I'm not the biggest fan of the "Mega-Mart" either, however, there are some things I do buy there. My dogs prefer their store brand of canned dog food and it's less than I can pay anywhere else.

As far as your detergent, that's where their advertising "gets" people. As you found out, the price per oz was the SAME as the grocery store at REGULAR PRICE. However, since the grocery store has sales they beat the big guy. You may have run into an exception though. When I have compared prices on those items, I find that even the grocery stores own brand (at regular price) is usually a tad more than the "Mega-mart".

Of course there are lots of things that affect the prices. In my case, I get the best price at the Dollar General UNLESS someone else is having a sale.

I won't go as far as saying, that the "Mega-Mart" either evil or wonderful. Just like anything else, shoppers have to compare, what looks like the best buy isn't always the best.

Glad you caught it and can return your unused higher priced product.

In fairness, you have to realize that NO place can truly be cheapest on EVERYTHING all the time. That's just common sense.

This again screams the value of a price book and savvy shopping.

I agree that no one store will have the lowest price on every item a person may need in any given weekly grocery trip. It's funny how "Mega-Mart" tries to convince you of this with huge amounts of expensive advertising. Hey, they got me in the store and it worked, that is, until the skeptic in me took over.

Stores that offer 20% off sales daily on a wide variety of name brand and store brand merchandise give shoppers the same or better prices than "Mega-Mart's" everyday low price.

Savvy shopping is as simple as buying the items on sale and/or choosing the store brand. No coupons are necessary, no member cards or fees are required, and big crowds are avoided with many such grocery stores. In our case, it is also closer and thus more convenient.

"Mega-Mart" gives the perception of low prices. That's why people shop there. I believe their strategy is to have low prices on some low quality big ticket (TVs, computers) items then everything else is in line w/ other stores.

"Mega-Club Store" gives the impression of low prices as well. Their strategy is similar, offer some big ticket items at reduced cost and make up for it smaller everyday items. Club stores have the added issue of having to buy large quantities. I'd rather not dedicate an extra room in my house to storage of items that may save me $10. I do buy certain things there but the list of things I get there keeps getting smaller and smaller.

The "offer big ticket itmes at reduced cost and hoping to make up for it on markups on smaller purchases" is a popular business model. If you go to "Electronics Mart" you can pay more for the cables than the TV. Look at the crazy prices they charge for digital media cards.

Cynic hit the nail on the shopping head once again. I find bargains at nearly any store I shop, but without my Price Book it would be easy to make purchasing mistakes. Especially in this day and age when prices are forever changing - not to mention changing sizes to keep track of.

-Grainlady

I have found that I save money by buying stuff at Kroger instead of WM. If I go to WM to buy their detergent because it's 10 cents less, I also buy other things... that's how they "get you."

I'd rather pay the dime at Kroger and only go to one place.

Plus Kroger donates 5% of my purchase to my sons' Boy Scouts troop through thier Plus Card chairty program.

I will go to any lenghts to avoid WM. I find just about anything they sell is lower quality than what you can get at other stores.