Do stores really match lower prices from competitors?

Future shop DO NOT price match, not when the lower price is from Costco. exact product (IPOD) and they refuse to match the price, saying that Costco is not a retailer.

So far I have had good results with this.

Best Buy matched a lower offer by a competitor on a electronic item my wife was buying (while standing in the store she googled it on her iphone which she handed to the salesperson which was sufficient evidence for them).

Also recently I bought a nice set of maximum impact sockets for $220 at Canadian Tire (I had shopped around, that is what they cost). 2 weeks later I just happen to stop into the store and I walked down the aisle that had the sockets. They were on sale for $80 (super door crasher sale). I opened my wallet and lo and behold I had the receipt right there. 5 minutes later they had credited me $140 with no issues at all.

Its a nice service. To the guy above if Bestbuy won't match go buy it at Costco. If you already bought it then at the purchase point you considered it worth what you spent so you can't exactly consider that you got ripped off now can you?

I couldn't be bothered. The time spent finding the same product at a lower price and then arguing with the retailer is just not worth it for me, unless we are talking hundreds or thousands of $$.

I purchased a washer/drier from Sears after pricing one from Home Depot. The exact same model was on sale 50% off on a manager special. Sears did match the price after an internet search and honored the price plus 10% policy. I was very impressed, and saved a TON of money on something i was going to buy anyways. Only catch was they didn't have the item in stock, and i needed to wait three days for delivery. Not bad for me, but not the best thing if you need the item right away.

Price matching just doesn't work. In the age of computers each company has a slightly different model number with insignificant changes, but they are quick to point out that they don't have to price match as theirs is a different model, even if it is not strictly true . Just another gimmick to avoid price matching. In certain instances they do have to price match or be guilty of false advertising. In these cases they do price match. The best recourse is when they advertise the same product at a lower price. They do ( and they morally should ) reduce the price paid without question as long as you have the original bill, but let's face it. How many of us still have the original bill ?

I've had success with Best Buy, and local music shops. Other retailers such as clothing, shoes, and calogne were firm that they don't price match, others got offended, and some were just plain rude. The real issue I have is that I have a smartphone on me, I can EASILY see what the competitor is offering for the SAME product right there...and they will gladly take my credit card digits just as easily. I've stopped going to book stores and music (CD's) stores a long time ago...pdfs and streaming music are all I need. I suspect those two businesses will go into the abyss just like arcade gaming.

Walmart will match sale ads, I save easily $20+ every trip to buy groceries. I go through the flyers before I shop mark the things I will be buying that are on sale and pair the ad with the item I want to save money on as I am shopping. There is no arguing with the cashier they are used to it since people are doing it more and more as money tightens.
I buy groceries every week and if I'm saving $20 a week that's over $1000 a year saved to be spent elsewhere, not price matching is just silly and lazy.
As for worrying about people behind you...really since when has anyone ever cared, I for one am not going to get upset by someone trying to save some cash I encourage it.

I find that there can be some real advantages to price-matching from some retailers - ex, company A has a lower price but company B has a far better return/guarantee/warranty policy with a higher price. By taking the ad to company B, you get the lower price and the better warranty etc... Other than that, I agree with the above comment that its seldom worth the bother unless you are talking about a savings of$60-80 or more. This is especially true in electronics I have found in my search for the cheapest value - not just the price.

I have had no problem with price matching at Canadian Tire. My Panasonic 3 handset wireless phones were on sale at another retailer for $60 less than CT. Canadian Tire matched the price and gave me 10% in Canadian Tire "money". No hassle, and it only took a few minutes. Not using this would be the same as not using coupons.

Canadian Tire...my experience there is horrible. They have told me they will not match their own reduced price unless I put the item (already installed at home) in the orignal packing (already in the garbage), receipt is not good enough.

Staples used just their receipt to refund reduced price...was easy there.

If retailer A won't price match retailer B's price, usually promising - not threatening - not to buy the item will get A to match B's price. Otherwise, buy at B.

Why should you get a discount if the item you buy goes on sale at a later date? You agreed to the price when you swiped your card. Live with it.

I never price match. I would rather give my business to the store that wanted to give me the better deal to start with.