Quality of ad promotions-Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger

[veteran+]

Interestingly enough, Albertsons/Safeway has become very aggressive on gas prices. First I saw prices fall in the IE at a few Vons stations. Then driving around the PNW I have seen several random stations in Washington that are price matching Costco.

There are NO Chevron (or Texaco) stations in my area that are cheap enough with the discount to make it worth it. Not even close, still way to expensive.

[storewanderer]

Interestingly enough, Albertsons/Safeway has become very aggressive on gas prices. First I saw prices fall in the IE at a few Vons stations. Then driving around the PNW I have seen several random stations in Washington that are price matching Costco.

There are NO Chevron (or Texaco) stations in my area that are cheap enough with the discount to make it worth it. Not even close, still way to expensive.

You just need to stop by your conveniently located Chevron and look for the purple background marketing signs at the gas islands near the windshield washing units/trash cans with a QR code to scan. The QR code will direct you to do something about the gas prices. Despite the signs specifically targeting "California policies" they have them posted up here in Nevada too. https://chevronadvocacynetwork.com/

This was the earlier version of their signs:
~ttps://www.facebook.com/ChevronAdvocacyNetwork ... 157330345/

The new version says in huge letters, posted in Nevada:
"You pay more for gas because of California policies."

The gas in Reno mostly comes from the Richmond, CA Chevron refinery so to that point whatever the refining cost situation there is, does impact us.

Chevron did make these signs optional so not all stations have to post them. Not entirely sure I would post these if I were a Chevron, especially given the pricing is usually above other stations, I tend to assume most who fuel at Chevron are happy with CA policies and do not mind overpaying for gas. So posting these signs may upset/offend the typical Chevron customer. I think such signs would fit in much better at an ARCO or other discount gas station.

[SamSpade]

On a related (?) note, I shopped at one of the remaining Albertsons recently and their Rewards Points no longer combine with the Safeway ones.

Wait really? I shop at Albertsons and Vons all the time and the points combine just fine. When did this start? Did they make you sign up for a separate account?

Maybe it was just a bad day at the Albertsons register. Both apps now say I have 220 points. Sorry fo rthe scare, @HCal .

[veteran+]

Interestingly enough, Albertsons/Safeway has become very aggressive on gas prices. First I saw prices fall in the IE at a few Vons stations. Then driving around the PNW I have seen several random stations in Washington that are price matching Costco.

There are NO Chevron (or Texaco) stations in my area that are cheap enough with the discount to make it worth it. Not even close, still way to expensive.

You just need to stop by your conveniently located Chevron and look for the purple background marketing signs at the gas islands near the windshield washing units/trash cans with a QR code to scan. The QR code will direct you to do something about the gas prices. Despite the signs specifically targeting "California policies" they have them posted up here in Nevada too. https://chevronadvocacynetwork.com/

This was the earlier version of their signs:
~ttps://www.facebook.com/ChevronAdvocacyNetwork ... 157330345/

The new version says in huge letters, posted in Nevada:
"You pay more for gas because of California policies."

The gas in Reno mostly comes from the Richmond, CA Chevron refinery so to that point whatever the refining cost situation there is, does impact us.

Chevron did make these signs optional so not all stations have to post them. Not entirely sure I would post these if I were a Chevron, especially given the pricing is usually above other stations, I tend to assume most who fuel at Chevron are happy with CA policies and do not mind overpaying for gas. So posting these signs may upset/offend the typical Chevron customer. I think such signs would fit in much better at an ARCO or other discount gas station.

Yet the deal with Shell and Ralphs is quite good and well worth it. Even without the Ralphs discount Shell is often as low as Sinclair, the low price leader for Tier 1 in my area.

Prob for me is I won't shop Ralphs any longer.

[CalItalian]

I have never seen a Shell or Chevron station in Southern California as the lowest price station in any area. GasBuddy app proves my claim.

[BillyGr]

I am very confused why Albertsons is not advertising these things like that .99 Palmolive (reg 4.49)/Suavitel (reg 8.49) and the 99 cent Fabuloso (reg 7.99) in NorCal. But NorCal is indeed participating despite not advertising either offer.

Kroger has had Palmolive Buy 1 Get 1 Free for quite a while, the initial price is 2.99 (for the one Safeway wants 4.49 for) and I keep having $1 or .75 off digital store or manufacturer coupons so that comes out close to the .99 and I have gotten a lot of it due to the way the coupons keep coming.

Not sure what the Kroger deals would be on (since that is not around this part of the country), but I do know the Palmolive at Shaw's (Albertson's) that ended last week was a 32.5 oz. bottle, while many other stores in this area have had deals with digitals on the 20 oz. size.

Albertsons company chains store coupons do not work across their chains (many but not all non-alcohol manufacturer coupons do. But switching to a specific store in any chain of theirs will accurately identify them). Most personalized coupons work across all chains but sometimes don't show when you switch to another chain or specific store from your home account chain. But you only need one single account to login to any of their chains. I know. I travel frequently between California and the East Coast and various other places where Albertsons owned chains or divisions are located.

They are all on the same number, but I do see differences in what is available (at least in the coupons) from one page to the other (being that Shaw's and Acme are the only two in this region, in two different directions).

I also know that some of the coupons (like the $1 off for a particular category/brand) showed up on the Acme page a while back when I was near those (and I used them there), but did not now if I went to that page, but did for the Shaw's page. Maybe they would have worked at either, but I wasn't going to be near Acme, so I didn't try that.

I did get them on Shaw's for one week (ending on Thursday 8/29), then again the following day for the next week (8/30-9/5, but after that they didn't reappear for the next Friday (9/6), so I suspect they are sort of for those who haven't been to the store recently to encourage you to shop there.

[midwesterner]

I've noticed the same decline in quality for both Mariano's (Kroger) and Jewel-Osco (Albertsons). At the same time, I've increasingly found Mariano's having 10-20% cheaper prices than Jewel for center store products. The meat and dairy pricing is similar but with better deals on dairy at Mariano's and better deals on meat at Jewel. Jewel's pricing is truly horrendous, they're even beaten by independents and sometimes Whole Foods. I suspect much of the "lowering prices if we merge" talk will just to adjust Jewel's prices to whatever Mariano's is doing right now (which still isn't great). I've also found that Kroger, across multiple divisions, seems to be selling out of and remaining out of digital deals for the week fairly early on.

[Greggo]

We haven’t had $5 Fridays at Randall’s here in Austin since the early days of COVID. The deals were quite often pretty great and got me to spend a lot more than normal. (And I’m someone who already spent a lot at Randall’s because I grew up in Houston and have a soft spot in my heart for that chain, even after the destruction done by Safeway.) Have to wonder how many people now skip them altogether since $5 Friday is gone here. Since COVID, we’ve lost at least 3 Austin Randalls that I can recall off the top of my head (West 35th, South Mopac and 183/Braker).

[storewanderer]

I've noticed the same decline in quality for both Mariano's (Kroger) and Jewel-Osco (Albertsons). At the same time, I've increasingly found Mariano's having 10-20% cheaper prices than Jewel for center store products. The meat and dairy pricing is similar but with better deals on dairy at Mariano's and better deals on meat at Jewel. Jewel's pricing is truly horrendous, they're even beaten by independents and sometimes Whole Foods. I suspect much of the "lowering prices if we merge" talk will just to adjust Jewel's prices to whatever Mariano's is doing right now (which still isn't great). I've also found that Kroger, across multiple divisions, seems to be selling out of and remaining out of digital deals for the week fairly early on.

It is interesting how often independents and smaller chains beat the prices at these large chain grocers. Especially on fresh items.

Compared to NorCal Safeway, Jewel looks like a deep discount store.

Marianos regular center store pricing is somewhat higher than surrounding Kroger and Pick N Save, but they run some additional sale prices to ease that, and also run the same general ad specials as the rest of Kroger at the same prices.

[storewanderer]

We haven’t had $5 Fridays at Randall’s here in Austin since the early days of COVID. The deals were quite often pretty great and got me to spend a lot more than normal. (And I’m someone who already spent a lot at Randall’s because I grew up in Houston and have a soft spot in my heart for that chain, even after the destruction done by Safeway.) Have to wonder how many people now skip them altogether since $5 Friday is gone here. Since COVID, we’ve lost at least 3 Austin Randalls that I can recall off the top of my head (West 35th, South Mopac and 183/Braker).

NorCal seems committed to $5 Friday. They still try to have specials throughout the store in each department. Basically the old Safeway program that was once run chainwide. Balloons in the store, etc. No more sales contests though. It is harder and harder to find items to put on it. Stuff that used to go 3 for $5 now goes 2 for $5 like various Frito Lay products. I am surprised by some of the bakery items that they run at a $2.50 or $5 price point still with how prices have gone up. Some items they put on it are deep deep discounts like this past Friday 80/20 Ground Beef Value Pack was 2.50/lb (regular 9.99/lb for value pack); small pack was still 10.99/lb and no deal at all on it.