E-commerce

Walmart: Tariff refunds will keep prices low

Walmart revealed it had 11,000 rollbacks in prices in the second quarter, up from 7,200 rollbacks at the end of the first quarter.

Photo: jetcityimage - stock.adobe.com

August 21, 2026 by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Summarize withChatGPTGrokPerplexityClaude

Walmart plans to use some of its $3 billion in tariff refunds to keep prices low, according to its Q2 FY27 earnings release, and stated it had 11,000 rollbacks in prices in the second quarter, up from 7,200 rollbacks at the end of the first quarter.

"Our operating income outlook reflects the continued prioritization of tariff refunds received in Q2 into customer experience and price investments in the second half," said John David Rainey, Walmart Inc. executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in the earnings call.

Walmart's e-commerce growth was up 23% globally, including the 10th consecutive quarter of growth over 20% for Walmart U.S., according to the earnings report.

"The sustained growth we have seen in e-commerce across the company over multiple years points to more than a digital success story. It is evidence that customers and members increasingly choose Walmart because they know we combine low prices across a broad assortment with speed and convenience," CEO John Furner said during the earnings call.

The price strategy news comes at a time when shoppers are under pressure due to increasing food costs and fuel costs and are in the throes of back-to-school shopping.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers with school-age kids are extremely or very concerned about back-to-school costs this year, according to a Smarty survey that also revealed American families expect to spend 47% more on school items this year, American families expect to spend about $922 on back-to-school shopping this year, up 47% from 2025, according to the release.

"But it's clear customers are looking for value and convenience, and they want things fast, and that's where Walmart shines," said Furner. "Having the best prices across a basket of goods helps us continue to build trust with our customers and members by helping them save money at a time when many households are carefully managing their budgets. We're investing heavily in price because customers need us to and because we believe it drives market share gains over time."

About Judy Mottl

---

Judy Mottl is the editor of RetailCustomerExperience.com and DigitalSignageToday.com at Connect Media. She is an award-winning editor, reporter and blogger who has worked for top media for nearly four decades,  including AOL, InformationWeek and Internet News, as well as for leading technology providers including HP. She’s written everything from breaking news to in-depth industry trends and reported on technology long before the internet arrived, including the debut of the first smartphone. When she's not sharing insights on digital signage deployments and trends in retail customer experience she's on the beach or watching the latest live murder trial.

Connect with Judy: