AutoZone is a major seller of automotive parts.
If you are looking to make a purchase from an AutoZone near you, you probably want to make sure you are getting a good deal.
Price matching can be a great way to do that.
Does AutoZone Price Match?
AutoZone does price match with local competitors.
Some stores that they price match with include Walmart, O’Reilly, and Napa.
However, they don’t match with stores that are outside of the area or online competitors.
They also will not price match with their own online parts retailer, autozone.com.
This means that there are some things you will need to keep in mind when asking AutoZone for a price match.
Make sure to come with proof of the lower price and ensure the price you are coming with is from a local competitor.
How To Price Match At AutoZone
The first thing you are going to want to do is to find out what your local AutoZone is charging for the item you want to buy.
This can be done by calling them up or going into the location and asking.
It is important to make sure that AutoZone has the part you want in stock.
They will only price match on parts that are already in stock, not parts they need to order.
You then want to check out the other shops in the area and get prices on the part.
The price has to be from a select company that AutoZone has already decided to price match.
This typically includes the major local competitors in the area.
You can ask your AutoZone which stores they will price match with.
You are going to need proof of the price for AutoZone to match it.
The most common way to do this is to bring in an advertisement that displays the piece along with its price.
Take your proof of price to the manager and ask them to price match you on the product.
Is Autozone Price Matching Worth It?
Price matching can seem like a great life hack.
It can be very empowering to get a company to lower its price.
However, there are some situations where it might not be worth it.
If the competitor with the lower price is close by and has the product in stock, it probably just makes more sense to get it at that store.
After all, asking a manager to price match does take time and effort.
Price matching might be worth it if you are buying multiple parts.
For example, if you are buying three car parts and AutoZone has the lowest price for two of them, it can be worth it to ask them to price match the other part.
This will save you time from having to go to another store.
Another situation in which price-matching might be worth it is if you find an advertisement for a lower-priced part but the part in question is out of stock at the original store.
When you go in, all you have to do is present the advertisement as proof of the competitor’s price.
You aren’t required to prove that the item is in stock.
A third situation in which price matching might be worth it is when you are a part of a loyalty program with a certain store.
For example, AutoZone has a rewards program.
After five qualifying purchases, you earn a $20 reward.
If you frequently make purchases for your car, those rewards can add up!
In that case, it will make more sense to buy at one store than many different stores when possible.
A fourth situation in which price matching will make sense is if you happen to see an advertisement for a cheap part when you are already planning to go to AutoZone.
In this case, it doesn’t take you any extra effort to go to the store and ask them to price match the product.
Does AutoZone Do Price Adjustments?
Price matching is when a store matches the price of a competitor for an identical product.
Price adjustment is when a store lowers the price of a product to match prices from the same retailer.
For example, if you notice that the windshield wipers at the AutoZone 30 minutes away are cheaper than the same ones at the AutoZone 15 minutes away, you are out of luck.
AutoZone won’t price match itself.
Does AutoZone Price Match For Online Retailers?
AutoZone does not price match for online retailers.
This includes their own online store, autozone.com.
When you buy parts at your local AutoZone, part of what you are paying for is the convenience of getting the part immediately.
It is also easier to do returns when you buy a product in person.
You don’t have to wait for delivery or pay shipping fees.
Are There Any Cases In Which AutoZone Won’t Match A Local Competitor’s Price?
If the local competitor isn’t on the list of companies that AutoZone considers for price matching, they will not match that competitor’s price on a product.
AutoZone also requires that the features of the product be exactly the same, along with the warranty.
What Are The Best Stores To Search For Price Matches?
If you want to price match a product at AutoZone, the best stores to look for lower prices are going to typically be Walmart or O’Reilly Auto Parts.
While AutoZone will also price match Napa, Napa typically sells products for higher prices than AutoZone, so it is unusual to find a good price matching opportunity when looking at Napa’s products.
O’Reilly tends to have very similar prices with AutoZone because they are quite close competitors.
However, sometimes O’Reilly does have lower prices, and you can use them to get a price match at AutoZone.
Walmart will usually be the best option for finding a good price to match.
Even though Walmart is not exclusively an auto shop, it sells many of the same products as AutoZone.
Walmart is known for trying to provide the lowest prices possible, which is why it is a good option for price matching.
Additionally, there are typically multiple Walmart locations within a short distance from AutoZone stores that AutoZone may consider for a price match.
Does O’Reilly Auto Do Price Matching?
AutoZone will price match a local O’Reilly store, but what about the other way around?
O’Reilly’s price matching policy is almost identical to AutoZone’s.
They will price match most local competitors, but will not price match online retailers.
O’Reilly also will not do price adjustments.
The pricing at each local store is determined by several factors that vary based on location.
One advantage of shopping at O’Reilly Auto Parts is that they have a 10% military discount.
If you have served in the military or are a dependent of someone who is serving in the military, you qualify for this 10% discount.
Does AutoZone Have A Military Discount?
Unlike O’Reilly, AutoZone does not have an official military discount.
You could use O’Reilly’s military discount to try and negotiate an extra 10% off of your purchase on the basis of price matching.
The results aren’t guaranteed but there is no harm in asking.
While AutoZone doesn’t have an official military discount, some military personnel have reported they have received a 5% to 15% unofficial discount in certain AutoZone locations.
These discounts are at the cashier or store manager’s discretion.
If a manager seems hesitant to give you a discount, try framing it as a price match for O’Reilly Auto Parts.
Can I Bring My Own Parts To My Mechanic?
If you are looking to buy car parts, chances are you have a car that needs some work done!
If you are having a mechanic do the work, is it better to buy the part directly from the mechanic or to buy it yourself at a shop like AutoZone?
While you might be able to save money by buying your own parts from a shop like AutoZone, if you aren’t doing the work yourself it is typically better to buy parts through your mechanic.
1. Cost
One of the reasons it is better to buy your car parts through your mechanic is that it could save you a lot of money in the long run.
Your mechanic knows exactly what parts your car needs.
They also know what parts are higher in quality and will last longer.
If you buy the same part at AutoZone it might be slightly cheaper.
However, the auto shop might charge you a higher rate for their labor to make up for the money they are losing by not selling you the part.
Bringing your own parts to an auto shop is kind of like bringing your own ingredients to a restaurant to try and save money.
Another thing to consider is that mechanics have more experience than you do when it comes to sourcing parts.
It could take you hours to find a good deal on a part, while a great mechanic will already be buying parts for the best deal they can find.
2. Warranty
Many mechanics will not provide a warranty if you bring your own parts.
After all, if you bring a low-quality part to the auto shop, why should the mechanic be responsible for its failure?
Unless you are an expert on cars yourself, your relationship with a good, honest, and reliable mechanic is worth more than a couple of bucks saved on a part.
If you really want to save money, you could try asking the auto shop to price match AutoZone on the part.
Where Can I Get The Cheapest Car Parts?
If you are determined to fix or build a car yourself, the place you are going to likely find the most affordable car parts is online.
Many brick-and-mortar retailers are having trouble keeping up with the kind of low prices that online retailers are able to provide.
When you buy parts online, you can quickly compare prices across a variety of different websites.
This helps you find the best deals more quickly than going into different physical stores to compare.
Not only that but you don’t have to spend money on gas by driving around town to different stores.
It’s important to take shipping costs into account.
The website will often only show you the base price of the product, not the shipping costs and sales tax.
If you put the item in your cart and go to check out, you can see how much shipping will cost you.
Time is also going to play a big factor in whether online parts purchases make sense for you.
If you are building your own car from scratch as a hobby, you might be able to wait a while for parts to be delivered.
However, if you are looking to fix your only vehicle that is broken down, you might want to pay a little more to get the part immediately at a brick-and-mortar location.
Why Are Car Parts Cheaper Online?
The reason buying car parts online is typically significantly cheaper has to do with the fact that online retailers typically have much lower overhead costs than brick-and-mortar retailers.
An online retailer often sells products via a method called “drop shipping.”
This is when the product is shipped directly from the distributor to the consumer.
When companies sell online, they don’t have to pay rent for a store location or the salaries of employees who run the store.
Because they don’t have these additional costs (called overhead), they can sell products for much less than brick-and-mortar stores while making the same profit.
Is It Safe To Buy Car Parts Online?
As we mentioned in the mechanic section, there are safety concerns to consider when buying car parts.
If you want the savings of online shopping without the risk of buying from a completely unknown retailer, it is best to stick with online stores that have strong reputations.
For example, autozone.com can save you money on your purchase while still providing the reliability and peace of mind you have when buying products inside an AutoZone store.
