With Black Friday approaching, shoppers weighing purchases of items like headphones or OLED TVs face a patchwork of retailer price-matching rules that vary widely by company. Some major retailers promise to match a lower price found elsewhere, while others offer no such protection at all. Each retailer sets its own restrictions, and marketplace sellers are generally excluded from the policies. Consumers who find a lower price can still contact customer service to ask for an exception.
Amazon does not offer price matching under any circumstances, and customer support is unlikely to help even for Prime members. The retailer instead maintains a liberal return policy, which can allow a buyer to return an item available for less elsewhere and repurchase it at the lower price. Target no longer matches prices from outside retailers, including Amazon, as it once did. Shoppers can request an adjustment only for identical qualifying items priced lower on Target.com, at a local Target store, or through an eligible Target Circle deal, at purchase or within 14 days. For the 2026 holiday season, eligible items bought between November 1st and December 24th can be adjusted if their Target price drops during that period. Screenshots and photos are not accepted as proof, and the policy excludes clearance, open-box, and refurbished items, among other restrictions.
Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee covers new, identical products that are immediately available at a qualifying competitor and not on its exclusion list, which includes items sold the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after Thanksgiving. The item must carry the identical model number and color. Best Buy matches only prices available to all customers, excluding membership, loyalty, and paid-member discounts such as Amazon Prime Day offers. Approved retailers include Amazon, B&H Photo, Apple, Costco, Sam's Club, Target, and Walmart, and items must be sold directly by the store rather than a third-party seller. Best Buy will also match its own lowered prices during the return and exchange period, typically up to 15 days, or through January 15th, 2027, for most eligible products bought between October 30th and December 31st.
Walmart does not match competitor prices, though its stores will match prices on identical items sold at Walmart.com if they are in stock online. The policy does not apply to residents of Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, or to special event prices such as those seen during Black Friday. Walmart also does not retroactively match items purchased on Walmart.com that later drop in price, and it excludes items from Walmart Marketplace retailers or third-party sellers. The store manager on duty makes the final decision on a match request.
Apple does not advertise a price-matching policy, but if it reduces the price of an Apple-branded product within 14 days of receipt, customers can visit an Apple Store or contact Apple Support at 1-800-MY-APPLE within 14 days of the change to request a refund or credit for the difference. Special promotional pricing such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals is excluded. B&H says it may honor a current lower price or match a competitor on a case-by-case basis, requiring contact with its customer service team by chat, email, or phone; if approved, it will match one identical item per customer.
Costco does not match competitor prices, but it will issue a credit for the difference between the price a member paid and a promotional price if the item drops within 30 days of purchase. For promotions with specific sale dates, such as holiday savings events, requests must be submitted while the promotion is active and within 30 days of purchase. Warehouse purchases must be handled at the membership counter of the store where the item was bought. Costco does not match items purchased at its warehouses against items purchased on Costco.com. Dell will price-match identical products from Dell, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, HP, Apple, Lenovo, and several other retailers.
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