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Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
by Richard Frost
I have never ever been in a Waitrose. Like John lewis I imagine it to be overpriced and not for the likes of me shopping on a budget.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Fri Jul 19 2019 12:58pm
by Boro Boy
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
I have never ever been in a Waitrose. Like John lewis I imagine it to be overpriced and not for the likes of me shopping on a budget.
...its just probably the best quality chain supermarket! :wave:

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Fri Jul 19 2019 1:32pm
by Richard Frost
Tesco for me has all the quality I need and is not overpriced.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Fri Jul 19 2019 2:46pm
by rayf
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 1:32pm
Tesco for me has all the quality I need and is not overpriced.
I go along with that :thumbup:

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 8:01am
by Sarah
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
I have never ever been in a Waitrose.
That's too bad; you may have missed out on a lot of free coffee and newspapers!

Also, if they send you low value marketing vouchers (e.g. £2 off £10) as a member of their loyalty scheme, these are easy to spend for great savings since coffee, newspapers, multi-buys and their monthly food magazine (subject to availability) all count at full price towards the qualifying spend.
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
Like John lewis I imagine it to be overpriced and not for the likes of me shopping on a budget.
Yes and no. Some years ago (2010) they actually started a policy of price-matching Tesco on branded goods, so if you're a buyer of big brands you could've picked them up in Waitrose for the same shelf price as Tesco without even having to indulge in any of the complexity involved in their rivals Brand Match / Brand Guarantee / Price Guarantee schemes. However, many of Waitrose own brand items remained expensive and they quietly scaled back their price match pledge to a relatively small number of selected items only when other supermarkets dropped their schemes last year.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 8:25am
by Richard Frost
Thank you for the information. Coffee and newspapers would not encourage me to go there. Neither would pricematching. What would be the point if I can get the same thing at the same price nearer to home? Apart from that I tend not to use big name branded goods. Own brands are just as good and the taste test tells me its not worth it. If I was going there I think I would want a very good reason. At the end of the day both Tesco and Sainsbury are nearer and bigger, more than enough for simple uncomplicated me and partner.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 8:53am
by Sarah
I agree location and store size also count for a lot. It can certainly be expensive to do a main shop at Waitrose, so I wouldn't do that and usually only go there to pick up specific freebies and other bargains when convenient. I sometimes work at a client site that doesn't serve free coffee (oh, the horror) but has nearby branches of Waitrose, so it can be handy to pop in for a free* drink on the way there or during lunch break!

(*with any purchase but no minimum spend)

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 9:13am
by Chadwick
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
I have never ever been in a Waitrose. Like John lewis I imagine it to be overpriced and not for the likes of me shopping on a budget.
I thought so too, but this is an illusion. They actually just don't stock the cheaper brands, and have more of the dearer ones. But where they carry the same lines as the supermarkets, they're about the same, sometimes less when there are offers.

But I note your comments later about not having a Waitrose nearby, and that would be a factor for me. Is it worth the journey to get the same stuff you can get in a closer Tesco?

I'm lucky to have the choice, as the two are in walking distance of one another. We often pick up a few bits that we like from Waitrose, and do the main shop in Tesco. Because Waitress is closer to the town centre, that also gives us an excuse to stop for a coffee in a little independent that we like, and go for a wander round the market.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 10:31am
by blythburgh
Our nearest one is in Saxmundham which we very,very rarely go near. And it gave the lie to Tesco is responsible for killing off small shops locally. A wonderful little grocer in a neighbouring town that sold the best ham we have ever had closed a very few years after they opened but not a few months after the opening the shop was divided into two shops. But that was not enough to save it. And the lovely farm shop which was also part grocers and sold lots of non food stuff had to close the side room and so they had less stuff to sell. Sad as they sell fresh produce they grow and many food stuffs from East Suffolk producers. Thankfully the cafe on site has kept the shop viable.

But to my joy Tesco opened opposite. Bad news for Waitrose but great news for the many in the area who have not got deep pockets. I know a lot have deep pockets in the area but not everyone by a long way.

And of course with Tesco you get clubcard points. We both have cards so get the 25pts a month for answering a few questions. And our holiday home rent is £90 cheaper thanks to the points which would be worth £30 if used for money off the shopping.

Re: 40 stores to close... (part 3)

Posted: Sat Jul 20 2019 10:07pm
by rayf
Chadwick wrote:
Sat Jul 20 2019 9:13am
William Joseph1 wrote:
Fri Jul 19 2019 12:11pm
I have never ever been in a Waitrose. Like John lewis I imagine it to be overpriced and not for the likes of me shopping on a budget.
I thought so too, but this is an illusion. They actually just don't stock the cheaper brands, and have more of the dearer ones. But where they carry the same lines as the supermarkets, they're about the same, sometimes less when there are offers.

Not sure what world you live in but I've never seen anything cheaper in Waitrose than Tesco. Waitrose is my local store and I use it grudgingly for the odd item but there is nothing cheap there.