Upon moving into my new apartment this year, grocery time always brought with it the question “No Frills or Safeway?” – major dilemma. At first, like many consumers, convenience was my only priority. However, fast forward a few months and my attitude has shifted dramatically. While I have found that Safeway does offer an overall higher quality product, a wider selection and special prices for club members, it was the simplicity, consistency and frequently lower prices at No Frills that ultimately won me over.
No Frills has set itself apart as the lowest price grocery chain in Canada, a tactic that has paid out since the onset of the recession
[FYI: European counterparts Lidl and Aldi also flourished with this tactic]
As can be seen from their name, No Frills has selected a simplistic, no drama marketing approach to cut costs and lower prices. From the second one enters the store: the displays are minimal – usually only stating prices – and the products are stocked on basic shelves, much like a warehouse. Selections, including President’s Choice, are certainly available, but their “No Name” brand, which also runs in the traditional No Frills yellow and red, has made saving money fast and easy. These products are very competitively priced by saving on extra costs (such as fancy packaging) and readily spotted. Furthermore, I have found the quality of their goods consistent.
An added bonus, especially in times of economic hardship, is that consumers leave feeling like they got more than they paid for. In fact, No Frills’ “WON’T BE BEAT” slogan goes as far as to match any competitor’s lower price.
And this is all inside the store! The store itself is located on 3 bus routes coming from UBC, next to a liquor store and banks, making it perfect for university students. What’s more, their website is straightforward but includes detailed information about specific locations and sales, while allowing you to create your shopping list online.
Price – check!
Product – check!
Place – check!
Promotion – check!
To summarize, No Frills has pinpointed its target audience and gets a 4P vote from me.
Good job using the 4 P’s in your post, and discussing why more expensive isn’t always necessarily better!
Yeah exactly! How safeway branches are located. The blog post was explained very clearly how 4Ps are important and how it can affect customers together.