Prices at Wal-mart

markct · Dec 23, 2005

i didnt mean that prices dont matter and i myself am pretty cheap too, but i just basicly meant that i dont usualy get too worked up over something being 50 cents or whatever different, now if i were buyin 50 gallons of oil i would be a bit more concerned, but if your buyin oil at walmart then thats not likely to be the case. i understand you wanting to get the best deal, but i just sorta meant that i wouldnt be upset about that little price difference if it were me, i always thought it was kinda silly how some people would drive all over town comparing prices so they could feel like they came out a buck or two ahead, im not saying thats what you did, just sorta a general observation, didn mean to sound arogant or whatever in my first post

IH3444 · Dec 24, 2005

Home Depot is the same thing, my local Tru-Value blows them out of the water on lumber prices, and the TrueValue carries #1 boards, and HD is always #2 grade. HD is over rated on many items, just like Walmart. Target is at war over prices with Wally. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

UncleBuck01 · Dec 24, 2005

Mark CT
To get back to the original intent of my first post, don't take it for granted that you always get a bargain at Wal-Mart, and yes it seems they're method of operation is to "lose money" on certain items just to get you into the store, assuming you will continue to shop and buy other items, from overseas, at questionable quality, with huge mark up.
Citing the Rotella was meant to warn others its not worth a trip to Wal-Mart for Rotella.
Mark, I found out your never too old to learn, and hopefully you picked up your never too young to start learnig, so don't "assume" that I or anybody else who talk about price have made numerous trips to save a dollar but burn up 5 dollars in gas. It didn't happen.
Oh , another thing I learned over the years, don't lose any sleep over minor stuff, so as I go to bed this Christmas Eve, I wish you Mark, and all TBN'ers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Buck

LBrown59 · Dec 24, 2005

i always thought it was kinda silly how some people would drive all over town comparing prices so they could feel like they came out a buck or two ahead 

However if you're going to do that use the phone it's cheaper and quicker than the car.

Bird · Dec 24, 2005

Buck, it's been several years (7, I think) since I had to buy a riding lawnmower battery. I went to AutoZone, thought their price was too high, so I went to Walmart and Walmart was 3 cents more. Like you said, prices are close, but Walmart is certainly not always cheaper.

_RaT_ · Dec 24, 2005

P.S. are you related to that guy who was banned, he also thought he was too rich to care about prices


I don't think that was called for!

AndyM · Dec 24, 2005

If I recall correctly, Wal-Mart has a certain number of items that they figure people know the price of. These items have prices that are competitive and perhaps lower than other places. Sam's soda comes to mind as being an example of this, at 59 cents a bottle.

As for prices on all the other items -Buyer Beware.... 

Walmart's marketing has worked so well, it has convinced consumers that all prices will be cheaper if you buy it at a box store. Not only department stores, but also at DIY-type boxes stores versus hardware stores and lumber yards.

I'm starting to notice it little by little... Consumers are starting to figure out that the box stores aren't all they're cracked up to be. Unfortunately, it's not happening quickly enough. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Merry Christmas everyone! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Highbeam · Dec 24, 2005

The mom and pops don't help themselves in this. They cry foul when a big box comes to town. "How can we compete", " We'll be priced out of business". To the consumer that says that the mom and pop stores are overpriced/noncompetitive.

I knew what the original post was about. It was the priniple that WalMart isn't always the cheapest and may be starting to swing into the switch part of the bait and switch.

I think it's great that the prices have leveled off to the point where mom and pop are competitive.

Bird · Dec 24, 2005

Joe, when you say "overpriced" I guess it depends on a number of things. You know a company as big as Walmart buys products in huge quantities. And I know from personal experience that you get a lower price per item if you buy 100 to 1,000 of them instead of 1 to 5 at a time. So to make the same profit margin, the smaller stores have to sell at a higher price. To me that means they have to do one or the other of two things: (1) compete on price and hope to sell enough to stay in business, or (2) sell at a higher price, but provide some level of service that the bigger companies do not provide.

For one example: My brothers used to own a garage and tire dealership; sold quite a few tires, but there was no way they could compete with a couple of discount places that bought the same brand of tires in such huge quantities that they sold the tires at very little more than my brothers were paying wholesale. However, one of the other places would mount and balance tires, but that was all. The other didn't even do that; just sold the tires for the customer to take and get mounted elsewhere. So my brothers included, not only mounting and balancing with any tire they sold, but also free flat repair for the life of the tire and road hazard warranty, including sending a truck to the customer anywhere in the area to change, repair, or replace the tires. A lot of people were willing to pay more for that "security" and it cost my brothers very little because there are just not that many flats to repair with modern tires.

I think many smaller businesses can survive if they just use a little imagination as to what "extras" they can do for their customers to keep their loyalty.

strokerduster · Dec 24, 2005

bird, your comment about competing against the same brand brings up a good point about walmart. take your example of tires, the michelin or goodyear sold at the discount places are not always the same. you can look up the DOT spec number on their tire and find out that it is only avail at walmart or discount tire etc. they will tell you it is built to their spec (price point) and the manufacturer has lowered his standards to meet walmart spec. walmart will contract with companies to use their name on a product to lend credibility, like champion (on batteries) on a product they have never manufactured for X amount per unit sold. the consumer assumes he is getting a quality brand product when he may or may not be. how about my favorite," ALWAYS THE LOW PRICE". obviously written by a lawyer/adman as it means absolutely nothing. LOW compared to what? what it should be, what it was yesterday, what it could have been, what they think it is worth? this seems to me to be the big boxes trend in business. try to convince the consumer that he is getting something cheaper priced. enough of my rambling.......MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!