Why do people purchase from discount stores?

[y1a1z1]

• Do you only purchase in discount stores when certain situations arise? If yes please describe your situation.........
• Does money affect your decision to purchase in a discount store?
• What factors make you pick a discount store over all the other stores?

[cazzz1975]

its funny, I can walk around loads of pound stores and not find one thing I want to buy, if I was buying shoes though I would buy a cheap pair from asda for 8 quid rather than a pair from bhs/m&s/next for 40 quid

[jackthehat]

Firstly, I identify my *purchase*.
Secondly, I try to identify *all* the retail outlets where I think I could buy my *purchase*; at this stage, I eliminate the 'high-end' retailers because I don't shop to impress other people.
Thirdly, I eliminate 'cost v. quality', 'cost v. travel costs', 'time v. travel costs', 'quantity v. travel', etc (cost being the main issue).
Finally, if I believe that I can get exactly what I want in a discount store, that's exactly where I go.
My mantra is 'value for money'.

[LoftyLottie]

I think it's more to do with lots of other shops closing due to the economic situation actually ,and there being premises available for the discount stores which they get on a short term lease. In some towns all there seems to be are discount stores - not really there because the public want them!!

[merciasounds]

Is this for a poll for the University of the Bleedin' Obvious?

[Mamyalynne]

1) yes in certain situations, for example Pound stores are great for children's party tableware etc and craft items that will often be left stuck to the carpet.
2) Yes absolutely.
3) If an item is for a short lived use and quality is not the main issue, then is not worth paying a lot more.

However as has been said, I also have to consider transport costs to get to the town centre, but can easily walk to my nearest supermarket.

[ummmm]

I don't go to discount stores such as 'poundland' because they are in the town centre and I rarely venture there.

[Sooper]

I go to Costco about twice a year if that counts?!

[tiggerblue10]

1) Money reasons when I'm skint.
2) As above and I usually get stuff from £1 stores for office dos'.
3) Stores like Matalan and Primark are so much cheaper for clothing than say M&S, Hennes, Topshop etc.

Am I aloud to mention store names here?

[tigwig]

If I am passing poundshops I will get stuff from there yes. In fact sometimes I wait until I am going into town to buy things as I know some of the stuff is double the price in the supermarket. Unfortunately this choice is always down to money! If I was loaded and money was no object I would get things from wherever was convenient. I think there is so many now because alot of people are in the same boat and its more socially acceptable to go in these places. Years back I never would have and thought only scrubbers used them!

[Nini74]

- No. Always check them out for bargains or good deals.
- Yes. I like to pay out the least amount possible. Hate the thought of going to a shop and paying more money for the same product.
- the potential for a bargain. doesn't mean that i don't go to other shops, and i don't really go to discount shops looking for a particular item, but if i have time, i'll pop in to see whats available.

hope this helps

[karenmac60]

I refer you once again to Ms Boo of Answerbank :)

[China Doll]

There's no pound shops near me so I don't use them. If I saw something in them that I needed then I would probably buy it. I tend to prefer to shop around online to get pricey items at a decent price and I'm happy to have somethings second hand from ebay that are good quality rather than pay for a similar product cheaply but have it fally apart on me in no time. I'm a lover of the ebay and the amazon...:c)

[gingejbee]

My reason for using a discount store ( and I did have a problem identifying what you meant at first) is that I like a bargain. Money isn't a problem but I just hate spending more than I have to. (I've had an MOT today and was delighted that it was half-price at £27.42 and passed!)

[boxtops]

Our discount stores include Poundland, Poundsavers, Savers, Aladdins Cave, 99p shop, Netto - we are in a very downbeat part of the country, two of the most deprived wards in the country (as well as other far more well-off areas within a few miles). I work FT so don't have a lot of shopping time, but if I see a good offer advertised (e.g. coffee which is a brand I use) I will buy in these stores. I bought beer in Netto, OH's preferred brand, for £5 a pack less than in the supermarket. I do look for brand, we know what we like, but we always buy on offers anyway.
I wonder if your research could also consider the hypothesis of whether the discount stores offer better value for money consistently, rather than shoppers going to supermarkets (whose prices have come down) and buying reduced price damaged goods or short-dated items (which is how I do most of my shopping)?

[tiggerblue10]

Going on from what Boxy has said I have have shopped in Lidl on several occasions but I didn't like the quality of their non-branded food. The branded food turned out to be more expensive than my local supermarket so I don't shop in Lidl anymore.

[dotty.]

poundland etc are not discount stores at all in any way. The products they sell are specifically manufactured and purchased in sufficient quantity from manufacturing companies across the world that are able to guarantee an extremely low price for goods that are made by employees in countries where the wages allow for a sufficient mark up from manufacture to importer to distributor to high street and still allow for a quick one -off profit. There is no discount from RRP passed on the customers, only a strict control of sourcing the product and the ability of foreign manuacturers to provide cheap products at low cost.

[tiggerblue10]

I just go to Tesco as its the shortest distance from me. Asda is about 7 - 8 miles away and any savings I made there would end up as petrol usage so there is no point.

[dotty.]

Discount stores are outlets that offer goods at a reduced price from the RRP, often these are stores contracted to High Street stores to sell their customer returns, previous season product or 'seconds'. The discount outlets advertise the product at a discount proce with it's RRP, a poundshop does not, the products in a pound shop are sourced to sell at £1