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2025-07-22T09:39:02Z
Target is ending its policy of matching low prices from other retailers.
The move could give Target flexibility as tariffed goods hit shelves and holiday shopping starts.
Although Walmart, Costco, and Amazon don’t match prices, some major retailers do.
The list of retailers matching competitors’ low prices is shrinking.
Target said it will end its policy of matching other retailers’ low prices starting July 28. This policy has been one of the more competitive across retail, pledging to match any local retailer or online prices at 27 e-commerce stores.
After the change, Target will only match its own prices, such as if an item is discounted after purchase or is available for cheaper online. Shoppers have 14 days after a purchase to take advantage of a price drop.
The change brings Target in line with its largest competitors. Walmart, Costco, and Amazon don’t honor other retailers’ prices, either.
Walmart sparked ire among its customers back in 2019 when it ended a popular price-matching tool that sent shoppers a gift card refund for any differences between it and its competitors.
Global Data retail analyst Neil Saunders said Target’s move helps the company be more “financially disciplined” and “protect profits,” especially “at a time when costs are rising because of tariffs.”
“Perhaps Target was being too generous with its price-matching policy,” Saunders said. “That said, it will need to deal with any fallout and work hard to convince customers it is competitive and offers great value for money.”
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The change also gives Target flexibility ahead of the looming holiday season, which is a frenzy of deals and discounts from retailers vying for shoppers’ dollars. Chris Walton, a former Target executive and host of the Omni Talk retail podcast, said the move sets Target up to “have the most flexibility for how it wants to price going through the holidays.”
With Target dropping its policy, price matching now seems to be more common among mid-priced brands than everyday low-price retailers. Here are several major retailers that offer some version of the perk:
Best Buy says it will match the prices of some competitors on identical items. The list of competitors it matches includes major retailers like Amazon, Costco, Target, and Walmart.Dick’s Sporting Goods has a similarly extensive price-match policy, and includes direct-to-consumer sales from Nike, Under Armour, and more.Kohl’s says it will honor a local retailer’s advertised price but not online pricing. The policy says shoppers can use other coupons or discounts on price-matched products.Home improvement retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s say they’ll match prices from local stores and some online competitors. However, each company stocks different brands in certain categories, such as Milwaukee or Ryobi power tools at Home Depot and Bosch or Metabo at Lowe’s, which can make it tricky to find an exact product match at another store.
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