Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

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atikovi
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Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

It's an EverStart Platinum AGM Battery with a 3 year full warranty and 5 year pro-rated. Sticker says 11/2018. Will they replace it without a reciept?
livesoft
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by livesoft »

Probably. There is one sure way to find out.
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123
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by 123 »

Go in to one of their stores and find out. Some major stores, like Walmart, carry certain product models by some manufacturers that are not sold by anyone else. That, in combination with an installation tag on the product (or a manufacture date on the product) might be all you need. I would drive the vehicle with the battery installed to the Walmart auto service bay. If you walk-in carrying a battery without a receipt they might just suspect that you took the battery from someone else's vehicle in the parking lot.
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

123 wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 9:46 pm I would drive the vehicle with the battery installed to the Walmart auto service bay. If you walk-in carrying a battery without a receipt they might just suspect that you took the battery from someone else's vehicle in the parking lot.
Tell me you're joking and don't really believe that.
jb1
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by jb1 »

Probably. If not, then now you know for next time
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cheese_breath
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by cheese_breath »

Are you expecting a brand new a battery? I don't know about Walmart, but every place I've ever dealt with would only give a prorated refund based on how much of the rated life expectancy you've used up.
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Bronco Billy
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Bronco Billy »

I think there is a good chance they will but dont think they will care what the date says. They will scan the id tag and see when it says it was sent out to Walmart. Without the recept i believe that is what they will go by. With computer s today I think the scan will probably show when and where is was sold.
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

cheese_breath wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 10:15 pm Are you expecting a brand new a battery? I don't know about Walmart, but every place I've ever dealt with would only give a prorated refund based on how much of the rated life expectancy you've used up.
Says right on the battery, 3 year free replacement and it's only 1 1/2 years old by the date sticker.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Flyer24 »

Topic moved to Personal Consumer Issues.
tibbitts
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by tibbitts »

cheese_breath wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 10:15 pm Are you expecting a brand new a battery? I don't know about Walmart, but every place I've ever dealt with would only give a prorated refund based on how much of the rated life expectancy you've used up.
Most car batteries have both a full-replacement and extended pro-rated warranty. My Walmart battery failed after two years and Walmart replaced it at no cost. Actually that happened twice. The first time, the new battery reset the 3yr full replacement warranty. The second time the Walmart person explained that the warranty was no longer reset due to a change in policy - the warranty would now be based on the original battery installation date, not the installation date of the newer battery.

I don't know about the receipt question since I had mine both times.
bob60014
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by bob60014 »

Yes they will. But if you happen to have a clerk that denies it, just ask for the department or assistant manager.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Chuck107 »

.....
Last edited by Chuck107 on Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Nate79
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Nate79 »

Does Walmart actually test the battery to confirm its bad before replacing under warranty?
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HueyLD
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by HueyLD »

Nate79 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:52 am Does Walmart actually test the battery to confirm its bad before replacing under warranty?
I don’t know anything about WMT, but every auto repair shop I’ve ever done business with tests the battery before replacement, with or without warranty.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by bob60014 »

Nate79 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:52 am Does Walmart actually test the battery to confirm its bad before replacing under warranty?
Yes.
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JoMoney
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by JoMoney »

If they installed the battery in their auto department, they have a copy of the receipt in their records tied to your car / license plate #
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Sandtrap »

I did this last year. Walmart just scanned it.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Dottie57 »

cheese_breath wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 10:15 pm Are you expecting a brand new a battery? I don't know about Walmart, but every place I've ever dealt with would only give a prorated refund based on how much of the rated life expectancy you've used up.
+1
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Lalamimi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Lalamimi »

Since we have to do everything self serve, just go to the self check and give yourself a refund :sharebeer
DiamondplateDave
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by DiamondplateDave »

I bought a 2004 Sonata last year for $500. The owner had replaced both the alternator and the battery, but the battery had gone flat as the car was in storage. I managed to get the battery working again, but after a cold snap and some sensor/no start problems, I had that sinking feeling. The battery would crank the car fine, but if it didn't start right up, the battery would stop cranking. Having gone down this road before, I knew it was getting ready to fail on the coldest, nastiest day possible.
Unfortunately, I did not get the receipt for the battery with the other receipts for the car. So I decided to go to Wal-Mart and try to bluff through it. It turned out I didn't need the receipt, they tested the battery (which was about 2 years old) and replaced it at no cost. I'm not sure what the warranty on the new battery is, but I'm not going to complain.
The downside was I was forced to go at the time where everybody was trying to get tires swapped/replaced because they suddenly were reminded "Winter is slippery in Upstate NY" by the first snowfall. They actually wanted to drive the car into the bay and work on it. So I had to cool my heels in the waiting room watching autopsy shows ("Here we see the tumor has actually crushed the brain stem...") for about 3 hours. These days, I would not sit in a waiting room with people coughing for three hours just to get a battery.
So, to answer your question, my experience is "Yes".
tivattom
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by tivattom »

The battery has a bar code that contains a serial number of the battery. They will scan the bar code and test the battery which will usually take an hour.

If the battery has failed they will scan the old and new battery and give the new battery to you at no charge. If you are out of the "free replacement" period of the warranty, they will sell you a new battery at a discount with a credit from the warranty.

The warranty credit will be prorated by months. For instance a $100 battery with a 60 month warranty that fails at month 40 you will get 20/60 months as a credit. 20 months left on warranty/ 60 month warranty term = 33% * $100 cost = ~$33 credit.

Another way to calculate the credit is to take the $100 cost / 60 warranty term = $1.667/month warranty value. $1.677 montly value * 20 the number of months it failed early = ~$33
mhalley
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by mhalley »

OK, here is a little battery story for you, regarding customer service and irrational customers.
Back in the 80’s I was working part time at the Sears auto department while attending college. One day a customer came in with a dead battery, and he was upset because he had recently purchased it, I can’t remember now but within a year I believe. He wanted the store to pro rate the cost as the old battery was still under warranty. Problem was, it was a Montgomery Ward battery! Customer could not understand why we did not want to honor the guarantee at Sears. The manager eventually gave in and pro rated the battery as if it was a die hard. Good luck finding customer service like that these days.
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

DiamondplateDave wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:22 am Unfortunately, I did not get the receipt for the battery with the other receipts for the car. So I decided to go to Wal-Mart and try to bluff through it. It turned out I didn't need the receipt,
That's my concern and last time I tried it, maybe 2 years ago, they said no receipt no replacement.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by bob60014 »

atikovi wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 11:47 am
DiamondplateDave wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:22 am Unfortunately, I did not get the receipt for the battery with the other receipts for the car. So I decided to go to Wal-Mart and try to bluff through it. It turned out I didn't need the receipt,
That's my concern and last time I tried it, maybe 2 years ago, they said no receipt no replacement.
If you tried before without success, why are you asking for advice two years later?
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

bob60014 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 12:37 pm
atikovi wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 11:47 am
DiamondplateDave wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:22 am Unfortunately, I did not get the receipt for the battery with the other receipts for the car. So I decided to go to Wal-Mart and try to bluff through it. It turned out I didn't need the receipt,
That's my concern and last time I tried it, maybe 2 years ago, they said no receipt no replacement.
If you tried before without success, why are you asking for advice two years later?
Because it was 2 years ago, duh. Apparently it's working for some people now.
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galawdawg
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by galawdawg »

Considering that you are a dealer of used vehicles and used vehicle parts and ran into this issue two years ago, I'm surprised you didn't keep the receipt this time (unless you aren't the original purchaser).

That being said, if you don't have the receipt, if the Everstart Platinum AGM has a serial number on it, they can look it up and use the manufacture date of the battery as the warranty start date. Even without a receipt, you shouldn't have an issue if they have the battery in stock and if the warranty terms provide that the warranty is transferable to someone other than the original purchaser. But nobody can accurately predict what your local Walmart will do in this case, the only way to know is to take the battery there and find out.
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

Correct, I'm not the original owner which is why I don't have the receipt. Store policies change all the time and I was seeing if anybody had luck in a scenario like mine before heading out 20 miles to the nearest Walmart.
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galawdawg
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by galawdawg »

atikovi wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 1:39 pm Correct, I'm not the original owner which is why I don't have the receipt. Store policies change all the time and I was seeing if anybody had luck in a scenario like mine before heading out 20 miles to the nearest Walmart.
Then just call the nearest Walmart, ask for the Auto Center manager, explain the situation and ask. Worst thing they can do is say no and you've saved yourself a drive and all your friends on Bogleheads the fun of endless speculation...
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JoMoney
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by JoMoney »

Did you have them install the battery?
Their auto-center keeps a record of all work done on a vehicle. They have the receipt in their computer tied to your license plate/car if they installed it.
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atikovi
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by atikovi »

No, they didn't install it. I didn't even buy it.
jjbiv
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by jjbiv »

Call before you go. Many Walmart Auto Centers are closed where I live.
Bronco Billy
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Bronco Billy »

atikovi wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 1:39 pm Correct, I'm not the original owner which is why I don't have the receipt. Store policies change all the time and I was seeing if anybody had luck in a scenario like mine before heading out 20 miles to the nearest Walmart.
Sorry but scams like these are what cost everyone more money for items. :(
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by Mr. Rumples »

jjbiv wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 2:47 pm Call before you go. Many Walmart Auto Centers are closed where I live.
Exactly. My Walmart has stopped taking returns. The sign says the return period has been extended however.

Not sure if Walmart does it, but some stores can tell from the bar code if it was purchased from one of their stores. I took something back to Lowe's that HomeDepot also sells and they could tell I got it at HomeDepot from the scan; frankly I couldn't remember since I go to each one so often.
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Re: Will Walmart replace a battery without a receipt?

Post by DiamondplateDave »

Bronco Billy wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 1:19 pm
Sorry but scams like these are what cost everyone more money for items. :(
Car Talk: Au contraire, piston puss!/Car Talk. I'm not the OP, but as I stated above, Wal-Mart exchanged the battery in the car that I purchased. They never asked for a receipt, nor if I was the original purchaser. However, the battery was clearly under warranty, per the sticker on the top. I don't know if the warranty was not supposed to transfer to a second owner or not, but clearly the cost of the warranty was built into the price of the battery. I guess Wal-Mart would be within their rights to limit the warranty to the original purchaser, with a receipt, but I would certainly argue that the person being scammed would be the purchaser, who was losing the cost of the warranty over a technicality, certainly not Wal-Mart who made a margin on the battery including an amount calculated to cover warranty claims.
I paid $500 for the car, and I had an identical battery, so I wasn't going to quibble over it. But if the seller had wanted the market value of the car, say $2500 in good running shape, if they (or I) could get a new $100 battery to replace the failed battery, then....$2500. Oh, Wal-Mart won't replace the battery because you lost the receipt?
OK, $2400. $100 loss for the seller.
To my mind, a "scam that costs everybody money" would be buying everything for a camping trip, taking it camping for a week, then returning it afterwards.
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