I find a lot of these really funny -- but one thing I've noticed in Massachusetts (at least in the greater Boston area) is that grocery stores do an per item or per amount price on the price tags.

For example, if the 2-for-1 deodorant sale was going on, there is a amount listed on the tag that would say "2.16 per item".

Maybe this is a law in MA to make things easier on the consumer?

You do realize it is the manufacturer that packages this stuff, right? The retailer can sell it for whatever it wants to, and in this case I'm guessing they're selling the individual sticks for a lower margin than the manufacturer suggests that they do. So while it may be a "bad deal" to buy the two-pack at Wal-Mart, I'm guessing the individual sticks (which are clearly marked and right next to the two-packs) are a really good deal!

I think my wife said she had a coupon and got the 2 pack for 75 cents a few days ago. But I was half awake, so maybe she was proud of saving 75 cents instead.

How is this relevant? I'm not sure, I'm only half awake.

it even says 25% more, but the one to the left is just as big

I'm only half awake too. But I will say that it's too bad those quotation marks on the word "save" aren't real... I'd love to see a lawsuit claiming the manufacturer was using ironic ones but trying to pass them off as emphatic.

@waza: Ah, no it says "Higher Performing odor action"

Even though I see it daily now with my work it still surprises me how there is anyone that ignorant to not realize they are paying more for the same thing. It is not even that hard, the sticks are right beside each other on the shelf!

I often wonder how that same people buying the higher priced good ever graduated anything, get a drivers license, or have not been declared mentally incapable of caring for their children. It is a little bit of grade school math for Pete's sake not trigonometry.

These bundles just create more trash with that plastic printed shrink wrap.

Yeah, it stinks, but chances are that it is a saving vs the regular price on the single deodorant.

Yep, that's right, the single pack is "on sale" or rather, it's on
Rollback. That's what the "R" above the star means.

The star on the other hand means that it's one of the items that's such
a good seller that it should always be in stock.

hnstly dbt thr's mlcs ntnt hr. Sm wg slv ws tld tht th prc ws $4.32 nd f w'r lcky h r sh ndrstd th nglsh nd knw ngh t ndrstnd tht th nstrctns wr n dllrs, nt pss. Th fct tht thy ddn't fgr t tht t ws mr thn sngl tm sn't srprsng.

Ths r fnny bt prbbly nt smn wth ny ntllgnc syng "lt's trck th cstmr!"

I've noticed that, at least at the stores I've shopped at, Wal-Mart absolutely refuses to print per-unit costs on their price tags.

I tend to think that this is intentional on Wal-Mart's part to keep customers ignorant of obvious bad deals.

@Dobernala:
odd... all the ones i've been to will print per unit costs, at least for food

Preying on the stupid is still legal. I'm with the other comments above - if your stupid enough to not be able to do simple math, then you're more likely to get ripped off.

It doesn't make it right, but retailers will do it anyways.

I actually bought one of these two packs yesterday at Target. Price for one: $2.33 price for two: $4.39. So the "buy two and save" is a good deal at Target, at least.

I have seen those before. The two-pack used to be cheaper than two singles. Should be glad they didn't increase the price of the singles too.

@Feedloadr: @waza: Not to nitpick but it says "Higher performing odor PROTECTION". The good deal here really is the regular one costs as much as the one with the higher performing odor protection, so I would recommend two individual sticks of the higher performing odor protection sticks and you make out like a bandit.

It is probably the Chinese knockoff version, too.

@Triborough: Which causes chemical burns to your armpits?

The single deodorant's price tag has a star and a 'S' in the bottom right corner, could that mean that it's on sale? If that's the case (Could someone with more knowledge of Wal-Mart tags shed some light on this?) then it shouldn't be a problem for the 2 pack to not be on sale. That's like saying every time the 3 pack of paper towels goes on sale the 18 pack has to too.

At least the unit pricing is clear here. One thing I hate about unit pricing is when the store intentionally varies the units. I was in Walmart the other day and they had three different types of string cheese. One had a unit price per ounce, one had it per pound, and oe had it per individual pack. Completely defeated the purpose.

With the economy the way it is, I've seen this happening more and more. It used to be that the multi-packs and larger sizes WOULD save you money almost always. Now you have to really be careful because the stores are trying to trick you so they can make a few more bucks.

Add this to the WTF pricing list: Target sells the 12 fl. oz. Renu Multiplus Contact Solution for no less than US$6.49 (in a 2-pk) but you can buy the 2 fl. oz. travel size for US$0.99.

Strangely, it seems in the last few years that "value packs" are increasingly more costly per unit than smaller packages. Add to that how the unit pricing on the shelves for smaller packages is often some useless division based on the case or ??

I try to fight the feeling s of conspiracy, but knowing how corporate America operates, I cannot help but feel as if they are intentionally hiding their nickel and dime-ing tactics.

@tedyc03: [Pat Sajak] Would you like to buy a vowel?[/Pat Sajak]

@DarrenO: ...right, but unless the article changed before I got here, the blame's put on Walmart, just as you suggested.

@waza: They both say they're 25 percent higher performing.

Well, it looks like the 2 pack is wrapped in extra plastic around to keep the two units together. With oil still expensive as hell, Old Spice needs to add in an oil surcharge.

So...
$2 x 2 units plus more plastic with added fuel surcharge = $4.32

Sounds about right.

@macinjosh: Haha, did Consumerist implement the strip your vowels for a lame comment system that...I think Kotaku was talking about?

The container on the right appears larger (or at least taller).

@SuperJdynamite:

If you look at the net weights, they are the same (one-pack is 3.25, two-pack is 6.5)

Still, I would guess that the single stick is on sale. I'm not familiar with Wal-Mart pricing, but it seems unusual that a price would end in .00 unless it's on sale.

Oh my... disemvoweling ... this might be better than the ban-hammer!

I encountered a similar deal at WM on some GE Clear lightbulbs. The individual lightbults were 2.29 each. Three of the same exact lightbulbs in the "Value" pack, which consisted of 3 of the lightbulbs was $6.99. I guess the value was that I exerted less energy putting the lightbulbs in my cart by reducing mt motion by 67%

Kroger is the worst at making it look like it is a big savings to buy two. Laundry detergent, milk and many other items it is much cheaper to buy the larger one and save more money than buying the two smaller ones.
Good post Carey!

Let the buyer beware eh! Didn't a famous American say there is a sucker born every minute?

Actually I think you guys are reading too much into this. I used to work for Wal-Mart a long time ago. The even 2.00 price-point is a dead giveaway that either the item is being clearanced, a "Special Buy," or someone manually adjusted the price. I'm going with "Special Buy", as I'm pretty sure that's what the little S and the star mean on the tag.

Likely Wal-Mart is discontinuing the single-pack product, or it's being replaced with a new item. Another explanation might be that they are overstocked on the product, and the computer or the "Manager" marked it down.

I told you WalMart should have been the worst company.

I'm always checking whether marked deals are actual deals. I usually get out my calculator and check price/oz. I never buy anything with big screaming tags without checking first.

Despite my disdain for Wallyworld, I know that it is, on occasion, the vendor that denotes the price and not the retailer.

The two dollar one is on sale. At the regular price, the two pack would have been a deal. For now, go for the bargain, and grab two singles.

[note]: I work for Wal-mart

i think it's 2 twin packs for $4.32.
no?

Cant we sue them for this kind of nonsense?

Shouldn't it be illegal to falseley advertise savings where there are not any?

The trailer park trash that shop at Wally World don't know their multiplication tables! Such easy prey. Duh!

I'm curious as to whether these prices show up at the register. I work at Target and come across these sort of things on occasion, but usually because a replacement tag has been knocked off by a stocker or customer. There are quite a few legitimate reasons this could be on display like this. Many store shelf tags have inserts that replace the default price listed (that slip in over the top of the original) and the newer one might have simply been moved somehow. Just showing a picture isn't proof enough, it needs to be investigated before we go all, "hur hur hur! I foundses errorz!"