Maxi Makes A Killing With Its Price Match Policy

Aside from Walmart, Maxi is the only supermarket chain to offer an “unbeatable” price match policy. Metro and Sobeys / IGA do not go that far.

The system is simple: on presentation of a competitor’s flyer and for a similar product, Maxi matches its competitor’s prices.

Always on the lookout for trends, DepQuébec has been able to appreciate the great success of this formula.

We went to a Maxi supermarket in Châteauguay in the middle of the afternoon yesterday, to find first a store quite busy for this low-traffic hour of the day, which is already a good sign.

Then, at the checkout counter, the customer in front of us was busy on his cell phone and when paying, showed an image to the cashier.

It was a Metro’s Super C flyer featuring a product he’d like to buy in large quantity at Maxi, but offered at a lower price over there.

Without a word or a single question, the cashier opined and immediately gave him the same discount.

All this in three seconds, no fuss!

 

Then, questioned by DepQuébec, the employee in question revealed that the unbeatable pricing policy has “become a real trademark” for Maxi.

“I would say that in general, one customer out of eight is taking advantage of it but when the flyers come out on Thursday, it’s more like one out of four,” the cashier said.

One in four customers! But that’s amazing!

Some may think: yes, but it must cost them a lot to pay for all these discounts … cost them a lot? Think about it : how much would cost an empty store with few customers?

We can see it plainly: price competition is intensifying between supermarkets. The implementation of 55 Walmart supermarkets over the past few years and the unstoppable growth of Costco are adding tremendous pressure.

Of all the traditional supermarkets, Maxi seems to us the most competitive. Moreover, on many items, the chain competes very well with Costco, even sometimes offers better prices.

Will the pressure become so strong that Metro and IGA will one day follow Maxi’s lead? If this happens, we will know why!