In today’s America, grocery stores and supermarkets are widely used interchangeably without considering the basic difference between them. The fact is, both the terms, grocery store, and supermarket differs from each other on a macro scale. Have you ever thought about what factors differentiate between the two?
The Bedrock Difference between a Grocery Store and a Supermarket
Generally speaking, a grocery store is more specialized and comes with a limited variety of products. It is focused on special categories of food items and household products only. In general, it is smaller in size compared to the supermarket.
On the other hand, a Supermarket is comparatively larger than a grocery store. It houses a wider selection of products where you can find everything and anything under one roof. It consists of a diversified variety of products, as for example, a supermarket can have distinct sections of butchers, deli meat, and fresh seafood hand-cut artisan cheese, not to forget about the floral department. It may house a pharmacy, too. Examples of some well-known supermarkets are Safeway, Publix, Albertsons, and Kroger.
Chain Business
By and large, a supermarket comprises of chain business model. It has outlets all over the nation or world. A grocery store, on the other hand, is locally based. It is usually a small and family-owned shop.
Price difference
As supermarkets are established as a chain business model, they present you with cheaper items comparatively. On the other hand, prices in grocery stores are usually high as they don’t get food traffic like a supermarket.
Types And Range Of Products
Grocery stores are usually associated with food items and specified products. Usually, they do not have fresh fruits and vegetables. There is a limited selection of staple products. There is no butchering onsite. On the other hand, a supermarket offers you a wide range of products at the same location, ranging from kitchen appliances to beauty products. You can have hosiery, food products, canned foods, fresh vegetables, washroom appliances, cookware, beauty aids, and so on in a supermarket.
If there is a supermarket near your location, you can buy anything at one-stop. But if it marks its absence, you might visit from one grocery store to another to purchase different sorts of products.
Specification
Grocery stores offer you specific ethnic food items. For example, if you are looking for Indian spices or Mexican cheese then you are more likely to visit an Indian grocery store or a Mexican grocery outlet as they might be easily available there rather than at a supermarket.
Time Saver
At the grocery store, you get to easily locate your desired products. However, in a Supermarket, the wide range of products might confuse you. You might end up wasting your time comparing different brands of similar products.
Range Of Services Offered By Grocery Stores And Supermarkets
The supermarket is a self-service thing where you need to hand pick the desired products. In a grocery store, you may ask the owner to take up the orders and bring them to the counter.
Discount Offered
Generally, supermarkets offer attractive discounts and special offers on particular products. But, a grocery store seldom provides a discount on products. They sell the products at the written price. Additionally, supermarkets organize sales and special offers on special occasions and festivities.
Employability
Grocery stores are equipped with fewer employees as the store is usually small and offers limited services. On the other hand, a supermarket employs large number of people to help you at every step while picking up the products.
Range Of Sales
Supermarket comes with a huge range of sales owing to their large magnitude and chain model. However, at grocery stores, sales are usually limited.
History Of Supermarket And Grocery Stores
The concept of grocery store emerged in the United States of America during the 1940s, particularly in a middle-class society where people would end up buying things at locally based stores.
On the other hand, supermarkets evolved after World War 2 with the evolution of the entrepreneurial class.
Entertainment And Fun
You visit a grocery store when you need to buy specific products for immediate use. You do not go to a grocery store to stand there for a longer duration and gaze over the products.
But, you can visit a supermarket to compare the prices of different products or develop an idea of what new products are available in the market. This means that you can do window shopping at a supermarket.
Conclusion:
In simple words, a grocery store fulfills your needs. Whereas, a supermarket satisfies your wants apart from your needs. Though both the terms are used interchangeably in vernacular language, the basic difference between the two must always be in your mind.
