Have you ever heard the term “rollback” and thought, what the heck is that? I mean, we think it has something to do with prices… right? Rollback is like a sale… right? Well, apparently were just as confused as you. So, keep reading, and we’ll all find out exactly what Walmart rollback really means.
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What Does Rollback Mean At Walmart?
It turns out the answer is pretty simple.
A “rollback” is a temporary price reduction on an item sold at Walmart. Basically, it’s Walmart’s version of a sale.
But “rollback” is different from clearance. Rollback items go on sale temporarily before returning to their full price, whereas clearance items are generally marked down before being discontinued or phased out for the season.
Now, why exactly is it called “rollback?” Basically, when an item goes on rollback at Walmart, the price is being temporarily “rolled back” to a previous price that’s lower than its current price. This is a reference to “rolling back” the numbers on the price tag.
How Does Rollback Work At Walmart?
Walmart’s rollback program is pretty simple. Basically, Walmart announces rollback sales ahead of time, posting advertisements both online and in stores. Then, when the rollback period begins, customers can take advantage of the rollback prices until the prices return to their standard amount.
Walmart rollback prices can last for up to 90 days, but some rollback promotions expire sooner than others. It’s common for rollback prices to last about two weeks.
Rollback prices can be as much as 50% lower than the standard retail price of the item, but the discounts are determined by a collaboration between Walmart and the item supplier or manufacturer. So, there is no set discount amount for Walmart’s rollback items.
Unfortunately, unlike Walmart’s clearance sales that happen during the first five days of every month, there is no set schedule for Walmart rollbacks. Rollbacks are planned as needed when Walmart experiences overstocks of certain items or receives lower prices from suppliers. So, rollbacks happen more often some years and less often in other years.
Can You Return Rollback Items To Walmart?
Thankfully, even if you purchase an item when it’s on rollback, this will not affect your ability to return it. Walmart’s return policy does not restrict customers from returning rollback or clearance items as long as they can provide proof of purchase (or a valid ID) and return it within the allotted return window.
Learn more about Walmart’s return policy here.
Does Walmart Price Match Rollback Items?
Unfortunately, while Walmart does have a price match policy on certain items, they do not price match rollback items or any other items considered to be on sale (including clearance and holiday sales events).
Learn more about Walmart’s price match policy here.
FAQs
Does Walmart restock rollback items?
Yes. Rollback items are generally not clearance items or items marked for discontinuation, meaning that Walmart intends to continue stocking them in stores even after the rollback prices expire. However, rollback items could end up becoming clearance items, so there is no guarantee that all rollback items will be restocked.
Can any Walmart item be placed on rollback?
Yes. Rollbacks are negotiated with suppliers and manufacturers, enabling Walmart to temporarily charge lower prices for items that have excess inventory or are temporarily available for a lower price to Walmart. For this reason, any item could theoretically become a rollback item if the supplier cooperates with Walmart to offer a lower overall price.
Is rollback a sale?
Yes. “Rollback” is essentially just Walmart’s term for a sale on non-clearance items.
Conclusion
Walmart rollback is a fancy way of saying “sale.” When Walmart experiences overstock on certain items, the retailer “rolls back” prices to encourage those items to sell more quickly. Customers can enjoy these rollback prices for anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the stock of the item.
Whether you’re shopping online or at a brick-and-mortar Walmart store, you’ll have no problem taking advantage of Walmart’s intermittent rollback sales.
