Can You Get a Deal After You’ve Paid Full Price?

Many major retailers will adjust the price of an item if a customer can show it’s available elsewhere for less when they check out. 

A number of popular stores, however, do have policies for post-sale considerations, whether you find a better price elsewhere or the item goes on sale where you bought it. Some may only price-match specific retailers, others only their own pricing, so it’s important to review the refund and price-matching policy wherever you shop. 

Here’s a closer look at the policies of some of the top retailers across the country. Bear in mind that these are select details, and each company has additional information that is worth reviewing further.

Bed Bath & Beyond: You can request a partial refund for up to 14 days after a purchase if the item goes on sale at BB&B. They will also price-match if you find the product cheaper at another retailer within the same time frame. This excludes clearance and seasonal items, as well as prices from marketplace sellers.

Best Buy: Partial refunds are possible if you find an item on sale at Best Buy within the return and exchange period, which varies by product and member status. 

buybuy BABY: This company is owned by Bed Bath & Beyond, and it follows the same policy.

Costco: You have 30 days to request a partial refund if Costco lowers the price of an item you purchased from Costco.com. If you made the purchase at a brick-and-mortar location, you’ll have to visit the in-store customer service department to see if you can get some money back. And the warehouse store does not price-match with other retailers.

Crutchfield: After you’ve bought an item, you have a 60-day window to request a price-match via phone or chat if its price drops at Crutchfield. The retailer does price-match against most items sold and shipped by Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and Sonic Electronix, but only at the time of purchase and not afterward.

Home Depot: If an item you bought at Home Depot goes on sale or a competitor has a lower price, you can contact customer service to get a partial refund up to 90 days from the date of purchase. The window of time depends on the item—for example, Home Depot only grants partial refunds for appliances for 30 days after purchase. And if you made your purchase online, you have to seek a partial refund through Home Depot’s online customer service. There are exclusions, as well, such as clearance and seasonal items, third-party seller pricing, and custom-ordered items among others.

JCPenney: You can request a partial refund for 14 days after a purchase if you find the item available for less at JCPenney or another retailer. The company does not honor prices listed on Amazon and other marketplaces by third-party sellers, but everything else is fair game.

Kohl’s: While Kohl’s does have a long list of exclusions, such as certain ineligible products and items purchased as part of a sale (e.g., buy one, get one free), you can still request a partial refund for up to 14 days after purchase as long as you have the receipt. You’ll have to head back to the store where you bought the item, or contact customer service if you bought it online. The company’s price-match policy only includes in-store pricing for competing retailers, so online prices are not honored, and you’ll need proof of the other retailer’s pricing.

Macy’s: You have just 10 days to submit a request to Macy’s for a price adjustment, and the company recommends your request be done through email ([email protected]). There may be restrictions on certain items. For instance, Macy’s will only refund up to $100 on a mattress if you find a better price at another retailer, and only retailers with brick-and-mortar locations will be considered. You will also need to provide proof of model specifications, as Macy’s requires the item to be an exact match to qualify.

Staples: Staples matches prices from its competitors if you can show proof of a lower price elsewhere at checkout in-store only, or will provide a partial refund within 14 days of making a purchase of an item that goes on sale in-store or at Staples.com.

Target: If you find a better price at Target or a qualifying online competitor, Target will refund you the difference for up to 14 days following your purchase. You can bring in proof of the lower price to a brick-and-mortar location or contact customer service over the phone to get a partial refund for online purchases. And during the 2021 holiday season, from Oct. 10 through Dec. 24, Target is extending its price-matching policy. If anything you buy goes on sale for less during this time, you can request a refund of the difference.