I think of Aldi as a place for lower priced foods and related goods. I get the flyers in the mail because there's one in the next town over. I stopped in there one time, but although they had some very attractive food items and prices, the line was way too long. I hadn't viewed their flyer in a few months, and I was surprised to see that they have a computer listed for $399, and also a sound system and a turntable listed. I thought they only sold household goods and groceries, but now it seems they're expanding into electronics? I could see maybe at Christmas, but I'm not sure why they're adding these types of items. I guess maybe they're looking to draw in one-stop-shopping customers away from Walmart and SuperTarget? The Aldi near me doesn't have enough room for all of the food items I want and need, so I'm not sure where they will be putting these other items. Have you noticed changes like this at your local Aldi?
Well, you say that it's a place for lower priced foods so I'm guessing that it's a cheap place alternative for many people. You also mentioned that they're expanding into electronics with the mention of that cheap computer. Now of course, you're going to have to take into consideration the specifications of this laptop. Just like the cheap food items being sold, this might be one of the lower end laptops aimed at people who don't need an advanced computer for their daily jobs.
Actually in my area, they have sold those kinds of things for years. I once bought a nice gas grill at Aldi's. They may not have top of the line products, but most of what they sell is good enough to suit my purposes. I like Aldi's shopping really. YOu never know what you might find there.
In Europe they have been stocking them for quite a while. They do lots of DIY things, cameras, and even a portable generator for camping. These days they take credit cards and also offer online ordering and free shipping in the UK right now, so it encourages people to buy more. They also sell vacuum cleaners, kettles, coffee machines, blenders, and my dad bought an electric shaver too.
We have several Aldi stores in my area. I find the price of several of their basic items priced lower than the large chain stores in the area. The fresh vegetables and fruit are priced at a great price and the milk is the lowest in the area. We do have to go to the chain stores to get the items Aldi does not carry. We keep the packets of oatmeal in the house so the kids can fix their own breakfast. The oatmeal at Aldi is $1.49 store brand. Safeway Quaker oatmeal is 2 for $5. We get 3-4 boxes of oatmeal at a time from Aldi.
@Pat I think packets of oatmeal must be one place a lot of stores make money, because I've noticed the same thing, with an even greater spread between the store brands and name brand. I usually like Kroger's store brand products, but oatmeal packets is one I really don't care for, so I buy those at Walmart, instead. I don't know if they're offering the same type of services, with ordering online and free shipping here @Theo, but if so, that's definitely something I'd take advantage of. I'm wondering where they are putting the items, though, or if perhaps they're only available at the larger sites. I have experienced that with HEB in the past. I would go to the local one, to try to pick up some things advertised in their weekly brochure, only to find that they weren't stocked there, because it wasn't one of the huge stores.
Yes, I was happy that Aldi's started taking credit cards in my area, because they never use to. It should be stated that not everything is a bargain at Aldi's but the discerning shopper is apt to do quite well there. I remember last year, apple cider was close to 5.00 a gallon at everyplace I looked. Aldi's had it for 2.49! So, obviously, I scooped it up. However, some products I can get cheaper at my local Super Value store, however, some items are over priced there, as they try to make up for bargain prices. As we have always said, you have to know prices, to know whether you are truly getting a good deal or not.
@Diane Lane in regards to Aldi storing things, this was very recent and they only have limited stock at the warehouse as some items show up 'sold out, available in store only now' so they are still experimenting with how it works, what products to offer (not all are available) and when they go online as you can also preorder things. I think if will take off, but it will depend on stock levels.
We don't have Aldi in Botswana, but where I lived in England we had a big one and they sold all those things. They had TVs, vacuum cleaners and other electronic appliances. They had literally everything you could wish for. Except, I always felt it fell short when it can to food, because I could never get everything I wanted at Aldi. I'd pick up a few things, only to have to continue onto Sainburys to get the rest. For some reason, I never really checked out their electric stuff.
The items have gone upmarket as well as Lidl. My dad bought an electric shaver for £16.99 there its; great. One thing to bear in mind is when these stores do special buys there are really limited stocks, and the guarantee is only a year, but I do feel if something will break it's do so before then. Food wise @Lushlala the selection has improved and I can even get pure pressed apple juice for 95p a liter and it tastes good.
That was my issue with them as well @Lushlala. They're fairly new in this market though, so perhaps the little store somewhat near me is a test to see how well it will do. I think it would probably do better if they had just jumped right in and make a few of the larger stores, though, since many people I know prefer one-stop shopping. I can't always even get everything I need for groceries at Super Target, so I only go there these days if I'm in the area and want something they in particular sell. I prefer to do my smaller trips at Kroger because it's closer, and those are the trips I would do at Aldi, since they have limited items, but since they're farther away, if I'm going that far, I'll go to a store that has a wider selection of products, such as Walmart Supercenter or Super Target. If I had an Aldi closer, I'd definitely take advantage of their low prices on milk, produce, and also some of the other items that I find attractive, such as maple syrup.
@Diane Lane....I also like to get all my stuff under the same roof. It's especially handy if like me, you don't drive. So going from one store to the next can be a huge hassle. Like you, I only stop by Aldi if I'm in the area and need something specific. It's such a shame really because they offer some really good stuff at affordable prices, too. I used to really like their meat products too because some of them were very good quality, often vacuum sealed for extra freshness.
I didn't have a vehicle for years, so I definitely understand that. Also, in this day and age, so many people are running around from one phase to another, work to home, to picking up the kids, to activities, etc., one-stop shopping is very popular, so I think it would help them to open the full service one-stop shopping larger sites. Since my car's not in the greatest shape, I also prefer not to run around, and it saves time and gas, as well. I'd love to spend some time exploring the store, but there's no point if there's only 1 register and huge lines, because I don't have the patience for that, which is why I walked out without buying anything the 1 time I did go there to shop .
@Diane Lane I hear you regarding the long lines and one cash register open, but as these discount stores grow the lines do get shorter, especially since in the UK people have to pay for carrier bags. It does make a difference to how fast the line can go down. However, if you save 50% it can be worth it, you just choose the best day and time of day to go instead. Fortunately the local Aldi is near other stores, so you can pop in one then cross the road to another. I know in the US that maybe unlikely, but I have seen some stores on retail parks so people can do other shopping at the same time.
I would definitely do that if they were in the same parking lot @Theo. I would do it if I were coming from Super Target or Home Depot, as well, because I'd be coming from the lower traffic end, but the traffic at the interaction to the lot where Walmart Supercenter and Aldi intersect can be a nightmare, even in the middle of the week during the day, when people are supposedly all at work. If I ever get to the point where my car's working better or I have a different/better one, I might consider it, because I'd definitely like to take advantage of the lower produce prices, as well as some of the pre-packaged goods I have seen in their flyer. It seems if I sit anywhere in traffic too long, someone ends up hitting me (my car), so these days I zoom to and from wherever I'm going and stay off the roads as much as possible.
