There is nothing more frustrating than buying a jacket for $100, only to see it on sale for $70 the next week. That's $30 of your money that the store is keeping.
The good news? Most major retailers have Price Adjustment (or Price Protection) policies. If an item drops in price shortly after you buy it, they will refund you the difference—but you have to ask.
Here are the rules for 2026.
What is a Price Adjustment?
A price adjustment is different from a "Price Match."
- Price Match: Matching a competitor's price before you buy.
- Price Adjustment: Getting a partial refund because the store's own price dropped after you bought.
Store-by-Store Policies (2026)
Target
- Window: 14 days.
- Policy: If the price drops at Target (online or in-store) within 14 days of purchase, they will refund the difference.
- Competitors: They will also adjust the price if you find it cheaper at select competitors (Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy) within 14 days.
- Exceptions: Clearance items and "Target Circle" specific temporary deals often don't qualify.
Costco
- Window: 30 days.
- Policy: Costco is generous here. If the price drops within 30 days, simply fill out the online form (for online orders) or visit the membership desk (for in-store).
- Note: Costco does not price match other retailers. They only adjust against their own price drops.
Walmart
- Window: 7 days (varies significantly by manager/item).
- Policy: Walmart's policy has become stricter. They officially support price adjustments for items purchased at Walmart.com if the price drops within the return window, but in-store adjustments are often at the manager's discretion.
- Competitors: Walmart generally does not match competitors anymore, nor do they adjust based on competitor prices after purchase.
Best Buy
- Window: During the return window (15 days for standard, 60 days for Plus/Total members).
- Policy: If their price drops, or if you find a lower price at a major competitor (Amazon, Walmart, etc.) during your return window, they will refund the difference.
- Tip: This is a huge perk of the paid "Best Buy Plus" membership—it effectively gives you 60 days of price protection.
Old Navy / Gap / Banana Republic
- Window: 14 days.
- Policy: One-time price adjustment if the item is marked down within 14 days of purchase.
- Exception: Items purchased using a promotion code or during "Final Sale" events are usually excluded.
Amazon
- Window: None (Officially).
- Policy: Amazon deliberately removed their price protection policy years ago. They do not offer price adjustments.
- Workaround: If the savings are significant and the item is still within the return window, you have to return the old one and buy the new one. (Yes, it's wasteful, but it's their policy).
The "Secret Weapon": Credit Card Price Protection
If a store refuses to adjust the price, check your credit card. While many issuers (Chase, Citi, Discover) cut this benefit around 2018-2020, some premium cards (like certain Capital One or Mastercard World Elite cards) still offer Price Protection as a perk.
- How it works: You file a claim with the card issuer showing the lower printed ad/screenshot, and they send you a check for the difference.
Automate the Savings
Tracking price drops manually is tedious. Who has time to check the price of a blender they bought 12 days ago?
Purchy does this for you.
- Purchy scans your email receipts to know what you bought and how much you paid.
- It monitors those specific products for price drops at the retailer.
- If a price drops within the policy window, Purchy alerts you with a screenshot and a "Copy/Paste" script to send to customer service to claim your refund.
Don't leave money on the table. If the price drops, that money belongs to you.
Sources
- Target Price Match Guarantee: Target.com
- Costco Price Adjustment: Costco Customer Service
- Consumer Reports: Price Match vs Price Adjustment Guide (Jan 2026)