Albertson/Vons/Pavilions Pricing

[HCal]

Vons has given me $10 off basket coupons for the last 3 weeks in a row. I wonder how this fits into their pricing strategy.

Perhaps they figure that these coupons will attract customers who will then do their weekly shopping there, but I think most people will be able to figure out that the $10 off will probably cover the increased prices on 4-6 items, if that.

I personally go in, buy ~$11-12 worth of groceries, and leave. One time I got it down to $10.46, and the cashier was quite amused when telling me that my total was 46 cents (something like that, I can't remember the exact number).

But this is the second time they have done these coupons for multiple consecutive weeks, so they must be working, or perhaps they are trying to boost numbers ahead of the merger.

[Bagels]

Vons has given me $10 off basket coupons for the last 3 weeks in a row. I wonder how this fits into their pricing strategy.

Perhaps they figure that these coupons will attract customers who will then do their weekly shopping there, but I think most people will be able to figure out that the $10 off will probably cover the increased prices on 4-6 items, if that.

I personally go in, buy ~$11-12 worth of groceries, and leave. One time I got it down to $10.46, and the cashier was quite amused when telling me that my total was 46 cents (something like that, I can't remember the exact number).

But this is the second time they have done these coupons for multiple consecutive weeks, so they must be working, or perhaps they are trying to boost numbers ahead of the merger.

Actually, Albertsons largely ended the regular $ off basket coupons (eg $5 off $50) sometime in December. The coupons you’re referring to are given out to dormant/ lightly used accounts as an incentive to get them back into Albertsons. Some coupon users/ groups (I’m sure you can think of one) maintain hundreds of accounts that they rotate between to score thousands in free groceries. I’m surprised Albertsons hasn’t plugged this hole yet…

[storewanderer]

Vons has given me $10 off basket coupons for the last 3 weeks in a row. I wonder how this fits into their pricing strategy.

Perhaps they figure that these coupons will attract customers who will then do their weekly shopping there, but I think most people will be able to figure out that the $10 off will probably cover the increased prices on 4-6 items, if that.

I personally go in, buy ~$11-12 worth of groceries, and leave. One time I got it down to $10.46, and the cashier was quite amused when telling me that my total was 46 cents (something like that, I can't remember the exact number).

But this is the second time they have done these coupons for multiple consecutive weeks, so they must be working, or perhaps they are trying to boost numbers ahead of the merger.

They target these coupons and I have noticed they try to give them for consecutive weeks to keep the customer returning and hope to form a habit. Safeway used to do this type of thing too long ago, probably some computer that nobody ever bothered to turn off for the past 10 years is generating and loading these offers.

If you use self checkout you can just scan items until the coupon applies then oh, finish and pay. I have noticed these coupons do not mix well with other coupons.

[Bagels]

One thing I've noticed is that there's a handful of items in which the manufacture rescinded some of their price hikes... Walmart and Ralphs have dropped their pricing, but Albertsons has not. For example, Bob's Big Boy Salad Dressings went from $4 to $6 at Walmart overnight. They've since dropped to $5. At Ralphs, they reached $6.49 but dropped to $5.49. At Albertsons, they're still $6.49.

[storewanderer]

I guess NorCal ran some price increases. I had to make sure I did not take a trip to Hawaii when I looked at these prices. But no I am in Reno still.

Friskies Cat Food- sale price .80, but regular price now 1.29 (was regular price 0.90)
30oz Miracle Whip- sale price 7.49, regular price now 10.79
30oz Kraft Mayo- sale price 5.99, regular price now 9.79
24oz Classico sauce- 4.49 (was regular price 3.99)
2 Liter Coke 3.29- sale price 2.79 (was regular price 2.99)

Not sure what else- those were enough.

[BillyGr]

I guess NorCal ran some price increases. I had to make sure I did not take a trip to Hawaii when I looked at these prices. But no I am in Reno still.

Friskies Cat Food- sale price .80, but regular price now 1.29 (was regular price 0.90)
30oz Miracle Whip- sale price 7.49, regular price now 10.79
30oz Kraft Mayo- sale price 5.99, regular price now 9.79
24oz Classico sauce- 4.49 (was regular price 3.99)
2 Liter Coke 3.29- sale price 2.79 (was regular price 2.99)

Not sure what else- those were enough.

OK, they must be officially crazy - not sure that a couple of those sale prices are even that high at "regular" around here (at least the Miracle Whip and mayo, maybe even the Coke) - and people think NY (state) has high costs!

[storewanderer]

I guess NorCal ran some price increases. I had to make sure I did not take a trip to Hawaii when I looked at these prices. But no I am in Reno still.

Friskies Cat Food- sale price .80, but regular price now 1.29 (was regular price 0.90)
30oz Miracle Whip- sale price 7.49, regular price now 10.79
30oz Kraft Mayo- sale price 5.99, regular price now 9.79
24oz Classico sauce- 4.49 (was regular price 3.99)
2 Liter Coke 3.29- sale price 2.79 (was regular price 2.99)

Not sure what else- those were enough.

OK, they must be officially crazy - not sure that a couple of those sale prices are even that high at "regular" around here (at least the Miracle Whip and mayo, maybe even the Coke) - and people think NY (state) has high costs!

This Northern California grocery price scale has been crazy like this for the past 20 years. In Reno we get treated to this price scale thanks to Safeway, Raleys, and Save Mart. Albertsons in Reno was in Intermountain Region with lower (but still high) pricing until 2005 then moved into NorCal but largely kept Intermountain pricing until being converted to Save Mart. There is little excuse for any of this. Highest operating costs in the US (other than Alaska/Hawaii) but it shouldn't be this high. Especially when operators like Wal Mart, Trader Joe's, and WinCo run stores in the NorCal market with pricing not much different from anywhere else.

[BillyGr]

I guess NorCal ran some price increases. I had to make sure I did not take a trip to Hawaii when I looked at these prices. But no I am in Reno still.

Friskies Cat Food- sale price .80, but regular price now 1.29 (was regular price 0.90)
30oz Miracle Whip- sale price 7.49, regular price now 10.79
30oz Kraft Mayo- sale price 5.99, regular price now 9.79
24oz Classico sauce- 4.49 (was regular price 3.99)
2 Liter Coke 3.29- sale price 2.79 (was regular price 2.99)

Not sure what else- those were enough.

OK, they must be officially crazy - not sure that a couple of those sale prices are even that high at "regular" around here (at least the Miracle Whip and mayo, maybe even the Coke) - and people think NY (state) has high costs!

This Northern California grocery price scale has been crazy like this for the past 20 years. In Reno we get treated to this price scale thanks to Safeway, Raleys, and Save Mart. Albertsons in Reno was in Intermountain Region with lower (but still high) pricing until 2005 then moved into NorCal but largely kept Intermountain pricing until being converted to Save Mart. There is little excuse for any of this. Highest operating costs in the US (other than Alaska/Hawaii) but it shouldn't be this high. Especially when operators like Wal Mart, Trader Joe's, and WinCo run stores in the NorCal market with pricing not much different from anywhere else.

Maybe at least some of the bigger companies can be a bit lower, as they may still pay higher costs there, but can offset it with lower costs in other areas (thinking Walmart and TJ), where the ones with the higher prices don't have stores (or very few, like Safeway with the small pocket around DC but most everything else is western) in other cheaper areas?

And you didn't even mention the price of Hellmann's... uh, sorry, Best Foods , which is probably even worse (maybe nearing that in the countries they decided to pull out of?).

[surfingdude]

I guess NorCal ran some price increases. I had to make sure I did not take a trip to Hawaii when I looked at these prices. But no I am in Reno still.

Friskies Cat Food- sale price .80, but regular price now 1.29 (was regular price 0.90)
30oz Miracle Whip- sale price 7.49, regular price now 10.79
30oz Kraft Mayo- sale price 5.99, regular price now 9.79
24oz Classico sauce- 4.49 (was regular price 3.99)
2 Liter Coke 3.29- sale price 2.79 (was regular price 2.99)

Not sure what else- those were enough.

It is just almost as bad in So Cal at Vons:
Friskies Cat Food .90
30oz Miracle Whip 7.49
30oz Kraft Mayo 7.49/5.49 club
30oz Best Foods 6.79
24oz Classico sauce 4.79/3.99 club
2 Liter Coke 2.99

Makes me wonder if they are trying to get their margins up to make it appear their weaker stores are stronger than they really are for divestiture purposes.

My weekly spend at Vons has gone from $125-$150 weekly to $25-$30 weekly over the past few months. It is not just me, my local Vons is noticeably slower that is has been historically. My spend has gone to Smart & Final, Aldi and Trader Joes. I find Smart & Final to be 10-15% less and Aldi to be 50-60% less than Vons. Not a fan of Smart & Final, but the local store has an exceptional Store Manager. And I don't have to put up the ridiculously long lines, excessive out of stocks and indifferent service I have come to expect from Vons.

[Bagels]

Here's a good mystery:

Albertsons is really, really high on health & beauty products -- higher than Walgreens/ CVS / Rite Aid. Which is why I'm surprised their Dollar Shave Club products are priced same as Walmart. They're on sale at the moment, and with the now-expired coupon + Fetch rewards, yielded some super cheap pricing (including free shaving cream / butter).

Ironically, Kroger appears to be removing DSC from its stores and replacing it with Harry's. Everything was 1/2 off at the stores by me, and what was left found its way to the bargain bin. The shelf spacing is now Harry's.