Products specifically packaged/marked for certain retail stores

[Electromotive]

Was in local Dollar General automotive section and noticed they sell the Lube Guard tranny shudder fix part no. 19680, which all the local big box auto part stores carry as well.
Inside the clear blister pack is a small sticker stating that "This item is intended for sale only at Dollar General".
It is priced at $7.00 and is usually $9.99 or so at the big box stores for the exact same size 2 fl. oz. tube.
Anyone know what the reasoning might be for the package being so marked?

 

[JayhawkRoy]

So you can't take it anywhere else for refund at 9.99. Protects the other retailers and manufacturer.

 

[Hall]

My cousin's uncle's sister told me it's because it's a watered-down version of Lube Guard specially made just for Dollar General.

 

[Rand]

I saw a guy trying to return 15 jars of peter pan peanut butter to Giant Eagle when it was recalled.. for $$$

Too bad they had the DG emblem on them and only got 2/3 as much back from Dollar General.

 

[Electromotive]

My cousin's uncle's sister told me it's because it's a watered-down version of Lube Guard specially made just for Dollar General.

Sure glad I didn't buy it then.

 

[Silver]

So the question is, is it legitimate Lube Guard or is it like Hall's cousin's uncle's sister said?

 

[Andrew1972]

at least it the same number of Oz. Most of products at dollar general are smaller sized repackaged normal items so the bargain is not really there.

 

[Hall]

In all seriousness, DG must have made a large volume purchase of this product and negotiated a lower price, allowing them to sell it cheaper than auto parts stores. On one hand, I'll bet DG has 2-3x the number of stores over any national auto parts store but a product like this really isn't one someone will go to DG just to get. Sure, people know they sell engine oil and other basic fluids or chemicals but I've never even seen this in their stores.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Family Dollar and Walgreens do the same thing with some of their products.
"This item is intended or sale at ... if found elsewhere, please call [number]"

Possibly other stores do this too.

I heard somewhere else it's to curb gray market sales. Those stores sometimes have prices low enough that independent retailers will buy them for resale at their own stores because it's cheaper than buying it from the distributor. Interesting thread on Metafilter

They are often loss leaders.

 

[Tomioka]

Kinda reminds me of the Michelin X LT A/S club-exclusive version of the Defender LTX M/S.

 

[Hall]

I just remembered something similar.... At work we needed some small batteries (AA, AAA, ??) and he grabbed some at Kroger. The packaging had similar wording - "Item is only to be sold by Kroger" or something like that. In this case though, the price wasn't super, low-ball where someone else would buy them from Kroger and re-sell them in their own "store" and make money.

 

[Gimpy1]

Sure glad I didn't buy it then.

Not even close. Its the same stuff, like others have said it's so you don't return it to other retailers and make money. Like Walmart where you don't need to have a receipt to return something.

 

[Electromotive]

In all seriousness, DG must have made a large volume purchase of this product and negotiated a lower price, allowing them to sell it cheaper than auto parts stores. On one hand, I'll bet DG has 2-3x the number of stores over any national auto parts store but a product like this really isn't one someone will go to DG just to get. Sure, people know they sell engine oil and other basic fluids or chemicals but I've never even seen this in their stores.

You're right about the huge number of DG stores. It seems around here a new one is being built every few months within a few miles of an already existing one. It has only been very recently that I started seeing this shudder fix product on the shelf at my nearby DG.

 

[PandaBear]

Price match. You don't want customers to compare and ask for price match so you make them different size.

Remember those 5.1 qt jug instead of 5qt jug?

 

[JustinH]

Family member used to work at Aldi on the east coast. They offered double cash back and keep the item.

Low end people would bring in half eaten Peanut butter jars just to get the six bucks back and they would keep the item.

I think that policy ended last year.

If I get something from the grocer that I don't like it goes to the trash.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Haven’t seen it at Dollar General before. It seems it would be a good seller in some places though because most Dollar General go into rural areas where there might not be any parts stores and with a lot of people who fix their own cars it might be a good seller at those. As for it being knock off I’m unsure of that. That’s like my friend saying Walmart sells fake oil in the same container lol.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Family member used to work at Aldi on the east coast. They offered double cash back and keep the item.

Low end people would bring in half eaten Peanut butter jars just to get the six bucks back and they would keep the item.

I think that policy ended last year.

If I get something from the grocer that I don't like it goes to the trash.

Many states actually banned the return of food items during the pandemic. Mostly this was to thwart the toilet paper hoarders that wanted to return it after the shortage ended, but they also extended it to all groceries.

 

[nthach]

Kinda reminds me of the Michelin X LT A/S club-exclusive version of the Defender LTX M/S.

All the tire makers do similar as well to “protect” the indie tire shop from chain(Costco/BJ’s/Sam’s and America’s/Discount) shop competition. But, TireRack sells the same non-exclusive tires. Walmart and Goodyear have some kind of deal too.

it’s almost like paint and batteries. Sherwin-Williams makes a Lowe’s-exclusive line that’s also paradoxically cannibalizing sales at the parent’s namesake stores. Behr is a Home Depot exclusive - but Kilz sold at Walmart is the same paint, different name. Interstate is exclusive to shops, but Costco sells them too but a exclusive line.

 

[ohjabarn]

Family Dollar and Walgreens do the same thing with some of their products.
"This item is intended or sale at ... if found elsewhere, please call [number]"

Possibly other stores do this too.

I heard somewhere else it's to curb gray market sales. Those stores sometimes have prices low enough that independent retailers will buy them for resale at their own stores because it's cheaper than buying it from the distributor. Interesting thread on Metafilter

They are often loss leaders.

Yep, they do provide the same products but the price of the product at both stores does reflect differently. They also have discounts on similar products which really reflect differently. A similar thing among the both is that both Dollar and Walgreens do the same thing is doesn't price match with their competitor's stores. You can really sometimes have prices low enough on products at both stores.

 

[Andrew1972]

Old thread but mainly due to returns and unsavvy people trying rip more expensive retailers off.