How Often Does Walmart Restock? (By Department)

It’s always frustrating to get to the store and find that whatever you were looking for is out of stock. Different retailers have different schedules for how often they receive deliveries and restock their shelves. So, how often does Walmart restock and replenish? 

Walmart restocks groceries every day, while electronics and toys are restocked every 3-4 days. If an item you were looking for is in the back, you should expect it to be refilled on the shelf within a day or two.

When Does Walmart Restock Stores? 

Walmart’s restocking schedule depends on the item and the store. Some stores may have different schedules than others. Still, most of the time store associates are replenishing items all throughout the day and night. 

Grocery items are normally restocked overnight while there are fewer customers in the store. This is so store employees can work more efficiently and get the store ready for business the next day. 

Sections like clothing, shoes, toys, and electronics may follow different schedules based on how much sales volume they do and when they receive deliveries. 

Still, as a general rule, you can plan on Walmart restocking during the following times: 

So, even if the item you were looking for isn’t in stock during your visit, you can probably count on it being back on the shelf within a few days at most.

If you want to find out if a specific item is in stock, you can check Walmart’s website or use their mobile app. That will tell you if the item is available online or you can select your local store to check their inventory. 

Walmart doesn’t have a set schedule for restocking and they don’t typically advertise when to expect certain items to come in. Because delivery schedules and store personnel availability can be unpredictable, they prefer to provide general estimates instead. 

How Does Walmart Compare to Other Retailers on Restocking? 

Like Walmart, most retailers have a delivery schedule for when they’re scheduled to receive deliveries. Aside from that, it really depends on the store’s conditions, what’s in-stock at the warehouse, and how many people are available to help stock. 

For example, Target also works to restock items throughout the day, but sometimes it’s not realistic if they don’t have enough people working. 

What Time of Day Do Most Grocery Stores Restock? 

The easiest way to find out when a certain store restocks their items is to ask them. Even within a single chain, individual stores may have different delivery schedules. 

Still, most large stores (like Walmart) restock overnight while the store is closed or very early in the morning. They may start before the store opens or just do most of the stocking outside of peak hours.

Most stores want to work their deliveries as soon as possible once they’re received. No one wants to do double work storing products in the back until they can be worked to the shelf. 

Even stores that do the bulk of their restocking overnight normally still have store employees available to assist customers during the daytime and evening hours. They also normally try to refill fast-moving items and top sellers as they run out. 

There are a lot of factors that go into planning the days and times a store will be restocked. With large chains you have to consider that deliveries have to go to multiple stores, and they’re traveling some distance from a warehouse or distribution center. 

Smaller stores may only restock during the night while the location is closed due to space constraints. However, others may be forced to restock during business hours because that’s when the deliveries come. 

With all the variables, it’s always a good idea to check with your local store to find out for sure when you should expect your favorite items to be back in stock.

How Often Does Walmart Restock Bikes? 

During the pandemic, bicycles were hot commodities. They’re still popular purchases as people are trying to get outside more. Walmart is a go-to for people looking to buy bikes and other outdoor equipment. 

If you head to the store and find that the bike section is pretty empty, you’re probably wondering when the bikes will be back in stock. 

Walmart normally restocks the bike section 2-3 times per week. However, supply chain problems have made it difficult to know for sure how many bikes they will receive and what styles. 

The best thing to do is check the inventory online before heading to the store. You can use the Walmart app to get an email alert when the item you’re looking for is back in stock. 

It’s also a good idea to ask your local store when they expect to receive a delivery. They may be willing to hold a bike for you when it comes in if you take the time to ask. 

How Often Does Walmart Restock Clothes and Shoes? 

Walmart typically restocks clothing and shoes every day. Most stores work in those sections early in the morning before the store gets busy. First, employees work through any product they have in backstock. Then, they’ll work through any new items they receive on a delivery. 

Walmart receives deliveries 3-4 times per week. However, the item you’re looking for may not come in on the next scheduled truck. It’s always a good idea to check online before heading to the store if you’re looking for a particular item. 

How Often Does Walmart Restock Electronics? 

Walmart normally restocks electronics products several times per week. They normally work those sections overnight when there are fewer (or no) customers in the store. However, the schedule for receiving and restocking those items can change depending on the time of year. 

For example, during the holidays you should expect the store to receive more product. During those times, you might be lucky enough to find out they do have the item you were looking for in the back. 

If a certain item is out of stock, it should be back in the store within 3-4 days unless there’s a manufacturing or other issue preventing it from coming in. 

How Often Does Walmart Restock Furniture? 

Walmart typically restocks furniture 3-4 times per week. At some stores it may be as often as every other day. The actual schedule depends on your particular store location, so it’s always a good idea to ask a store associate. 

A lot of times they might have furniture items in the back. That’s because they may be too large to display all of them on the sales floor at one time. You might get lucky and find that they have another item in the back if the shelf is empty, so it doesn’t hurt to ask. 

How Often Does Walmart Restock Meat Products?

Walmart stores normally receive daily or nightly deliveries on perishable food products including meat. The standard restocking schedule is usually overnight between 10pm and 7am. Busier stores may restock their meat sections multiple times per day depending on sales.

During high-volume sales periods like during the holidays, you’ll probably see Walmart restocking the meat section much more often than they normally do. 

How Often Does Walmart Restock the Garden Center? 

Walmart’s garden center, which includes everything from patio furniture to houseplants, typically restocks items every two to three days. The exact time frame can vary depending on how busy the store is and the time of year. 

For example, during spring and summer the garden center gets a lot more traffic. So you might expect to see the area get restocked more frequently than what you’d see during the winter. 

The Bottom Line

If your favorite item is out of stock the best thing to do is ask a store associate or manager when you should expect it to be restocked. That’s because every store is different in terms of scheduling for replenishment and delivery schedules. 

Still, if you can’t find what you’re looking for at Walmart, chances are that if you come back in a day or two, the item will be back on the shelf. 

Large retailers like Walmart normally receive large deliveries and have products in backstock to fill the shelf once items are purchased. However, they may not have any employees available to refill the item as soon as the last one sells. 

That’s why it never hurts to ask if they have more in the back. If they don’t have the item in backstock, you can usually plan on it being restocked at least once every two or three days if not sooner. 

Keren Tayler

My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms.  Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.