Wal-Mart is broadening its online price comparison tool, an announcement revealed Wednesday.
Wal-Mart will offer Savings Catcher in more U.S. cities in the coming months, According to the Associated Press, The retail giant is said to be focusing on areas where competing stores are located, and also plans on adding televisions, t-shirts, vegetables and other produce selections to the Savings lineup.
The national price matching service gives consumers a Wal-Mart Rewards eGift Card if employees discover a competitor's advertised price on an item is lower than the one consumers purchased at a Wal-Mart store or online.
The retailer launched the savings tool in March in Charlotte, N.C., Huntsville, Ala., Minneapolis, Minn., Lexington, Ky., and Dallas, Texas in March. San Diego, Calif., and Atlanta, Ga. were also included.
The leader of Cameron Smith and Associates recruiting group told AP that Wal-Mart's move helps the retailer compete with discount stores.
"Savings Catcher is a brilliant move on Wal-Mart's front to combat dollar stores," Cameron Smith said. "This is what Wal-Mart should be doing - throwing down the gauntlet once and for all that they will not be beat on price."
The service is now compatible with the company's mobile app.
The senior vice president of Wal-Mart's mobile and digital department said the app personalizes the retailer's shopping experience with store customers.
"Today, mobile allows us to have a similar personal relationship with our customers that Sam Walton had with his customers 50 years ago when he opened the first Walmart store," Gibu Thomas said in a company press release when the iPhone and iPad-compatible apps were launched Nov. 9, 2011.
"We can greet each of our customers by name, guide them through our stores, and give them product recommendations and real-time savings - all from their mobile devices," he said.
According to television station ABC 15 Arizona, Wal-Mart reportedly banned a customer from company stores for life after excessive price matching.
