HyVee: Curious about How Much Ads Vary?

[AmyinDM]

Hi all,

Did any of you read about Hy-Vee in the Des Moines Register yesterday? I think it was the Sunday business section. The article is here (http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091115/BUSINESS/911150322/1029/archive/-Midwestern-mentality-propels-Hy-Vee-s-growth)and basically they talk about how individual store managers have a lot of latitude in setting their own sales.

Jurgens credits the employee-owned structure for Hy-Vee's more nimble response to a bad economy. Store managers are given abnormal autonomy by the standards of some supermarket chains.

At Hy-Vee, store directors determine what products go in advertisements and can promote certain products instead of others if they think customers in their area would be more likely to respond to a particular sale. Last month, the chain reported record pork sales after managers decided to heavily promote the meat, whose prices have fallen.

Whoa wait- is a store director for an individual store? We have lots of Hy-Vee stores in the metro area. I have noticed that managers will put some clearance items up at the front of the store that vary from store to store. But could major sales vary from city to city? Des Moines Hy-Vee (whoever is at that level) posts ads for a Saturday sale, for example. Can the Hy-Vee shoppers in Kansas count on that?

I know some variance is normal for all chains. I have been posting matchups as have many of you -- how much tends to be consistent company wide? I'm curious!

[Sculpture Widow]

Just want to chime in quickly.
I have 2 Hy-Vees in my town (Kansas), and they can vary greatly, just to each other!!

For example, during the great General Mills cereal deal 2 weeks ago, one Hy-Vee had their cereals at $1-$3 more PER BOX than the other store. This was a made a huge difference working that deal.

And vice versa....the store with the higher cereal prices, is the store that I got 22 boxes of free Fresh Extend bags and 10 lbs of free bananas several weeks before. The other Hy-Vee in town didn't even run that sale at all.

So, long story short. 2 stores in same town, run totally different sales sometimes, and can have VERY different prices.

[MoneySavinDiva]

I read that article too, I was really surprised to read that each store sets their own ad. But, once I get to thinking about it, the prices between the cedar rapids and marion stores always vary. Like a pp mentioned, with the General Mills deal. One HyVee had the GM cereals $2.50. The next had them $3.09 and the third had them $3.50 :rolleyes24:

You'd think that since it's all the same chain the prices would be the same...or at least SIMILAR in the same town...like Fareway. Even though their ads are different, the sales are MOSTLY the same.

[Lucky1307]

I have 2 Hy-Vee's each 12 miles away from me. And the smaller store rarely has the sales that bigger one does. This is true for Fareway too. My parents live 1/2 hour from me and get 3 different Fareway ads(Winterset, Indianola and Osceola). My sissy lives and Des Moines and we compare the ads to see who's getting the best deals and then shop for each other.

[AmyinDM]

That's so interesting. On the one hand, I do think that it's cool that store managers can respond to what their local customers need and want. On the other, it makes it a bit of a gamble when reading matchups! I'll read with interest to see what ends up being different for you guys this week. I'm in the Des Moines area and I grab my ad from the Windsor Heights Hy-Vee normally to do my matches. Hmmmm!

Thanks for the input and info!

[JaneRads]

Hmm, interesting. I always shop at the HyVee closest to my home in Kansas City, but there are tons of them here. I pass by 2 on the way to work and another is just past my favorite coffee shop in the other direction. For the last month that I've been watching match ups, I have not noticed differences compared to "my store", but I also don't watch the in-store sales - I try to get in and out w/ a list. This week maybe I'll search the sale flyers for all the stores I frequently drive by and see what I find out.

[Sculpture Widow]

Okay....
This morning I stopped at the Hy-Vee farthest from where I live (again, I have 2 in the Lawrence, KS).
I saw some extreme prices difference again. I have to say to the point that I find almost deceiving. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it is strange that the prices are so different.

I was in the health market section b/c I needed something from the bulk section (which I didn't get), and noticed that a half gallon carton of Blue Diamond Almond milk was "ON SALE" for $5.59 (bright yellow tag indicating the sale).
However, the normal price of the same item at the other Hy-Vee (only slightly closer to my home) is $3.49.

These 2 Hy-Vee are ONLY 5 MINUTES apart (drive time). My city is not that big, and there are newer and older areas of the city close to both stores. I really have no idea how they justify such price differences between 2 stores that are so close to each other.

[mommytoalex]

I'm new so I just found this thread, but I have found that the Hy-vee in my town of Osceola is always much higher in prices than the store in Indianola. I rarely do any shopping at the Osceola store. I have also had trouble with them taking coupons from the Indianola store, so I just don't waste my time there. It's better for me to travel the 20 miles to Indianola.

[ahockeymom]

Many times the managers set prices to stay competitive with other grocers in the area. Its great to give the managers control so they can succeed. Corporate often worries about bottom lines and forgets each region in different.