Oil price between stores

[Oilied]

Hi all hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to make a general comment about the huge price differences between oil prices at Walmart compared to other auto retail stores in my area. I'm in the Northeast and it just seems that Walmart has the best prices compared to anywhere else I have been. NAPA, Autozone, Advanced Auto Parts oil prices are so much higher in price. Conventional Valvoline is 16.99 at Walmart where at places like Advanced Auto Parts its 26.99 and synthetics are in the $30 range at auto stores. Auto stores are closer to my house, yet I will travel a little further down the road to Walmart because it seems like a no brainer with the price differences. I'll walk by the oil section at auto zone and shake my head at the prices.

That is all.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

Originally Posted By: Oilied
Hi all hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to make a general comment about the huge price differences between oil prices at Walmart compared to other auto retail stores in my area. I'm in the Northeast and it just seems that Walmart has the best prices compared to anywhere else I have been. NAPA, Autozone, Advanced Auto Parts oil prices are so much higher in price. Conventional Valvoline is 16.99 at Walmart where at places like Advanced Auto Parts its 26.99 and synthetics are in the $30 range at auto stores. Auto stores are closer to my house, yet I will travel a little further down the road to Walmart because it seems like a no brainer with the price differences. I'll walk by the oil section at auto zone and shake my head at the prices.

That is all.

+1

 

[bigj_16]

Yep. Unless you get something on clearance at the other stores, it's no contest. Walmart has clearance oil, too. You just have to know where to look.

 

[raytseng]

the shelf prices are artificially inflated so when you buy the oil in an oil change special you feel better that you are getting a deal.

the parts stores clearly use oil change specials all the time. Online or in the ad they always have a section for it.
In fact, you cannot go to a parts store and there is no current oil change special on something.

if theres a special almost all the time, then its hard to say whats clearance versus the msrket price

if you truly are buying the shelf prices, its the same as if you go to the airport to buy a plane ticket or you buy a car based on the sticker or you paid the maximum raxk rate for a hotel room thats on the sticker in the door.

 

[walterjay]

Heck no need to drive a little farther to Walmart. Just order it on line from them and have it delivered to your doorstep.

 

[Oilied]

All great points and raysteng I like the car sticker and room rate analogy. I haven't ordered anything from Walmart yet. I should look into it.

 

[demarpaint]

Unless I find a slamming deal on closeout oil it's WMT online for the oil, shipped free to the house if I spend $35, and AMZN for the filters. Lately most of the oil change specials aren't so good, and they usually contain a Purolator filter, so I pass.

 

[Linctex]

I got a $10 off coupon from Pep Boys If I buy any 5 quarts (indv or jug) and any oil filter.

No matter the choices, I wouldn't be able to get out of there for under $25

They can stuff it.
Their oil and filters are REDONKULOUSLY over-priced!

 

[Hootbro]

As much as I would like to say some of the big chain auto stores are screwing people on price, the simple fact is their buying power and business model just flat out cannot compete with Walmart for bottom dollar pricing. In many if not most cases. Walmart's retail selling price is below what the auto chains can get wholesale. Also factor that Walmart has whole store of other varied items to level out their profit margins where as an auto chain's store many times is the oil and other incidentals they sell.

 

[raytseng]

The issue of artificially claiming list prices is such an issue that BBB has it in their code of ethics for advertising:

https://www.bbb.org/code-of-advertising/##f1

Quote:

6. List prices

6.1 “List price,” “manufacturer's list price,” “reference price,” “suggested retail price,” and similar terms, hereinafter collectively referred to as “list price,” may be used deceptively to state or imply a savings which was not, in fact, the case. To the extent that a list price does not in fact correspond to the price at which substantial sales of the product in question have been made, the advertisement of a reduction may mislead the consumer. Such a comparison must be substantiated by the advertiser prior to making any advertised comparison.

6.2 An advertiser, however, can also reference a list price non-deceptively where the advertiser:

6.2.1 Does not describe the difference as a “savings,” or use any other words of similar meaning; and

6.2.2 Clearly and conspicuously discloses[2] that the list price may not necessarily be the price at which the product or service is sold. This disclosure may be unnecessary in situations where consumers generally know that the list price may not necessarily be the price at which the product or service is sold. This may be the case, for example, when an automobile dealer references, in its ad, a new car’s Monroney Sticker price.



The parts stores squeak by because they don't advertise as "savings over list" so technically the advertisement is not misleading.

But the same psychology still is in play though and the customer misleads themselves, when they see the $11 for one quart of Mobil1 sticker on the shelf, and there is a special, the mind calculates "what a deal better stock up"; even though no one in their right mind substantially buys the oil at that "list" price.
The spirit that substantial sales occurred at list price definitely is broken.

But it's a free country, a store can price oil however high they want, and if some guy walks in the door and wants to buy a few quarts at $11/quart they can feel free to do that.
I guess the point is, the penalty is if they advertise it as savings they will get downrated by the BBB.

 

[CR94]

Advance used to regularly have competitive sale+rebate prices, but no more.

Rural King (and a few other such places) make Walmart prices look high.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: CR94
Advance used to regularly have competitive sale+rebate prices, but no more.

Rural King (and a few other such places) make Walmart prices look high.


I agree to both points, but RK is way out of my way. It's been almost 2 years since I've been to our local store.

On a side note, AAP used to even have awesome filter deals. Not any more..

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
As much as I would like to say some of the big chain auto stores are screwing people on price, the simple fact is their buying power and business model just flat out cannot compete with Walmart for bottom dollar pricing. In many if not most cases. Walmart's retail selling price is below what the auto chains can get wholesale. Also factor that Walmart has whole store of other varied items to level out their profit margins where as an auto chain's store many times is the oil and other incidentals they sell.


^^Well said^^

Folks, lets face it, an autoparts store has one thing to sell in order to pay employees, rent, buildings, the cost endless.
They are not screwing people, they are surviving. Look at what happened to hardware stores once Home Depot and Lowes was born, gone. Countless examples.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: CR94
Advance used to regularly have competitive sale+rebate prices, but no more.

Rural King (and a few other such places) make Walmart prices look high.


No way. )

 

[bbhero]

Hootbro I agree with you are saying here overall. One thing I would see about is how many stores does AAP, AZ, and O Reilly's have?? I would think well over 1000 stores each. Why wouldn't that give them enough purchasing power to help keep their prices lower?? That's what I am curious about.

I will say a $29.99 special from AZ that is say Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic and a STP XL oil filter is a decent deal. The STP XL oil filter is a very good quality filter that is say between a Fram Ultra and TG in terms of quality. Metal end caps, silicone ADBV, 99% @ 20 microns, good for 10k miles, they've looked very good in cut and post on here as well. So, if the oil is $21+$8 for the oil filter to equal $29.99 that is not too bad. Wally world Valvoline Maxlife Full synthetic oil on rollback $22+9 Fram Ultra =$31. That puts the AZ deal quite close with the Wally World deal. Having stated that, I am not saying either if these is the best deal by any measure. $10 for Havoline Pro DS from O Reilly's + $5 Wix filter from previous oil filter deal= $15. That's a pretty good deal. I know there are some cats on here who scored oil for literally 5 cents or 20 cents a qt. There's no beating that unless you stole it.

 

[PimTac]

I think the auto parts stores should have purchasing power due to the number of stores as bbhero commented on above. Maybe not as much as WM due to absolute sales but some nonetheless. A idea I had a long time ago, it would be be nice if the auto parts stores worked out a deal with one of the quick lube chains. A bit of synergy would help business in both directions. How about a detail shop? Some thinking outside the box is needed to compete.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

The AP stores never run six quart oil change specials, so I've alwYs picked up 5 quart jugs at Walmart

 

[bbhero]

Great point SilverFusion. I remember the days of getting 6 qts of oil for my Ford Fusion SE 3.0 as well. Good doggone car there. Just trifling to have to buy 6 qts

 

[Peter_480]

I've been buying oil and filters at Walmart for 20 years now, only occasionally taking advantage of a NAPA deal here and there. ST oil is 2.44 a quart while it's 4.29 at all the auto parts chains, and it's the same WPP or Amalie stuff.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Hootbro I agree with you are saying here overall. One thing I would see about is how many stores does AAP, AZ, and O Reilly's have?? I would think well over 1000 stores each. Why wouldn't that give them enough purchasing power to help keep their prices lower?? That's what I am curious about.

......................


I really could not tell you as I am not privy to how much product moves per store and per company. I just know that Walmart operates on a steady 3% profit margin and a quick check of AutoZone shows a 10%-12% operating profit margin. Even if those auto parts chains are still getting it for a good price, it would appear that Walmart is willing to discount it cheaper that the auto parts chain stores.