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!
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!
Sometimes they even give you special gift bags!
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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I LOVE using Walmart grocery pickup! I’ve been using it for over a year (ever since I was in the end of my third pregnancy) and it has been a lifesaver!
I recently transferred to a Wal-Mart that offers this service and have had the chance to learn how to be a personal shopper. It’s a lot of fun to be able to get customers’ groceries. What I do know and would like to say here is that if we substitute an item, it will be at the same cost or higher, and the customer never pays the difference. For example, if you ordered Great Value oatmeal and we were all out that day, you’d get the next brand up, probably Quaker, from that at no extra charge. Cool, huh?
I love this service! We shop for fresh items as if we were shopping for ourselves. Especially produce.
I have yet to use Walmart Grocery Pickup, but I am filling up my cart now. I know there is a limit you are required to purchase in order to use the service….I am just wondering if there is a limit to how many items you can order? It is difficult for me to make it to the store with my busy schedule so I usually don’t make a trip until I really need a lot of items. Has anyone purchased a whole lot of items at once?
That is a good question. I have never read anything about an upper limit, but I would imagine if there is one, it would let you know before you checked out, and that it would be VERY large.
There is no Limit – We had someone order 220 items in ONE ORDER….It was maybe 57 Blue Totes xD!
I haven’t used Walmart’s service yet (Have an order in now) but have used another store that has a fee – I found that skipping the impulse buys more than made up for not being able to use coupons or that store’s service fee.
Quit having babies, my goodness I hope 5 is enough.
I dunno… I make some really cute and awesome little people… I’m not sure five is enough. :p
Babies are a great blessing! From a mom of five, I can completely relate and say that online ordering for groceries has completely changed my life! I only go grocery shopping twice a month and that used to entail at least 3 kids with me, over 2 hrs shopping, and 2 completely full grocery carts! I save time and money shopping online and picking up.
Love that answer!
WOW….
LOL!!!! I’ve seen people with one child have a more difficult time in the store than our family with four young kiddos so I think this service is great whether you have zero or a hundred children. For what its worth, is there such a thing as enough babies?! Especially now that I don’t have to drag them into the store, might as well just fill every carseat in our vehicle!
People who make comments like these at least can rest assured our big families are sitting our in our cars relaxing and leaving them and their small families at peace to shop inside 😉
MYOB
Some thing’s to keep in mind and kind of an update here.
Some stores are now accepting the EBT form of payment, idk for sure I guess a card would be used in those supplemental nutrition programs. And top clarify I’m referring to online grocery pickup.
Nothing has changed with coupon policy, obviously coupons can’t be used in online ordering. I am going to try to combine a couple apps on my device see about some extra savings that way. I’ll update y’all if it works out. I think for the most part it’s worth it to try the online pick up for the convenience in particular. Also, awhile back (short version) I was injured and literally could not walk without horrible pain. I tried 1 TIME to grocery shop and it took me hours OMG it was terrible. So. from the perspective of being temporarily physically disabled, I totally understood the significance of the online shopping option. Many people that are handicapped can still drive and now they have the option of enjoying that independence doing theirown grocery shopping. For our oldest population also, I know now how bad your old bones can hurt and hopefully this method of grocery shopping will help those who again, have limited mobility. People I’m not kidding, enjoy your health while you can and please PLEASE try to maintain yourgood health for as long you can. If I could offer a piece of advice on life..to anyone- it would be that. I can guarantee anyone wow, I got a small sample of the crazy challenges that handicapped people face every day of their lives and ya, I have a newfound HUGE respect for oor disabled population. Omg, I will NEVER look at someone and think “they don’t look handicapped I can’t stand people that use the system” etc etc. There are a million things that could be going wrong deep in bones and tissue, a person doesn’t always LOOK injured even though they ARE.
Ok lastly, something I did encounter several times- expiration dates. Make sure you check all of them, I’d advise on all products , just to be safe. If something is amiss call the online grocery dept, btw I wastold they’re completely separate from the store. Hopefully this will help y’all out. And i’ll follow up if I canfind a worthy couponing process!
From Reney
Yes! Thank you for your comments! It can be a total life saver for so many! And yes, they accept EBT in only a handful of stores.
Excuse any errors. Typing on a phone, and doesn’t everyone need glasses these days? I tend to forget to proof-read before I tap POST. Smh.
Sheesh.
Watch the prices closely. I just noticed that prices OFTEN increase after putting item in cart when online shopping. For example, “On the Border” tortilla chips were $2.68 when I bought them in store 3 days ago. Online, I found same bag for same price, until I added them to my cart. Price went up to $2.98
I’ve been using Walmart grocery pickup for over a year now in NC. I recently moved to SC and the nearest Walmart that offers grocery pickup is 50 miles away. I still drive the 50 miles to use it.
My problem is that I have a favorite item that no local stores sell. Only Walmart. It’s popsicles. I go to the website and it tells me there are 12 boxes available. Because of the distance, I select AND PAY for all 12. But on almost every occasion after I get there, I’m told that they were sold out or there were only 2 boxes available. I drove 50 miles!!
So I’m wondering if the website says there’s 12 boxes available and I actually PAID for 12 boxes up front, shouldn’t they be earmarked as mine and not sold to anyone else in between the time it takes me to get there?? After a 100 mile round trip I feel cheated!
I think the policy should definitely be changed. If someone purchases and pays for an item online, then legally, it should belong to that purchaser so there’s no confusion when someone like me drives 50 miles only to be told that their PAID item has been sold to someone else.
I would love to be able to do this for my grandparents, or even have them do it and pick it up, but my grandma still uses checks. She refuses to put her debit card info on the internet as well. It’s a shame Cash, check, or using a card when you get to the store aren’t an option. Maybe they should take a hint from Pizza Hut. Lol! My hubby doesn’t like his card on the internet either, so I choose to pay at the store when we order pizza.
I have one credit card that we use for everything internet and always pay the balance before the due date.
I’m looking forward to doing this. I also have to drive 53 min away, but luckily I work in that same town so I can pick it up after work. It’s going to be so nice…. I was wondering do they only do food? Could I also order toilet paper, tin foil etc. Do they do toothpaste, deodorant etc.
Any mother knows that this is an amazing service? Do us dads not want to save time and not lug kids through a Walmart? There are a few awesome single dads out here, too. And, yes, WMGP is an awesome service.
No offense intended. My husband often does grocery shopping for our family and has done the Grocery pickup a few times too. Dads, moms, old people who’ve never had kids. Anyone can benefit. 🙂
I used the Walmart Grocery app today for the first time. It was very easy to use, and the pick up experience was excellent. This saved me at least an hour of shopping and check out time. If you are used to keeping your grocery shopping list on your phone, and you shop at Wal-Mart then you will love this app. I plan to make this my standard way to do my grocery shopping. I had one small problem with my order, and I called Customer Service, and they quickly resolved my problem, and they exceeded my expectations.