Same Product, Different Prices: What You Need to Know Before Your Next Grocery Shop
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As experienced bargain hunters, we understand the significance of comparing prices while grocery shopping.
This practice helps us save some money.
However, what if you come across the same product being sold at different prices by the same retailer in nearby stores?
This is the exact issue that shoppers in the Alexandria area in Sydney's Inner South discovered while they were grocery shopping at Woolworths.
Despite being just a three-minute drive or a ten-minute walk apart, the two stores they visited had a price difference of $1.50 for the same bottled coconut water.
The shoppers pointed out that a Raw C coconut water bottle was being sold at The Park Sydney on Ashmore Street for $4.50, while Fountain Street Woolworths had it for $3. However, it is worth noting that the product’s regular retail price is $5.
The price difference became particularly perplexing for customers as they found the same product available online with a $3 price tag, just like the Woolworths store on Fountain Street.
As it turns out, the more expensive supermarket is a so-called 'convenience' store that opened in 2020 and is marketed as an 'upmarket food hall'.
When referring to convenience stores, we are actually talking about larger and fully-equipped supermarkets.
These stores are designed to provide a wider range of options and higher-quality groceries than typical supermarkets.
Convenience stores are generally found in upscale and urban areas, which come with higher rent and operating costs.
In order to offset the high costs, these stores tend to charge premium prices. As a result, customers shopping in those stores may encounter significantly more expensive products than at a nearby traditional supermarket.
Another factor potentially contributing to pricing differences between convenience stores and supermarkets is their different customer demographic.
Convenience stores focus on providing convenience and a greater variety of products, often at higher prices. Generally, customers visiting convenience stores are those who can afford higher prices and those who are looking for greater convenience and a variety of products.
On the other hand, supermarkets have a different demographic of customers and they usually charge lower prices in order to appeal to a wider variety of customers. Thus, the pricing strategies between these two types of stores may differ significantly.
We don’t know if this justifies the price difference, as Woolworths has yet to comment on the issue.
This is also not the first time Woolies has been accused of duping customers. In this article, we discussed how some customers reacted to a pricing display that they claimed almost tricked them into paying more for an item.
It is crucial to remain vigilant and compare prices before heading to a nearby store or even when purchasing online. While we can't always be walking from one store to another, having a clear plan can help you save time and money.
Have you ever spotted a pricing discrepancy between stores? Or perhaps you found your favourite product way cheaper at a different store? Let us know in the comments below!
This practice helps us save some money.
However, what if you come across the same product being sold at different prices by the same retailer in nearby stores?
This is the exact issue that shoppers in the Alexandria area in Sydney's Inner South discovered while they were grocery shopping at Woolworths.
Despite being just a three-minute drive or a ten-minute walk apart, the two stores they visited had a price difference of $1.50 for the same bottled coconut water.
Locals in Alexandria, in Sydney's inner south, noticed a $1.50 difference in upmarket coconut water between two stores just minutes apart, prompting them to complain to a supermarket. Credit: Facebook.
The shoppers pointed out that a Raw C coconut water bottle was being sold at The Park Sydney on Ashmore Street for $4.50, while Fountain Street Woolworths had it for $3. However, it is worth noting that the product’s regular retail price is $5.
The price difference became particularly perplexing for customers as they found the same product available online with a $3 price tag, just like the Woolworths store on Fountain Street.
As it turns out, the more expensive supermarket is a so-called 'convenience' store that opened in 2020 and is marketed as an 'upmarket food hall'.
When referring to convenience stores, we are actually talking about larger and fully-equipped supermarkets.
These stores are designed to provide a wider range of options and higher-quality groceries than typical supermarkets.
Convenience stores are generally found in upscale and urban areas, which come with higher rent and operating costs.
In order to offset the high costs, these stores tend to charge premium prices. As a result, customers shopping in those stores may encounter significantly more expensive products than at a nearby traditional supermarket.
Another factor potentially contributing to pricing differences between convenience stores and supermarkets is their different customer demographic.
Convenience stores focus on providing convenience and a greater variety of products, often at higher prices. Generally, customers visiting convenience stores are those who can afford higher prices and those who are looking for greater convenience and a variety of products.
On the other hand, supermarkets have a different demographic of customers and they usually charge lower prices in order to appeal to a wider variety of customers. Thus, the pricing strategies between these two types of stores may differ significantly.
We don’t know if this justifies the price difference, as Woolworths has yet to comment on the issue.
This is also not the first time Woolies has been accused of duping customers. In this article, we discussed how some customers reacted to a pricing display that they claimed almost tricked them into paying more for an item.
It is crucial to remain vigilant and compare prices before heading to a nearby store or even when purchasing online. While we can't always be walking from one store to another, having a clear plan can help you save time and money.
Have you ever spotted a pricing discrepancy between stores? Or perhaps you found your favourite product way cheaper at a different store? Let us know in the comments below!
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