Jump to content

Horrified at Sams Club


AngryChris

Recommended Posts

So I went to pick up my usual variety packs from Sam's Club yesterday and I saw the sticker shock!  The prices for a 30-ct pack of candy (Hershey's OR Mars) went from about $16.65/pack ($0.555/unit) to about $19.50/pack ($0.65/unit).  That's a 17% increase!!!  What the hell!??!??

 

Everything needs to be a dollar at the minimum.  There's a local vendor out there who was practically "giving candy away" at 75 cents at almost every location, and even sold candy for 50 cents at one of his locations to keep the owner happy (12 employees, 50 cent cans, 50 cent candy, 1 dollar bottles).  That guy is going to run his people crazy to either increase all of these prices or go out of business, and I am going to run myself crazy trying to find a way to keep up with such a huge sticker shock.  

 

I'm going to ask my customers to go up a dime on candy now and another dime next year.  This is ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sams seems to play around with their pricing all the time. The one in my area switches variety packs from 48.9 cents per unit to 55.5 cents all the time.

Although that price increase is quite steep....it probably has something to do with the recent Mars and Hershey increases.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmmm. Most of the time variety packs are cheaper or the same price as regular boxes. Did you notice the price of straight product?

Mike

 

Snickers and M&M's were still around 51-55 cents per unit.  I think the other stuff is still pretty standard at 55.5 cents per unit but I think it's only going to stay like that until the next shipment comes in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read a few weeks ago that this was going to happen. I've started raising my prices to compensate. I've got to go to 1.25 for candy on my commissioned accounts. I'm sure that'll go over like a fart in church...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should ask the Sam's manager why they raised prices 17% when the manufacturers prices only went up 9%.  Ask them why they are price-gouging their customers.  Ask this question on Facebook and Twitter and see what happens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sams seems to play around with their pricing all the time. The one in my area switches variety packs from 48.9 cents per unit to 55.5 cents all the time.

Although that price increase is quite steep....it probably has something to do with the recent Mars and Hershey increases.

 

Well....I just checked and prices skyrocketed for me too for most SKUs. 61 cents per bar. Yikes.

 

I wasn't joking around!  I also see the prices jump around a bit but I think this price increase is simply ridiculous.

You should ask the Sam's manager why they raised prices 17% when the manufacturers prices only went up 9%.  Ask them why they are price-gouging their customers.  Ask this question on Facebook and Twitter and see what happens.

 

They won't be getting my dollar votes any time soon, so we'll see what kind of an impact that makes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must be co-vending with the guy you spoke of.  When one company brought me in for pop, they refused to kick out their snack vendor.  He has his candies still at .60.  Crazy!  At least when he goes out of business, I'll be poised to take over the snack at that location.

 

Can't wait til Cosco opens to seen how they compare.  I suppose I could do a little comparison shopping at the one in Cinci.  I'm guessing their stock and pricing should be comparable when they open here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just did a little online searching...doesn't Costco sell vending products?  Searches for basic products like Snickers and Coke yield no results.

You need to pull up Costco's business center website to see that kind of stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You won't find what you want for vending at Costco.  Sams selection is much better.  Picked up chocolate yesterday and whooo.  61 cents.  So, yeah I raised prices a dime on todays stops.   Usually I buy the 72 count Snickers and those are 49 cents.  But, wouldn't you know it that big pack of Snickers was gone.  Of course.   I did pick up the variety pack with Snickers, PMM, Regular MM, Skittles.  That pack is 55 cents a piece.

 

Honestly I thought about raising chips a dime or even some other hot items by a nickle to make up for it.  I sell more chips than chocolate.  I think you can kind of hide the increase by raising other items a nickle.  Just depends on your current pricing.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have two sams clubs in my city, and both have very recently stopped selling a lot of their case chips also. They only have like 4 choices available and have canceled probably 4-5 choices from their inventory including some of my best sellers. They have replaced those with variety packs, that will not work. I need to locate another supplier, but have been unsuccessful so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have two sams clubs in my city, and both have very recently stopped selling a lot of their case chips also. They only have like 4 choices available and have canceled probably 4-5 choices from their inventory including some of my best sellers. They have replaced those with variety packs, that will not work. I need to locate another supplier, but have been unsuccessful so far.

I wonder if that's how they're headed.  I have noticed some items disappearing from their shelves also.  They have relocated where they stock the vending supplies in the stores and consequently have less space available for those items.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here in canada its between .66-.76 a bar and has been for some time. That at costco or wholesale club (owned by sams I believe). Most vebdors are at 1.50 a bar and a few at 1.25. This country hasnt seen $1 or below for chocolate in a machine in a longggg time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's hard to go over a dollar in accounts that are already crying about the price being where it is!     I won an account from a bigger vendor about 6 months ago because the bigger vendor wanted to raise the prices to over 1 dollar and he let me move in with the terms of candy being under a dollar which the candy is at .95 cents now.   I could either explain the price increase to him in hopes that he understands and lets me move the price up or move the breakfast items from 1.25 to 1.50 or chips from an already high .75 cents to maybe .85 cents.

 

 

How would you guys handle this type of issue?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I went to pick up my usual variety packs from Sam's Club yesterday and I saw the sticker shock! The prices for a 30-ct pack of candy (Hershey's OR Mars) went from about $16.65/pack ($0.555/unit) to about $19.50/pack ($0.65/unit). That's a 17% increase!!! What the hell!??!??

Everything needs to be a dollar at the minimum. There's a local vendor out there who was practically "giving candy away" at 75 cents at almost every location, and even sold candy for 50 cents at one of his locations to keep the owner happy (12 employees, 50 cent cans, 50 cent candy, 1 dollar bottles). That guy is going to run his people crazy to either increase all of these prices or go out of business, and I am going to run myself crazy trying to find a way to keep up with such a huge sticker shock.

I'm going to ask my customers to go up a dime on candy now and another dime next year. This is ridiculous.

Same happened here last week. Looks like they're gouging the variety packs. I plan on asking about it next time I'm there. Regular packs are about .55- .61.

Please keep the thread going on ideas about us raising our prices to keep up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I was at Sam's Club and they have a new "display box" of snickers which has 72 to a box they were .54 cents each.... I got excited and bought 2!!!

 

These display boxes you are talking about used to be $35.88/72 at my Sam's. 49 cents each before. There's still a price increase. I see these 72 counts all the time. The price tag on them seem to say "one time buy" but they always pop up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These display boxes you are talking about used to be $35.88/72 at my Sam's. 49 cents each before. There's still a price increase. I see these 72 counts all the time. The price tag on them seem to say "one time buy" but they always pop up.

My Sam's club never had them till last week.. maybe they realize they can be sold for a cheaper price so picked them up.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...