Most going out of business sales involve dramatically increased prices, followed by slashed prices, to get you to buy something you otherwise might not buy just because it's 50% off.
But what if a grocery store goes out of business, and offers 50% off?
Chicagoland grocery shoppers found out when the long-time local chain Dominick's started marking most of its food at 50% off last Friday. The crowds were a bit huge as word spread of the sales.
Your humbled reporter didn't get to the scene until Sunday, but still found a few bargains. And a lot of empty shelves.
At the first Dominick's on my short list, the items were shuffled from other aisles to aisle 5. The middle aisles were virtually empty and everything from the middle had been loaded onto poor aisle 5. People walking slowly up and down the aisle, looking, inspecting, hoping to discover a bargain that somehow everyone else had missed. A hodgepodge of items, like the island of misfit toys, but with canned goods.
The produce section was pristine as was the fresh meat and the dairy. They were pristine because they weren't subject to the 50% off sale.
If you have ever seen a supermarket game where you had a limited amount of time to buy, you know to go for the valuable food. The more expensive, the better.
The fresh seafood wasn't on special, but the crab meat next to it was on special. The crab meat was on special and then marked down 50%. A specific brand of bacon was 2-for-1; with 50% off, the bacon was 4-for-1.
The other opportunity 50% off buys you is the chance to experiment on products you otherwise wouldn't buy. Salmon jerky and a yogurt-based blue cheese dressing were a lot more appealing at 50% off.
If hoarding is a natural instinct, you can get into problems in this situation. Very tempting to buy things you may never use. Of course, if you don't eat the food, you still are paying 50% for nothing.
Also, you should check to see if the original price is true. In the search down aisle 5, most products didn't have an original price tag. I picked up one item and saw the price when it was rung up. Even at 50%, it seemed too expensive. That could have been the original price or the price was jacked up.
Buying up at 50% off can be emotional, but bring along a logical friend, or alter ego, at least.
Seeing empty or near-empty shelves was an odd mix of euphoria and depression. Grocery stores are supposed to be full of food, and seeing them empty made me feel a little vulnerable. But I was excited at finding something on the shelf, knowing I could take it home for 50% off.
Take full advantage of such a scenario if you ever get the chance. Come up with a plan and stick to it … mostly. Fun with a splash of logic will lower your food bills and give you a nearly once in a lifetime experience.
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