‘I’d rather pay more at O’Reillys.’
A man is trending on TikTok after asking viewers about commercial price matching at major auto parts chains.
Tim (@timotheosfountas), a mobile mechanic based in Arizona, said in a recent video that he holds commercial accounts with both O’Reilly and AutoZone but wasn’t sure how their pricing policies compare.
He pointed to a recent parts search as the reason for the question. Tim said he was looking at a fuel filter housing component that rang up at $200 through O’Reilly but was listed for $140 at AutoZone.
Curious whether the higher quote could be adjusted, he turned to viewers for input.
“Does O’Reilly’s price match? Or are you better off going to AutoZone?” Tim asks in the clip. As of this writing, the video has drawn more than 760 views.
In most cases, not really, though there’s evidence online suggesting this policy could vary store-to-store. Typically, having a commercial account for an auto parts store means the customer is buying into a business-to-business credit program. These accounts aren’t meant for everyone, though, and are instead designed for professional shops and businesses that frequently purchase auto parts.
For a mechanic like Tim, having an account, as he suggests, offers benefits like volume-based discounts and, in some cases, tax-exempt purchasing. Of course, that’s different from how things work for everyday retail buyers. Someone walking in off the street might have more luck asking for a price match on an identical part from a nearby store.
Overall, commercial pricing tends to operate on its own structure—a set that helps explain why the same part might vary in price depending on where it’s sourced. Mechanics and shops often compare suppliers and order wherever the numbers land best rather than relying on one chain to match another.
There can be some flexibility at the store level, especially if a location has a long-standing relationship with a commercial customer or is trying to keep a large order in-house. But that’s usually informal and not something guaranteed across the board. In fact, O’Reilly’s own website states that it has a “low price guarantee” program, which matches the price of most local competitors. The store, however, will not match the prices of online competitors.
AutoZone has a similar policy. It stated in response to an X user’s price-match complaint, “AutoZone does not price match for online prices and/or internet sites only retail auto parts stores.”
As the comments section of Tim’s video suggests, though, policies can vary by region and by account terms. For most commercial buyers, the expectation is to shop vendors rather than count on formal price matching.
Commenters who watched Tim’s video were split on whether O’Reilly offers price matching for commercial customers, with many saying the answer often depends on the specific store and who’s behind the counter.
“It depends on the person you [are] talking to,” one viewer said.
Others spoke more definitively, suggesting the policy exists even if it’s inconsistently applied across locations.
“I work at O’Reilly’s,” one viewer wrote. “We will price match local competitors.”
“Yes, O’Reilly’s will price match you,” another added.
“They are not supposed to, but they do. I just did this last week on a radiator,” a third commenter claimed.
Some responses shifted away from price matching altogether, arguing the retailer’s parts quality justified higher prices.
“I’d rather pay more at O’Reilly’s,” one man wrote.
“As a mechanic,” another wrote, “never ever ever ever go to AutoZone. Not even for oil.”
A separate group questioned why price matching wouldn’t be standard practice in the first place, suggesting it’s an easy way to keep customers loyal.
“Due to the history of both companies, price matching should be a no-brainer,” one wrote. “I’ve always done so. I even ask dealerships to price match each other when they sell the same brand of cars.”
Motor1 has reached out to Tim via a direct message on TikTok and to O’Reilly and AutoZone through email. We will update this story if any party responds.
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