Watch Out - Target Pricing...

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Just a quick FYI although if there is some "logic" behind it someone please explain it to me.

We were in Target yesterday - DD loves the Cadbury Creme Eggs so looked at those. Individually they are 69 cents each (let's call it 70 cents to make it easier) - they also have a box of 4. So 4 x 70 would be $2.80 so with luck the box would be a bit cheaper to encourage you to buy in bulk - wrong the box of 4 eggs is ....$3.39 !!! I couldn't believe it.

Granted they had the eggs on an 'endcap' and the boxes of them on the aisle (so not next to each other) but I"m hoping not too many people 'fall' for the box that's a ripoff as far as price in my book.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Nothing new about this kind of pricing. Buying in bulk is not always cheaper at any store.

It could be possible that someone wants to buy 4 in a box at a higher price. It would be nicer for gift giving than giving individual eggs.

 

[Arielle22]

It is not only Target. I find that in most stores for Cadbury eggs.

 

[poohfriend77]

So when your children ask why they need to learn math, you can tell them it's so they won't get taken at Target!

I found another example of weird pricing at Target. I was stocking up on the packets of Handi-Wipes for a trip. I picked up 3 or 4 packs in the "travel size" aisle, where the sign said $.99. When I got to the checkout, they had them hanging with the impulse items. I decided I should get one more pack without paying attention to the price. That one rang up $1.29!!! I took my receipt to customer service to complain, and the clerk told me that yes... the same item has different bar codes and may be different prices in different parts of the store.

 

[aprilfoolwed]

Wow - that is really frustrating!

Different barcodes on the same item in different departments???? I would be complaining about that too!

 

[Plumeria9]

Good eye! That's what smart shopping is all about. I whip out my caclculator all the time and am amazed at what I figure out.

 

[heathies2]

I have found the same "logic" with diapers. It is cheaper per diaper to buy a smaller box than the big bulk box. The unit price that are on shelves are a great way to spot this.

 

[PaulaSue]

Should change your title of post, not just Target, so many stores do it on so many things.

 

[sam_gordon]

I work on this with my 13yo DD whenever we're in the store. Find two (or three) sizes of things and figure out which is cheaper. Sometimes it's cheaper to pick up two of the smaller items than one bigger.

 

[njmom47]

Working in the supermarket industry, endcaps are also used to make you think the item is on sale. There is soo much psychology behind this stuff...you really have to be aware.

 

[Colleen27]

That's normal for the Cadbury eggs regardless of the store FWIW. Singles are usually cheaper than the multipack and go on sale more often too.

Diapers tend to be that way too - at regular price the bigger packages might be a slightly better deal but the smaller packs are on sale far more often and coupons have more value on a per-diaper basis especially when stacked with a sale price.

 

[CatNipRules]

The prices aren't set by the retailers. Unless of course they are on sale. The majority of the items that we see on the shelves, the prices are set by the individual manufacturers.

Now, of course this varies from time to time. Because I know that Target will try and match or beat other retailers prices.

DH has worked there for 21 years.

poohfriend77-The clerk behind the return counter should have refunded you the difference. If it was the exact same product and the exact same count of wipes, then they should have refunded the difference in price. I know that DH has done that for people in the past. Also, they should have reported it so that they can change the bar codes to be the same. I worked at Target for 4 years and that's what I did. Researched the "exceptions."

Because all that does is leave a bad taste in the guests mouths. I mean, come on, thirty cents isn't going to hurt anyone in the long run. Plus, it will give the guest a feeling that they matter to the company and aren't just a nameless number coming in there to shop.....

 

[jenjifer]

It's everywhere!

Today I was buying eggs at the grocery store. (real eggs, not the yummy Cadbury ones )

They had 6 organic eggs for 89 cents, while a dozen organic eggs were $2.69. All large, all brown, all organic. Baffled me!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

interestingly we were in Wal-Mart today

They have the eggs at 68 cents each

a box of 5 (remember Target's box of 4 was $3.39) is $2.78 so much cheaper to buy the box vs individually (which would be around $3.40)

 

[MAH4546]

The prices aren't set by the retailers. Unless of course they are on sale. The majority of the items that we see on the shelves, the prices are set by the individual manufacturers.

The manufacturer gives a suggested retail price that retailers often follow. Otherwise, the price is absolutely set by the retailer. And nowadays most large chains vary prices store-by-store.

 

[North of Mouse]

Target is not the only place, by no means. At various times, we have been members at Price Club, Costco, Sams and BJ's. They mostly sell in large boxes, bags, containers, or two of something sold together as one price. It CAN be a bargain or "not" depending on if you do your research, and also can use that amount instead of it wasting - depending on what it is. I can do much better at the nicer stores (groceries, especially) by matching sales with coupons, especially doubling and tripling coupons. We no longer have memberships, but we have seen people pick up the largest box,etc. and say wow, look at this, and only this much - not even bothering to see the amount per each, or whatever. They know a lot of the public is gullible, and sell a lot of stuff that way. My spending budget is precious, and I'm a very conscienceous buyer. Stores love the 10/$10 selling practice and how many times have I seen people pick up ten of them

 

[Deb & Bill]

My grocery store (and others, too).

1/2 pound bag of pistachio nuts = $3.99
1 poung bag of pistachio nuts = $ 8.99

It cost $1.01 more to buy a one pound bag versus two half pound bags. And for a few weeks they had the half pound bag on sale for $2.99 and the pound bag still at $8.99.

If you check the labels on the shelves you can see the price per ounce or per liter, etc and compare them.

 

[burnurcomputer]

The manufacturer gives a suggested retail price that retailers often follow. Otherwise, the price is absolutely set by the retailer. And nowadays most large chains vary prices store-by-store.

I agree in theory, but Chocolate World is selling them 2/$1 at the check out. Hershey is s subsideary of Cadbury.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The manufacturer gives a suggested retail price that retailers often follow. Otherwise, the price is absolutely set by the retailer. And nowadays most large chains vary prices store-by-store.

Conversely, there's no reason to denigrate a specific retailer (or retailers in general) for electing to sell an item at or close to the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Remember, too, that the wholesale cost of (in this case) the four-pack of eggs is higher than the wholesale cost of the single eggs.