What I mean specifically is have you made the choice not to shop at the cheapest grocer because you've had too many bad experiences or you disagree with the way the business is generally run? I'll admit I've done this with Walmart. I know it can be cheaper than other places but if I can avoid going (& I normally can) I won't. Do you have a similar store?
I was a diehard Walmart fan but after a few bad experiences with the staff, other customers and even a rude security guard who mistook me for a teenager, I've been spending more time at Kmart and I'm finding that they have nice cashiers, cute housewares and some good clearance and Manager's specials. I think having an easy, stress free shopping experience trumps saving a few pennies on canned corn.
Yes I have, and that same reason has translated into me staying specifically with a particular restaurant for lunch in the week days, If I can spend $4.50-$5.00 on lunch and enjoy myself thoroughly, in getting good food and great customer service vs $3-$2 for substandard food and poor service. Even if I have to drive miles to get good food and good service- I am going! So for me, price isn't always the sole factor when deciding to buy things. I have to feel good about every decision I make.
For me I think I always choose the middle option. If shopping in a supermarket, I would rather choose the middle priced product over the value or premium priced one. Similarly when choosing an electrical product for the home, I won't by the cheapest brand or the more expensive one. There is something reassuring in thinking you have not gone for the cheapie and also haven't been tempted by a premium product.
Unlike in America where Walmart functions like an economy of scale, with other chain stores like Target and Best Buy occasionally getting the spotlight, there is more variety and less "branding" in our locality. In some countries, wet markets, flea markets, wholesale-retail shops and bazaars are still commonplace. Residents flock to these places and purchase goods commensurate to their income.
I feel similarly about Walmart. I might save a few bucks if I shop there, but I find it so unpleasant and off-putting, I avoid it if at all possible. So cramped and crowded. Plus I’ve found that the savings are negligible compared to other places where I shop, so there’s not much incentive for me to go there anyway. I’m willing to spend a little more money to shop in places that don’t make me want to curl up in a corner.
Yeah. We don't have Walmart in my country, but there is a grocery chain here that is almost the same as Walmart. it's the nearest to my place, but the products there are too expensive. Aside from the price, the quality of the things are not good. I mean, I once bought meat products there. When I got home, I found out that the meat was almost bad because of the smell. It wasn't fresh at all. Even if it's the closest grocery, I try to avoid it as much as possible.
I think unless someone is at the bare minimum cash wise, just earning enough for shelter & food, there are usually things that go into a decision other than purely price. Pork rinds at the gas station are slightly more expensive than the big-box grocery store but I can ride my bike to the gas station and not take the time and gas money for the trip in the truck. Smaller mom&pop stores are often slightly more expensive than chains but I'd rather support a small business. A more expensive RV park may be in a slightly better location or have better amenities that are worth more to me than the few extra dollars per night. Walmart can be useful/convenient/cheap but a lot of the time, the difference is only a few cents and the things that have the most price difference are usually sub-standard. Add to that the fact that they're usually slightly dirty, understaffed with rude employees, and often have unacceptably long lines. I'll go their when I think it's necessary but if there are potential better options, I'll use them.
Price will never trump ethics for me. With Walmart as an example, it's not only a very unpleasant experience to shop there, but I despise their practices; how they treat people and animals etc. I won't shop there, no matter how cheap they get. And I wouldn't buy food there if you paid me.
Quality is equally as important as price, something can be "good value" without being cheap. Cheap implies a certain lack of quality which is a false economy in the end when you think about it as you either did not enjoy something or had to buy it again as it was shoddy.
When I am a bit short of cash, I don't resort to buying the cheapest that there is. I rather wait until I have enough again to get what I need. When it comes to fresh food, I rather not buy second rate vegetables or fruit and focus more on getting a few high quality items that I mix with whatever bulk foods I have in my pantry.
I usually shop at Walmart because of the prices however I have recently stopped going there to do my groceries because the lines up are so long and it takes forever to get out of the store and once I do get out the parking lot is so crazy there's another half an hour to get out and its not worth the stress to me so Id rather go to my local grocery store and spend a couple extra dollars to be stress free.
As long as I could afford to, I usually try not to make price dictate my decisions. When it comes to food, for example, I'd much rather just go for something more expensive if it will end up satisfying me more, just so I don't end up having the craving twice as much in the future. However, there are some days when my budget is a little tighter and on those days I wouldn't push myself to spend more either because I'm also perfectly fine with skimping if I really had to. I think flexibility is a very useful tool in saving because not every situation will be the same and to use only one method throughout might prove to be detrimental.
Nutrition is more important than price. Unless you are choosing between the cheapest food and no food, it's better to buy good healthy nutritious food and give up something else that is not life sustaining. I learned the hard way that if your vitamin and mineral intake from food (supplements are NEVER as good for you) is low for too long, you will soon not have much energy and you are basically on a downward spiral toward poor health preventing you from being able to do the work you must do in order to pay for your basic needs.
I will not pay to have a worker be rude to me, if the employee is rude and the service is below what I expect I will not return to the store. When you have been treated poorly and return you are saying it is ok to be nasty to me even though I am the reason you have a job. If enough people stop to stores that give poor service jobs will be eliminated due to lack of sales. I don't mind paying more if it is a more pleasant experience for the time that I am in the store.
There are definitely other things to consider beyond price. At least there is for me. There have been occasions that I have refused to return to cheap shops or restaurants simply because I was upset by the service. Price is always a factor but it can never be the only factor.
