When Does Walmart Take Money For Preorders

Preordering items is a great way to ensure that you will receive an item when it finally releases; however, the purchase process can be confusing now that you can make so many preorders online. Therefore, you might wonder: When does Walmart take money for preorders?

Walmart puts a hold on your credit or debit card when you preorder an item. Your card is officially charged when the items ships upon release.

You’ll need to wait a little longer for purchases to hit your account on preorder items. Learn more about this process by reading through this article. You’ll be an expert in no time too!

How Walmart Charges For Preorders

Preordering items online is simple these days, but you still may wonder how companies charge you for preorder items.

Find And Preorder Item

First, you will want to find the item you want and preorder it.

At stores like Walmart, you will check out normally. You might not even notice that anything is different with a preorder as opposed to a regular purchase.

Put In Your Credit Card Information

Next, you will put in your credit card information.

Again, this process is exactly the same as if you are purchasing anything else online.

Walmart Puts Hold On Card

You will not see the purchase immediately hit your account.

Instead, Walmart will put a hold on your credit or debit card to ensure that you have the available funds.

If you use a credit card, you may be used to waiting a few days for your purchases to officially hit your account.

Walmart Charges Card When Item Ships

Your credit or debit card will be charged when the preordered item finally ships.

This will be more obvious on a debit card instead of a credit card because the funds will leave your account.

Preordering items takes a few more days to hit your account, so keep this chart in mind when preordering items too.

How Long Does It Take For Purchases To Hit Your Account?

Walmart charges your account after your preordered items ship to you, but it doesn’t always mean that the purchase will hit your card immediately.

You could wait for days or weeks after preordering an item for it to ship, but you usually don’t have to wait as long for the purchase to hit your account.

Usually, purchases take longer to hit your account when they are made with a credit card; debit cards are reflected on your bank statement much faster than with credit cards.

Take a look at this handy chart to know how long you have to see your purchase on your bank statement – especially if you realize you’re short on funds:

Purchase Type	Waiting Time
Regular purchase with credit card	3-5 days
Regular purchase with debit card	No more than 24 hours
Preorder with credit card	3-5 days once item ships
Preorder with debit card	24 hours once item ships

Ways To Avoid Charges From Preorders

It’s possible to forget that you preordered an item, which means you could be hit with a sudden charge that you forgot about.

Here are a few ways to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Preorder In Store

Depending on the store, you may be able to pay in full for a preorder when you preorder in-store.

Not all stores allow you to pay outright, but it may be an option, even at Walmart.

This will ensure the store gets payment for the product, but if you do not pick up the product, your money will be refunded.

Use A Prepaid Gift Card

Prepaid gift cards are a good way to protect money on your credit and debit cards.

People recommend paying with gift cards or prepaid cards for certain items online, like a preorder.

Make sure that the gift card or prepaid card has enough money to cover the item’s cost and shipping, if applicable.

You will know that you have the funds available if you use a prepaid gift card, so make sure you don’t use the gift card elsewhere!

Wait Until The Item Releases

The best way to avoid sudden charges to your cards is to purchase the item after it is released.

Purchasing an item after it releases means that you won’t have charges on your credit card days or weeks later, but it also means that:

• You may not get the item
• You may not get certain promotional pricing
• The item may have to be purchased at a physical store

There are some drawbacks to foregoing a preorder, but you don’t have to worry about overdrawing your account.

Remind Yourself With A Note

If you want a preorder but don’t want to forget about the purchase, you can leave yourself a note to remind yourself.

I often forget things, leaving a note is an easy way to ensure that you don’t forget you made this preorder.

You can leave notes in different ways like:

• Writing it on a calendar
• Putting it on your phone calendar or notes app
• Write it on a sticky note
• Tell someone else to remind you about the purchase