Does anyone know why Walmart charges more for packaged items rather than singles?

June 25th, 2009
mom of girls asked:


If you want to buy paper towels they are $.59 each but an 8 pack costs $.70 each. Why the difference? I am told the same is true of oil also - they charge more for a 10 pack than for a single.
Sorry the paper towels in an eight pack are 5.60 for this size (comes out to $.70)

5 Responses to “Does anyone know why Walmart charges more for packaged items rather than singles?”

  1. ThePartyGirlPrincess Says:
    June 28th, 2009 at 2:50 am

    Buy somewhere else……Only giving in to Wal-mart’s conscience efforts to bring the quality level of employment to an all time low by patronizing them. Sorry, just had to vent……

  2. dadofgirls Says:
    June 29th, 2009 at 2:05 pm

    I don’t know. Just seems that it is better to buy items singly from Walmart. I asked the same question and the manager said she doesn’t know either.

  3. st.nick Says:
    July 2nd, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    I know what you mean. It follows on almost all products you get from them. It is better to buy singly rather than in bulk unless you go to Sam’s Clubs.

  4. norwood Says:
    July 4th, 2009 at 11:27 pm

    walmart lures people into the store with the low low price scam. once in they do have items lower than some other stores but they also know that you will buy other items that will cost more at walmart than say at Targets or kmart. after all once they have came into an area and put alot of small companies out of business they can pretty much charge what they want.

  5. Sam B Says:
    July 5th, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    I find it is also true of the large and small sizes of the same item. It is not always the largest size that cost less. Check out the dryer sheets. The 40 pack usually costs less than the 80 pack so I obviously buy the two 40s.

    I don’t know that it is a “scam” rather than a conscious effort to profit on the consumer’s ignorance. The assumption is the items in quantity cost less. It is the same with miss “priced” items. How many times do you get charged an incorrect price at checkout? Walmart knows that the average customer is just going to let it go instead of holding up the long line that is behind you. Multiply a nickel here and ten cents there and it is big business to “accidentally” mischarge the customer. There are no accidents at Wal mart. It is deliberate and well thought out.