How Long Walmart Will Hold Your Curbside Grocery Pickup Order

Even those who have mastered the art of avoiding the absolute worst times to shop at Walmart still may, on occasion, need a break from wandering the aisles . With half of America's largest retail chains offering curbside pickup, the opportunity for convenience is there, but if you don't know the rules, it can end up being even more challenging than if you just opted for in-store shopping. Every store is different; for example, the length of time Target will hold your pickup order is not the same as at Walmart. If you place an order for curbside pickup at Walmart, it will be safe and ready to go until 8:00 p.m. on the day you placed the order, as long as you check in on the app by that time.

This policy also applies to orders with frozen goods or perishables, because Walmart keeps them in an appropriate environment to prevent spoilage. If you're late for your pickup and can't check in on time, the best option is to either reschedule or cancel and reorder your items. If you're late and don't take any action on the Walmart app, the store will cancel your order the following morning, and the authorization hold placed on your payment method will be removed. However, if you place your order and your plans for the day change, you're not completely out of luck. Walmart had enough foresight to create a few options on the app for those who can't make the pickup window.

You may wonder whether curbside grocery pickup is worth it. Well, it is if you know how it works for the store you're ordering from. If you order curbside from Walmart and can't make it in time, you have options. The first option is to reschedule your pickup time through the Order Details page on the Walmart app. Just be sure to do it as soon as possible, because Walmart only allows changes to be made to your order for three hours after you've checked out, and you can only reschedule once per order.

While you can't change an order from pickup to delivery unless there's a delay on Walmart's end, you can still change the designated pickup person if you can't make it. This can be done during checkout by adding the person's name and email address. If you've already checked out, you can still add a new pickup person through the Purchase History section on the Walmart app. But if you want to change the order from a pickup to delivery, or vice versa, you have to cancel the order and start a new one. 

It's important to keep in mind that Walmart can send you updates via text, email, and through the app after you've placed an order for pickup. To make sure you don't miss anything, it's best to make sure that your notifications are turned on, if they aren't already.