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When Does Walmart Restock?

Whether you’re buying groceries for tonight’s dinner or picking up weekly household essentials, Walmart sells just about everything you need. Plus, with the big-box retailer’s everyday low prices, it’s easier to find everything you need on a budget compared to other retailers.

Planning a trip to Walmart can help make your life easier by reducing the need to stop at multiple stores. To save time and maximize the efficiency of your next shopping trip, it’s important to know when your local Walmart store restocks.

Walmart restocks groceries every day and other departments multiple times throughout the week. Busier stores receive new shipments more often during the week. In most stores, groceries are restocked overnight between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., while other products are restocked from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Choosing the best days and times to shop can help ensure your Walmart run goes as smoothly as possible. Since the retailer’s restocking schedules vary depending on the specific location, this article will review Walmart’s basic in-store and online restocking schedules.

What Time Does Walmart Restock?

Most Walmart stores restock groceries overnight between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and other products are restocked from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. While it’s not uncommon to see store associates stocking shelves throughout the day, most of the restocking typically happens during the second and third shifts.

Walmart lacks a universal restocking schedule because each store is treated differently. Walmart’s restocking schedule also depends on truck availability and the store’s distance to the nearest distribution center.

Loaded grocery trucks arrive daily with new shipments of fresh and nonperishable groceries, while other loaded trucks arrive three to four days a week, depending on the individual store’s volume.

Because Walmart locations tend to stock during later shifts, the best time to plan your Walmart shopping trip is in the morning, right after the store opens.

However, because restocking schedules vary depending on the specific location, it’s always best to call before leaving your house if you’re searching for a specific product.

When Does Walmart Online Restock?

Walmart doesn’t restock online items within a specific window. Instead, restocking times vary depending on the specific item, and high-demand items are given a higher priority in the restocking schedule.

Unfortunately, Walmart agents don’t know when Walmart.com will receive new shipments and cannot determine how long existing online stock will be available.

To secure an out-of-stock item, Walmart recommends checking the website periodically to see if it has been restocked. Alternatively, some items offer the option to sign up for notifications when they are available for purchase.

You can also contact Walmart’s online customer service department or call a local store to check in-store availability for specific products.

How to Check Walmart Inventory

To check Walmart’s in-store inventory, open the Walmart mobile app and use the ‘Search My Store’ feature to type in the product you’re looking for.

Whether you’re searching for groceries, electronics, gifts, or toys, the app will tell you which products are in stock, along with their aisle location.

You can also use the Walmart website to check your local store’s in-store availability. But it’s important to keep in mind that Walmart’s online inventory tool is not always completely accurate.

If an item isn’t on the shelf, you can ask a store associate can scan the barcode to determine when the item will be back in stock. While these dates are only estimates and they’re not always correct, they can give you a general estimate of when the item will be available again.

If you’re searching for a specific item, you can use Brickseek’s online inventory tool to check whether your nearby Walmart has what you need in stock.

To avoid wasting gas driving to and from a store that doesn’t have what you need, it’s always recommended to call your local store and ask an associate to check the shelves.

What Is Walmart Stock Alert?

Walmart Stock Alert allows customers to sign up for notifications and receive an e-mail when items on the Walmart website are restocked. Eligible items display a button that customers can click and enter their e-mail addresses.

When eligible items are unavailable on the Walmart website, their product pages will display a “Get In-Stock Alert” button. To be notified when the item is back in stock, all you have to do is click the button and type in your e-mail address.

After signing up for notifications, you’ll receive an e-mail when the item is back in stock. However, it’s important to remember Walmart does not offer this option for all items, and receiving an e-mail notification doesn’t guarantee the item’s availability.

In most cases, high-demand items, such as household products, aren’t eligible for Walmart stock alerts.

When Does Walmart Restock Groceries?

Walmart’s grocery department receives daily trucks with nonperishable grocery products and refrigerated products like produce, dairy, meats, and frozen foods. Restocking starts immediately after the daily grocery truck is unloaded and continues throughout the day as new shipments arrive.

Walmart receives new grocery shipments every day, but arrival times vary depending on the location. In most cases, fresh grocery products arrive overnight, but there’s no guarantee of what time the new shipment will arrive.

While restocking starts immediately after the daily grocery truck is unloaded, it’s important to keep in mind that delivery times primarily depend on truck availability and the store’s distance from the nearest grocery distribution center.

Fortunately, Walmart has over 150 distribution centers across the U.S, with many locations within a few miles of a distribution center.

In most cases, bigger, high-volume locations have 24/7 access to inventory and trucks, allowing them to receive multiple grocery shipments each day.

What Is the Best Day to Shop at Walmart?

The best day to shop at Walmart is Wednesday and early in the morning. Most people tend to shop at Walmart during the weekend, leaving the aisles open during workdays. To ensure you’ll be able to find everything on your shopping list, plan your shopping trip early in the morning after the store opens.

Depending on where you live, your local Walmart store may have different busy times. If you’re trying to plan your Walmart run around long lines and crowded aisles, you can use Google Maps to find the least busy times at your local Walmart location.

If you want the best shopping experience, shop at Walmart early morning. With many Walmart locations stocking late at night, you’ll likely have access to freshly stocked shelves.

Shopping in the middle of the week can help you take advantage of the best prices. Plus, there will be fewer people at Walmart to navigate around, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy stocked shelves, freshly prepared bakery and deli foods, and short checkout lines.

Final Thoughts

Walmart has started to ease restrictions on store hours that were put in place during the beginning of the pandemic. With options for curbside pickup, grocery delivery through Instacart, and contactless payment with Walmart Pay, shopping at Walmart is more convenient than ever before.

However, even at the best of times, relying on a store’s website to have an up-to-date inventory of everything in the store. Ultimately, understanding the ins and outs of Walmart’s in-store and online restocking schedules can help you choose the best time to plan your next shopping trip.

If you’re interested in finding out more shopping tips at Walmart, check out the related articles below.

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Everything You Need to Know About Walmart’s Hours

How to Contact Walmart Customer Service (By Phone, Chat, and More)

Walmart Gift Cards: Where to Buy and How to Use Them

Walmart Grocery Pickup: How to Order Walmart Groceries for Pickup

About the Author

Samantha Ellsworth is a content writer and an avid foodie who worked as a bakery team member at Whole Foods for three years. In her free time, you can find her trying out new recipes or hiking the trails in Colorado.

By Samantha Ellsworth

November 9, 2022