American retailer Walmart is known for its great prices on everyday items, such as food, clothing, and just about anything you can think of. Chances are, if you need something, you can usually find it at Walmart. But keep in mind that not everything you can get at Walmart is worth buying there.
Some of the items you can find great deals on at Walmart include back-to-school supplies, household items, and toys for your pet. And while you can get away with buying many household items at one of Walmart’s many locations nationwide, there are certain items you should put on your “Do not buy at Walmart” list.
Items to avoid buying at Walmart include most electronics, furniture, and fresh produce, among other items. The reason for buying these items somewhere else usually comes down to getting it for a better price elsewhere or quality issues with the product.
Here are some of the items you should definitely buy at Walmart and some that you should avoid buying.
Things to Buy at Walmart
Chances are if you need something for around the house you can usually find it at Walmart, often for much cheaper than you can find it somewhere else. Best of all, many of these products are of the same quality as at other stores. Here are some things you should definitely buy the next time you shop at Walmart.
1) Back-to-School Supplies
If you are one of the millions of students around the U.S., or are a parent of one, you are familiar with the yearly ritual of having to buy school supplies. Luckily, Walmart is known for having low prices on the supplies you need year round. This includes pens, paper, and pencils, among a wide variety of back-to-school supplies for kids and teens of all ages.
2) Name-Brand Laundry Detergent
Another item that you can find for a good price at Walmart includes name-brand laundry detergents. Best of all, Walmart locations usually keep a good stock of such popular brands as Tide, Gain, and Downey, among others. It’s great to buy these laundry detergents in bulk, so that you don’t have to go back to Walmart very often.
3) Baby Supplies
Walmart is likewise known for its good prices on a variety of baby supplies and related products. The retailer even gives good prices on name-brand products, such as Graco strollers and car seats, Motorola baby monitors, and Fischer-Price potty chairs. So the next time you go to Walmart, make sure to stock up on baby supplies (especially, the name brand ones!)
4) Bakeware
Walmart sells a variety of bakeware items, most with prices better than the same items sold at your local grocery store. Walmart even has affordable prices on the popular Pyrex bakeware brand. Other popular brands sold at Walmart include Rachel Ray, Farberware, and The Pioneer Woman. You can never have too much quality bakeware, so get some the next time that you go to Walmart!
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5) Toilet Paper
Walmart usually has some of the lowest prices on bathroom tissue. The retailer even carries the popular brands of toilet paper, such as Charmin, Angel Soft, and Quilted Northern. You can even find a variety of package sizes to fit, whether you are single or have a larger family. Make sure to buy in bulk too, so that you can avoid the nightmare of running out of toilet paper when you need to use the restroom!
6) Razors
Walmart also has some of the best prices on razor blades, including a wide selection of brands for men and women. Some of the popular brands of razors sold at Walmart include Schick, Gillette, and Venus Spa, among many others. You can even get the rest of your shaving supplies at Walmart while you are at it. Razors are a great thing that you can purchast at Walmart, especially because there are often sales on them.
7) Pet Toys
You can also find great prices on pet toys at Walmart. Best of all, through Walmart’s price-match policy, if you find the same toy cheaper online at Petco or PetSmart, the retailer will match that price. Popular pet toy brands sold at Walmart include KONG, Hartz, and Pet Zone.
8) Deodorant
Deodorant is another item that Walmart tends to sell cheaper than most other places. When shopping for deodorant at Walmart, keep an eye out for multipacks of deodorant to save money. Just make sure to check the multipacks against individual sticks of deodorant to ensure you are actually getting the best price.
9) Car Care Items
Taking care of your car can get expensive, especially when it comes to caring for the exterior. Fortunately, Walmart offers a wide selection of popular car care products, including Rain-X, Meguir’s, and Armor All, for really low prices in comparison to auto part stores.
10) Patio Furniture
When seeking brand-name furniture from Better Homes & Gardens, Costway, and others, check out the selection at Walmart. Not only can you find patio furniture for low prices every day, you can get additional discounts depending on the time of year.
11) Some Bedding
While it is recommended that you get your sheets from elsewhere, Walmart does have some great prices on other bedding items, such as comforters. Whether you seek a down alternative comforter, or a reversible one, Walmart has what you are looking for.
12) Curtains
Walmart offer a selection of curtains for cheap prices. This includes their Mainstays brand. You can even find black-out curtains at Walmart in their Mainstays brand for about a third or less than what you can find online.
13) Cat Litter
Another item that you can save big on at Walmart is cat litter. This is especially helpful if you have more than one cat in your household. Popular cat litter brands sold at Walmart include Fresh Step, Scoop Away, and Tidy Cats.
14) Feminine Products
Feminine products are usually cheaper at Walmart. And while you can get them cheaper at the dollar store, for some things you want to stick to the name brands due to safety concerns. This includes Playtex, Always, and Summer’s Eve, all of which Walmart sells.
15) iPhones
When it comes to iPhones, Walmart offers some very competitive pricing, usually about half of what you might pay somewhere else. And while you want to avoid using Walmart’s Straight Talk plans, you can get iPhones, which use other mobile plans.
16) Holiday Decorations
One item that Walmart is known for is its great selection of holiday decorations. Whether it’s for Christmas, Halloween, or some other holiday, Walmart usually has a wide selection to choose from for competitive prices. You can also get good discount on holiday decor items after the holiday has passed.
17) Kleenex
One thing to keep a good supply of is Kleenex, especially around flu season. Luckily, Walmart has some of the best prices around for facial tissue. Whether you prefer Kleenex, Puffs, or Walmart’s Great Value store-brand, you have a wide selection to choose from in store.
18) Cleaning Products
Another area that you can save money on at Walmart is with cleaning products. Some of the wide variety of products that Walmart offers include various sprays, disinfectant wipes, and bathroom cleaners. Most of these products include name-brands Windex, Lysol, and Clorox, among others.
19) Educational Toys
Walmart also offers a wide selection of educational toys for kids ranging in age from newborns to 11 years old. Popular educational toy brands sold by Walmart include Leapfrog, VTech, and Fischer-Price, among many others, all at great prices.
20) Legos
If you have kids, then chances are you’ve bought a Lego set or two. Walmart is known for having some of the best deals on Legos. This includes some of the currently most sought-after sets, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lego Friends.
Things to Avoid at Walmart
While Walmart offers a wide selection of things you should definitely buy when shopping there, you need to keep in mind the list of items to avoid. Most often the reason you should avoid buying a particular item is due to the price, but, occasionally, the quality of specific items have been called into question. Here are the things you should avoid buying at Walmart.
1) Store-Brand Supplements
If you are thinking about buying your supplements at Walmart, you need to take some precautions. Walmart has been caught in the past selling substandard vitamins when it comes to their store-brand supplements. Either stick to name brands or buy them somewhere else.
2) Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper is another product you would be better off not buying at Walmart. You can get it much cheaper at the dollar store, and why pay a higher price for something that you will end up throwing in the trash anyway.
3) Pre-Paid Cell Phone Plans
According to reviews, Walmart’s Straight Talk pre-paid cell phone plans hae some of the slowest LTE speeds on the market. In addition, Smart Talk has some of the worst customer support, according to some reviews. Unless you are just looking to save money, you are better off getting a more expensive plan somewhere else.
4) Batteries
Batteries are another item you should avoid purchasing at Walmart. You can get them for less somewhere else. Costco is probably the best place to buy your batteries, especially their store-name Kirkland brand. Even their name-brand batteries are cheaper than at Walmart.
5) Appliances
Even though Walmart offers a wide selection of small appliances, experts recommend that you stick to buying them elsewhere. You should also shop elsewhere when looking for larger appliances (which the company sells online), such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators.
6) Cellphone Accessories
If you need accessories for your cellphone, avoid buying them at Walmart. Instead, buy them online at Amazon or Newegg. The reasoning behind this is that the prices that Walmart charges for these items are higher than what you can get them for elsewhere.
7) Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
When it comes to fresh produce, you can often get a better deal at your local supermarket as compared to Walmart. In addition, the selection of produce at Walmart is way less than what you can find somewhere else.
8) PC Laptops
Avoid buying PC laptops at Walmart, as they are of lower quality than you can find at electronics stores. And while the prices are usually cheaper than what you pay elsewhere, you might end up paying for it in the end due to the quality issues.
9) Printer Ink
When it comes to printer ink, you can find the best prices online and not at Walmart. These savings grow even more if you don’t mind using remanufactured cartridges. So, unless your local Walmart is having a sale on printer ink, you should avoid buying it there.
10) Pet Food (In Bulk)
Buying pet food at Walmart is fine as long as you don’t buy it in bulk. If you prefer to get large amounts of pet food at one time, then stick to purchasing it online or at a wholesale club, such as Costco or Sam’s Club.
11) Party Supplies
While you can definitely find party supplies at Walmart, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy them there. Your best bet when purchasing party supplies is to check at the dollar store first where you can get them for cheaper.
12) Greeting Cards
Just like with party supplies, greeting cards are so much cheaper at your local dollar store than at Walmart. At many dollar stores, you can get greeting cards for two for $1.00. At Walmart you would pay at least $0.99 for just one card and usually three times as much as at the dollar store.
13) Jewelry
Even though the jewelry sold at Walmart is cheaper than you would pay elsewhere, the quality is also lower. Unless you only need a cheap piece of jewelry, as opposed to a quality piece of jewelry, stick to stores that sell such items, such as the local jewelry stores.
14) Books and Entertainment
You can usually find the books sold at Walmart for much cheaper online. This also goes for other entertainment mediums, such as music, TV series sets, and movies. You might occasionally find a good deal on a movie in the Discount DVD bin at Walmart.
15) Brand-Name Diapers
While Walmart beats its competitors when it comes to the price of its store-brand diapers, you can find name-brand diapers for less somewhere else. In fact, one of the best places to buy name-brand diapers is from online retailer Amazon.
16) Camping Gear
If you like camping but want to avoid paying too much for your camping gear, then avoid buying it from Walmart. Better yet, if you are new to camping and want to see if you like it first, rent camping gear from an outdoor store, such as REI, Sierra Trading Post, and others.
17) Electronics
Before running off and buying a low-priced TV from Walmart, consider the fact that most often the models they sell are of a lower quality than at electronic retailers, such as Best Buy. In addition, the sales people at a big chain electronics seller are more apt to be able to answer any questions you have about your purchase, something you won’t usually find at Walmart.
18) Magazines
If you think you can save money by buying magazines at Walmart, think again. Consider the fact that you can get a full, one-year subscription to the same magazine for the price of what you would pay for only two single issues at Walmart.
19) Furniture
Just like with electronics, the furniture sold at Walmart is of low quality. And while you end up paying less, the furniture you buy will not last as long as a quality piece you could get elsewhere for a higher price. You can also get good deals on furniture at local antique and consignment stores.
20) Gift Cards
While you might think a gift card is a gift card, you can actually get a discount on gift cards by buying them online, as opposed to paying full price for them at Walmart. Sites such as Card Cash and Raise sell gift cards at a discount. In addition, Costco and Sam’s Club sometimes give discounts on the gift cards they sell.
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The items you should and shouldn’t buy at Walmart can mean the difference between saving money and buying a higher-quality item. As long as you do your due diligence and research items before buying them at Walmart, you can usually figure out where to get the best deals. This way you can save the most money while still getting the items you need.
