Walmart is the largest retail store in Canada by the number of stores in the country and, probably, by the number of daily visitors. Unfortunately, certain items as well as groceries may sell out quickly. So when does Walmart restock and what’s the best day to shop at Walmart? See what our research shows.
Walmart remains the go-to store for groceries and everyday items for the majority of Canadians. Over the last couple of years we saw empty shelves and out-of-stock notes too often. So what would a smart shopper want to know about Walmart? We all want to know when Walmart restocks its products, when restocking happens on the Walmart website, how to check Walmart’s inventory, and when it’s best to shop at the local Walmart.
When does Walmart restock?
Walmart Canada restocks groceries several times throughout the week. The restocking operation usually happens after the store is closed. This restocking work usually happens between 10pm and 7am.
Bulky items may be restocked during the day. We see a lot of such restocking activity in the morning, between 7am and 12pm.
Bulky items are restocked more often at busier stores.
For all your grocery needs you may need to visit the store in the morning, right after it’s opened.
For anything else, you need to keep an eye on the inventory. Walmart.ca is your best source to check on your preferred store’s inventory.
When does Walmart.ca restock?
Walmart.ca operates as a separate entity within the Walmart family of stores. Since it’s not a physical store, restocking is not happening according to the schedule from the regular Walmart stores.
Online restocking managers pay attention to the products in high demand. Those products are given a higher priority in the restocking schedules.
If you shop on Walmart.ca and look to buy a product that’s out of stock, you can set up automated alerts on the site. In this way you will get a notification by email when the product is back in stock.
How to check Walmart inventory
You don’t have to go to your local Walmart only to see that your product is not available. Use Walmart.ca to check on the inventory. Find the product you’d like to buy and see whether it’s available in the Walmart stores near you. You will also be able to see the aisle where the product is to be found.
If you don’t find the product in store, while it shows as available in the store, speak with the store manager. Ask the manager or the store associate to give you the date when the product will be restocked, if the product is not available. The date will not be precise, but it will be an indication for you to check back on Walmart.ca.
If the product’s availability is low, call the store about it before going to the store. This will save you time and gas (if you drive to the store).
What’s the best day to shop at Walmart?
We already mentioned that fresh groceries will wait for you in the morning. During the week, Monday to Friday are the best days to go to Walmart. Observations from Walmart goers, including ourselves, show that Wednesday mornings between 8am-10am are the best times to visit a Walmart store.
You can always check whether your Walmart store is busier than usual by checking the store in Google maps. By searching for “Walmart near me” on Google and picking your store, you should be able to see its opening and closing hours. You should also be able to see the busy hours for the store. See the example from the Walmart store in Oakville, Ontario:
These Walmart shopping tricks have been used numerous times in Ontario and Quebec. They should work across the rest of Canada.