Want to know if Walmart Grocery Pickup is worth it? Then read my review and why it’s great for busy moms!
Taking four kids grocery shopping isn’t my favorite pastime.
While I don’t think my kids are usually terrors, sometimes, well, they kind of are.
Because, here’s the thing: my kids love to play, run, explore, and imagine. Which sometimes means that they get carried away in the grocery store. They don’t even realize that they are in fact in a grocery store because they are so far gone into their pretend world. Thus, they are oblivious to people around them and to my pleads for them to stop running and climbing and swinging or whatever they are doing.
Most of the time we get through without anything major happening, and without them causing anyone to trip. They really are good kids (just active).
But, there are some trips where someone has to go potty half-way through our shopping trip. Where I backtrack over and over again within the store because I did not take the time to organize my shopping list by department ahead of time. And sometimes I’m distracted looking for good deals and using coupons that I ignore what my kids are doing…
And sometimes my kids think they need their own little shopping baskets which (every single time) turn into “cars” that they race along the floor, crashing them into each other, shelving, or other people or their carts. Needless to say, I nip the basket idea quickly anymore!
And often, without fail, the baby or toddler that is sitting in the shopping cart, who has been mostly content to get a free ride, is crying at the checkout line, simply because we are at the checkout line. So, I have to shush her, make sure my older kids are being helpful and not just touching everything or begging for a treat or donuts (for “being good”).
When our town got Walmart Grocery Pickup service over a year and a half ago, I tried it out, using my friend’s referral code, and I haven’t looked back since!
The Walmart Grocery Pickup service has spoiled me so much, that now it seems far more overwhelming to drag all the kids grocery shopping (which I often have to do as we homeschool).
Add in the fact that I now have FIVE kids to take grocery shopping, with no local grocery stores that offer double seated carts, and I am completely sold on Walmart Grocery Pickup and am pretty much never going back (well, other than quick trips in to pick up this or that).
Walmart Grocery Pickup Service
Starting in June 2016 I began using Walmart Grocery Pickup at our local Walmart store. I’ve since used it at least monthly if not weekly, most of the last year and a half.
It has completely changed how I go grocery shopping and schedule out my week.
If you aren’t familiar with what Walmart Grocery is, it is a way for you to order groceries online, from Walmart, and schedule a time to pick them up curbside, without ever having to leave your car.
No unbuckling children. No getting out of your car. No need to stand in line or debate on which products to purchase.
Any mother knows that this is an amazing service!
Okay, so I’ve been using this service for quite a while. So here are some things you need to know about Walmart Grocery Pickup.
11 Things to Know About Walmart Grocery Pickup
1. Walmart Grocery is Not Available in All Areas
Even though we’ve had the service here now in Central Texas since the middle of 2016, there are still many Walmart stores that do not offer the Pickup service. You need to check here to see where the closest Walmart is that offers the service. Just enter your zip code! Some stores even offer grocery delivery, where you can have groceries delivered right to your home!
2. There is a minimum order amount required.
In order to take advantage of Walmart Grocery Pickup, your order has to total at least $30.
3. You can pick up groceries as soon as the same day.
In most areas, you can place an order early in the morning and pick it up later that same day. It used to always be the next day, so it’s pretty amazing to get same-day service! Just check what time slots are available on the same day. But, you can also schedule pickups for several days later too.
4. You can only pay with a credit card or debit card.
Unfortunately, you cannot pay with Walmart Gift cards or eGift cards. And most stores do not allow EBT as a payment. And you can’t pay with cash, check or other forms of payment.
5. You cannot use manufacturer coupons.
I love using coupons whenever I can to save extra money, but unfortunately, you cannot currently use coupons with Walmart Grocery Pickup. However, you CAN use the Walmart Savings Catcher app with Walmart Grocery Pickup!
However, you CAN get $3 back if you shop Walmart Grocery through the ibotta app, or 450 kicks from the ShopKick app.
6. The service is FREE and the prices are not marked up.
There is no service charge nor any monthly or annual subscription fees for Grocery Pickup. Nor do they allow for their personal shoppers to be tipped. They only ask that you fill out the survey after you pick up to let them know about your experience.
Walmart Grocery is committed to Everyday Low Prices and they do not charge any markups on their items. The prices online should be the same or better than they offer in-store. If you ever do see a markup on items online versus in-store (it’s happened before), be sure to let your local store manager know as well as on your customer feedback survey.
7. You can make changes to your order.
Did you forget something? Realize you added too many of a specific product? No worries! Walmart Grocery lets you edit your order. You can add or remove items or even change the pickup time or date of your order. You usually have until the day before to make any changes but can see your edit cutoff time when you select “My Orders”.
8. If an item isn’t in stock, they offer substitutions.
Despite being available online for you to add to your order, they don’t always have exactly what you want in-stock.
When you go to pick-up your order, your personal shopper will begin with your substitutions (if there are any), going over what you ordered and what they are offering in exchange. You also have the option ahead of time to select if you will allow for substitutions for various items you order. If you are fine with the substitutions, you’ll keep them and the price will be adjusted in your favor (kept the same if not), and if you reject the items, it will be deducted from your bill and they will restock it for you (free of charge).
You can also ask to see any fresh produce before they put it in your trunk if you are particular about the quality of your produce.
Also, if an item you want is not available online, you can contact customer care and request that it be added.
9. First-time users can use promo code WOWFRESH for $10 off.
If you have never tried out Walmart Grocery Pickup, you can score $10 off your first order with promo code WOWFRESH.
Then you can grab your own personal referral code and encourage your friends to try it. If they do, they’ll receive $10 off their first order with your unique referral code and you’ll receive a code for $10 off your next order of $50 or more too!
10. Placing orders is fast and convenient.
Walmart online grocery is fast and convenient. You can mark various items as favorites for easier shopping next time, look for rollback, shop by departments, or do custom searches. You can easily change the quantity of items and continue to add items to your cart all week before clicking “order” so you don’t forget anything!
11. Someone else can pick up your order for you.
As I recently had a baby, but was out of some basic groceries, I placed a Walmart Grocery order. My friend offered to pick it up for me and bring it to my house! It was so nice to not worry about strapping five kids into the car and driving across town to get our groceries!
You can also place an order for someone else and have them pick it up. For example, I could order groceries for my mom who lives in Wisconsin, and she could go pick it up. This is a great way to serve people!
There are lots of things to love about Walmart Grocery Pickup, especially from a mom standpoint, but it really fits so great into many people’s lives.
I highly suggest at least trying it. I have a feeling it may just change your life.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.
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Matthew says
Very horrible experience the 2 times I tried it! I have now used 2 times and that is 2 times far too many! The first Time I used the Grocery Pickup was after a store employee told me about it right after my local walmart got it and gave me a $10 off coupon on a $50 order. Well I went online placed an order to pick up about a week after that and yes I got the $10 off with no problem. The problem started when I went to pick up the groceries. I pulled up in the loading zone as directed and called my store. I was told my groceries would be right out. I sit there wasting gas and sit there sit there finally turned car off to stop burning up fuel and then because it was so hot out like 90 degrees that day I had to quickly crank the car back up to get the car back cooled down….after sitting in the loading zone for over 20 min and still not having my groceries brought out I got out of my car and went inside to the service desk. Once I let them know the problem I was told very rude like by a employee that I needed to go outside and wait that they wanted all Grocery pick up customers to remain outside the store. She gave me no idea of how much longer I would wait or what was going on. I went back outside and called the store again asked to speak to a manager. When I finally got a manager on the phone and told them my situation they asked me did I wait until I had received an email telling me my order was ready to pick up and I said yes I could show him the email if he wanted. I told him I also called the store when I arrived and I told him that the lady at service desk had given me no answer except to order me out of the store. He told me to hang on till he had a chance to find out what was going on. Calling the manager must have been the right thing to do because within 5 min after getting off the phone with him here came my groceries and that same manager came out along with the employee that was loading them to appologize and he even gave me a $5 gift card for my trouble and patience in waiting. He said he had them fix it up at the service desk real quick and I could use it the next time I came into walmart. I said ok thanks and left feeling justified for my time and trouble because of the nice assistant manager who did that. My wife was not at all happy when I returned home after so long though and was not impressed with the $5 gift card. She advised me to next time just have enough common sense to do it myself if I want something done right because of how pathetic walmart customer service always usually is, which I agree. Any shopping trip to any walmart near us as the years have went by have became so horrible of an experience with poor customer service or no customer service at all that I honestly had thought this new grocery pick up would get me out of it. Boy was I wrong!! The second time I used the app came about 3 weeks after that when one day I was off work my wife had asked me to please go do some grocery shopping while she had to work to get ready for a big family get together that we were having all weekend with family coming in from out of town. Since I was off work that Thursday and she had to work she just wanted me to go and pick up all we needed to take that off her so she wouldnt have to after work that day. I said no problem and then as all men do I got this idea in my head that hey if I just went online and placed the grocery order and went later in day to pick it up I wouldnt have to actually do all that grocery shopping and could just do what I wanted to do on my day off before all the family came in and while the kids was at school and then just run up and pick up the groceries that evening when they were ready. How hard could that be right and have my entire day off except a 4 mile drive to pick up the order and back. So that is what I did only instead of like the first time this was more like a $300 order. They had a slot available to pick up later that evening so I jumped on it and I went on to enjoy my day. Then came time to go pick up the order. I get there ….again I call to et the store associates know I was out there to pick up the order I was supposed to pick up so forth so on. I sit in the heat waiting waiting waiting again….15 min goes by…nothing….I been through this before right I know the routine so instead of going inside this time I just call the store back ask to speak to a manager and told them this had happened before and I already been outside waiting over 15 min….the manager I talk to this day tells me he is sorry stay where I am he will get someone on it. Finally about 10 min later here comes some guy looks like he is just out of high school with my order. But wait no when he gets there he realizes he brought out someone elses order and to hold on he would be right back with my order…lol…..what do I care right nothing I love more than sitting in the fire lane waiting and wasting my entire damn evening to pick up groceries that was supposed to save me time but instead are taking just as long if not longer than I could have went inside and shopped for myself. Well the dumb kid doesnt come back out but here comes a young lady with a different order this time yes my order and she loads the groceries in my trunk tells me she is sorry that the guy was new and still learning…..so I go home right….frustrated because I am just barely going to have time to beat my wife home from work and was supposed to have all this at home after shopping myself hours earlier so when she came home she could start some cooking…..but the problems are not over….not by a long shot….on this large order it didnt take me long to notice that some of the items I ordered where not in my order at all but instead had been changed like a different brand name just threw in instead of what I ordered online. Then my wife came home…..and there i was trying to not say anything but complaining to myself about the pathetic experience of the grocery app but not wanting her to know so I thought well if she says anything I will just say they didnt have what you wanted for this so I got that so forth so on right…..which I knew she would say well that is why I go to Giant Eagle instead of Walmart because they have a larger stock, more variety and I always can get what I want …..but before she got that far like I was sure was coming….she suddenly says honey did you get the bag of frozen chicken breasts I asked for because I don’t see them in the fridge…..Instantly a feeling of fear came over me because I suddenly couldnt remember seeing a 10 pound bag of chicken breast when I was putting the groceries away but I sure knew I ordered them. Sure enough they wasn’t there. Then at that point I was so angry with walmart I had to break down and tell my wife the entire experience and what I did and then get the riot act from her over doing that in the first place because of the constant horrible customer service of walmart in all ways and why couldnt I just go out and shop for her as she asked me to do …..so I called the walmart and talked to a manager and explained to him that I didnt get the bag of chicken and as it turned out when my wife went down her list there was 6 total items that I had for sure ordered but had been left out of the order totally not even a substitution and yet I was totally charged for them which in my opinion is company theft because when you charge a person for something but then refuse to give it to them that is the same as theft. Your stealing customers money for a product or service your not giving them in return. The manager then wanted me to tell him the items I didnt receive and to give him 30 min he would have a store associate gather them up and I could return to the store to pick the items up. Of course after all I been through I said look I already waited forever today I am not going to wait again …how about I just come in get what I need to finish the order myself and have the cashier call you up front to meet me when I am done so I dont have to sit forever outside waiting and no he couldnt do that and no he couldnt just refund the money and let me then shop on my own for the items because the Grocery pick up app is seperate from the store even though the groceries that I get are yes at the store which makes no sense. I said look I want a refund for the items I was charged and not given. I also told him about the items substituted but he said that the fine print stipulations of the agreement you make when using the app gives them the right to substitute with me agreeing that I understand that so I was screwed there but he did owe me for the items I didnt get. My wife old me just do what I had to do to fix the mess I caused thinking I could save time shopping at a walmart to begin with and so I said fine get the order together and I will be there in about 30 min….he told me he would make sure the order was ready when I got there in 30 min and called….well this time it was…sure as shootin I pulled up and called the store told them I was there to pick up a small order I had talked to the manager on phone before coming so on….a girl came out almost instantly with the bags and appologized to me. Then I spent the entire weekend listening to my wife scold me in front of her family for me being so lazy as to trust walmart to save me tie with this new app….I will never use again….just like we almst never shop at walmart anymore….because of the horrid customer suppport…..a customer should not have to call and ask to speak to a manager everytime they go to a store just to get treated like a human being and with respect. But that is how walmart has become….now we do all our grocery shopping both me and my wife at Giant Eagle or Aldi’s in my neighborhood…we do all our department store side shopping at our local Target or other stores….we never shopped for clothing there…my wife only goes to stores like TJMaxx or Burlingtons , Macy,s JCPenny so on….and so do I…sporting goods and other items we use sporting goods stores so forth so on. I mean walmart has made itself the worst customer service experience on earth by having no employees and the ones they do have are age 16 to 20 and all minorities that hardly can even understand english….why put yourself through the harrassment of shopping with them at all …especially when an app that is supposed to save you time takes longer to use than shopping yourself…..also I know these kind of web pages givng reviews to a site or product because I work in IT Development myself and have senen many of these so called review sites….it is nothing more than renting a GoDaddy web page and building a review site to try and get people all over to sign up for a service under their referral link to help them make money….they could care less if the service or product actually is worth anything ….its all about them making money off people looking to find out reviews…..so you cant trust what the author of this review says….you can only trust what the people and general public ythat are not biased and trying to get rich off a referral link say. You can find out what real people have to say like my reviwe of my experience here by just simply googling walmart grocery app complaints….you will see how thousands of people are treated just as I am and can you imagine how many more than that have never taken time to leave a bad review…..just saying walmart is a ghetto of a store and needs to continue its spiral into the grave its been on since Sam Walton died and it turned into a corporate liberal trash dump of a company.
Jo says
NO ONE is going to read your lengthy comment. Would you like some cheese with your WHINE? Been using Walmart pick-up for 2 years and NEVER had a problems.
Donna Patrick says
I read the long comment. I haven’t used it but I could sure tell you about my bad experiences being a handicap terminal cancer patient. But it would take a week. No respect for us sick.people @ all & have to chase down people to help you. I’ve called while in the store from my cell to get help. How bad is that. We also need a handicap lane instead of 10 items or less.
Donna Patrick says
Shut up, you spastic. Gimpy people are so needy its disgusting…
Laura says
Our town just started the pickup service and I love it! My husband and I both add things to the cart and then one of us can go pick it up. It saves our favorites and makes it very easy to shop. I use the online cart as my shopping list. I’ve even shown my teens how to add things to the cart that they use up around the house. I’ve gone at least one a week, sometimes twice since they opened and I never used to go to Walmart (too crowded!) but pickup is so fast and easy.
WillDoDa says
I used the app a couple weeks ago and it was a huge help for me. I was able to order my food online. Not being in the store saved me the angst of seeing all the other food I couldn’t buy. I recently lost my job and haven’t got very much of a budget for my family of 6. Not only was I able to avoid temptation for myself, I was also able to keep the kids from trying to get more as well.
When I got there, They were quite prompt bringing me my groceries. My 6 year old still drove me crazy making me very glad I hadn’t taken him into the store to shop. LOL
The substitutions were explained to me via email and in person as soon as they were made. There were no surprises there. For me, the substitutions were all an improvement as my list was full of off brand items.
Nothing was missing from my order and the staff was very pleasant.
I really appreciate this ability to avoid going into the store and dealing with crowds and temptations. I have noticed that my area accepts EBT as well. I don’t have food stamps at the moment but I have in the past and it was always difficult to not be able to use certain services at stores due to lack of ability to use EBT.
My only complaint at the moment for Walmart Grocery Pick Up is the lack of ability to use coupons! That’s actually kind of a big deal.