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

[randall7]

Over time, these choices save quite a bit of money without sacrificing experience.

Soft drinks. When I’m eating out, I usually choose to drink water, lemonade, and once in a while, Sprite (or the functional equivalent offered, like Sierra Mist). From my home, I buy name brand orange juice (Florida Natural or Tropicana), varieties with the added calcium and Vitamin D as I do not drink milk. I’ve tried other types of orange juice, but these are the only brands that taste good to me.

I’m not a big soda drinker, but when I shop for home, I will pick up the store brand Black Cherry flavored soda or Root Beer. The store brands taste just as “good” as the name brands, and provide just as little nutritional content.

Pain relievers. In the last few years, Aleve has been the only over-the-counter pain reliever that consistently eliminates my headaches, after going through phases when my body preferred Advil and Tylenol. The good news is that the generic version of the drug in Aleve (naproxen sodium) is just as effective for me. Also, the generic costs anywhere from 50% to 75% of the price of the name brand.

Bread products. The store brand wheat loaves, hot dog rolls, and hamburger rolls are all excellent. They don’t carry that much of a price savings, but I see no need to overpay in this category. On the other hand, what I put in or on bread products will generally be name brand items, like Nathan’s or Hebrew National hot dogs, or fresh from the grocery store’s deli counter or butcher.

Gasoline. I herd a commercial on television recently about a certain name brand gasoline supplier which mentioned that their brand is much better in terms of performance than “cheap” gas. This is an outright lie. When you have two stations on the same street corner, and one is a generic brand and the other is well-known name brand, chances are almost absolute the two stations are getting their delivery from the same supplier… and the same truck. There is some research here, if you’re interested.

There are some purchases where the store or generic brand’s discount is not worth the difference in experience.

Certain toiletries. I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with this, and I have come to the conclusion that Cottonelle is my favorite toilet tissue. It’s not as expensive as some other brands, but it’s quite comfortable. If I want thin, scratchy paper, I’d use the rest room at my office. On the other hand, I can deal with store brand paper towels as they’re fine for cleaning up spills.

Musical instruments. When it comes to acoustic instruments, the best manufacturers are clearly defined. I would only buy a Buffet clarinet, a Bach trumpet (or another top notch brand), or a Martin guitar.

Once I’m able to afford a piano, I’ll get the best brand my budget allows, and you can bet Yamaha will not be on that list. I have never heard a Yamaha piano whose sound I liked, and they were everywhere in college.

Clothing. All I ask is that my clothes stay together after multiple wears and washes. Some brands are much better than others when it comes to durability. I’m not looking to buy brand name clothes as a fashion statement, but a $12 pair of generic jeans may last 6 months of just occasional wear while a moderately priced basic brand name pair of jeans, will cost 2 to 3 times more but will last 6 times longer. Often, when I want to make sure the fit is just right, I have to pay additional money to a tailor to alter the clothing, so I’d like to keep my purchase costs as reasonable as possible while still get some good quality threads.

Why do people buy generic? For most, it’s probably a price issue. If the generic or store brand is as good as the name brand, you might as well save some money. Also, psychology plays a role, like it does everywhere else. Some people just feel good that their money isn’t going to some major corporation’s marketing campaign or research and development budget.

[georgea78]

There was a time (not so long ago), that I could fill my basket to capacity and still spend less than $200.00. However, in this economy, by the time I’ve placed 7 items in my basket I’m already pushing close to eighty dollars!
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georgea

[GEORGEA]

My husband does the grocery shopping and has been buying generic store brands for years. It is a great way to save money and the selection is quite large. This is a hot topic right now, with the financial crisis and all. The Wall Street Journal had an article on it last week, saying that the trend is growing and frankly, people can’t tell the difference in the quality. I agree.
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GEORGEA
http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2006/03/comments_save_b.html

[john peter]

There was a time (not so long ago), that I could fill my basket to capacity and still spend less than $200.00. However, in this economy, by the time I’ve placed 7 items in my basket I’m already pushing close to eighty dollars!
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john
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