I'm an Amazon fan who shopped at CVS and Walgreens for my toiletries, and I preferred the more expensive store
Frank Olito/Insider
- I often store for my toiletries on Amazon, however I made a decision to check out CVS and Walgreens.
- The Walgreens I visited had toiletries locked in safety instances, and the shop felt poorly organized to me.
- Though CVS was a bit costlier, it was an general higher buying expertise.
Frank Olito/Insider
Every month, I purchase my cleaning soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and different toiletries on Amazon as a result of every little thing arrives at my doorstep the subsequent day. Sometimes, I spend about $30 to $50 per 30 days on these toiletries.
However just lately, I've been making an attempt to keep away from Amazon and, as an alternative, get again into purchasing in individual at shops. That's when I decided to try buying my toiletries on the two drug shops close to my residence in New York Metropolis — CVS and Walgreens — to see how the purchasing experiences would examine.
Each corporations function greater than 9,000 shops throughout the US, they usually promote the whole lot from toys to sweet to greeting playing cards, however I needed to scope out the perfect spot for purchasing toiletries.
After purchasing at each shops, I had a particular favourite.
My first cease was CVS, which has a location inside strolling distance from my condo in Brooklyn.
Frank Olito/Insider
This CVS is usually very busy as a result of it's situated within the high-trafficked neighborhood of Park Slope.
I went round lunchtime, so a lot of the aisles have been full of individuals, reminding me why I sometimes want to buy on Amazon nowadays.
I shortly discovered the toiletries part as a result of it was situated on the entrance of the shop in entrance of the pharmacy.
Frank Olito/Insider
At this retailer, the toiletries spanned 4 aisles proper in entrance of the doorway.
The aisles had clear signage that basically helped me whereas buying.
Frank Olito/Insider
This CVS had giant indicators hanging from the ceiling, itemizing a lot of the gadgets that could possibly be discovered down every aisle. Plus, there have been smaller indicators down the aisle in order that clients knew precisely the place the gadgets have been situated on that aisle.
I discovered this technique extraordinarily useful and was capable of finding every little thing shortly.
I additionally famous how the aisles felt cozier than a typical retailer.
Frank Olito/Insider
The carpeted flooring and slender aisles made the shop really feel much less sterile than different retail shops I've been to.
Nevertheless, I used to be stunned to seek out a few of the gadgets I wanted have been in safety instances, which was irritating.
Frank Olito/Insider
The costlier gadgets, like my deodorant, have been locked behind safety instances, which meant I needed to press a button and await a CVS worker to seize it for me.
Fortunately as soon as I pressed the button, I needed to wait just some seconds earlier than somebody came to visit to assist.
The CVS additionally had a self-checkout lane, which is all the time my favourite when buying in shops.
Frank Olito/Insider
The self-checkout lane was a lot faster than the common line, which made the method a lot simpler.
After CVS, I headed to Walgreens — there's additionally one in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Frank Olito/Insider
The Walgreens was conveniently situated only a block away from the CVS.
Once I first entered Walgreens, I observed it had fewer consumers and appeared much less new than the CVS.
Frank Olito/Insider.
The environment in Walgreens was very totally different from CVS. The tile flooring seemed broken, the safety guard on the entrance was menacing, and the aisles appeared soiled to me.
Nevertheless, the shop was a lot much less crowded than the CVS, which I favored.
The toiletries have been additionally situated on the entrance close to the doorway and spanned three aisles.
Frank Olito/Insider
These aisles have been for much longer and wider than those on the CVS I visited, which made it simpler once I needed to cross one other buyer. In consequence, this retailer did really feel much less cozy than the aisles at CVS.
Nevertheless, the aisles weren't as clearly marked as CVS' aisles.
Frank Olito/Insider
There have been no giant indicators that listed all of the gadgets down every aisle. The indicators in Walgreens have been a lot smaller and solely listed basic gadgets.
I discovered it so complicated that I needed to ask an worker the place to seek out the bar cleaning soap as a result of I couldn't discover it anyplace. Unusually, the soaps weren't with the remainder of the toiletries; they have been situated on the opposite aspect of the cough and chilly aisle.
My largest drawback was that each merchandise I wanted was locked behind a safety case.
Frank Olito/Insider
Strolling down the aisles, it felt like a jail for toiletries. Every little thing was locked behind secured instances.
I needed to press the customer-service button situated on the aisles twice, and every time it took the worker a few minutes to return assist me. The second time, I simply requested the worker to stroll across the retailer with me to assist open the instances as a result of I wanted entry to many issues.
It felt like I used to be dragging a private shopper across the drug retailer.
The shop didn't have a self-checkout line, so I waited for a cashier.
Frank Olito/Insider
Sadly, the shop solely had one register open, so I needed to wait longer than standard to buy my gadgets.
Most notably, nevertheless, Walgreens was a bit cheaper than CVS.
Frank Olito/Insider
For instance, the Dove deodorant I often purchase value $eight.29 on the CVS I visited and $7.29 on the Walgreens.
Surprisingly, the identical deodorant is considerably cheaper on Amazon, costing $4.99.
I additionally saved cash at Walgreens once I purchased Dove bar cleaning soap.
Frank Olito/Insider
The Dove bar cleaning soap I like value $four.99 at CVS, however it value $three.99 at Walgreens.
For comparability, Amazon charges $3.59 for a similar cleaning soap.
Listerine was additionally cheaper at Walgreens when in comparison with CVS.
Frank Olito/Insider
The identical measurement bottle of Listerine value simply $6.29 on the Walgreens I visited, however the worth reached $7.49 at CVS. On Amazon, it costs $9.29.
Though the costs have been barely cheaper at Walgreens, I'll in all probability stick to Amazon or return to CVS.
Frank Olito/Insider
Walgreens had the most cost effective costs for many of my gadgets, however the complicated aisles, the safety packing containers, and the check-out line made the purchasing expertise really feel like a problem.
However, CVS was barely costlier, nevertheless it had a simple format so I discovered every thing shortly, it had a self-checkout line, and it had all the things I wanted.
Whereas Amazon continues to be simpler for me and almost certainly my first selection, I might contemplate returning to CVS sooner or later for my toiletry wants.
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