte…and a little Candy Crush from time to time. She also loves quality time with family & friends and sharing great deals with others.
I’ve used the service about 10 times now and there are two things I don’t like about the service at my location. 1) The produce that is picked is not the quality I would choose 2) The substitutes are not of equal or greater value. They have repeatedly given me a name brand in smaller quantity but argued that it was the same price so it was of equal or greater value. That being said, I’ve learned not to order apples/bananas/lettuce and to uncheck the box allowing substitutes. Once I figured that out, I LOVED the service! 😊
At my Walmart you can refuse substitutes and perishables if you don’t like the quality. There’s one older guy who often does the picking I love because he’s very picky about what he pulls.
You should ask if you can request him to do your shopping! Now that would be a nice feature!
If I don’t like the produce or an item, I contact customer service thru the confirmation email and tell them. They have refunded me a couple times- no questions asked!
That is what I am afraid of!
How about the fact you can’t use your ibotta! I learned that the hard way!
Just curious why you can’t use Ibotta. I don’t use Ibotta so i don’t know what types of receipts they accept but other sites i use will accept online receipts if it shows the needed info.
I agree that Walmart pickup is a great service and one I will continue to use. At my location, the produce is better than what is on the floor. The pickup employees go out of their way to pick the best products and the substitutions have always been better for us. I thought for sure that your one reason why you don’t love Walmart pickup is because you can’t use ibotta with this service. This is such a bummer for me!
Not being able to use Ibotta is horrible! But there are also things I need that aren’t online. I know the product is in the store but….Can’t get it online.
My store is great. They pick great produce and try their best if they substitute. I think it really matters what store you’re using.
I think it’s because you don’t get a physical receipt to scan or photography. And it won’t let you enter the barcode number like savings catcher does. Hopefully the fix the issue sooner rather than later!
I’m very OCD/Particular on my meats and fruits. I’ll go pick out that stuff myself, everything else I order for curbside at H-E-B. It’s only 5$ and also they CANT accept tips. So you aren’t having to tip each time.
As a mom of a busy toddler who wants to help load and unload and load and unload and load and unload the groceries, all while refusing to sit down in the cart, THIS service is a lifesaver. And the $30 min is easy to reach, and prices are always good, and we have always had success with the produce chosen! We will continue to use this service again and again! I also helps me to see what I have in my cart listed out so I make sure and can double check I didn’t forget anything I needed!
This gift card would be because you can use it to pickup gift cards. So essentially you can amuse yourself by paying with gc of day $100 and buying another gc for $100. Placing that kind of order will make the poor chap run around in circles gathering your gc lol. Just saying. I don’t know the real reason why it’s so.
You can’t leave a paper trail with a gift card.
I have used this service once & was impressed! We did receive a very nice welcome bag…a can of Spaghettios, a Starbucks drink, lotion, nuts & a bunch of coupons. I would definitely use again if they accepted cash as payment & took my CC as a “hold”, to ensure I actually picked up my order. Perhaps in the future 😉
I’ve used Fred Meyer’s ClickList grocery pick up and it costs $4.95. I love it but I’d like to hear from anyone who’s used both and which they like better and why?
I have used King Soopers clicklist (our version of your store) – I’m very happy with it. The fee is made up with my lack of impulse purchases. The nice thing about them is that they take coupons but Walmart doesn’t.
I find it hard to come up with meal ideas when I order groceries on line. Is there any tricks or tips that you all have for making sure you have meals not just “essentials”
Make menus first and then make your grocery list.
Bob, I’ve learned after a few times using WalMart PickUp the best thing for me is to make up my menu while I glance through the on hand groceries. That way when I sit down to place me order I can easily puck the items I need to make the meals. Then If I want snacks, etc I addsnacks.
Good luck
EMeals!!!!! It links to Walmart grocery and is so freakin easy to use! Love it!
I have a medical condition that makes walking painful, so you bet I love this service! The fact that you can’t use Ibotta is Ibotta’s fault. If we all contact them, maybe they’ll change it. At my Wal-Mart, I had ordered a dress on site-to-store, they noticed it was in and brought it out to me too when I picked up my groceries!
Unless it’s changed recently, you can’t use CVS gift cards on their web site either,
I absolutely LOVE Walmart’s grocery pickup but I thought the downside you would state is that they use SO MANY plastic bags! Their plastic bags aren’t the highest quality, either, so I keep them all stuffed up and then recycle them at a different grocery store later as I can’t reuse them for my small trash cans like I do elsewhere.
Yes!!!!!!! One item per bag many times. TONS of bags which many rip!!!
Our Walmart recycles those plastic bags. We take them and give them to the employee bringing out the groceries.
The reason I haven’t tried it yet? Because you have to pick a time to go pick it up. I have commitment issues, I guess!
I also don’t have little kids that I have to drag around with me to run errands. If this had been around 10-12 years ago? I’d be using it every week!
Scarlet, they told me on my first visit that if you don’t pick it up during your time window they will hold it for you. One time I had my husband pick it up on his way home from work because I had too much to do that day. My pickup time was originally 1-2pm. Just ask them their policy and see how long they hold the orders.
Yes, they totally will! Once we were late to pick up and they called to ask if we wanted to wait and pick up the next morning.
Sounds very convenient… now if only they made it available ANYWHERE close to where we live lol. I wonder how long it’ll take for every Walmart to have grocery pickup IF that is their plan.
I love it also and have been using for a year now. My biggest complaint is not being able to use paper and digital coupons. Fred Meyer pick up allows this.
You can’t use coupons either.
This is the deal breaker for me!
I just have two comments how cool it accepts EBT as payment! Second comment is really a response to the first comment listed here Walmarts produce sucks so that would be nothing I would buy in that department.
I Love this service but a few times they forgot some items and I had to go back for that and it’s not easy to check everything when they are giving you items and you are signing the receipt.Still I will keep using this service.
Field Agent has a $10 job to use grocery pick up at a few of the Walmarts in my city. I need to give it to try again. I gave it a try (or something like it) about four years ago, & it wouldn’t let me add non-grocery items and the increments on produce weren’t practical for our family (like it would only let me select a minimum of a lb of garlic cloves). It sounds like it’s evolved into being much easier to use.
I’m sure they will try to fix the gift card problem soon. If they allow coupon to be used that would be even better but I can see coupons would increase pick up time since they have to get the coupons from us and scan into the system. Sometime there is an issue with coupon not matching item even though right item was bought. Sometimes MQ on the item itself would give an error message that coupon doesn’t match w/ the item. The whole point is to get you drive off the parking lot ASAP since you don’t have time to shop in the first place.
So I wonder what the limit is for ppl using EBT bcuz at my walmart I will see ppl with like 2 buggies I would feel sad for the worker having to pull $300-400 worth of groceries
I know someone who doesn’t use ebt and makes $700-$1000 grocery orders all the time…..
Did the worker announce that this was an Ebt order or did you just assume?
Can’t use gift card for Sam’s scan and go either 🙁
I love the Walmart pickup. My substitutions (if I accept them), are always an upgrade, (at original price). And I asked the employees about tipping. They can’t accept them, but 1 employee told me that if you mention their name in a nice comment on the survey you get after you pick up your order, they get points, and they can earn things with their points. So be sure to pay attention to their name as they deliver and load up your vehicle, and give them a nice compliment on the survey! ☺️
I have used this service many times & LOVE it. I’ve always had great produce & meat chosen and any substitutions have been in my favor. I have 3 young kids but I even love the service when they aren’t with me. If I want to go in & browse clearance, seasonal or random stuff I can still do that at my leisure then drive around & pick up my groceries. Just saves me an hour minimum for the time I would spend going up & down the grocery aisles or crossing the store to other depts.
I just used H-E-B (southern grocery store) pickup the other day for the first time only bc I needed a medicine that Walmart didn’t have available for pickup & we were all sick. There is a $5 fee AND their online order prices are 3% higher. Made me appreciate Walmart pickup even more. I’m always recommending it to people.
My only complaint is that I know for a fact two people used my referral code on their first order & I never got the promised $10 off codes for referring them. I too used a referral code on my first order & had problems with that process. They ended up giving me a $10 refund after placing my first order & although I provided all the info for the person who referred me they never got their referral credit. So I feel like they might be purposely not giving those.
I’ve had to inquire about all the referrals I’ve done. They have emailed me to promo code every time; I just had to provide the email of the person who uses my referral. Kinda annoying, I agree.
I just got back from picking up my groceries from Walmart. As a mom of 2 under 2, I LOVE this service!!!
I used this for the first time today—had such a great experience! Here’s my link—get $10 off! https://r.wmt.co/ihx2K
I don’t use the pick-up because I want to use may coupons and if anyone want to use ibotta you can’t as far as I know but if you want to start an ibotta account with their app here is my referral code. idxkaic
This was beyond helpful when I had three sick kiddos and no way to run into the store to grab needed items. Please feel free to use my link below. You get $10 and if you eventually purchase groceries, I would get a $10 referral credit.
Enjoy $10 off your first order from Walmart Grocery.
https://r.wmt.co/ihy1T
If you like the service, don’t forget to fill out the survey for the store. They do read our comments and try to improve where they had missed their marks, if we all voice our concerns I’m sure they will fix them. Just don’t give bad rating for something the store has no control over since it can affect their bonuses. Walmart is trying hard to improve their image and service.
I had a terrible experience with this service. It took a full half hour and two phone calls for them to bring out my order … after I’d checked in as “on my way” in the app. The 2 kids in the back seat were not happy. Much better pick up experience at shoprite.
Oh no, that had to be infuriating. I’m sorry that happened. I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes for an order
This has only happened to me once- on a busy day. I’d say give it another shot. I’ve used the service over a dozen time’s.
I can see the benefits of this service and how it could help many people. However, I can’t stand trying to do my shopping and having to navigate around all of the personal shoppers. My store has some very rude ones.
I just have to say I LOVE WALMART PICKUP. It is so fantastic and easy I actually feel guilty. LoL. It did take a couple of orders to dial things in for me but nothing serious. I make a menu for the week and find it helps make shopping even quicker. I have shopped at Walmart for years already so I know what generic vs name brands to buy. The one thing that I would change is an option on meats to indicated pick larger or smaller amount on items that have a weight range.
Otherwise I feel like a valuable customer to them. The delivery clerks are friendly and polite….
I wish they had started this years ago!!
When I used it and got milk that was expiring in two days, and a pie that was expiring the next day. I called the store and they refunded me the full price of those items. Nice if all stores did this.
That is awesome that they did that for you!
If you have any issues with getting bad produce or wrong items call them. Once I was given wrong packets of tuna & they credited my card the amount & told me I could keep them or give them to a friend. Another time the package of salad I’d gotten was awful. Gross & brown. Seriously straight into trash bad. Second package was better but some bad spots. Again credited me for both items & gave me a code for $10 off my next purchase because I had to take time out of my day to call them. Those have been the only issues I’ve had.
I wish they accepted coupons & gave real receipts for use on Ibotta but it’s still a great service for those really busy weeks, extremely cold times, when you feel under the weather but still have to feed the family & the dog is out of food type times.
I’ve done this a few times. The last time they forgot to put 4 lunchables in my bags, and when I got home I called them up. The employee drove to my house and delivered them within an hour! I was totally impressed by that.
Wow! That is impressive!
Wow, that’s nice!!
Walmart can go to hell.i don’t like them period.
We’ve used this for last three weeks. LOVE it. Don’t have to make a grocery list. I just pick up my tablet and add to the cart what I want. If I choose a pickup time of 1-2 tomorrow, they will allow me up to 1:45 am to add to my order. The employees are courteous and professional. I’ve been impressed actually with the quality. No dented cans. No short expiration limits…..wish it had been available years ago.
Our Walmart recycles those plastic bags. We take them and give them to the employee bringing out the groceries.
Not all store take EBT. Here is the link to the list of stores that currently do.
https://wmt-grocery.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1848/kw/ebt
I’ve done it a few times and the prices are higher than in my store.
How crazy that they don’t take their own gift cards!?! 🤦🏻♀️
My only local Walmart store is a nightmare…I can’t imagine doing an order like this and actually getting what I ordered!
You don’t have to be a new customer to receive those goody bags. We have been using this service with Walmart for a little over a year. We get goody bags all the time, we get really good stuff when it’s close to the holidays or a big event like the Superbowl. And they always put the goodies in reusable mini grocery bags. So cute for kids. 😊
I saw pix of the Free bags you get. Nice stuff, have never heard a complaint either. A few items are left over from their beauty boxes. The men’s bag was $7 which is great price! But Free is even better!
The gift card restriction is true for Kroger grocery pickup as well…they say it’s for safety and security, I guess know the identity of the people who order??
I think there are 2 main reasons for them not allowing you to use a gift card. First and most important because of gift card scams. There has been major issues here in CA with Wal-Mart gift cards being fraudinilty used. Second would be there is no real paper trail for gift cards.
In addition to the convenience and time saved, another HUGE thing I like about it is it allows me to shop from home so I can look through my fridge, freezer, and pantry to figure out what I TRULY need. Many times in the past when I’ve gone in to the store to shop I’d pick up something like a bottle of ketchup and I’d think to myself “Hmmmm, do I have ketchup at home and how much left do I have ?” Often I’d overbuy something that I didn’t truly need because I forgot that I already had one at home. Honestly my biggest complaint about shopping Walmart has been the big crowds, long lines, and having to walk a mile through the parking lot and store so this service has been a huge home run in my book. I just hope it stays free because I love it.
When I placed my order yesterday, the promo code for $10 came off my order.
At pickup time today, the promo code discount has been reduced to $8.48 increasing the initial total that I was expecting to pay. Why??
Has this happened to anyone else?
The Walmart Wednesday thing got me to go try Walmart again, which I hadn’t been in probably 8 years. To my surprise, the store was clean, well laid out, produce was great and the prices were great. I shop a lot at BJs and seems like Walmart is actually better value. Here is CT, the other grocery stores are tremendously more expensive. I was previously doing Peapod for grocery pick up, which they give you terrible looking produce, substitutions are awful, and they charge you to pick up. Just did my first Walmart pick up order, and I’m so glad to have learned of this service!
Big fan too! Also find the prices to be the same or better than Aldi in my area.
i don’t get why people are so lazy to come in and get their own groceries lol
I am Physically Challenged. When I go in for produce, meat, Freebies, I can only get a handful of stuff with my walker.
Having the pick up saves My loved ones from taking me, or going for me as well.
On better days, I will go in to buy stuff, take it to car, and shop again lol.
Then I have regrets lol. I love Walmart cuz they have everything. I loathe Walmart when I have to trek across the huge store that has everything, once again, for something I forgot lol.
Once I learned how to use the service, I like Walmart, and Target pick up. But despise not having coupons or Ibotta available.
My sis swears by Kroger Pck up..I tried it, awful!! Even their clubcard coupons do not get taken off right away. There was a hold on my bank account for full amount for 5 days after I picked it up! And substitutes were awful! I ordered chocolate pudding and got strawberry jello??