CVS and volume

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cjd
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CVS and volume

Post by cjd »

Just been thinking about this a while. How does CVS compare to Walgreens as far as sales figures. The CVS stores around here seem to have much smaller selection than Walgreens in the departments, plus the shelves are half height where Walgreens usually has full shelves. Recently I was comparing some things between the two and found Walgreens had put summer items on clearance, but with CVS it seemed only certain items were marked down.

We typically do any of our drug store related shopping at Walgreens because of the sales, even though CVS is more conveniently located. CVS is right in front of Publix (in a former Eckerd location) while Walgreens is by itself across the street.

I guess there's always the convenience aspect if people have their prescriptions there and they need to pick up a couple of things while they are there. But I just don't see much of a reason to make them a separate stop, unless they had good sales.

It seems like Eckerd was always a higher volume store and had better sales.

Eckerd once had two locations here, but CVS closed one (I'm pretty sure it never converted), but Walgreens continues to run two.
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Re: CVS and volume

Post by storewanderer »

CVS runs low volume, low labor stores. Their per store volumes are below Walgreens but above Rite Aid (it will be interesting to see if they are still above Rite Aid now that Rite Aid unloaded most of its low volume/garbage stores to Walgreens).

Walgreens has 5 stores in my area in NV that have reduced shelf spaces by lowering the shelves, taking out aisles, and installing various "cardboard box" displays on some of the shelf spaces that are still there. It is a test program they call simplified store. These stores have less merchandise than a CVS and are quite useless for ad items. No backstock and only 2 or 3 of everything on a shelf. There are a few other Walgreens around here that took out most of their endcaps but did not do all the SKU cuts that the "simplified stores" did. They appear to have a number of initiatives to cut overhead (cut mix, cut labor) in lower volume stores.

Rite Aid's stores on the west coast are far better than either CVS or Walgreens, at least for front end. They have a larger mix, better promotions, and just in general do a better job.
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Re: CVS and volume

Post by cjd »

I see, I've always preferred Walgreens myself. I do think it was a good and bold move when CVS stopped selling cigarettes, and I'm surprised Walgreens didn't follow suit, but I guess they had their reasons.

Eckerds brings fond memories to my mind but Walgreens is definitely me preferred store even with CVS being their modern equivalent. I have not noticed understocking at Walgreens, the one I go to must not be one of them that did the cutbacks.
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Re: CVS and volume

Post by mbz321 »

CVS's prices are so high, they only need a handful of suckers to buy an $8 bottle of ibuprofen a few times a day to be profitable.
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Re: CVS and volume

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: September 30th, 2018, 8:46 pm CVS runs low volume, low labor stores. Their per store volumes are below Walgreens but above Rite Aid (it will be interesting to see if they are still above Rite Aid now that Rite Aid unloaded most of its low volume/garbage stores to Walgreens).

Walgreens has 5 stores in my area in NV that have reduced shelf spaces by lowering the shelves, taking out aisles, and installing various "cardboard box" displays on some of the shelf spaces that are still there. It is a test program they call simplified store. These stores have less merchandise than a CVS and are quite useless for ad items. No backstock and only 2 or 3 of everything on a shelf. There are a few other Walgreens around here that took out most of their endcaps but did not do all the SKU cuts that the "simplified stores" did. They appear to have a number of initiatives to cut overhead (cut mix, cut labor) in lower volume stores.

Rite Aid's stores on the west coast are far better than either CVS or Walgreens, at least for front end. They have a larger mix, better promotions, and just in general do a better job.
A lot of the west coast Rite Aid stores are larger simply because they are mainly acquired stores that were formerly PayLess, Thrifty, or Pay 'N Save. Although some were too large and poorly ran for years (I have seen up to 1/3 of some of the stores with shelves blocking off those empty areas), they are "right sizing" what's left and the stores look better stocked as a result. These acquired stores also, due to their larger size, often serve as the only general merchandise retailer in some areas where big box retailers, even Walmart, have no stores for miles. While some have closed as new competition has arrived, some of these stores continue to do well, even with new competition, due to their established presence.

Walgreens and CVS are more like "convenience" retailers than anything and tend to have limited variety and higher prices. Rite Aid seems to follow this formula more with some of their newer stores.

I used to prefer Walgreens over Rite Aid because at one point their stores were generally better ran. This is now reversed. I have noticed several Walgreens now where lack of maintenance is becoming noticeable and the lack of staffing is evident.
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Re: CVS and volume

Post by Knight »

storewanderer wrote: September 30th, 2018, 8:46 pm CVS runs low volume, low labor stores. Their per store volumes are below Walgreens but above Rite Aid (it will be interesting to see if they are still above Rite Aid now that Rite Aid unloaded most of its low volume/garbage stores to Walgreens).

Walgreens has 5 stores in my area in NV that have reduced shelf spaces by lowering the shelves, taking out aisles, and installing various "cardboard box" displays on some of the shelf spaces that are still there. It is a test program they call simplified store. These stores have less merchandise than a CVS and are quite useless for ad items. No backstock and only 2 or 3 of everything on a shelf. There are a few other Walgreens around here that took out most of their endcaps but did not do all the SKU cuts that the "simplified stores" did. They appear to have a number of initiatives to cut overhead (cut mix, cut labor) in lower volume stores.

Rite Aid's stores on the west coast are far better than either CVS or Walgreens, at least for front end. They have a larger mix, better promotions, and just in general do a better job.
I have seen Walgreen's operate stores with low volume and low labor.
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