Three Walmart and Target automatic surcharges – customers will pay more for convenience
BUYERS need to be careful because if they are not careful they might end up paying an additional fee for their Walmart or Target orders.
The two retail giants have introduced a number of surcharges for customers, but there are ways to avoid most of them.
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Whether it’s a new packaging policy or a hidden delivery fee that many shoppers might not notice, The US Sun has compiled a list of all the new surcharges that shoppers are paying more for.
1. WALMART DELIVERY
In the post-pandemic retail environment, many shoppers have turned to delivery orders for the added convenience.
However, these will now come with additional costs at Walmart.
The discounter has added a flat $7.95 delivery fee to all online grocery orders, and customers aren’t very happy about the extra charge.
The only way to avoid this fee is if you are a frequent Walmart shopper with a Walmart+ membership.
Keep in mind that all Walmart+ accounts are $12.95 per month.
Buyers have already shared their disappointment.
One wrote on Twitter: “This delivery fee is crazy for Walmart.”
Another said: “Walmart now charges a shipping fee unless you sign up for their monthly program. No thank you.”
Without a Walmart+ account, the costs can quickly add up.
For example, a family that orders deliveries twice a week could end up paying an additional $800 per year.
2. TARGET DELIVERY
Meanwhile, Target buyers also run the risk of paying a higher fee if they opt for delivery.
Most orders over $35 ship for free, but there are situations where you have to pay up to $200 to have an item shipped.
The standard shipping fee for orders under $35 is $5.99, Target’s website says.
But if you decide to use express shipping, you have to pay a little more in the end.
Items under four pounds are $10 for this service.
However, the fee is $20 for products between 4 and 9 pounds, $30 for items between 9 and 33 pounds, and $50 for shipments between 33 and 59 pounds.
Expedited shipping is $80 for extra large items between £59 and £99.
Anything heavier costs $120.
On the rare occasion when customers need an item that weighs more than 1000 pounds and has it shipped to a specific room in their home, they end up paying a whopping $200.
3. POCKET SURCHARGE
If you decide you’d rather avoid the delivery fees and shop in stores instead, you may still face additional costs at the end of your shopping spree.
That’s because Walmart and Target have imposed packaging fees in states that ban single-use plastics.
Baggage fees vary by state, but typically range from five to ten cents per bag.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington have already enacted the new laws, meaning shoppers will have to pay more if they don’t bring their own reusable bag from home .
Some states have even started phasing out both plastic and paper bags.
That means residents of Washington, Oregon, New York, Connecticut and Colorado are being forced to buy reusable tote bags or bring their own from home.
Even with online orders in select states, you may end up paying extra for bags without meaning to.
For example, when customers place an online order in North Carolina, Target automatically charges them for 10 bags.
When the items are prepared, the number of bags actually used will be applied to the order and ultimately the charges will be reduced.
Nevertheless, buyers cannot cancel the surcharge early.
Walmart shoppers have rushed to grab a $460 outdoor summer essential that’s ringing for just $160.
Also, see which other grocers have followed Target and Walmart’s lead and started charging additional fees for deliveries.