Shopping at Wal-Mart
If
you are shopping at Wal-Mart without price matching you
are probably paying too much for your groceries. Studies have
shown that grocery prices at Wal-Mart are generally 15% less
than the shelf price at other stores - however the sales
prices at other stores is generally 30% less than the prices
at Wal-Mart. If you combine these two factors you can easily
save 40% or more on your groceries without ever clipping a
coupon. The key is to use the competitor's prices at
Wal-Mart.
In
an effort to stay competitive with local competition Wal-Mart
has a policy of matching competitor's advertised
prices. This is called "Ad
Matching" or "Price Matching."
The Shopping Wizard provides
several tools to assist you when price matching. By it's very
nature price matching can take additional time when
researching the best advertised prices - the Shopping Wizard
can greatly reduce the time required to prepare your shop and
the time it requires inside the store to price
match.
Many times we are asked if Wal-Mart
will accept the Ads & Bargains program and our price
matching labels. The answer is "YES" because Ads &
Bargains is a tool to help the shopper match prices according
to Wal-Mart's price matching policy - it does not it itself
create a new price or discount in any way.
Let me explain. In Utah, where Ads
& Bargains began, we have gone into over a dozen Wal-Mart
stores to introduce our program and make sure that our members
would have a trouble free interface. In every case once we
introduced our program to management we were told that there
was no need to coordinate our effort as the policy of price
matching was a store policy and would be honored - with or
without Ads & Bargains. The time savings
convenience that Ads & Bargains provides is just that
- a convenience for both the shopper and Wal-Mart.
You may find it interesting to note
that in several Wal-Mart stores we were invited to hold
classes on price matching and to show shoppers the savings
that can be achieved.
The key is for the Shopper to
understand how price matching works. This will avoid most
problems that can be encountered in shopping at Wal-Mart. The
following tips will be a big help when shopping
Wal-Mart.
Price Matching
Policies
Price
Matching is a national policy at all Wal-Mart stores. However
policies for price matching can vary from one Wal-Mart to
another - and are set by the store manager. The normal
policy is to price match competition within a 50 mile radius
of the store. Wal-Mart does not match the following
promotions:
BxGxF
(B1G1F)
% Off Sales (20% Off, 50%
Off, etc.)
Instant
Rebates
Store Coupons
Store
Brands - Matching store brands can also vary from store to
store. In most cases Wal-Mart will substitute their brand for
that of other stores.
Many times
you will find Wal-Mart does not carry a brand that has been
advertised by a competitor. The most successful way I have
found to handle this situation is to locate a store employee
and ask if they will match the item on sale and if so with
what item. It is likely they will match it with their own
brand or with another brand.
It is the policy of Wal-Mart to
accept the word of the customer as to the competitor's price
for grocery items and to ask for a copy of the ad for all
other items. All you need to do is say, "Milk is on sale at
$2.00 per gallon at ABC Grocery Store." In most cases the
checker will give you that price without so much as a glance.
This can vary from store to store.
In most cases the checker is already aware of the competitor's
price. You will be amazed at how many people price match! Many
Wal-Mart's post the competitor's ads at the front of the
store. Others keep a copy at the customer service counter or
other locations near the check out area.
If you are picking up just an item
or two it is quite easy to remember the advertised prices. But
in the event you are doing a large shop you may want some
help.
Price Matching
Labels
Please note that there is no
relationship between Wal-Mart and Ads & Bargains. The
printed Shopping List and the Price Matching Labels are aids
to assist you in helping the checker in the check out process.
They want to save time as much as you do and Price
Matching will take extra time in the check out
process.
The printed Shopping List from the
Ads & Bargains Shopping Wizard provides you with all the
information the checker needs to give you the correct prices.
The Shopping List printout is great for small to medium shops,
but for large shops the labels are a great time
saver.
It is quite simple to use the
labels. The labels are organized by category. As you shop
place the label on the package before you put the item in your
cart. If you are buying several of the same item you need only
one Price Matching Label attached to just on of the items. Be
careful not to place the label where it will cover up the UPC
bar code or any pricing that is on the package. The checker
needs this information to make the price adjustments at the
check out.
Sometimes the Wal-Mart shelf price
is the lower price. In this case you will not need the label.
It should be removed and placed on the back of the sheet. This
will get the label out of the way and make locating other
labels easier.
Some produce items may not
be priced by the same unit price used at Wal-Mart as it
is by the competitor. Wal-Mart may be priced per item whereas
the competitor may be priced by the pound. You will want to
figure out the competitor's price in the same unit priced used
by Wal-Mart. This allows you to know which price is lower.
Note this price on the label when you place it on the item.
The checker will need the unit price as well.
When you get to the check out
inform the checker you will be price matching the items that
have the labels attached and show the checker where the Ad
Price is on the label. Most checkers think the labels are
really cool and recognize quickly the time the labels will
save them. Some even get excited and show the labels to other
employees or ask how other shoppers can get the
labels.
Help the checker and yourself by
placing like items together as you take them out of the cart.
I usually place the items I am not price matching on the belt
first. This allows me more time to get the price matched items
organized and to monitor the price
adjustments. |
