Until about a year ago, I hadn’t given in to what I now know as the magic of Walmart Grocery Pickup. I’m one of the most frugal people around, but Walmart just wasn’t a regular part of my grocery shopping routine. I always get a little overwhelmed going in the store with so many options and sections and areas. Where else can you buy milk, bread, spray paint, dog food, Hatchimals, an Instant Pot, and more all in one trip? I always felt like I left with ten extra items I didn’t necessarily need, so it kind of defeated the purpose of saving money there.
Anyway, when they rolled out a FREE Grocery Pickup option and offered discounts to try it, I couldn’t pass it up. I used Ali’s referral code, downloaded the app, and was able to crank out a list in just a few minutes. Here’s a rundown on how to get started. (UPDATED 2020)
Walmart Grocery Pickup Pros
There are a few key pros that make the Walmart Grocery Pickup a no-brainer for grocery shopping.
Low minimum
My routine is to usually do two or three Grocery Pickup trips a month at Walmart. It’s only a $30 minimum, so it’s perfect for a maintenance trip in between bigger shopping trips. You do have a four-hour minimum before an order can be picked up.
No cost
The best part of Walmart’s Grocery Pickup? There’s no charge and no tipping allowed! (Employees have told us they get great incentives when you mention them by name in a quick survey after your pickup)
Fairly simple app
The app is simple to navigate. They merged the former Grocery Pickup app into the traditional Walmart App in 2020, but not much changed from the original.
First, you download and open the Walmart app. You’ll have to have or create a Walmart account to sign in.
When you open it, you’ll have the option to shop Grocery (on top) or Shop Walmart (bottom).
Pick your store, choose a pickup time, and start building from there.
What I did to make things easier on subsequent trips is to just type in “organic” in the search bar since that’s primarily what we buy.
One of the most helpful features of the app is that you can favorite any item, so you can easily build your list from there. I went through and clicked on the little orange heart to add to my favorites. Every so often I’ll type it in again to see if there are any new products available.
I love that the app shows you if something is out of stock.
I’d much rather find a replacement myself than rely on someone else to guess for a substitute. I haven’t had any major issues with substitutions at Walmart, but I’m sure that varies by location.
If you’re still leery of heading in store to shop, Pickup is a great option. In a recent order, we ordered school/craft supplies, screws to complete something at home, potting soil for our veggie plants, and a new game to entertain the family. We definitely choose to shop local first for many things, but having this option is extremely important to our routine right now.
Walmart Grocery Pickup Cons
While the pros definitely outweigh the cons, there are a few things that may be off-putting to potential Pickup customers.
Wonky Substitutions
So this isn’t the case everywhere, but Ali has definitely had some strange substitutions for products. The good thing about this is they’ll notify you before you even get to the store for pickup of the substitution, so you can refuse it upon arrival.
Limited Availability
At busier pickup locations, you may have trouble reserving a spot unless it’s well in advance. Certain times of year and holidays are obviously busier than others as well.
Give $, Get $
I love a good referral program, especially when you can give and receive.
If you refer a friend to the Pickup program, they’ll get $10 off their first $50 order, and once they redeem it, you’ll get your own $10 to spend on your next $50 order. #Winwin.
Delivery
Also available in most areas is same-day Walmart Delivery. You can check your availability right in the Pickup app or Walmart.com/grocery.
Your first three orders over $50 are free. After that, the fee will vary by order and region.
Final Thoughts
Having this free pickup option is such a time and sanity saver for our family. I like to do the earliest pickup time available. I’ve never had to wait more than 10 minutes on a pickup. It’s so nice to have a low minimum when you just need enough to get through a few days or are running low on grocery budget funds! I like being able to have a running calculator on the app to know exactly how much I’m spending.
It really helps keep your grocery budget and meal planning on track. (Find our Walmart-specific plans here) P.S. Once you’ve placed your order and are ready to pick it up, each store has their Pickup location clearly marked with orange signs leading the way.
One more thing, if you have a negative experience at one location, don’t give up. There are about 4-5 Walmart locations within 5-25 minutes of me. If you’re not crazy about one, test out another.
Now, tell us what you think. Have you tried Pickup? What did you like/dislike about it? Want to give it a go? How about a referral code? Test it out and tell us what you think!
