Ever bought a shiny new piece of tech, felt good about the timing, and then saw the price drop just a few days later? Most of us are well-familiar with that sinking feeling.
If you shop at Micro Center, chances are you’ll end up in this scenario sooner or later. Their prices change fast, and promotions rotate often, which is great when you snag a deal and frustrating when the discount appears right after you’ve checked out.
Luckily, you may get your money back through the Micro Center price protection policy. In this guide, we’ll explain how this policy works, what qualifies, and how to get your refund. We’ll also let you in on the handy Settlemate app that can help you track price changes and claim any price adjustments you're entitled to.
What is price protection?
Price protection, also called a price adjustment, is a customer-friendly policy that lets you get the price difference back when an item you bought goes on sale soon after.
Here’s a practical example:
- You buy a laptop for $1,200.
- Four days later, you spot the exact same laptop on sale for $980.
- You email customer service explaining the situation.
- Once they verify that you meet their criteria, the store refunds you $220.
It’s quite a simple process, but retailers typically set strict conditions for approving price adjustments, including:
How does Micro Center's price adjustment policy work?
Micro Center's price protection policy is among the most generous out there. You have up to 30 days from the date of your purchase to request a price adjustment, and this applies equally to items bought in-store and online.
There are a few exclusions to keep in mind:
- Competitor price listings: Matching prices from other retailers falls under Micro Center’s price-matching policy, not price protection.
- Special sales from other retailers: This includes events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
- Open-box or clearance items: Micro Center won’t refund the price difference between a new product and an open-box or clearance item.
How to get a Micro Center price adjustment refund
The steps for requesting a price adjustment at Micro Center depend on where you bought the item and how you paid. Let’s break it down.
In-store purchases
Here’s how to request a refund for items bought in a physical Micro Center store based on your payment method:
Online purchases
If you bought a product on Micro Center’s website, the payment method doesn’t matter. Once you confirm you’re within the 30-day window, take the following steps:
- Go to the Tech Support page
- Click the chat icon at the bottom right
- Explain that you want to submit a price adjustment request and include:
- The price you paid
- The current price
- Product details from your order confirmation
Why price adjustment refunds often go unclaimed
Requesting a price adjustment sounds like a no-brainer, yet many shoppers leave money on the table. Here are a couple of reasons why:
- Keeping track of prices and deadlines: Retailers have different eligibility windows, from a short seven days to a full month. And since they won’t alert you when prices drop, it’s up to you to stay on top of each one.
- Collecting proof of purchase: Digging up the right receipt or order confirmation can be more hassle than it seems, especially for frequent shoppers.
- Submitting requests manually: Contacting customer service for each item, typing out all the details, sending proof, and waiting for replies is often enough to make anyone give up.
If this hits close to home, but you hate watching others grab refunds while you sit on the sidelines, there’s an easy fix: a price adjustment app like Settlemate. It automates the price adjustment process by tracking eligible price drops and submitting requests on your behalf—so you never miss out on savings.
How Settlemate puts price adjustment refunds on autopilot
Every store has different rules for price adjustments. But you don’t need to memorize every policy; Settlemate Retail Savings Autopilot does that for you, and even takes action on your behalf.
The Settlemate app will:
- Automatically find your digital receipts in your inbox.
- Continuously track for price drops within eligible windows.
- Auto-file requests with the right documentation.
- Notify you when your money is on its way back to you.
Automate price adjustments end-to-end with Settlemate Retail Savings Autopilot. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play today.
Not sure if the app’s right for you? Settlemate offers a generous refund policy. You’ll qualify for a full refund if your one-year subscription ends up costing more than the amount you recover through the app.
Frequently asked questions
Does Micro Center price match?
Yes, Micro Center has a price-matching policy, but the rules are strict. The model number must be identical, and the item must be in stock at both Micro Center and the competitor at the time of your request. Products excluded from price matching include special sales, clearance items, refurbished or remanufactured items, off-lease or pre-owned items, open-box items, and products with mail-in or instant rebates.
Does Micro Center offer full refunds?
You can get a full refund if you return your Micro Center item undamaged in its original packaging within 30 days. For high-demand electronics like laptops, tablets, headphones, or drones, the return window is 15 days.
What items can’t be returned to Micro Center?
Items excluded from the Micro Center return policy include opened software, digital downloads, Micro Center gift cards, Point of Sale activation cards with a balance, and any items damaged by the customer.
Where else can you claim price adjustment refunds?
Refer to the table below to see if other popular retailers offer price adjustment policies and how they work:
