Here are the price-matching policies for Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

There is nothing more frustrating than buying a new computer, phone, game console, or backpack and finding out that you could have gotten it for a lot cheaper somewhere else. In order to keep customers happy — and prevent them from going elsewhere — many retailers offer price-matching policies where they promise to match a lower price that you've found elsewhere. They will also sometimes match themselves if you buy something that goes down in price a week later.

What follows are the price-matching policies of a variety of major retailers. There are a few things to make note of here. First, all price-matching policies have a number of rules attached to them. We've summarized some of the rules here, but you'd be advised to go to the links that we've provided and read the policy carefully. Second, and logically enough, retailers that are marketplaces for other sellers, such as Amazon or Costco, don't have price-matching policies.

Finally, most retailers that do have price-matching policies suspend them for special occasions, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So if your favorite store isn't offering a Black Friday deal on that phone you want, you can't wave an ad showing a 50 percent off deal from another retailer and expect it to be honored. But at other times of the year, these price matches can save you a nice amount of cash. So keep them in mind.

One other thing to keep in mind: there are exceptions to most rules. So if you're looking for a deal on a product and you know of a lower price elsewhere (or offered previously at the same retailer), then it never hurts to call or use an on-site app to ask if they'll match the price.

Amazon

Amazon.com doesn't offer price-matching.

Apple

While we've seen some claims that Apple will price-match up to 10 percent for products bought at certain major retailers, there is no official policy on the company's website.

Apple does say that if it reduces its price on an Apple-branded product within 14 days from when you received your item, you can visit an Apple Store or contact the Apple Contact Center at 1-800-676-2775 to request a refund or get credit for the price difference. However, that doesn't apply to special sales like Black Friday.

B&H

B&H says that it might be able to honor a current lower price or match the price of a competitor, but it does so on a case-by-case basis. You have to contact its Customer Service team using the on-site chat, email, or by calling (800) 221-5743 / (212) 239-7765.

Best Buy

Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee states that a product could be eligible for a price reduction if it's identical to the competitor's product, immediately available at the competitor's store or on its site, and not shown on Best Buy's exclusion list (which includes "items for sale the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after Thanksgiving").

Best Buy will also, upon request, match its previous in-store or online price as long as it's done during the return and exchange period.

Costco

Costco does not price-match with competitors. However, according to the website, it will issue a credit for the difference between the price you paid and a promotional price if you bought the item online at Costco.com and requested the credit up to 30 days before the change in price.

Dell

Dell will price-match a new computer that shares the same key features and specs as the one you bought (such as memory, hard drive capacity, processor, etc.). There is a list of the specific retailers (such as Amazon, Apple, and Best Buy) that Dell will match prices for on its Price Match page.

You can also contact the company about a price difference within 30 days of purchase. However, none of this is available from the week before Thanksgiving through the week after.

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

DJI

We could not find any evidence of a price-matching policy at DJI. However, if DJI reduces the price on a product within seven days from when you received it, you can contact the company within that time at http://www.dji.com/contact to request a refund or credits for the difference between the price you have been charged and the current selling price. This doesn't include special sales events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

GameStop

We could not find any evidence of a price-matching policy at GameStop. If you preordered a product and the price goes down by the time it ships, according to GameStop, you will be charged the lower price; if the price increases, you'll be asked if you want to buy it at the higher price or cancel it.

Google

According to the Google site, "At this time, we don't price match."

HP

At the time of purchase, HP.com will match the current pre-tax price for new comparable PCs and identical HP printer model numbers from nationally recognized online retailers, such as Dell, Amazon, or BestBuy.com. The specs have to be the same, and you have to ask for the match before the purchase. It does not include items for sale from Thanksgiving Day through the week following Thanksgiving.

Microsoft

Microsoft does not have a price-match guarantee.

Newegg

Newegg offers price-matching on select items; these products are identified by the words "price match guarantee" that appears in the price box on the right of the product page. This applies whether you find that lower price on Newegg or at another major retailer. You need to notify Newegg of the lower price within 14 days of purchase. It is not valid from November 25th through December. 2nd.

Sam's Club

Sam's Club will price-match "everyday prices" at Walmart. In addition, if you buy a product online, you can request a price-match within eight days of purchase for Sam's Club items with promotional prices. Neither deal applies to Black Friday or Cyber Monday promotions.

Sonos

We didn't find anything on the Sonos site about price-matching.

Target

Target will match the price of an item that you find for less either at Target or at a select list of competitors if you ask for it at the time of or within 14 days of your purchase. You can either bring your proof into the store or call for online purchases at 800-591-3869. This is not valid from November 28th through December 7th.

Walmart

Walmart's online store offers price matches on one item per customer per day from a specified list of retailers. This does not apply to in-store purchases, and it does not apply to prices shown from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.

Walmart will match a price found on Walmart.com or Jet.com for an item purchased at a Walmart store, but it does not match prices on items purchased from Walmart.com that later decrease in price.

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