How to shop the Walmart sales – expert tips from a Shopping Editor

Whatever you're shopping for, you'll find it at Walmart. I turn to Walmart to not only pick up household essentials for mere pennies, but also to score deep discounts on appliances and furniture sets from big-name brands, including Ninja, Keurig, and Beautiful by Drew Barrymore.

Compared to other home retailers, including Nordstrom and West Elm, Walmart offers a wider range of products and a greater depth of discounts. Of course, there are Walmart Flash deals all year round, but there are also many key sale events that are worth adding to your calendar if you really want to secure a good saving.

Here, I'll explain more about the best times to shop at Walmart and what actually constitutes a good deal.

Shop Walmart sales by department

• Walmart Flash Deals: up to 65% off this week's biggest bargains
• Walmart home deals: save on everything from robot vacuums to ice cream makers
• Walmart patio and garden sales: deep discounts on furniture, decor, appliances, and equipment
• Walmart household essentials sale: save on laundry detergent, trash bags, kitchen roll, and other everyday items

When is the best time to shop at Walmart?

Walmart Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales

This year, Black Friday falls on November 28 and Cyber Monday is December 1. I'd except Walmart to start dropping deals from the middle of November and run through the first week of December.

Black Friday is the best time to buy just about anything online, as stores compete to offer the lowest prices on the hottest products.

Walmart Rollbacks

A rollback is a temporary price reduction on a particular product, rolling back the numbers to a previous, lower price.

You'll find rollbacks on everything from food and home goods to tech and toys.

Rollbacks pop up randomly and last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks to months. It's worth keeping a close eye on the Walmart savings tab to see what's on offer.

Walmart Flash Deals

Every week, Walmart runs flash deals, offering up to 65% off household essentials and impulse purchases.

It's all too easy to be taken in by the low prices and end up buying things you don't need and won't use.

One way to make flash deals work for you is to only browse the page when you need to add another item to get free shipping. Pick up a pack of batteries, cleaning wipes, or other essentials to get over the threshold: it's never money wasted.

How do you know if you've got a good deal at Walmart?

Download the Walmart app

When you download the Walmart app, you can use the 'Savings Catcher' function. Scan your receipt or enter your purchase number into the app and you'll be able to see price differences from the same products at other local retailer.

If you find the exact same product listed somewhere for less, then Walmart might issue an eGift Card to make up the difference.

Sign up for Walmart+

Walmart+ is like Amazon Prime: an annual plan that gets you free delivery, exclusive discounts, and early access to sales. If you want to make the most of your membership (which comes to $98 for the year, or $8.17 a month), you need to be a regular Walmart shopper.

Opt for Walmart Pickup

When you opt for Walmart Pickup, you get to avoid shipping fees, which can make a major difference to the size of your purchase. Use the Walmart store locator to find your nearest outlet.

Walmart offers such breadth of products and depth of discounts that it can be hard to tell the difference between a good deal and a low price on a poor product. It's worth learning how to shop Walmart like an interiors editor to get the most for your money.