Does Walmart Offer Military & Veteran Discounts in 2022?
No, Walmart does not currently offer any specific military, veteran, or Veterans Day discounts or sales.
As a retail market leader, Walmart is well known for everyday low prices across categories rather than relying on discounts and promotions. Their massive scale and lean operations allow Walmart to maintain razor-thin profit margins. This strategic approach likely explains why Walmart does not implement special discount programs requiring exceptions to their everyday price policy.
However, while Walmart does not provide discounted prices specifically for service members, they demonstrate support for veterans and active duty military through major investments in hiring initiatives, healthcare, business support programs, and community outreach.
An Inside Look at Walmart‘s Commitment to Veterans
Even without offering military discounts, Walmart has made veteran hiring and support central to their corporate values. According to Walmart‘s 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, here are some key ways they support veterans and military families:
320,000+ Veterans Hired: Walmart set a public goal to hire 250,000 veterans by 2023. As of November 2020, they had hired over 320,000 veterans, well ahead of schedule.
Veteran Retention Rate: Walmart‘s veteran retention rate is over 85% compared to the 65% average across private sector employers.
Healthcare Access: Walmart offers free mental health counseling, health insurance support, and opioid prescriptions for veterans.
Business Support: Walmart accelerates veteran-owned brands through mentorship programs and hosts hiring events promoting veteran entrepreneurship.
Philanthropy: Over $25 million donated since 2011 to support military families and veterans organizations.
Walmart‘s long-term commitment to veteran success is clear based on hiring numbers that greatly exceeded targets and robust retention rates. These initiatives do come at a real cost to Walmart‘s bottom line, which likely influences their decision not to also offer military discounts.
How Veterans Can Still Save at Walmart
While there is no permanent military discount, veterans can still take advantage of savings opportunities:
Walmart Sales and Rollbacks: Walmart routinely offers sales and rollbacks (price decreases) on certain items or categories for all customers. Check weekly ads and in-store signs for deals.
Clearance: Scan the clearance sections for steep discounts on overstock merchandise and discontinued items. Selection varies by store.
Price Matching: Take advantage of Walmart‘s price match guarantee by matching lower prices from competitors‘ ads. Some limitations apply.
Buy Online, Pickup In-Store: Order online and pickup curbside for free to skip shipping fees. Browse app-only deals too.
Walmart+ Perks: Get free delivery and shipping with a Walmart+ subscription for $98/year or $12.95/month. Includes fuel discounts.
Employee Discount: Veterans working at Walmart can get a 10% discount through the employee discount program.
Walmart Prices vs. Competitors
| Item | Walmart Price | Target Price | Costco Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, 12 count | $1.78 | $2.09 | $2.29 |
| Bananas, 1 lb | $0.48 | $0.59 | $0.69 |
| Milk, gallon | $2.98 | $3.29 | $2.85 |
| Potato Chips, 9.5oz | $2.98 | $3.49 | $5.99 |
*Prices as of 3/1/2022 for grocery items at select locations. Minor variations may occur.
As you can see, Walmart maintains highly competitive everyday low prices on popular consumables versus other discount retailers. This table highlights the value Walmart provides that likely negates the need for additional military discounts from their perspective.
The Best Military & Veteran Discounts
While Walmart does not offer military discounts, many other major retailers do offer special everyday savings for active and former service members with proper military ID:
- Kohl‘s – 15% off everyday
- Home Depot – 10% off
- Lowe‘s – 10% off
- Best Buy – 10% off
- Nike – 10% off
- Apple – 10% discount
Around Veterans Day, be sure to also check retailers like Amazon, Macy‘s, Sears, and Calvin Klein for special promotions honoring veterans with extra discounts.
Should Walmart Offer Military Discounts?
On one hand, discounts would provide helpful savings on Walmart‘s already low prices to reward service members. However, Walmart also invests heavily in veteran programs. Discounts reduce profits available to fund other support initiatives.
My perspective is that Walmart can likely do more good by expanding healthcare access, hiring vets, and backing entrepreneurship compared to small discounts that erode their margins. The everyday value is already strong for veterans shopping at Walmart.
Final Tips for Shopping at Walmart
Hopefully this overview gave you some visibility into how Walmart supports military members without discounts. Here are my top tips for veterans and active duty personnel shopping at Walmart:
Always compare prices – Walmart may not be cheapest on every item.
Stack savings with sales, rollbacks, clearance deals, and price matching.
Check app-only deals in the Walmart app before shopping in-store.
Don‘t forget about the 10% employee discount if you work at Walmart.
Use Walmart+ for free delivery/shipping and fuel discounts.
Bring military ID to retailers like Kohl‘s and Best Buy for automatic discounts.
While discounts provide nice savings, Walmart‘s everyday low prices, variety of support programs, and initiatives to hire veterans make it a preferred retailer for many military shoppers. Thank you again for your service!
