Walmart was one of the earliest pioneers of curbside pickup. It started testing the service in 2013 with pickup for fresh groceries only, and over the years, various forms of store pickup, including giant automated pickup towers, have been tested. During the pandemic, when curbside pickup started really, well, picking up, Walmart expanded its grocery-only curbside service in May 2020 to include pretty much anything in the store.
Although many pandemic-era restrictions have been lifted, Walmart’s curbside pickup is here to stay and is a fixture at Walmart stores nationwide. Even with social distancing less of a priority, many shoppers still enjoy the convenience.
If you want to try out Walmart’s curbside pickup — whether it’s because you want to play it safe, or simply would rather not have to change out of your pajama pants — this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
What Is Walmart Curbside Pickup?
Walmart curbside pickup is a store pickup service offered to people who shop on Walmart.com or via the Walmart app. With the Walmart curbside service, you can place your order online and retrieve it from the store. Unlike traditional in-store pickup options, Walmart’s curbside service lets you stay in your car as an associate loads your order into your trunk. With this contact-free option, there’s no need to leave your front seat or even unbuckle your seat belt. In fact, some Walmarts don’t even HAVE in-store pickup anymore — it’s all curbside.
Keep in mind that while the curbside pickup is available on thousands of products, it’s not available on everything sold at Walmart (we’ll talk more about available options below).
How Walmart’s Curbside Pickup Works
You can order for pickup on Walmart.com or using the Walmart app. On the Walmart app, you’re able to use the search function to shop for groceries and non-grocery items simultaneously. The browser shopping experience is slightly different when placing an order for pickup on Walmart.com.
Step 1: Log Into Your Walmart Account
If you don’t have a Walmart account, sign up for free on the website. You’ll need to supply your name and email address to do so.
Step 2: Reserve Your Pickup Time Slot
Once you’re signed in, click on the “Services” menu item at the top, choose “Ordering Online” and then “Pickup & delivery” or hit the “Shop now” button.
Click the “Reserve a time” button and make sure your current store is listed. Then, select the day and time you want to pick up your order. Hit the “Reserve” button.
Step 3: Shop
Now you’re ready to start shopping! Typically, you’ll have an hour to place your order before your reservation expires. You can use the search bar to shop for items or browse by department.
To filter your results by items available for pickup, choose the “Fulfillment Speed” filter, then select the time that matches your pickup choice. Add your desired items to your cart.
Step 4: Check Out
Click the cart icon, then “Continue to checkout” to start the process. You’ll be able to review your order, specify an alternate pickup person, add a promo code, select if you use your own bags, and indicate whether you want to allow substitutions if any items you ordered are unavailable.
After entering your payment information, hit “Place order.” Once you do, you should receive a confirmation email confirming your order.
Step 5: Pick up Your Curbside Order
Usually, you can retrieve your order at any time during or after your chosen time slot. Before heading to your store location, check for an email from Walmart notifying you that your purchase is ready for pickup. If you opted for text alerts, you should receive a text message when your order is ready.
Once you’ve gotten your alert, head to the store and find the curbside pickup area in the parking lot. After you’ve parked in a reserved spot, call the number on the sign to alert a store associate you’ve arrived. For a quicker experience, you can also use the app to check in and alert Walmart when you are on your way.
Regardless of whether you alert them of your arrival with a phone call or mobile check-in, a sales associate will respond ASAP by bringing your order out to your parking spot and loading the items into your vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Walmart Curbside
Do I Need the Walmart App to Use Walmart Pickup?
Nope! You can go through the entire ordering process using your web browser and check in when you arrive via phone. Simply call the number on the sign at your designated parking spot when you arrive.
However, the pickup experience is much quicker if you use Walmart’s app to check in before picking up your order. With mobile check-in, you can alert Walmart when you are on your way before leaving home. That way, your order will be ready as soon as you arrive at the store.
What Can I Order for Walmart Pickup?
No longer just for groceries, Walmart curbside pickup is available on thousands of items — video games, art supplies, home improvement, kitchenware, apparel and accessories, you name it. To see which items are available for pickup, filter your results by selecting “Fulfillment Speed” and then select the time that matches your pickup choice.
In addition, you can identify eligible items by looking for the “Pickup” label listed in the product details on the search pages. Alternatively, you can also look on the product page for an indication that an item is available for “Pickup today.”
Can I Cancel a Walmart Pickup Order?
You can cancel or edit a pickup order if the option is shown on your purchase history. Typically, you can cancel an order while it is in the “processing” stage. To cancel an order, find the order you want to cancel and scroll to the bottom to select “Request cancellation.” If your order is canceled successfully, you’ll get an email notification from Walmart.
Can I Change My Walmart Pickup Order?
Change your mind about something you ordered? You can edit your Walmart pickup order while still in the “processing” stage and it is before the cutoff time. The following changes are allowed:
- Add/remove items.
- Increase/decrease quantities (if more items are available). If you decrease quantities to the point where your order total falls below $35, you will be charged a pickup fee.
- Cancel a substitution.
- Reschedule your pickup time (you only get one change).
- There is a brief window where you may also be able to change your pickup location after you have placed your order.
What If I Miss My Walmart Curbside Pickup Time?
If you miss your designated time slot, Walmart will hold your order — but not indefinitely. Check your order confirmation to see when the latest possible pickup date is. We called some stores and were told your order may be held up to four days after your chosen pickup slot, but you should check your order confirmation to get the deadline for your specific order. If you fail to pick up your order, Walmart will cancel it and refund you.
Does Walmart Do Curbside Returns?
Yes. Walmart started rolling out curbside returns during the 2022 holiday season. From your account, you will have to check your order history to see if the item you wish to return is eligible for curbside return.
We confirmed with our Walmart contact how it works:
- There is no dedicated page on Walmart’s website for curbside returns, but it’s the same as the existing curbside pickup process (see above).
- Start your Walmart online return as usual. Select the store for your return and follow the instructions you receive.
- Park in the designated Walmart curbside pickup area.
- An associate will come to your vehicle to retrieve and process your return.
It’s important to follow the above steps to set up your curbside return — don’t just drive up to the curbside pickup area and expect to return an item without initiating the return online or via the app first.
Do I Tip the Walmart Curbside Person?
Walmart’s policy doesn’t allow associates to accept tips, and there’s no field for including a tip on your order. Instead, consider completing the post-order survey to let Walmart know about your experience.
What Are Walmart Pickup Hours?
Curbside pickup service is available at most participating Walmart locations seven days a week from 7 a.m. until as late as 10 p.m. Note that orders placed after 4 p.m. will not be available until the following morning.
How Much Does Walmart Curbside Pickup Cost?
Curbside pickup is free on orders $35 and over. For orders under $35, curbside is available for a $6.99 service fee. You’ll see the pickup fee before you place your order (see the screenshot below on a recent order we placed).
In addition, Walmart doesn’t mark up its curbside prices, meaning you’ll get the same prices you’d have paid if you shopped in-store.
Is There a Walmart Curbside Pickup Order Minimum?
Nope! However, curbside pickup orders under $35 will include a $6.99 service fee. You’ll see this fee disclosed after you select a pickup time but before you officially place your order.
How Does Walmart Pharmacy Curbside Pickup Work?
Walmart offers contactless curbside pickup on prescriptions from the pharmacy at select locations. In addition to curbside pickup, many stores offer drive-through pickup service on prescriptions to minimize contact.
Can I Order Groceries for Curbside Pickup from Walmart?
You sure can! Walmart offers curbside pickup on grocery items, including produce, baked goods, meat and seafood, dairy and eggs, and more. You’re even able to combine groceries and non-groceries in the same curbside pickup order if you like.
Can I Earn Walmart Rewards on Walmart Curbside Pickup Orders?
Yes. Curbside pickup orders are simply online orders and can earn you Walmart Rewards. The rewards (if you buy an eligible item) will appear in your account within 24 hours after your order is picked up.
You won’t need to scan your QR code at pickup, since you’ll have already checked out online.
Learn more about Walmart Rewards.
Handy Tips for Using Walmart’s Curbside Pickup
Ready to place your order for curbside pickup at Walmart? Here are some parting tips to make sure the process is as seamless as possible:
- Plan ahead. Depending on how busy the Walmart location is, you may be able to get your order in as little as four hours. However, if the store is processing a lot of orders, you might end up waiting longer, so be sure to place it as soon as possible. In addition, if you place your order after 4 p.m., you won’t be able to pick it up until the following morning.
- Indicate substitution preferences. If an item in your order isn’t available, Walmart will substitute it with an alternative that’s “as good or better.” You can accept or decline the substitution. If you accept the substitution, Walmart will charge you the price of that new item. If you do nothing by the deadline (communicated via email), Walmart will substitute the item. If you don’t like the substitution, you can return it. You can also reject the substitution at pickup (in which case, it’ll be removed from your order). Learn more about substitutions.
- Check-in with the app. As we noted before, you don’t have to use the mobile app to check in for curbside pickup, but it’s a lot quicker if you do. Using the app’s mobile check-in function, you can alert the store when you’re on your way, so a Walmart service representative is ready and waiting with your order when you arrive.
- Specify bagging preferences. Depending on local laws, Walmart may or may not charge a small fee if you want your order bagged up. On checkout, you’ll have the option to choose to have your items bagged or have your items packed for you in your own bags at pickup.
- Designate an alternate pickup person. Not sure if you’ll be able to grab the order yourself? If someone else might be picking up your Walmart curbside purchase for you, you can add them as an alternate to the order. To do so, edit “Pickup person” and add their information when you are checking out.
- Don’t sweat price drops or hikes. Here’s a cool thing about Walmart’s curbside pickup service policy: Let’s say between the time you place your order and the time you pick up your order, the price drops or spikes. Not to worry — Walmart will automatically honor the lowest of the two prices, no returns or price-match requests required.
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