TL;DR: Pay CLOSE attention to price increases and ALL fees; take screenshots of your cart just before finalizing them, and double check your charges. Fee amounts, other charges, price increases, and Authorization Hold amounts are changing (drastically) without any notice.
I depend on grocery delivery as I'm on crutches waiting for surgery and can't walk/drive. Walmart+ has been a better option than Amazon Fresh or others for me…until this week. I have seen odd price increases overnight (Julio's Queso went from $3.98 yesterday to $5.98 today, etc.). I get that prices will be volatile because of what is happening in our trade/economic policy. BUT…
I buy small amounts of basic groceries at a time, $50-$75 (never more because I just cannot handle that much to put it away). My items are typical, none very expensive, an occasional bottle of wine or batteries that costs more, so my usual "Authorization Hold" amount (a surcharge over and above your grocery, tax, tip total to cover higher-dollar substitutions, or heavier produce…things like that) runs from $7-$10+ on a typical order. I am careful with substitutions and NEVER just leave them open for the shopper to fill (either I select a sub, or choose NO SUBSTITIONS), that way there are no expensive surprises.
Placed an order yesterday around $80 and the Authorization Hold was $11 – no problem. Went to place an order of just food things today and for my total (including tax, tip) of $61.88, Walmart jacked the Authorization Hold 300% to $34 (on a TOTAL grocery bill of $61.88, with about $10+ of that being tax and tip!). No email, no $ Hold policy change announcements, no explanation.
When I contacted Customer Service and asked what had changed overnight, they had no explanation about the 300% increase in Authorization Hold amount since yesterday, said they were glad they could resolve my inquiry, and "Thank you, Have a nice day".
edit: to reflect information I clarified about what happens to that Authorization Hold amount. However, that does not change the fact that an abrupt, unexplained 300% increase in said amount is not acceptable (to me anyway. I will be looking for another service).
Heads Up for Walmart+ Grocery, etc. Members re: Authorization Hold amounts
byu/Madame_Arcati inFrugal
Posted by Madame_Arcati
4 Comments
I also get groceries delivered. Thank you for this, I will definitely be on the lookout too.
An authorization hold is not the same as a float.
Walmart could very well afford to sell you the groceries at the price that’s listed at the time of your order. They choose not to. They already purchased the item they’re listing at that price . I would suggest you just get rid of Walmart Plus. They’re not doing you any favors by changing the price on you without notification.
Walmart does not get to hold the money during an authorization hold. The bank does.