How to use price matching to save money

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There are all sorts of ways to save money when you shop.

Using price comparison sites is an obvious one and so is shopping during the sales season.

You could also try maximising your cashback and looking for vouchers and discount codes.

What isn’t mentioned as much in the UK is price matching because only a handful of retailers offer it.

And the rules can also be very specific.

The price matching might only be offered for certain competitors, for example, or exclude the usage of things like discount codes or items already in clearance.

Here’s how price matching works and which retailers offer it.

What is price matching?

The concept of price matching is pretty simple: a retailer will match the prices offered by a competitor so you buy the item from them instead of their competitor.

But unlike supermarket price promises, the retailer isn’t checking on their competitors and adjusting their prices accordingly.

Instead, you have to find the cheaper offer yourself and show proof of it to the retailer to get them to drop their price before you buy.

Some retailers will also let you claim back the difference after you’ve already made the purchase.

Price matching is a bit more prevalent in the US.

One time I got about $100 off a GoPro at Best Buy through price matching after finding a cheaper deal on the internet while I was in store.

In the UK it isn’t as well advertised, but it is available across everything from electricals and furniture to jewellery and clothing.

However, while the concept is easy, it’s anything but straightforward because there are always conditions attached, which can take some time to get your head around.

Why it’s worth using price matching

You might be wondering why you wouldn’t just buy the item from the cheaper retailer instead of trying to navigate a price matching policy.

Well, there are a few reasons.

A big one is trust. You trust your preferred retailer more and you want to shop from them, but you also want the really good deal.

Another might be the extra perks you get when shopping through your preferred retailer.

You could get cashback or points, or you might get free delivery and installation.

And then there are the times when you’ve already made the purchase before spotting it cheaper somewhere else.

Which retailers offer price matching?

The list of retailers that offer price matching changes all the time but below are some of the big brand names that currently have a price matching policy in place.

Note that all of the retailers restrict price matching to UK-based retailers (Amazon is often excluded), and usually for purchases made within seven days.

The item must be in stock and an exact match and in general can’t be part of a special promotion, sale or be sold by a third party retailer.

There are sometimes further restrictions so it’s worth reading the fine print.

Currys

Currys* has one of the most generous price matching policies around as it will price match for deals found online and offline.

And it will do this before you make your purchase and within seven days after your purchase.

Plus, you can ask about price matching online, instore and by calling them.

AO.com

AO.com’s price matching promise applies both before and after your purchase.

If you spot a great deal before you make the purchase, you can call them up on their price matching hotline* (those words are mine) and see if they will match the deal.

If you spot the deal within seven days after you’ve made your purchase, you can apply for a refund of the difference via your account.

The one key difference is that it will only price match against online retailers and not for anything that’s instore only.

John Lewis

John Lewis has a longstanding Never Knowingly Undersold price promise that applies only to products you’ve already purchased.

You’ll need to find the exact same product in stock at one of the 25 retailers John Lewis will price match against within seven days of your purchase.

Then you just have to fill in the form on John Lewis’ website* to apply for a refund of the difference.

Halfords

Halfords* is a little bit different in that it will price match for branded products and comparable unbranded products.

That means you don’t need to find an exact match, which can make things slightly easier.

It will also price match for services so that’s worth bearing in mind, especially as you can request a price match before you make your purchase and within seven days afterwards.

Furniture Village

I personally think it’s pretty hard to price match furniture because it’s much harder to find an exact match and there are far fewer competitors you can turn to.

However, if you do find a unicorn whether online or instore, Furniture Village will price match.

You have to get in touch by calling them*, emailing them or via live chat – but you have to do it after your order and before your item is delivered.

Go Outdoors

Go Outdoors* is already one of the most affordable retailers for outdoor gear, but you can also ask for price matching if you’re a member.

Membership is not free, sadly, although at £5 a year it’s not going to break the bank either.

For that £5, you get up to 50% off everything you see on its website, which can be a good deal if you need a lot of outdoor gear or you’re making one big purchase.

In terms of the price matching, you can do it online and instore and you can do it before and after you’ve made your purchase.

A note about sales, discount codes and cashback

Most retailers that offer price matching won’t price match deals that are cheaper because the item has been reduced as part of a sale or another promotion.

Similarly, they won’t accept deals that are exclusive to members or specific demographics, say students or Blue Light cardholders.

In terms of cashback, you’ll still get cashback if you use a reward credit or debit card but you might not if you use a cashback website like TopCashback or Quidco.

Vouchers and other discount codes will probably be rendered invalid, too.

That said, never say never. Sometimes retailers do accept promotional prices and other discounts, which is why it’s so important to read the fine print.

How much can you save with price matching?

Price matching can save you a lot of money – potentially several hundred pounds if it’s a big ticket item like electronics or furnishing.

It’s worth shopping around after you’ve made your purchase just in case you spot a better deal but I think most retailers are pretty good at price matching their competitors before you need to ask so I’d only do this for more expensive stuff.

Some retailers, like Temu, will even allow you to claim a refund when their own prices fall so that’s worth looking out for too.

How to improve your chances of getting a price match

If you want to improve your chances of a successful price match, keeping an eye out for deals and the price matching fine print is obviously important.

One detail that’s often overlooked is the delivery charge. Is it part of the price matching requirements and will it put the prices of one retailer higher than the other?

You’ll also need to compare model numbers rather than just relying on product names alone as you’ll need that to prove an exact match.

You should be keeping track of evidence every step of the way. That means taking a note of the website you used and screenshots or photos of the prices.

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