Walmart says it's killing a popular price-matching tool because it already offers the lowest prices - and outraged customers are accusing the company of lying
- Walmart is ending Savings Catcher, a popular price-matching tool that automatically refunded customers for any price differences between Walmart and its competitors.
- In an email to shoppers, Walmart said it's ending the program because it already offers the lowest prices in most cases.
- Outraged customers have accused Walmart of killing the program to save money.
- "You are not discontinuing Savings Catcher because your prices are lower, you are doing it because very often your prices are not lower and it is costing you more money," Michelle Severt wrote in a post to Walmart's Facebook page on Saturday. Severt said she has saved more than $857.19 through Savings Catcher.
Walmart is ending a popular price-matching tool that has resulted in hundreds of dollars in savings for some customers.
Walmart sent an email to shoppers last week announcing that it would end the program, called Savings Catcher, on May 14.
The tool, which is part of Walmart's app, automates the price-matching process. It scans shoppers' Walmart receipts and compares the prices paid to those advertised for the same items elsewhere.
If the Savings Catcher finds a lower price advertised by a competitor, then it will issue the customer a Walmart gift card in the amount of the difference.
In the email sent to customers announcing the program's end, Walmart said it has learned that it already offers the lowest prices in most cases.
"Walmart's prices win most often when you submit your receipts, which tells us that the program's intent has been met," the company said. "That's why we have decided to discontinue the Savings Catcher receipt submission, effective May 14, 2019."
It appears that Walmart will no longer offer price-matching in stores once the Savings Catcher tool expires. On its website, the company states that it will price-match items on Walmart.com, but will not match a competitor's advertised price. Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hundreds of customer complaints about the program's discontinuation are now flooding social media, with many people claiming that the tool resulted in savings every time they shopped at Walmart.
"You LIE when you say your prices usually win," one person said on Twitter, alongside a screenshot showing her Savings Catcher rewards in an amount of $299.70. "I will restructure my grocery-buying between @amazon & local stores. You made a terrible, greedy choice #Walmart."
Several other Twitter users also posted screenshots of their Savings Catcher rewards, some of which showed savings amounts of up to $900.
Some shoppers are threatening to stop shopping at Walmart once the program ends.
"There is no reason to continue shopping @Walmart anymore," one customer wrote. "Savings Catcher was the only reason we grocery shopped there."
Michelle Severt posted to Walmart's Facebook page: "You are not discontinuing Savings Catcher because your prices are lower, you are doing it because very often your prices are not lower and it is costing you more money. I currently have $76.38 on an eGift Card with a lifetime savings of $857.19 through Savings Catcher.
"I am disappointed because I save that money during the year then use it toward gifts at Christmas. On the bright side I will no longer have to use Walmart Pay or shop online with Walmart at Christmas. I will be shopping much more at other stores."
In a tweet, Walmart said it saw a drop in the use of the Savings Catcher app and promised to continue to find ways to save customers time and money.
Here's what people are saying about Savings Catcher ending on social media: