Price drops

Price dropped after you bought it? Store price adjustment policies compared

Target, Costco, Best Buy and Home Depot refund their own price drops for a limited time. Amazon and Walmart.com mostly do not. Here is each window and how to claim it.

October 16, 20266 min read

Price adjustment windows

Official store policies, checked Oct. 16, 2026

Target14 days after purchase

Costco.com30 days after purchase

Best BuyReturn period, 15 or 60 days

AmazonEligible pre-orders only

Home Depot30 days after purchase

Lowe'sNo published window

Walmart.comNo adjustments

Quick answer

Some stores refund the difference when their own price drops after you buy, but only if you ask within a short window. Target gives you 14 days, Costco 30 days on Costco.com orders, and Best Buy your full return period (15 days for most products, 60 for paid members), and Home Depot 30 days. Amazon only guarantees prices on eligible pre-orders, and Walmart.com does not adjust prices after purchase.

Price adjustment policies at a glance

We checked each store's official policy on Oct. 16, 2026. Policies change, so confirm the current terms before you rely on them.

Target: matches a lower price at Target.com, in Target stores or from an automatic Target Circle deal for 14 days after purchase. It does not match other retailers.
Costco: Costco.com purchases that drop in price within 30 days qualify through an online form. For warehouse purchases, Costco says to ask at the returns counter.
Best Buy: matches its own lower price during the return and exchange period, as many times as the price drops. That is 15 days for most products, or 60 for My Best Buy Plus and Total members.
Amazon: says it does not offer price matching compensation. Eligible pre-orders sold by Amazon.com are charged the lowest price before release.
Home Depot: refunds the difference if the price drops within 30 days of purchase, in store or online. It also matches local stores and select online competitors, including Lowe's, Amazon and Walmart.
Lowe's: matches a competitor's current lower price, plus shipping or delivery cost, on identical in-stock items. If you find a lower price after you buy, Lowe's says to chat or call, but it publishes no time limit.
Walmart: Walmart.com does not adjust items whose price dropped after you bought them. Walmart stores will match the current Walmart.com price for an identical item at checkout, with exclusions.

How to claim a price adjustment

Keep the receipt or order number. Target and Costco both need proof of the original purchase.
Note the deadline when you buy: 14 days at Target, 30 days at Costco and Home Depot, the end of your return period at Best Buy.
Check the price again before the deadline. Stores match prices that are live when you ask, not a sale that already ended.
Ask through the right channel: the store's guest services or customer service desk for in-store purchases, and chat or phone for online orders.
Watch for the credit. Costco says approved credits usually take 5 to 10 business days to reach the original payment method.

What price adjustments usually exclude

Each store has its own list, but the same exclusions come up again and again:

Clearance, open-box, refurbished and used items.
Marketplace or third-party seller prices.
Coupons, gift card offers, bundles, rebates and financing deals.
Member-only prices, unless you are a member.
Prices from other retailers after you have already bought.

When there is no price adjustment

If the store will not adjust, a return may still work. Amazon accepts most items within 30 days of delivery if they are in original or unused condition, so you can return the item and buy it again at the lower price. Check for return shipping costs and stock first. Then use our guide to tracking a refund to make sure the money comes back.

If you have not received the item yet, check the store's pre-delivery rules. Best Buy refunds the full difference, including tax, if it drops the price before your scheduled delivery date.

Do credit cards still offer price protection?

Some cards have offered price protection as a card benefit. Do not assume yours still does: read your card's current guide to benefits, or call the number on the back of the card, before you count on it.

Where Compass+ fits

Spotting a price drop after you buy is one of the things Compass+ is being built to do. That feature is not live yet, and Compass+ will not request adjustments or move money for you.

Today, the Compass assistant runs inside Gerald with a read-only bank connection. It can see your purchases in your transactions, but it does not track product prices.

Frequently asked questions

Price adjustment FAQ

What is a price adjustment?

A price adjustment is a refund of the difference when a store lowers its own price on something you already bought. Stores that offer one set a short window, usually tied to the purchase date or return period, and you normally have to ask.

Which stores give price adjustments?

Of the large US retailers we checked, Target (14 days), Costco (30 days on Costco.com orders), Best Buy (during its return period) and Home Depot (30 days) refund their own lower price on request. Amazon and Walmart.com do not, apart from Amazon's pre-order guarantee. Lowe's tells buyers who find a lower price after purchase to chat or call, but publishes no time limit.

Will a store refund a lower price I found at a competitor?

Home Depot is the clearest exception. Its 30-day price adjustment typically covers lower prices at competitors it matches, as well as homedepot.com. Lowe's also says to chat or call if you find a lower price after you buy. Best Buy matches listed competitors at the time of sale only. Target and Costco match only their own prices, and Amazon and Walmart do not match competitors.

What if the store does not offer price adjustments?

If the item is still within its return window and unused, you can return it and buy it again at the lower price. Check the return conditions and any shipping or restocking costs first.

Does my credit card have price protection?

Check your card's current benefits guide before relying on it. Card benefits change, and price protection is not something to assume your card still offers.

Sources

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