The price catch - information from shopping survey on prices from various retailers

Shopper Report, The, Oct, 2003

As the number of people hit by job erosion and the weak economy continues to grow, the importance of both actual and perceived prices continues to rise. Almost all of the consumers we heard from cited one or more top-of-mind items that they thought were overpriced, but there was little agreement about just what the items or categories were. The last time we asked this question, cereal was at the top of the list. This time, it no longer stuck out as a top-of-mind example.

* "I will probably use club stores and Wal-Mart more as supermarket prices are really starting to climb. Evidently Stop & Shop and our other local grocers haven't heard that the inflation rate is very low!"

* "Wal-Mart is growing because they price things as low as they can--and maybe they can because they are so big. Other stores charge as much as they can get away with to cover their higher costs. I hate Wal-Mart but it gets harder and harder not to go there."

* "Prices always went up when costs went up or competition went down. What's different now is executive greed: We have to pay those hundred million dollar bonuses."

* "Gasoline and related products are the worst."

* "Besides gas, I'm angry about the prices of cheese, coffee, cereal, steak, laundry, and paper goods."

* "In my area houses are way overpriced and unaffordable for many people. Rent is also high and natural gas."

* "It seems like all the paper products are going up: Paper towels, paper napkins, toilet paper. Everything but office paper which doesn't make sense."

* "Besides gasoline, plane tickets are overpriced, also. Even oft-traveled routes such as Atlanta to Washington DC are over $200. With the number of planes going each day, and the way the airlines are packing people in like sardines, it makes taking a flight a very annoying way to travel."

* "I thing everything has gone up, all goods and services due to rising gas and transportation costs. They are starting to go down in my area but they will find another excuse to raise them again."

* "I think that soda. PowerAde, Gatorade, etc. in gas stations is way over priced. Prices of 20-ounce soft drinks are rising much faster than inflation."

* "Bottled Water is priced higher than gasoline, 16 oz, of water cost $1.09 while gas is at least $1.60 a gallon. You look at both products on how they are processed. Bottle Water is way over priced!"

* "I had just come home from Wal-Mart when I received your shopping question. So, I hopped online to Stop & Shop's 'shop from home' site to compare prices and pulled a recent Stop & Shop receipt. Kellogg Pop-tarts 12-count were $2.25 at Wal-Mart and $2.99 at Stop & Shop on-line. Fruit by the Foot 6-pack was $1.98 at Wal-Mart, $2.89 at Stop & Shop on-line and $2.99 from my Sunday receipt. A Swiffer duster kit was $3.84 at Wal-Mart and $4.59 at Stop & Shop on-line. Big Y prices seem to be along the same line as Stop & Shop. I have never been a very good comparison shopper, but now we can use the Internet. Unfortunately, our Wal-Mart only carries a limited and inconsistent supply of grocery type items."