Travis Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I only go to Costco maybe 2 or 3 times per year. And I hardly ever shop at Superlake except when I need something very specific. I have occasionally picked up Costco products at SL in the past when I'd run out and my list wasn't long enough to justify a trip to Costco. I've also read a lot of posts on here about how SL marks up the Costco products enormously, so have always been a little curious about just how much the markup was. (I've never been very conscious of pricing because I hate shopping and am definitely a "grab it and get out" kind of person.) Yesterday I did go to Costco and bought a long list of stuff as I hadn't been there in probably six months. Unfortunately, I think I set a personal "best" at checkout....it was painful. Knowing that several of the items I bought were also available at SL, today I decided to go do a price comparison to help me better understand when it's worth going to Costco, and when it really isn't. I bought 33 products at Costco, 9 of which were available at SL today. (plastic garbage bags, coffee, butter, Mixed Nuts, laundry detergent, aluminum foil, etc.) The price differences for those individual items ranged between 19% and 39%. In total, for all those products, I would have paid 31% more at Superlake, which in my (very unscientific) case amounted to $400 pesos. The 31% average markup is in the neighborhood of what I was expecting. *this has been a public service announcement and no repeated freezing/unfreezing of food was involved* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 "I would have paid 31% more at Costco," You mean you would have paid 31% more at Super Lake? Not bad if you just need 1 or 2 items. Not so good with a list like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 travis needs to add the cost of gas to his costco bill. if he needs to go to guad & is passing costco it makes sence. other wize maybe not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Thanks Ginger, I fixed the post/error. I had other things to buy at Costco besides the items available at Superlake, plus had another place I needed to go to along the same route, so that justified the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Berca Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I did the same thing, maybe three years ago. I was also surprised at the different percentages used for markups at SL. I also found a few items that were more than double Costco. Good to know the price difference seems to be less now. Thanks, Travis. Good info. Even though, I am one of those folks that loves to get out of Dodge every few weeks and can turn a three hour trip to Costco into an all day trip to GDL, sometimes I bite the bullet and buy Costco from SL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I don't mind the markup for something I really want and don't have the time for CostCo. He's gotta make a profit on top of his gas, time, labour... and shall we say "calculated investment" in knowing and responding to what we want. So for example a big jug of orange juice in CostCo is 79; Superlake is 89. That's just over 11% for me to walk in and grab a jug of OJ, and be back home in five minutes drinking it. Then of course there's the stuff that isn't available at CostCo or seemingly anywhere else. On the other hand, I bought some Campbell's chicken rice soup at Superlake and it was 17.5p. The same cans at WalMart were 21.5p. Wuz up widdat? A 19% difference, that's wuz up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo1 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I figure it's going to cost me $5-6US in gas to go to Costco. I also look at the price for Lakesidexpress at 10-20 pesos per item to have something delivered from Costco. Then I look at the price at SuperLake and don't have much of a problem paying Pancho's price for some things. Thank heavens I rarely need or want something that is marked up 50%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tingting Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 So why not use Lakeside Express for Costco items? They charge $15 pesos/item and only require you purchase 5 items ($75 pesos) AND DELIVER, saving you that horrible drive. Not only do you save in gas money, but the total will nearly always be way under the markup at SL. I understand that SL is in business to make a profit, and power to them, but there is nothing from Costco that I need so badly that I can't wait until the next LE run. Plus, you always feel like your business is appreciated with LE whereas SL's staff usually act like it's a chore to help you (and before you attack...I do speak Spanish, always say "Thank you," regardless of their attitude, and try to be polite in spite of their rudeness). http://www.lakesideexpress.com As always, ymmv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 I don't always need 5 items but I use Lakeside Express when I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexy Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Thanks so much, Travis, for doing the math and passing it on to us. Well worth knowing. Some time ago we gave up our regular trips to stock up at Cosco. We use Lakeside Express now for all the good reasons listed by others. But also because the delivery guys carry in the heavy stuff--cartons of dog food, Scoop-Away cat sand, detergents, etc.--and plop them down just where we want them. A great help. I do miss browsing the aisles for the spontaneous purchase and finding good label casual clothes for my husband and me. In my opinion, Cosco has the best line of moderate-priced T-shirts I've ever come across (Seg-ments). Alas I doubt if the LE guys would take the time to select the colors I want. Another savings besides gas: no more Costco membership fee. Lexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Another option: There is now another way to get Costco products without going there or paying the markup at Superlake. Cynthia Ornelas does a run which includes not only Costco, but other stores. She has a website with an illustrated selection site. Order by Tuesday and she delivers to your door on Thursday. Contact email: cyntonelas@gmail.com phones: 387 763 0824 cell: 331 075 2479 No Costco membership fee needed. Excellent service. Reasonable fees. She offers other services as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerm Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Another big difference, next time you buy something at Super Lake check the expiration date see if you have more than 30 days?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Another option: There is now another way to get Costco products without going there or paying the markup at Superlake. Cynthia Ornelas does a run which includes not only Costco, but other stores. She has a website with an illustrated selection site. Order by Tuesday and she delivers to your door on Thursday. Contact email: cyntonelas@gmail.com phones: 387 763 0824 cell: 331 075 2479 No Costco membership fee needed. Excellent service. Reasonable fees. She offers other services as well. Gringal, Do you have Cynthia's webpage address? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Gringal, Do you have Cynthia's webpage address? www.chapala-pa.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 It's unreasonable to expect Superlake to compete with COSTCO. As a wholesale membership corporation and a Fortune 500 company, COSTCO will always offer lower prices than a local, small business. At least they will until they monopolize the entire market and push out any competing small businesses. Then, they can go as high as they want with their pricing. For that reason, and many other reasons I won't go in to here, I avoid the big-box alternatives and gladly give Superlake and other small businesses my money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 It's unreasonable to expect Superlake to compete with COSTCO. As a wholesale membership corporation and a Fortune 500 company, COSTCO will always offer lower prices than a local, small business. At least they will until they monopolize the entire market and push out any competing small businesses. Then, they can go as high as they want with their pricing. For that reason, and many other reasons I won't go in to here, I avoid the big-box alternatives and gladly give Superlake and other small businesses my money. However, there are many people here who may agree with your sentiments, but who are on tight budgets and need to save money however they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 I tend to disagree with the 'some people have no choice' argument. I am on an extremely tight budget and likely have much lower yearly income than most ex-pats here and I've never felt that I needed to sacrifice my values of supporting local businesses in order to 'save money'. Do I sometimes cringe at the price difference? Yes. But if I have to give up purchasing other items or be more frugal, I will. The reality is that how you spend your money is a personal and conscious choice. In my opinion, a dollar spent on a local business has much more long-term value than a dollar spent on a big-box bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted February 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 For the record... It's unreasonable to expect Superlake to compete with COSTCO. ...I agree. And I didn't start this thread to suggest that it was reasonable to expect Superlake to compete with COSTCO on price. I was just attempting to provide some price data, which I had never actually seen anyone do before in my seven years here. I consider Superlake a "luxury" convenience store, with appropriately higher prices for the convenience they provide. What SL manages to put on their shelves is nothing short of a miracle in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 For the record... ...I agree. And I didn't start this thread to suggest that it was reasonable to expect Superlake to compete with COSTCO on price. I was just attempting to provide some price data, which I had never actually seen anyone do before in my seven years here. I consider Superlake a "luxury" convenience store, with appropriately higher prices for the convenience they provide. What SL manages to put on their shelves is nothing short of a miracle in my opinion. Of course Superlake can't compete with Costco. There may be some question as to why they feel the need to mark up the prices as much as they do to pay Costco for their goods. Thirty to 40% seems a bit excessive, but that's just my opinion. There is nothing that says the local guys aren't willing to overcharge as well as the big guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 I love Superlake. It was here before Costco in Guadalajara and expended a LOT of effort to provide the weird and wonderful stuff that we foreigners have hankerings for. It has only improved with time and their selection is nothing short of spectacular imho. So, imagine no Superlake and no Costco....now you can whine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubenfrias Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 I love Superlake. It was here before Costco in Guadalajara and expended a LOT of effort to provide the weird and wonderful stuff that we foreigners have hankerings for. It has only improved with time and their selection is nothing short of spectacular imho. So, imagine no Superlake and no Costco....now you can whine. you guys have NO idea how hard it is to get some stuff they sell in SuperLake in Mexico. Living for 20 years in Mexico city i had to take a suitcase when i went to the states and fill it up with stuff at Target. Sure, they overprice things they buy in Costco, but their imported goods are as overpriced... I'm just glad there's something like SuperLake in Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 you guys have NO idea how hard it is to get some stuff they sell in SuperLake in Mexico. Living for 20 years in Mexico city i had to take a suitcase when i went to the states and fill it up with stuff at Target. Sure, they overprice things they buy in Costco, but their imported goods are as overpriced... I'm just glad there's something like SuperLake in Mexico. Things have sure changed. I can't think what I might need from the States that I can't buy in Mexico City. Everything from fresh baby bok choy to amaranth flour is available here now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xena Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 Ruebenfrias, what in this thread causes you to think "you guys have NO idea how hard it is to get some stuff they sell in SuperLake in Mexico"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo1 Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 Things are easier and easier to get here. Most stuff comes directly from the Abastos; no going to the border anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 wont pay 40% more for some abstract principal. i come first before any business. SL does very well, but thats besides the point. no i dont feel an obligation, but do shop there 2xs permonth. (if i need many things@ the same time plus a special product). box mega chain stores are out of the question even if it were 2 feet away. the experience is 100xs better in a smaller store. SL is as big as i will go, thats the cutoff. i occassionally pay more, sometimes no. (superlake has well priced bulk products, as well as crazy stuff). for me the most preferable small businesses are the teeny stores. they are the ones who get the inbetween business. cleaning supplies, shampoos, eggs, kitchen things, some fruits vegs freshbread aspirin its much cheaper, fast to get in & out). this is not for charity, but because i like them. its a winwin. large corps are what they are, agree w/sheila on that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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