Do you compare prices? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

puckluck · 11-15-2011, 01:53 PM

I'm not talking about store to store but in the same store you are shopping at. For example I was at Wal-Mart last night and they had 72 packets of red rose tea for $2.97 and they had a bigger box of red rose tea that had 144 packets for $7.97. Double the product for more than double the price. They also had a box of 12 cokes for $3.32 and a box of 24 for $9.99. People are obviously still buying the bigger boxes and getting ripped off so are you one of those people? I know mostly when buying the bigger box it saves u money, but lately I'm seeing the opposite a lot.

Bob · 11-15-2011, 01:55 PM

Were those on sale/clearance?

One thing I like about Superstore is that they print the cost per unit/volume/mass beneath the price tag. Makes it easy to compare that way.

Byrns · 11-15-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob

Were those on sale/clearance?

One thing I like about Superstore is that they print the cost per unit/volume/mass beneath the price tag. Makes it easy to compare that way.

Most if not all grocery stores do that, including Walmart.

photon · 11-15-2011, 01:59 PM

Yeah Safeway does that too, puts a cost per unit so it's easy to compare exactly.

puckluck · 11-15-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob

Were those on sale/clearance?

One thing I like about Superstore is that they print the cost per unit/volume/mass beneath the price tag. Makes it easy to compare that way.

No they're the regular prices.

MarchHare · 11-15-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob

Were those on sale/clearance?

One thing I like about Superstore is that they print the cost per unit/volume/mass beneath the price tag. Makes it easy to compare that way.

You have to be careful with Superstore, though. They don't print the cost per unit of buying pop in the liquor outlet versus buying it in the grocery store.

malcolmk14 · 11-15-2011, 02:02 PM

Of course I compare prices. I don't think I'm cheap at all but I definitely want the best value out of what I am buying.

Barnet Flame · 11-15-2011, 02:03 PM

I do it all the time, and it is incredible how often scenarios like outlined in the OP occur. Some of the 'deals' I've seen have been non-sensical. There is a site in the UK where people send photos of stupid deals in supermarkets. I remember seeing a deal on Nastro Azzuro in Sainsburys (supermarket) where one four pack was £4.98 but the multibuy deal was 2 four packs for £10.

Teh_Bandwagoner · 11-15-2011, 02:06 PM

Always. There can be so much discrepancy, even within the same store. Just the other day at Superstore, there was a 12-pack of I think Evian water for something like $0.114/100 ml, and a 24-pack of Dasani for $0.30/100 ml. It was over double the price for more bulk. WTH?

That being said, it's great that Superstore has the unit prices in the corner. Makes comparing things way easier.

chemgear · 11-15-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teh_Bandwagoner

Just the other day at Superstore, there was a 12-pack of I think Evian water for something like $0.114/100 ml, and a 24-pack of Dasani for $0.30/100 ml. It was over double the price for more bulk. WTH?

Why are you buying tap water?

puckluck · 11-15-2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teh_Bandwagoner

Always. There can be so much discrepancy, even within the same store. Just the other day at Superstore, there was a 12-pack of I think Evian water for something like $0.114/100 ml, and a 24-pack of Dasani for $0.30/100 ml. It was over double the price for more bulk. WTH?

That being said, it's great that Superstore has the unit prices in the corner. Makes comparing things way easier.

Two different brands though so the price is obviously going to be different just like how Pepsi and Coke usually have different prices.

What I've noticed is the exact same product being more expensive when buying in bulk which is pretty weird since usually bulk saves you money.

freedogger · 11-15-2011, 08:30 PM

I have noticed the last year that prices aren't changing much but that the portions or package size is. Clever way to hide inflation. Putting the kids on powdered milk, bulk granola and oatmeal and baking our own bread with a bread machine have really helped. A lot more nutritious than the expensive packaged alternatives too. A small plug in freezer and Costco runs every four months for cheeze/meet/frozen veggies to top it up.

Maritime Q-Scout · 11-15-2011, 08:45 PM

Any non-perishable I usually check the prices per unit. If I'm going to buy it anyway I might as well buy it cheaply.

I have noticed that deodorant is usually the same price for the small size as the big size or cheaper.

ken0042 · 11-15-2011, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puckluck

They also had a box of 12 cokes for $3.32 and a box of 24 for $9.99. People are obviously still buying the bigger boxes and getting ripped off so are you one of those people?

I know the answer to this one. At some point they are going to put the 24 pack on sale; so to be able to say "$3.00 off the regular price" they need to have sold that item for the regular pice. At that point when the 24 pack is $6.99 the 12 pack will be $4.99 or higher.

I'm not sure where the legality of it falls, but I know when I worked in retail at a place that sold beds we always had one at 50% off. We would rotate through 4 models so there was always one at 50% off. However we were told that we were never allowed to discount one of the beds that was normally 50% off when it went back up to regular price.

Winsor_Pilates · 11-15-2011, 08:54 PM

I do compare prices!
Once you start noticing how many products charge more for buying bulk, it's actually extremely common.

WhiteTiger · 11-15-2011, 08:57 PM

I tend to keep an eye on it, but don't generally worry overmuch about it.

MrMastodonFarm · 11-15-2011, 09:06 PM

Safeway has their brand of Cranraspberry on an overstock sale of half off this week. 4 delicious liters of Cranraspberry for just over 3 dollars.

It's not as good as the Ocean Spray stuff, but MMF has 6 of them.

puckluck · 11-15-2011, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

I know the answer to this one. At some point they are going to put the 24 pack on sale; so to be able to say "$3.00 off the regular price" they need to have sold that item for the regular pice. At that point when the 24 pack is $6.99 the 12 pack will be $4.99 or higher.

I'm not sure where the legality of it falls, but I know when I worked in retail at a place that sold beds we always had one at 50% off. We would rotate through 4 models so there was always one at 50% off. However we were told that we were never allowed to discount one of the beds that was normally 50% off when it went back up to regular price.

I shop at Wal-Mart pretty often and that 24 pack is always $9.99. They are waiting a long time if that is their plan.

bizaro86 · 11-16-2011, 10:10 AM

I've always assumed it was like the lottery. A tax on people who are bad at math.

Costco tries to hide the fact that they charge more for Coke/Pepsi by putting them in non-standard packaging amounts. (I think it's 30 cans or something like that)

AMG_G · 11-16-2011, 11:17 AM

It really bugs me when companies play the numbers game. Look at the different counts they offer for diapers. 12, 24,26,34,44,58,82,95,133...just make it standard because people are not stupid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I've always assumed it was like the lottery. A tax on people who are bad at math.

Costco tries to hide the fact that they charge more for Coke/Pepsi by putting them in non-standard packaging amounts. (I think it's 30 cans or something like that)