Comments: Save Big Money by Using Generic/Store Brands

I received several comments on my post Save Big Money by Using Generic/Store Brands -- Even I Didn't Know the Savings Were This Big!!! I didn't know you all cared so much about store brands! ;-)

Anyway, here the comments starting with one that re-emphasized my point:

My big savings through them is with the A&D ointment for diaper changes -- A&D is $3.96 for a tube, and the equate version is $1.47.

Yep, I'd take that $2.49 (63%) savings too!

The next thought:

I've noticed that the price gap between generic vs. brand non-food products is much bigger than the gap between generic vs. brand food, yet the quality of generic non-food products is generally closer to that of brand non-food than generic food is to brand food. Still, we swear by both since anything available in "generic" form is probably bad for you anyway. (I wish they had generic fruit and veggie options...)

I noticed this too. And in several cases (oatmeal for example), the generic simply can't hold a candle to the taste of the name brand. We actually buy little generic food items (though we try them regularly).

Here's a comment I disagreed with:

Not all generic and brand names are created equal. Listerine, for example, clearly writes on its bottle that their formula is not sold to any store brand. This means what you buy as Walmart-Equate may be cheaper but is not the same product as Listerine.

In the particular case of Listerine, I have tried other brands (big name brands as well as store brands) and nothing comes close to Listerine.

Also, its well known that some big brands have separate (read lower quality) production centers for Walmart. So, Walmart-Tylenol may be cheaper than Target-Tylenol, its probably not the same thing.

I responded:

I've tried both Listerine and the Walmart brand and I like the Walmart brand BETTER (even if the cost was the same). It tastes tons better and works just as well in my opinion.

As far as their medicines go, here's the litmus test: do they work? Yes, they do -- at least for our family. So why not use them? Besides, if you try them and they don't work better, you can return them for a full refund.

Another commenter said that the items are not only the same, but they are EXACTLY the same and made by the same manufacturer:

In many cases Walmart is actually selling you the "name brand" product and its just rebranded with their name. Wal-Mart has a lot pull or well push with its vendors and in many instances they get/force them to give them their "A" product to them at a huge discount and they just put a new label on it and the lower price, so you often are not sacrificing any quality.

Example would be Wal-marts butter, the individual sticks actually have the Morning Glory emblem on the paper lining.

This may be true in some cases, but I don't think it is in the non-food product categories. I think there are companies that specialize in making exact replicas of name brand products.

Here's a comment that captured the spirit of those of us who buy generics over name brands:

I started surfing the cheapo brands within the last 6 months. I came to realize that there are some things that I JUST DON'T CARE if they are "name brand". How about fabric softener? Would I really notice a difference if I went with the generic brand vs. Bounce? Guess what? I can't tell the difference. Here's another...butter! Guess what - store brand butter tastes no different than Land O'Lakes! Sure, there are a lot of food products where you would notice a difference in taste - but think of all the non-food products that you wouldn't!

And finally, let's end on a warning about shopping Walmart to "save" on generics:

I like the Equate Brand for many of the non-food items. But I use a name brand mouthwash.

I have to be careful when going into a store like Wal-Mart because it is easy to spend the extra savings on stuff that I don't really need.

;-)

Comments

[kassy]

Rebranding is extremely common in my world. I work in purchasing at a university and we have a contract with a scientific equipment vendor I will call XYZ that sells 2 versions of the same product one is name brand and one is rebranded as XYZ by the manufacturer. The rebranded is always cheaper even though its the same as the name brand. We run into this with projector vendors as well.

[shawn]

Here is a web site taking a survey on walmart brand products. It is not associated with walmart. You can get the results for free.
www.walmart-survey.com