How to Find Unmarked Clearance at Walmart

How to Find Unmarked Clearance at Walmart

You can find unmarked clearance at Walmart by using the price check feature in the Walmart app. The price check feature will show you the lowest current price on each item. If an item is mislabeled in the store and does not reflect the current clearance price, you can find the accurate price in the app. Additionally, Walmart sometimes prices items of the same type differently if, for example, it is trying to sell more of the product in a particular color.

Representatives for Walmart’s corporate customer service department were unable to give us any additional details on hidden clearance or discounts. We were told that each store manager has discretion on pricing items, including discounts. Store representatives advised us to use the price check feature to get the best price.

Using Price Check in the Walmart App

The price check feature appears in the Walmart app’s Services menu as “Barcode Scanner.” You must allow the Walmart app permission to use your smartphone camera to access this feature. You can then scan any barcode to check an item’s price.

It’s best to scan every item you intend to purchase; while items marked with “clearance” tags most often show even further discounted prices, there are some regular-price items that also appear cheaper when you scan the barcode. This feature also works if an item does not have a marked price; simply scan the item’s UPC in the app using your smartphone to find the price.

If you scan a product in the app and find that its price should be lower, you don’t need to take any additional action to get the discount; just purchase the product at that Walmart location at that time. Clearance prices are subject to change at any time, so if you visit a different store or come back later, you may not receive the same discount.

Where to Find Unmarked Discounts in the Store

Most Walmart stores have a clearance section, but clearance items also appear in different departments throughout the store. In the course of our research, we found that Walmart stores often place unmarked clearance inventory on the top shelves — sometimes out of customer reach.

These heavily discounted products may appear out of place with other products located on the same shelf or row (for example, bedding placed in an aisle that usually carries dishware). Sometimes these items do not have a price tag, so make sure to scan the product bar code in the app to see the best price. You may also find products with hidden clearance discounts on endcap displays at the end of store aisles.

Sample Discounts

To test out the effectiveness of the Walmart app’s barcode scanner, we tried it ourselves at several Walmart stores. Here are a few examples of unmarked discounts we found:

• Radio Flyer Pedal Racer
  • Marked price: $59 (clearance)
  • Price after barcode scan: $29.99
• Children’s athletic shoes
  • Marked price: $9 (clearance)
  • Price after barcode scan: $4.50
• Disney Toy Story Space Vehicle Ride-On
  • Marked price: $34.94 (regular price)
  • Price after barcode scan: $29.92
• Woman’s tank top
  • Marked price: $5.96 (regular price)
  • Price after barcode scan: $4

Additional Ways to Save at Walmart

Below, we detail several other ways to save money when shopping at Walmart if you’re unable to find hidden clearance deals.

• Buy seasonal items after the season has ended. Seasonal items are usually heavily discounted when the season is over (e.g., right after Halloween and Christmas).
• Search for clearance items online. If you find a product for a lower price at Walmart.com than in-store, Walmart will match the online price (as previously reported).
• Use store pickup. Certain online purchases are eligible for a pickup discount. These products are marked as “Pickup Discount Eligible” online and in the app. The discount will automatically apply when you select the store pickup option at checkout.