Walmart Ending Savings Catcher Program

Walmart Inc. has revealed that it will discontinue its app-based price-matching program, Savings Catcher, on May 14. The program rolled out in 2014.

“We designed Savings Catcher as a means to catch occasions when a competitor’s price on a nationally advertised item was found to be lower than what you paid for it at Walmart,” the Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer explained to customers on its website. “Since the introduction of the program, we’ve worked hard to lower prices on thousands of everyday items across our stores, which has resulted in our prices winning the vast majority of the time when you submit receipts to Savings Catcher.”

Added Walmart: “This tells us that the program’s intent has been met, which was to provide you upfront with everday low prices so that you and your family can save money and live better.”

Although May 14 is last on which consumers can submit a Walmart Pay e-receipt for processing, the company noted that consumers with a balance on their Savings Catcher eGift Card will remain on the card until they choose to spend it, with no cutoff period by which they need to spend their rewards.

Customers were angry and disappointed at the news, according to Twitter, with some even calling for a boycott of the business. "We've been using the Walmart Savings Catcher for four years now,” one consumer in favor of a boycott tweeted. “We’ve saved over $900 in that time. That shows they are not the lowest prices. Saved even more when Meijer moved into the area. We say no shopping at Walmart on May 15.”

Walmart is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.