Wall Mart oil price

[DiGiacomo]

I'm just wondering why wall mart oil is 15 bucks cheaper than, [say Oreiley] for a 5 qt. jug of  Valvoline full syn.......???  Am i missing some thing???............the labels are different.......??

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/VAL2/SYN5305QT/N1188.oap?ck=Search_N1188_VAL_-1_2929&mn=Valvoline&mc=VAL&pt=N1188&ppt=C0252

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Valvoline-SynPower-5W30-Motor-Oil-5-Quart/15125782

 

[8Muddypaws]

Having dealt with WalMart from the manufacturer side (medical diagnostic devices) I would chalk it up to purchasing clout.  WalMart has lots of it, buys in huge quantitles, and demands lower prices than anybody else on the planet, except perhaps the Veterans Aministration.  They don't care if their suppliers make enough money to stay in business.

I NEVER buy oil anywhere but WalMart or Costco.  The exception is Transynd for my Allison Transmission - they don't carry it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Walmart has excellent oil prices, but usually O'Reilly does too, so usually not that much difference.  Maybe just a promotion at Walmart, per the "clout" that paws described.  I watch for oil deals like this whenever I need some. Advance Auto has oil & filter promos all the time and that's where I usually get stuff for our cars.

 

[DiGiacomo]

I will check to see what autozone and oreily prices are currently at my local stores........ maybe the internet prices are a little higher???...........

I always try to buy locally, because i know a lot of the people who own or are employed.......but a 5 qt. jug at 15 bucks less ......that's pretty hard to turn down...... :-\........

The wm workers are starting to get a little more money and benefits.............the isles are full at our local city market/ Kroger  grocery.......seems like there are more and more thumbs down for wm these days......

wm was out of stock on the valvoline full syn that i needed, so it will give me a little time to shop around a little more..............

 

[Bill N]

Someday when you are in Walmart, talk to several of the employees and ask if they are happy with their job and, if the result is what I have found, you will find that overwhelmingly the employees are happy because they knew what it was when they started working there; they know what it takes to advance and they know that the company is not going out of business or downsizing anytime in the foreseeable future.  I just started doing this a few months ago when I heard all that union blather about how those poor Walmart folks was all on food stamps and was just slave labor.  I have yet to hear any employee mention that. I also started asking those I talked to if they wanted a union and, so far, it was about 90% NO vote on that question.

 

[PJ Stough]

I am positive that if you talked to Walmart workers away from the store, and anonymously, you would get different answers.  Not sure why you turned this into a political discussion, but I am game.

Paul

 

[DiGiacomo]

If i sparked a political fire.............i didn't mean to.............just wanted to know how in the heck such a huge difference in price could come about.........maybe i just don't shop enough to know any better...... ???

 

[PJ Stough]

If i sparked a political fire.............i didn't mean to.............just wanted to know how in the heck such a huge difference in price could come about.........maybe i just don't shop enough to know any better...... ???

My guess would be that either there is a lot of profit to be made on oil, or it is being used as a loss leader.

Paul

 

[Lou Schneider]

Economy of scale - there's less overhead per item to sell something in a limited stock superstore versus at individual boutique stores.  Doesn't matter if it's motor oil or baby clothes.

The only advantage the smaller store has is to sell items that are too much of a niche market for the superstore to handle.  Motor oil is a ubiquitous seller - the same oil is used in numerous cars.  Other parts like tune up kits, replacement parts - not so much.

 

[PJ Stough]

It would be nice to know if both stores are making the same profit with their different prices.

Paul

 

[kenb1023]

We have an Auto Zone, O'Riley's and a Walmart all within a mile of each other and all seem to be doing OK.  I shop all three.  I have almost always bought my oil from Walmart.  They tend to have the best price and a good selection.  Air filters and oil filters I get on line from Amazon.  It all boils down to who has the best price for the product I want.  General car parts is between Auto Zone and O'Riley's.  Specialty parts I shop brick and mortar stores and on line suppliers.  Again it boils down to who has what I want at the best price.

 

[Jere and Laur]

As an independent garage you'd think I would get to Walmart but for us having Advanced Auto deliver our Mobil 1 products is the only way to go.  Walmart never has the correct viscosity or the ESP European varity we need. It's more of a time thing as Walmart is over 10mi away.

 

[HotTommy]

It's been a long while since I studied WalMart's business strategy, but their niche has always been as the lowest price competitor.  Two keys to their success have long been the most efficient purchasing and distribution systems in retail.  That is not good for their suppliers and competitors, but it results in generally lower prices for their customers.  As for their employees, I think any employee who is unhappy with his employer should walk away and compete for that better job he thinks he deserves.  If he doesn't get it, he should work on improving the skills needed to outcompete the guy who did get it.  IMHO, no one deserves a better job just because it would make his life better. You have to deserve it because you do the job better than others who also want it.  .... Feel free to substitute her for him in the previous opinion to make it gender neutral.

 

[PJ Stough]

It's been a long while since I studied WalMart's business strategy, but their niche has always been as the lowest price competitor.  Two keys to their success have long been the most efficient purchasing and distribution systems in retail.  That is not good for their suppliers and competitors, but it results in generally lower prices for their customers.  As for their employees, I think any employee who is unhappy with his employer should walk away and compete for that better job he thinks he deserves.  If he doesn't get it, he should work on improving the skills needed to outcompete the guy who did get it.  IMHO, no one deserves a better job just because it would make his life better. You have to deserve it because you do the job better than others who also want it.  .... Feel free to substitute her for him in the previous opinion to make it gender neutral.

You do realize that the buying power of millions of workers has been cut basically in half over the last 40 years because of the illegal action of hundreds if not thousands of employers?

Paul

 

[HotTommy]

You do realize that the buying power of millions of workers has been cut basically in half over the last 40 years because of the illegal action of hundreds if not thousands of employers?

Paul

No. But please don't take that as an invitation from me to expound further.

 

[PJ Stough]

No. But please don't take that as an invitation from me to expound further.

I wont expound further, at least not at this moment, as I wouldnt want to ruin your apparent fairy tale world.

Paul

 

[HotTommy]

Thank you Paul. I appreciate you generously allowing me to have an opinion different than your own.

 

[PJ Stough]

Thank you Paul. I appreciate you generously allowing me to have an opinion different than your own.

You are welcome to have your own opinion, but not your own facts.

Paul

 

[Jeff]

Could I ask that this get back to the original topic, the price of oil?

 

[catblaster]

Wally may be cheaper but I still buy from my local privately owned auto part store, the two I buy from will get me any viscosity I want, the brand of filters I want for my RV to my Deuce and a half. They have a real machine shop in the back and the man at the counter owns the place, does the machine work and builds engines. NO substitue for the knowledge they give me, just ask the guy at O Rileys or Advance which camshaft to use. Buy from the local guy........ besides I used to date his sister.