With the increasing trend in online shopping, retailers such as Walmart are adopting new methods to satisfy customers’ needs. One major question people want to answer is how long Walmart will hold a grocery order before cancellation.
The ideal holding period for a Walmart grocery order depends on the mode of delivery, type of grocery, and store locations. Nevertheless, Walmart allows up to a few hours or days (in a few cases) before canceling a grocery order.
This guide explains how long Walmart will hold a grocery (pickup or delivery) order before it returns it to the store and cancels it.
Holding Period For Grocery Pickup Orders
Walmart offers online grocery pickup services at over 3,000 stores in the U.S. The service allows customers to buy groceries online and pick them up at a store.
After placing a grocery pickup order, you will receive an email or text informing you your order is ready. In most cases, this service’s holding period or pickup window is one hour.
In other words, if you select a pickup window from 4-5 pm, you have until 5 pm to pick up your order. Failure to do so within this timeline means Walmart will cancel your order and charge a cancellation fee before issuing a refund.
Please note that Walmart stores have the right to make an exception should you give them a heads-up.
Holding Period For Grocery Delivery Orders
If you do not want to pick up your order at the store, Walmart offers a grocery delivery service. This service lets you shop online and deliver your order to your doorstep. However, it is only available in select locations.
For grocery delivery, there is no specific holding period. However, you have until midnight on the day of delivery to edit your order.
This is because once the driver arrives at your residence and you are unavailable, he or she will attempt to contact you on how to schedule a new delivery.
If the driver cannot contact you, he or she may return the package to the store, and you will be charged a fee (usually for the delivery attempt) before you get a refund.
Other Significant Takeaways
Walmart offers a few other services that may be relevant to customers who prefer to order groceries online. This includes:
1. Substitution Preferences option
This service allows customers to indicate their preference for substitution for out-of-stock items. In other words, customers can choose to accept any substitution that is the same brand or no substitution.
2. Pickup & Delivery membership
This service provides customers free grocery delivery and discounted pickup services for a monthly or yearly fee. This service may be useful if you shop online regularly and want to save money.
FAQs
Can you be late for your Walmart grocery pickup?
Yes, you can, and it is no big deal once you contact the store to let them know beforehand. The grocery pickup will be delayed and will kickstart when you confirm your availability.
How long does Walmart take to process orders?
Your order should be processed for pick up or delivery within 2 to 4 hours.
Can you return a Walmart purchase to any Walmart store?
Yes, you can return most items bought from Walmart to any Walmart store within the U.S. The only exception is items purchased from resellers or Walmart Marketplace.
Wrapping Up
Walmart offers two main options for online shoppers — pickup and delivery. For grocery pickup orders, you have until the end of the pickup window (usually one hour) to pick up your order else, it is canceled and returned to the store.
For delivery orders, there is no specific holding period. However, if you are unavailable and unreachable at delivery, your order will be returned to the store and canceled.
Please note that you may get a prorated refund for every cancellation. This is because Walmart usually charges for its pickup and delivery service.
You can also use unique services such as the Substitution Preferences option or the Pickup & Delivery Membership. These services allow you to enjoy extra convenience.
I hope you found this guide helpful. If you did, please find out if Walmart accepts EBT cards for grocery purchases.
Thanks for reading.
