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| image from stltoday.com |
This past week,the St Louis Post-Dispatch published a couple of articles about Supervalu/Shop 'n Save. If you missed them - they are worth reading.
Supervalu's Struggles Put Its Grocery Chains in Limbo
Supervalu Licks its Wounds From the Superarket Wars
I'm most surprised about the graphic. Are 35% of groceries in the area really bought at Walmart?
I posted a poll on Coupon STL Facebook page "Where do you shop for most of your groceries?" Please, take a minute and vote for where you shop most often.
Posts
this is interesting - I shop for my groceries anywhere EXCEPT walmart. I have a lot of friends who do the same.
ReplyDeleteI cherry pick, so end up at lots of stores. However, I never do my grocery shopping at Walmart, and rarely even shop there. I tend to get the bulk of my food on SNS $10/$50 Thursdays. I get milk and the produce that is on sale at Aldi. Schnuck's seems to have decent sales and I get produce there too. Dierberg's doesn't seem to have many deals. The drug stores have food sales every once in awhile, so I'll go there too.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I avoid Walmart like The Plague! This graphic is interesting since I only know a couple of people who grocery shop at Walmart. Maybe they paid for the study? lol
ReplyDeleteI never shop at walmart either.
ReplyDeletei do not grocery shop at walmart either..mix of aldi, schnucks, and dierbergs for me. I wonder what will happen to the stores in our area...will they sell to whoever runs publix,...because i actually would not mind that especially if the coupon policy remains like in other areas....
ReplyDeleteHi All - Thanks for chiming in on where you shop. So, I'm not the only one who can't believe the graphic. I too wonder who paid for the study.
ReplyDeleteI dont have anything against Walmart but the location near me only recently became a Super Center so I have never been used to shopping there. SNS, Schnucks, Aldi and Dierbergs are all more convenient for me and have better deals. Publix coming to St Louis would be cool but I'd hate to see SNS go.
ReplyDeleteDo you think "Walmart" includes Sam's? I do buy a lot of groceries as Sam's and that's under the Walmart umbrella. I haven't brought groceries at a regular walmart in years. I hate walmart...makes my skin crawl to go in there. I usually only brave that store when its back to school and there is a good deal on some school supplies. Even then I usually can do just fine with other stores.
ReplyDeleteCompetition is always good for the consumer. Hopefully a new grocery store chain will lower our bottom line.
I wondered that too. I shop at Sams but would never shop at our local Walmart- it's the worst. Horrible customer service, dirty, and messy.
DeleteI shop with my local farmer for most of my food, Aldi for milk, Sams for bulk, dierbergs for more local produce, and trader joes for most of the organic stuff I can't get from the farm. I shop at Shop N save once or twice a year.
Wow - we all avoid Walmart :)
ReplyDeleteI do most shopping between ShopNSave and Aldi. Sometimes Schnucks. Very rarely, Dierbergs.
On the rare occasion I do run to Walmart for something, I make a point to park on the side of the store that is not Grocery. That side is crowded ALL THE TIME. So there are people out there buying groceries at walmart - just not us, lol.
Oh, and when I lived in Kirksville MO for college, you only had the local grocery store(HyVee) or Walmart. So maybe that is why the numbers are that way in the study. Some areas really only have Walmart as their choice....
I find it interesting that SNS's profit dropped so dramatically this year. It seems they have a lot less good sales etc this year and I personally have not bought as much from them as I would have in the past. I never shop at Walmart for food and have bought a lot more from Aldi this year.
ReplyDeleteI absolutly hate Walmart and they are extremely strict with coupons in terms of if they don't scan they will not use them even when they are good. I find the deals as good if not better if I shop the grocery store sales and they double coupons. Target can have good deals as well. I buy quite a few items at Coscto as well especially since they started carrying Organic.
ReplyDeleteI used to do a good majority of my grocery shopping at our local Wal Mart, it's really not too bad if I hit it at 3 p.m. weekdays after work. However, 4 months ago my daughter got a job at Schnucks and I've been shopping there more and realizing that Schnucks does have better prices on a lot of things, and then if it's on sale and there are coupons.... So now I'd say most of my grocery shopping is done at Schnucks.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the draw to Walmart. The few time I've checked prices there, I haven't overall found them to be cheaper than the grocery store.
DeleteA majority of the people I work with shop at Walmart for groceries. They complain about what they spend and I tell them they can save so much more by couponing and going to other stores. They are busy families though and I think they feel like it's too much of a hassle to clip the coupons and go to multiple stores. They can get everything they need at one trip to Walmart. I never step foot in Walmart unless I need home goods. I will not buy groceries there. I would go to Shop n Save, but there is not one near me that is not out of my way. Schnucks gets most of my shopping with some things from Dierbergs.
ReplyDeleteFor the time it takes to shop at Walmart because of the size of the place, your co-workers could spend the same amount of time and clip coupons to "cherry pick". But, if Walmart tells people enough they are the cheapest, people start to believe it.
DeleteNot to mention how long you spend standing in line at checkout. I can't remember the last time I spent less than 5 minutes standing in a check out line.
DeleteI shop at the Fenton SNS and I have always loved it. My only mild complaint is that they do sell out of sale items pretty darn quickly! I've used a bazillion coupons there and have never once had a problem with ANY cashier when using my coupons. I don't usually stock up big or buy lots of identical items (unless it's breakfast cereal like this week!) and I've never witnessed anyone clearing the shelves. They just don't seem to plan ahead for the sales.
ReplyDeleteI don't shop WalMart if I can help it, but I do find they are the absolute cheapest on cosmetics, band-aids, razors, etc. especially with coupons as I am not a fan of Walgreens!
Having enough sale products is a function of the store management.
DeleteThere are stores that do get extra in for a sale, but it's not many of them. I thought low stock was just what the entire chain did, until I shopped at the Maplewood store.
I just want a true grocery store in the St. Louis area to have double coupons up to $1.00. If SnS would double coupons and still have the $10 off $50 I bet they would increase their market share.
ReplyDeleteI am truly surprised that Schnucks was #2. I have always thought they were higher priced than most.
And as far as Walmart goes I go there for certain things like paper goods and medicine -- for example a bottle of generic motrin cost around $2.50 at Walmart but the store brand at Dierbergs and SNS is close to $5.00. And most recently I was shocked that a store brand cold medicine at SNS was $6.17 while the walmart brand was $2.38. Plus Walmart has the ad match -- if they ever do double coupons all the other stores would go out of business.
Hi Krissy - I have seen the Walmart did double coupons in a few market. Do you know if they still do?
DeleteI have not heard of a Walmart doubling coupons but I assume that in market areas that are full of "true" double coupon stores then Walmart is probably forced into it.
DeleteI just want a store in STL to double coupons up to $1 not this up to $.40 at Schnucks and Dierbergs. I know Kmart does it with a limit but my Kmart has limited grocery items and from what I have found most items are priced double that of grocery stores. I have considered driving to Troy, MO to shop at Kroger just for the double coupons. Wish we could get a Kroger that doubles coupons in STL county and put Walmart out of business.
The graphic is really interesting. There is no surprise to see Walmart first. I have friends who shop there, saying they make one shopping trip per week or Walmart has the lowest prices......... I used to shop at Walmart before couponing mostly for household items and now I go mostly to use BOGO Scotch natural wipes coupons and I see lots of people with carts full of groceries. I was surprised to see SNS so low, I expected to see it closer to Schnucks and higher than Dierbergs. Or at least this is how I see it.
ReplyDeleteI shop a mix of stores, Dierbergs mostly.
I've tried to break my wife from shopping at Walmart (by getting her to log on here for one), but getting to the store with kids is an oredeal, so Walmart gets way to much of our pie. But this I know - if you work the ads (with coupons) you can beat Walmart prices everyday.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a few grocery stores in the country having a supervised play area for little ones, so parents can shop alone. Wouldn't that be great!
DeleteI look at it as showing the Big Box Store is sucking the life out of other businesses. I do rarely go to WM. Recently for pool tablets for my mom. Also, I would have to say that 95% of my shopping is done at SNS. I do LOVE them alot on Thursdays but I do shop for other needs at SNS and make it work. I have and will continue to get Ivory bar soap, body wash and hand soap from SNS and be glad to pay a little for it. I was not going to Wags last week even for free Ivory bar soap. Have not stepped foot in a Wags since last May and will not after VERY BAD customer service. They lost out on over an estimate of me spending at least $400+ a month there.
ReplyDeleteLast week I spent a little more OOP at SNS than normal for a Thursday (@$64.00) But after averaging out my cost per item which was $.34 each Including 2 Propane Tank Exchanges =) Yep I am Glad to give my money to SNS each and everytime I walk in the doors =) I cannot say that about any other store out there.
Just my 2 cents and that is most likely only worth a 1/2 cent nowadays. =)
Hi Janet - I think SNS doesn't look cheaper to most (non-couponers)because they don't understand Catalinas. I didn't before couponing.
Deletehttp://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=3ef8d1de-2c1c-45ef-b2c1-b0aa518af37b I also found this article about the death of supermarkets. This really stinks! I LOVE my SNS and the people that work there. I save TONS of money and even meet friends that are couponers. I truly hope they pull through.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. I thought the video about men grocery shopping was quite interesting.
DeleteMy thoughts about SNS is that they will limp along under the Supervalu umbrella. Unless, Schnucks thinks they will buy them and close most like they did National.
If you like browsing thru the internet for grocery deals and you are also a couponer, Shop N Save's Coupon Thursday is the best.
ReplyDeleteIf you're just a shopper, Walmart is for you.
Just saying. :)
I like browsing and couponing, much more fun than just shopping!
DeleteI agree Coupon.girl - Shoppers think Walmart is cheaper. I'm not convinced they are.
DeleteThis may sound odd but one of the reasons I dont grocery shop at Walmart is because there arent separate lines for just the grocery. Something about knowing there were various non-grocery items on the conveyor ahead of me, just doesnt seem sanitary. I know grocery stores arent all that much cleaner, but it just makes a difference to me. The few times I have looked at groceries at WM, prices havent been any lower than what I can get at the grocers with sales and coupons.
ReplyDeleteHi CJ - Do you buy food at Target?
DeleteJeri - I dont really even think of going to Target or Walmart for groceries, just occasionally pick up something at either store if I am shopping for other things. I wish Target had separate registers too.
DeleteI also shop at WM for certian items. Sometimes in order to not run from store to store I have them price match all the items that are cheaper somewhere else. I make a list for each store anyway so I make sure I have them with me and tell them the price as the items are scanned. Not my favorite place to go, but for some items it does save $$$.
ReplyDeleteAbout 6 months ago I talked to the store manager at my local WM because I had read articles about WM doubling coupons in some markets. I was wondering if/when it might come here. I was told that they do not know if/ever they will do that in all markets. It was something they were testing out. He told me that since they price match.....to have the cashier take off the amount of the coupon for the item that would be doubled elsewhere, as a price adjustment while checking out, not when the coupons are being scanned. Example: coupon for .40 on tea that is 4.40...adjust it to 4.00 at check out then when cpn is scanned the items final price is 3.60.
I have done this, some cashiers will give a hard time about it others just do it. It helps the cashiers A LOT if you put everything that needs a price adjustment on first or last.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Does it really work without having to have the ad with you like they advertise on TV?
DeleteAlmost all of them time I have no problem. Every so often you get one of the wise #@$!*& cashiers that try to be a jerk about it. I think it does help when you have a list that you go off of, so it is obvious that you did your homework. I have it both ways though.
DeleteI another reason I go to WM is because every evening at 6 they mark all the cut deli meat down to 1/2 price. I usually have cpns on top of that. We go through 2 -3 lbs of sandwich meat a week, that makes a big difference....gotta love having 3 teens:)
I can only imagine how much three teens must eat. I have only one left at home and he is an eating machine. He was in NM hiking for two weeks and it was like a different world when it came to food in the house.
DeleteLOL you must not have any left overs in your house either!!!
DeleteI have found some GREAT food deals at Target over the past few months. Most by accident. I got some of the Stouffer's medium size packages one time. They were on clearance and I had man. and store cpns for them. My final price was around $1 - 1.50 a package. They were normally $7 - 8.00. Got to love when the man. change the packing!!!:)
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteGuess this pie might be a sign of things to come. If the Rumor I heard today is correct there is to be great sadness in my SNS world.
=(
Oh no! Are they getting rid of the $10/$50?
DeleteJanet, you can't keep us hanging like that... ;)
Delete=( Seems like someone has goobled up my favorite piece of that pie. Not a matter of If but When. =(
DeleteLike what happened to National?
Delete=( I believe we have 45 stores in the STL area. With an estimate of 4500 employees I am hoping for the best on their part.
DeleteHope not before Nov. 2012, I still have $5 off $50 SnS coupons to use. :I
Delete