B & M Stores - charging for 100% free teabags!

texranger

aldredd wrote: »

But it's not at simple as that - it's the supplier which sets the cost price, and the retailer will then have a standard margin they want to apply on top of that to get to a retail price. (Plus others factors such as price competitiveness etc)

If the supplier offers a better cost price for the smaller pack size - usually because they shift more of them (remember supply & demand and all that), then the retailer will usually reflect this in the retail prices - hence why a bigger pack isn't always better value - it's not the retailer intentionally trying to scam customers.

Coffee is often a good example of this - a (for example) 200g jar of Nescafe usually work out cheaper (per g) than a catering size tub - because they sell more of the jars and so offer a better price.

Where the pack is marked as 'better value' or 'x amount free) then absolutely this should be true - but people wrongly assume / think that a bigger pack must be better value.

Catering tins always work out cheaper but we are talking multipacks which are totally different.

currently asda have 300G nescafe at £5 when a 200G is £5.67 but these are not multipacks, so is totally different

a current example at Asda Pepsi Max 4x2l is £5.49 or 2 pks for £10, but a single 2l bottle of Pepsi Max is only £1

aldredd

texranger wrote: »

Catering tins always work out cheaper but we are talking multipacks which are totally different.

...except they don't always work out cheaper (when buying from the same store, both prices inc VAT etc). Of course, if you're going to a dedicated catering supplier, it's going to be cheaper - but a catering sized item in a supermarket won't always be such.

texranger wrote: »

a current example at Asda Pepsi Max 4x2l is £5.49 or 2 pks for £10, but a single 2l bottle of Pepsi Max is only £1

And this is my point - assuming the multi-pack wasn't claiming to be better value, there is nothing that says a multipack *should* be be cheaper than buying separately - you should always check. People assume it will be, and then get narky when it's not - usually followed by a post on here somewhere.

If it's MARKED as being better value, then of course it should be - Sainsbury's in particular got into trouble for selling multipacks marked 'bigger pack better value' which worked out more expensive..

texranger

aldredd wrote: »

And this is my point - assuming the multi-pack wasn't claiming to be better value, there is nothing that says a multipack *should* be be cheaper than buying separately - you should always check. People assume it will be, and then get narky when it's not - usually followed by a post on here somewhere.

If it's MARKED as being better value, then of course it should be - Sainsbury's in particular got into trouble for selling multipacks marked 'bigger pack better value' which worked out more expensive..

you are clearly not a retailer. you contact Pepsi, Walkers etc. and they will all tell you that multipacks are designed to work out cheaper than buying the single items (classed as bulk buy). many consumers sites and media programs have tested this theory many times and in some cases they are cheaper buying multipacks but some cases it is not. consumers just need to open their eyes when they shop and calculate which is cheaper and not be bamboozled by stores gimmicks

Leodogger

If something is on special I always check the volume against the price which is your only way to work out if something is cheaper in bulk or not. So if something has more grams in it I work out how much per gram that is compared to the bigger or smaller version. Same with litres. If it is teabags work it out per tea bag.

Simples !

texranger

JWhite wrote: »

If something is on special I always check the volume against the price which is your only way to work out if something is cheaper in bulk or not. So if something has more grams in it I work out how much per gram that is compared to the bigger or smaller version. Same with litres. If it is teabags work it out per tea bag.

Simples !

exactly but how many actually do this

another coffee example is the new so called refill packs which are cheaper than the 200g jars and i see people buying these all the time thinking they are getting their coffee cheapers as they are buying just a refill, but the refills are only 150g, so cost wise it works the same as a 200g jar

asda nescafe 200g is £4 (£2/100g) 150g refils £3 (£2/100g) but a 300g jar is £5 (£1.67/100g)

aldredd

texranger wrote: »

you are clearly not a retailer.

Oh I am, trust me, I have more knowledge on this than you're giving me credit for. If you want 'credentials' I'll happily supply them 'offline' to this.

texranger wrote: »

you contact Pepsi, Walkers etc. and they will all tell you that multipacks are designed to work out cheaper than buying the single items (classed as bulk buy).

in theory, yes - but again, it's not as simple as this - for example, the supplier may fund a promotion on the single SKU but not the multi pack. The single SKU may sell in larger volumes, therefore the retailer can negotiate a better cost price which allows for a better retail price etc etc

texranger wrote: »

in some cases they are cheaper buying multipacks but some cases it is not.

that's what i just said

texranger wrote: »

consumers just need to open their eyes when they shop and calculate which is cheaper and not be bamboozled by stores gimmicks

again - that is what I just said

You seem to be telling me I'm wrong, but then saying the same thing as me.

mattyprice4004

aldredd wrote: »

that's what i just said

again - that is what I just said

You seem to be telling me I'm wrong, but then saying the same thing as me.

I thought this when I read both posts!

gardner1

l3sl3yd wrote: »

this may be a small issue to some but it has really niggled at me for the past couple of weeks.

My local B&M store sells Yorkshire Teabags at £1.89 for 80. Right next to them on the shelf are larger boxes which state 100% FREE! 80 + 80 free teabags! Bargain!

But - when I got to the till I noticed that the price for these FREE teabags were actually £2.39 - not £1.89. I asked the assistant why they were more exensive when they were clearly marked as FREE and she just shrugged. I then mentioned it to the Manager - and he just shrugged too and mumbled something about "Head Office"

I emailed their customer service departement and to their credit they did reply, givng me a lengthy explanation of there pricing and purchasing process, comparing their prices to other mainstream super markets but failed to acknowledge that if something is clearly advertised as FREE they should not be charging for it!

Or is it me?

if your not happy shop elsewhere they can charge what they like

mattyprice4004

gardner1 wrote: »

if your not happy shop elsewhere they can charge what they like

That's the bottom line at the end of the day.

If you rambled on to me as a manager, I'd probably just shrug too.

I_luv_cats

sarahg1969 wrote: »

They do the same with packs of Duracell batteries. The 4+4 free are more expensive than the 4 packs.

A housewares shop would sell the 4 pack for £2 but the 4+4free they sold for £3 - right con!!