Have you ever placed an order on Walmart.com but noticed it was taking much longer than expected to arrive? Walmart orders can occasionally face delays due to issues like inventory shortages or weather disruptions. If your Walmart delivery is late, don’t worry – here is everything you need to know about delayed Walmart orders, including how to get a refund or reschedule delivery.
Delays in online orders can happen for a variety of reasons. With nearly 200 million unique visitors to Walmart’s website each month, there are bound to be some hiccups along the way. Understanding Walmart’s delivery process, timeframe, and options for delayed orders can help manage expectations. This article will cover common questions and tips for handling delayed Walmart order deliveries.
Why Do Walmart Orders Get Delayed?
There are a few key reasons why Walmart orders may face delivery delays:
- Inventory issues – If a particular product you ordered is out of stock, Walmart may take extra time to fulfill and ship your order. Lack of inventory is a common trigger for shipping delays.
- Warehouse problems or weather disruptions – Issues at Walmart fulfillment centers, like technical glitches or short staffing, can slow down order processing and delivery timelines. Severe weather like snowstorms can also impede shipments.
- High order volumes – During peak times like holidays or sale events, Walmart may receive far more orders than normal capacity. More orders than the fulfillment centers can handle will lead to general delays.
- Item availability – Some items are only available for delivery on specific dates. If you order a product that is not available for immediate delivery, Walmart will hold your order until the next available date. This will push back the delivery date.
- Carrier delays – Even after Walmart processes and ships orders, delays can happen if the carrier has issues like staff shortages, weather disruptions, or overloaded logistics systems. FedEx, USPS, and UPS can all contribute delays.
How Long Do Walmart Deliveries Normally Take?
Walmart offers several delivery options with different timeframes:
- Two-day shipping – Orders with two-day shipping should arrive within two business days of the order date. This shipping method is free on orders over $35.
- NextDay delivery – Only available in certain areas, NextDay delivery means your order ships the next day and arrives by 8 pm the following day. There is an additional fee of around $10 for this.
- Same-day delivery – This offering lets you get products from your local Walmart store within a few hours. Costs extra based on the size of your order.
- Standard shipping – Free on orders over $35, standard shipping aims to deliver within 4-14 business days but the window is an estimate. It can take longer.
Understanding Walmart’s expected delivery timelines can help determine when to anticipate an order. If your delivery option has passed the typical shipping duration, your order may be delayed.
What Should I Do If My Walmart Order is Delayed?
If you notice your Walmart order is delayed beyond the expected delivery window, there are a few steps to take:
- Track your order status – Go to your Order Details on Walmart.com or use the Walmart app to view real-time updates on your order progress. This can provide helpful information.
- Contact customer service – If there are no status updates or your order is very late, reach out to Walmart’s customer support online or by phone. They can investigate and confirm if there are any delays impacting your order.
- Ask about rescheduling delivery – See if it is possible to reschedule your delivery to a later date if the delay is due to inventory shortages. This gives Walmart more time to fulfill the order.
- Request refund or cancellation – If the delays are excessive or delivery by the required date is essential, you may want to consider canceling the delayed order and requesting a refund from Walmart.
- Check for notifications – Keep an eye on the email linked to your Walmart account for any communications about order changes, delays, or rescheduling from the Walmart team.
How Long Do Walmart Order Delays Usually Last?
Most delivery delays from Walmart will only set an order back a few days, but there can be exceptions:
- Minor warehouse inventory issues may cause 1-3 day delays as orders are rerouted.
- Severe weather incidents could potentially delay shipments by 1 week+ until conditions improve.
- Popular sale items that sells out quickly can face 1-2 week long order backlogs during peak demand times.
- If a specialty item is backordered until a specific date, delays can last weeks or even months until the product is available.
- FedEx or UPS delays typically last 3 days on average based on carrier data, but can persist longer during holidays.
For most standard orders, a delay of 5-7 days beyond the maximum delivery window is the threshold for when customers should contact Walmart to address excessive wait times.
Will I Get a Refund if My Walmart Order is Delayed?
Walmart has a detailed On Time Delivery policy for handling delays and refunds:
- 2-day shipping – If an order with 2-day shipping is not delivered within 2 business days of the order date without notice, you can typically get a $10 eGift Card as compensation upon request.
- NextDay or Same-Day delivery – These orders are eligible for a full shipping refund if Walmart misses the guaranteed delivery window. You will need to contact support.
- Return shipping costs – If an error results in an incorrect item being shipped and you need to return/reorder, Walmart will cover the return shipping label cost.
- Groceries – Delayed grocery orders may be eligible for up to a $10 credit on a future delivery or pickup order.
To request any owed refunds or credits, contact Walmart customer support and provide your order details and reason for the request. Make sure to act quickly, as refunds typically must be requested within 5-7 days of the original delivery date.
Can I Cancel a Delayed Walmart Order?
If your Walmart order is severely delayed and you no longer need or want the items, you can request to cancel the pending order. Reach out to customer service by phone, online chat, or the help page for delayed orders.
Be aware of the following conditions around canceling delayed Walmart orders:
- Cancellation is not guaranteed – Walmart may not allow cancellations if the order has entered fulfillment.
- Processing time varies – It may take 2-3 days after the request for Walmart to officially cancel the order in their systems.
- Refund timing – Any refund owed may take 5-7 business days to process after a cancellation is completed.
- Restocking fees – For items like electronics or furniture, Walmart may charge return or restocking fees even if undelivered.
If your order ships before Walmart can process a cancellation request, you will need to initiate a regular return upon delivery.
What Should I Do If My Order Arrives Damaged After a Delay?
Walmart orders that arrive late due to shipping delays or inventory shortages are unfortunately still at risk for damage in transit or other delivery issues. Here are tips if your delayed order shows up damaged:
- Refuse delivery if damage is severe – If an item seems heavily broken or defective upon delivery, you can reject the shipment.
- Note any damage before accepting – Inspect packages closely and make notes of dents, tears or open boxes before signing.
- Take pictures as proof – Capture images of any damage to products or packaging as evidence for claims.
- Begin Walmart’s return process – You can initiate a return request online for damaged items, even delayed ones.
- Request a replacement – Ask Walmart customer service about sending a replacement item for any irreparably damaged products.
Even with shipping delays, customers have a right to receive orders in undamaged, usable condition. Follow Walmart’s protocols for processing returns and replacements.
How Can I Prevent Delayed Orders From Walmart?
There are some tips customers can follow to lower the odds of encountering delayed Walmart orders in the future:
- Allow extra time – Build in 2-3 extra days buffer on delivery dates to account for possible minor delays when planning orders.
- Pick premium shipping – Opt for fast shipping like NextDay or 2-day when available to minimize transfer time.
- Verify item availability – Check that products are in-stock and ready to ship quickly before ordering to avoid backlogs.
- Order early – For gifts or occasions, purchase items well in advance to allow more flexibility if delays occur.
- Use in-store pickup – Choosing in-store pickup when available gets items in 1-2 days without risk of shipping delays.
- Create an account – Registered accounts may receive priority handling and better customer service.
- Avoid peak times – Steer clear of ordering during known high-volume periods like holidays or sales events.
While delays are hard to prevent entirely, taking these steps can significantly lower your chances of having Walmart orders arrive late.
Key Takeaways on Delayed Walmart Orders:
- Check tracking frequently if orders are delayed beyond estimated timeframes
- Contact customer support to investigate late orders and discuss options
- Delivery delays from inventory issues typically last 1-2 weeks
- Severe weather can cause delays of 1 week or more until conditions improve
- Refund eligibility depends on delivery option and cause of delay
- Cancel with care – cancellation not guaranteed once order is processing
- Inspect orders closely upon late delivery for any damage
- Allow extra time, pick faster shipping, and order early to minimize delays
Waiting on delayed packages can be frustrating. But staying aware of Walmart’s delivery processes and leveraging options like rescheduling, refunds, cancellations and proactive customer support can help ease the stress. With huge order volumes, some delays are inevitable, but you can take steps to minimize disruption.
