Author Topic: Grocery price discrepancies (Read 81469 times)

Galitzyaner · « **Reply #40 on:** April 28, 2022, 06:19:23 PM »

Quote from: drosenberg88429 on April 28, 2022, 05:49:06 PM

The cheaper stores got much nicer over the years as the higher end stores opened. Competition raises the tide, which brings up all ships.

Yes, nicer does include nicer displays, better inventory management by staffing, more competent and helpful assistance, more palatable and comprehensive fresh and prepared foods, platters, produce, bakery, takeout, dips, fish, and meat sections, often shorter checkout lines, and overall a more pleasant experience. There's no denying that you pay a premium for that, though. The analogy to a high end restaurant is a decent one. As a non foodie, I find those absurd too, but that's because I don't properly value the added components they offer which a fast food or mid range restaurant does not.

The good points you raise that I agree with are, that in addition to "nice" factor, the main draw of these higher-end places tends to be their takeout/meat/fish/bakery (and maybe nicer produce) departments. The other factors you mentioned I find very debatable.

skyguy918 · « **Reply #41 on:** April 28, 2022, 06:21:02 PM »

Quote from: miles lover on April 28, 2022, 06:16:55 PM

I’ll ask him to do Aldis. To be fair aldis is not a store that you can shop normally in. They have minimal amount of things. So it’s not really fair to compare.

You'd be surprised - especially with chalav stam, but even without there are a ton of items we buy there, including a fair amount of fruits and vegetables.

Euclid · « **Reply #42 on:** April 28, 2022, 06:50:36 PM »

Quote from: Galitzyaner on April 28, 2022, 06:19:23 PM

The other factors you mentioned I find very debatable.

Yup, it's all about personal preference. I find grocery shopping cathartic, but only if it's not in a hectic, jammed, messy, etc. store. I'm willing to pay a premium for this.

My wife does basic grocery delivery orders from Gourmet Glatt/Evergreen; but I'll go to Seasons to do supplementary shoppings.

JlmBoi · « **Reply #43 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:04:48 PM »

Quote from: Euclid on April 28, 2022, 06:50:36 PM

I find grocery shopping cathartic, but only if it's not in a hectic, jammed, messy, etc. store. I wish I could pay the premium for this.

FTFM
I've never heard someone who says this. Thought I was the only crazy.

Sam Finkelstein · « **Reply #44 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:09:13 PM »

I pass by Aldi, Lidl and Walmart daily (route 9 in Howell). Have never been into the first two but maybe y’all can tell me what’s worth stopping for there?

AsherO · « **Reply #45 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:10:43 PM »

Quote from: ushdadude on April 28, 2022, 04:01:01 PM

yes and no.
In a high end restaurant, the food is supposedly better. In a high end grocery, you're buying the exact same product (deli counter etc excluded)

But the Diet Coke/S. Pellegrino/Baron Herzog is also more expensive at the high end restaurant. At the end of the day consumers make this choice by deciding which restaurant/supermarket to patronize.

AsherO · « **Reply #46 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:16:12 PM »

Quote from: Galitzyaner on April 28, 2022, 05:24:03 PM

Wider aisles: Ironically, who has wider than Bingo?!
Cleaner: I'm not aware of any exceptionally dirty supermarkets.
Selection: I'm not so sure the higher-end supermarkets have any larger selection than the standard ones.
Staff: Maybe more helpful management? But I see the same Mexicans in the aisles packing shelves.
Crowds: That really varies by the store, day, time of day etc, and of course aisle width/capacity.

But we're left with "nicer". Oddly some people care for that.

You’re welcome to find it odd and are obviously not the target audience (and apparently don’t relate to their preferences), but market segmentation is a thing in many industries and Kosher supermarkets are no different.

yungermanchik · « **Reply #47 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:24:15 PM »

Quote from: yungermanchik on April 28, 2022, 03:29:09 PM

Just a tip all the stores use the same online system, so if you find a product you can just switch the website in the url bar, like this:

https://www.moishasonline.com/search/Devash%20Milk%20%C2%BDGal%201%25%20(Blue)?catalogProduct=225421
https://www.gonpgs.com/search/Devash%20Milk%20%C2%BDGal%201%25%20(Blue)?catalogProduct=225421
https://www.gourmetglattonline.com/search/Devash%20Milk%20%C2%BDGal%201%25%20(Blue)?catalogProduct=225421
https://www.thepompeopleonline.com/search/Devash%20Milk%20%C2%BDGal%201%25%20(Blue)?catalogProduct=225421

Wow, I didn't realize that this was a chiddush to so many people.

Unfortunately, KRM and BINGO don't have functioning websites.

skyguy918 · « **Reply #48 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:39:30 PM »

Quote from: Sam Finkelstein on April 28, 2022, 07:09:13 PM

I pass by Aldi, Lidl and Walmart daily (route 9 in Howell). Have never been into the first two but maybe y’all can tell me what’s worth stopping for there?

Just to give you some examples off the front page of the weekly ad for Howell: avocados $0.79, mangoes $0.69, grapes $1.99/lb, mandarins $3.99/3lb bag. We also buy melons, berries, apples, cereals (raisin bran, honey bunches of oats), snacks (graham crackers, oreos, chips ahoy, pretzels, chips), pasta, whole bean coffee, and more. I used to be slightly picky on getting off-brands, but their cereals and snacks are generally very good copies. For whatever reason vegetables don't seem to be cheaper than what my wife buys closer to home.

yesitsme · « **Reply #49 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:47:49 PM »

I found it strange that green pepper in bingo was ~3.99 while orange and yellow were 1.99
Its usually the other way around
Flour in NPGS was 6.48 and ~7.30 in bingo
With the gas prices I don't know if it's still worth going to bingo

Eggs in bingo was 230 iirc and npgs had large for 3.98 xl 3.29 reg with sales price of 3.29 sale was on xl only (excluding wic)

Euclid · « **Reply #50 on:** April 28, 2022, 07:51:22 PM »

Remember that Aldi doesn't provide bags

aygart · « **Reply #51 on:** April 28, 2022, 08:06:42 PM »

Quote from: Euclid on April 28, 2022, 07:51:22 PM

Remember that Aldi doesn't provide bags

Coming soon to a store near you.

jye · « **Reply #52 on:** April 28, 2022, 08:40:22 PM »

Seasons is very useful at times when Gourmet and the other stores are impossible, like the two days before pesach. Ill gladly pay the extra $10 for the last dozen small items on my list rather that spending the 25 min on line at gourmet. Seasons also generally has decent quality control in the produce department. Some stores give you free fruit flies along with the cheap produce or a high percent of bad potatoes and onions per bag. Paying well over $2 for a single gefen noodle soup stings but if it will tide me over until my next bingo trip where it’s $16.99 a case I’ll swallow it.

I never step foot in ALDIs because it’s not nearby like Seasons and even when I’m passing directly by I don’t think it’s worth saving a few bucks by running in to pick up a few items here and there. I don’t go for the off brands so I’d rather hit Shoprite and gourmet and be done even if a few of the items aren’t cheapest. If I was buying avocados in bulk ALDIs would be worth my while. Once a week at bingo will usually take care of my milk, romaine, most of the produce etc. so Bingo is worth the weekly trip.