1. In
order to have the best agreements, don’t look at the eye level. “Eye-level
position is the most desired place on the shelf, where we put the new product or
the most profitable items”,according to Kim Coffin, the senior director at
Sunflower Farmers Market, a chain of 35 stores in the south west of America.
These products will cost you more. Look at the shelves above and under, where
products such as tea, cereal, macaroni and cheese can be cheaper from 50 to 60%
each item.
2. Try it
before buying. Ask if you can try one before buying or not, according to
Danielle Halstead, the store manager of New Seasons Market in Vancouver, WA,
proposed. “It is very easy for us to open a box or cut one of these oranges
before buying a dozen”. How to do: ask the manager or the supervisor who is in
charge of testing the products about trying, tell them the reason. (“I have
never tried this kind of crunchy biscuit. Could I try it to know that if I like
it or not?”)
3. Require better prices. “I will let you know one thing”, Meng Truong, the owner of three
international supermarkets Lee Lee in Arizona said that “If you require an
agreement, I almost never say no”. Although you have found the cheapest price
at the other places or you are buying wholesale, it is worthy of trying. Many
other store chains like Whole Foods have a discount of 10% which is not
advertised or discounted when purchasing in a large quatity – you just have to
ask it at the cashier’s desk, according to Rae Van Seenus, a marketing
supervisor for Whole Foods Market at Santa Barbara, CA explained.
4. Choose the store based on dried food,
but not bread or milk. As Truong said, products
which are highly consumed daily, such as butter, milk, and bread are sold at
the price which is nearly equal to the cost, is the reason why milk-price
reduction only save you a few cents. But how about dried food which has been
piled up at the stores for months? They usually have much higher price, and
when discounting, it can be meant that the discount is from 50% to 60%. That is
the reason why a box of cereal can cost $5,99 USD at this store but cost $3,99
USD at the other store. Please browse the weekly ads for knowing the prices of
cereals, coffee, canned food and your favorite beverage.
5. Buy right after delivering. “At our store, we have 3 deliveries of fish per week, on Wednesday,
Friday and Sunday”, Truong said. “If you want the fresh products, please come
at noon during these days. At your local store, please ask the store’s delivery
schedule often and make a plan to go shopping weekly based on it.
6. Make friend with the manager. “You want a personal relationship which you used to have with a
butcher for example”, Halstead explained. Just introduce yourself and let them
know when you will go shopping and what you are looking for – although that is
the lowest price or the best piece of meat. They will want to keep you as a
customer; therefore, they will often let you know about the discounts which
have not been announced. They can also reserve the discounted items for you
before selling. The best part is that the managers can teach you how to
maximize your bonus point, just need to ask.
7. Do you want organic? Please find number 9. “Please find the small sticker on the item.”,
Halstead explained. “All stickers have a 4-digit code. If there is number 9
before it, it means organic”.
