99 Cents Only

[storewanderer]

Now they will match any competitor's price:
https://99only.com/legal-stuff/price-match-guarantee

I don't know. I can't imagine many customers even asking for price matches there. Not sure what it will accomplish.

Also noticing the past few weeks they are running "sales" where various items are 99 cents again, that they price increased. This week it is 2lb Mandarins for .99 (was 2.99) or 1lb Strawberries for .99 (was 2.49). Last week they had the strawberries too, also cherries .99/lb, also some women's clothing at .99 (was 4.99, probably worth $1.99 generously).

They are also running various quantity-based pricing like bagged Frito Lay products 3 for $3.99, 2 liter pepsi 2 for $2.49, and something with cereal as well.

Customer traffic at these stores is way off on Saturdays; was in some around Sacramento last week and only one checkstand open without lines. Being at those stores in the past they were way busier before. Reno store yesterday afternoon only had a handfull of customers, also not nearly as busy as before.

One thing I am noticing is some larger tickets. For instance one customer ahead of me spent $80 and really didn't have much stuff (maybe 4 bags of stuff). Previously an $80 transaction at 99 Only would have been easily 10+ bags.

While other discount retailers seem to be doing very well, this chain seems to be bleeding traffic. I'm not sure how it is impacting their bottom line, maybe they make up for less traffic with higher ticket per customer like Dollar Tree seems to be. Not sure it is a sustainable strategy for either chain.

[Alpha8472]

Perhaps it is 99 Cents' problem. They raised the prices too high which drove away customers, and now they realize that their customer counts are down so they do these 99 cent sales. I think that they have already driven away most of their customers. I have not heard or seen any advertising regarding a 99 cent sale. That is the problem. They need to advertise the 99 cent sales to gain back customers, but there is no effective advertising.

99 Cent Only stores have always seemed dirtier and more messy than the competition. $1.25 sounds better than $2.99, $3.99, $4.99. So perhaps Dollar Tree has gained customers. I have found the selection at 99 Cents to be not so great. I prefer the range of items at Dollar Tree more.

[ClownLoach]

I have noticed that they are remodeling stores and rebranding. New logo is fun and contemporary looking, they are now known as "The 99 Store" which technically removes price from the name. Stores look brighter and more colorful with open windows (removed the graphics that made it hard to see inside), lots of colorful wallpaper graphics inside, for some reason reminds me of a Party City. BUT, despite all of the work they're doing, they have yet to be able to get me to actually walk through the doors because of so much disappointment in the past. Produce was an area they really should have stayed away from, last time I shopped one of their stores they had dropped a pallet-bin full of stinky cabbage that was past its prime and the entire store smelled like it. They clearly don't have the ability to manage it. Most was not refrigerated at all either.

Have to wonder though - are they actually doing better or worse since the CEO left to go destroy Sprouts? I'll bet they're doing better...

[HCal]

99 Cents Only seems to be really dropping the ball recently. 6-8 years ago I got a good chunk of my groceries from there, as they had good prices on smaller-size products that were suitable for a single person. But now their pricing seems to be higher than many other stores. I completely understand that they can no longer sell many things for $1 due to inflation, but they should at least try to be competitive. Nowadays, the only things I buy from there are non-food items, and even that is very limited.

I think the sales are not a bad idea. In this environment shoppers are very price-conscious, so they might help generate more customer traffic if the word spreads.

[Romr123]

99 Only used to be a fun store to poke around in and buy a few nuggets. They have several locations in and around Palm Springs (including one at Sunrise/Tahquitz that's in a historic building which used to be a high-end grocer) but they have deteriorated drastically over the years--Grocery Outlet and/or Big Lots is where I've shifted that type of "poke around shoppertainment"...

[veteran+]

99 Only used to be a fun store to poke around in and buy a few nuggets. They have several locations in and around Palm Springs (including one at Sunrise/Tahquitz that's in a historic building which used to be a high-end grocer) but they have deteriorated drastically over the years--Grocery Outlet and/or Big Lots is where I've shifted that type of "poke around shoppertainment"...

I believe that store was Fresh & Easy before 99 crap store moved in.

Before that, I believe it was a Jensens and before that a Vons??

[Romr123]

I think you're right, but wasn't sure of the exact chronology--I recall Jensens/F&E/99 Cent but have no awareness before that. I think it was a pretty late F&E conversion (before that the closest was over in Cathedral City)

[veteran+]

I think you're right, but wasn't sure of the exact chronology--I recall Jensens/F&E/99 Cent but have no awareness before that. I think it was a pretty late F&E conversion (before that the closest was over in Cathedral City)

That was one of the TOP 5 volume Fresh & Easy stores in the 3 States that they operated in.

[Bagels]

99 Cents Only was a Godsend for me. The El Toro location was identified as its second highest-grossing location (behind the one near Beverly Hills) for many years; it was always well stocked and was one of the first to feature an extended selection of perishables, including produce. For many years, I visited the store several times per week – you never knew what you could find, and you could always find something. I saved thousands of dollars shopping here; quite honestly, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to afford the cost of living in OC without the 99.

But the chain ran into financial problems (largely due to poor acquisitions and overexpansion) and by the mid-2010s, was projected to liquidate. That it’s still around is somewhat remarkable. Meanwhile, food processors & distributors left SoCal, and the market for close out merchandise suddenly became competitive. Alas, the selection at The 99 started to diminish – and so did the quality of its produce as it moved toward barebones staffing.

I’ve only stopped at The 99 three times this year, when ten years ago, I probably averaged three visits per week. But while there’s occasionally a bargain or two, most everything they sell can be purchased elsewhere for similar money or less. Lately I’ve noticed that Grocery Outlet seems to have a large selection of Kraft products, which accounted for the lion’s share of The 99’s closeouts in recent years. It’s probably better that way – last year, The 99 was selling 1 lb. tubs of Oscar Meyer deli meat for $4.99, a huge jar of blue cheese dressing for $9.99. Three years ago, both these items were $1 – which was a huge bargain, so a price increase is justified. But Walmart sells the sale Oscar Meyer deli meat packages for $5.49 every day – and they don’t expire in a week, like the 99s.

And there were price hikes everywhere: the “big” paper towel roll is now $1.69. For $1.20 at Walmart & Target, you can get two rolls totaling more sheets, and it’s much higher quality (the 99’s roll is equivalent to toilet paper). A 40-pack of paper plates is now $1.49 – the equivalent of $3.73 for a 100-pack, of which both Ralph’s and Albertson’s sell for $2.49. Trial size deodorants are now $1.49 – the exact same product is $1.25 at Dollar Tree. Single-serving yogurt cups 99c – still 50c at Ralph’s and Albertson’s (store brand). I could go on and on…

RIP 99 Cents Only – I already miss you!

[storewanderer]

99 Cents Only was a Godsend for me.

And there were price hikes everywhere: the “big” paper towel roll is now $1.69. For $1.20 at Walmart & Target, you can get two rolls totaling more sheets, and it’s much higher quality (the 99’s roll is equivalent to toilet paper). A 40-pack of paper plates is now $1.49 – the equivalent of $3.73 for a 100-pack, of which both Ralph’s and Albertson’s sell for $2.49. Trial size deodorants are now $1.49 – the exact same product is $1.25 at Dollar Tree. Single-serving yogurt cups 99c – still 50c at Ralph’s and Albertson’s (store brand). I could go on and on…

RIP 99 Cents Only – I already miss you!

I too really miss the 99 Cents Only of a few years ago. I can't even believe it when I go in.

I did do a pretty good transaction there the other day. I found multiple .99 items I actually wanted to buy: strawberries, some cat toys, cat treats, a small juicer, and a bag of candy. I was surprised. But going through there, so many other items I used to get for .99 had doubled or tripled in price, it was just very sad.

Also the single yogurt is marked at .69 in Reno and .99 in Carson City. Both prices are still too high, who knows how it scans.

99 Cents Only's value was always moreso on food and consumables than on general merchandise. I just wonder if ditching all of the food/consumables and adding more general merchandise sales will work out for them from a margin perspective. It may work. But I have my doubts.

I have doubts how long this chain will survive.