All the konbenis have 2L bottles of water, they’re usually around 90 yen, all cheaper than exactly the same water in small bottles. 500ml, for example, is generally over 100 yen.
Because you wouldn’t buy 2L bottle if you are just walking around.
The worst offender is 1L bottle, usually around 160-170 yen.
All over the world it is most common to sell bigger quantities at reduced prices. How come this is so surprising? 😀
Maybe something about plastic cost
Usually people goes at the Konbini for take out meal, snakes and individuals drinks. Not for actual groceries shopping so they don’t care about big bottles and went iced coffee and pop for one person. Even if they are in group. Usually each person take this own drinks.
I used to work for the corporate office of a conbini chain forever ago in a different country. If the economics are similar now to what they were then, when calculating the costs attributed to a fountain soda, the cost of the cup was literally the most expensive part of the product.
(I know you’re talking about PET bottles in this case, but I imagine the argument is similar)
Or, alternatively invest in a water filter for your tap…
Less plastic, less cost in the long run.
For the convenience of walking around with a bottle. This is everywhere, not just Japan.
You’re pricing differently for different market segments. 0.5/1l bottles are for people who want a bottle while walking outside, 2l bottles for people who need some water in their home but don’t want to walk all the way to the grocery store.
I believe it’s typically more expensive to make smaller products. Maybe due to machinery requirements or possibly since they produce more waste that can’t be reused?
They’re also more in demand, so whether the former is true or not the price will be higher, because businesses like more money.
[deleted]
From a manufacturing side of things, it doesnt cost a noticible difference to make a 2L bottle vs a smaller one. Sometimes the amount of plastic used is the same. PET bottles are generally injection stretched. IE, they just inject air into a malleable plastic.
So for the manufacturer(in this case water is cheap too) there isnt really a reason to increase price much.
Stores check the msrp and then decide on their markup, since most people dont buy 2L bottles they mark them up less to move inventory. Because less money is better than no money.
There is 10% more urine in the larger bottles. Sure, it is cheaper, but all of that urine 🙁
Same way that a tiny (ie 200ml) bottle of water costs hardly any less than the 500ml bottle despite being half the size (*whisper* people are willing to pay it so they charge it).
Also I think that’s mainly limited to water at konbinis. You’ll find that a 1.5L bottle of coke at the conbini is a good 300 yen.
Taking advantage of demand probably, like let’s say the small water bottle itself probably supposed to cost around 30 yen, but people will still purchase it anyway even at 100 yen so why not.
One of my friend usually also just purchase water from vending machine / konbini when we hang out, since it’s too annoying to bring one.
Supply and demand.
There are two different markets for the same product. One is for right away, and the other is to take home. Same for soda.
It’s like this in the United States, call me stubborn but I love water so I always opt for the huge one and just stick it in my backpack. It’s a marketing tactic.
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Because you wouldn’t buy 2L bottle if you are just walking around.
The worst offender is 1L bottle, usually around 160-170 yen.
All over the world it is most common to sell bigger quantities at reduced prices. How come this is so surprising? 😀
Maybe something about plastic cost
Usually people goes at the Konbini for take out meal, snakes and individuals drinks. Not for actual groceries shopping so they don’t care about big bottles and went iced coffee and pop for one person. Even if they are in group. Usually each person take this own drinks.
I used to work for the corporate office of a conbini chain forever ago in a different country. If the economics are similar now to what they were then, when calculating the costs attributed to a fountain soda, the cost of the cup was literally the most expensive part of the product.
(I know you’re talking about PET bottles in this case, but I imagine the argument is similar)
Or, alternatively invest in a water filter for your tap…
Less plastic, less cost in the long run.
For the convenience of walking around with a bottle. This is everywhere, not just Japan.
You’re pricing differently for different market segments. 0.5/1l bottles are for people who want a bottle while walking outside, 2l bottles for people who need some water in their home but don’t want to walk all the way to the grocery store.
I believe it’s typically more expensive to make smaller products. Maybe due to machinery requirements or possibly since they produce more waste that can’t be reused?
They’re also more in demand, so whether the former is true or not the price will be higher, because businesses like more money.
[deleted]
From a manufacturing side of things, it doesnt cost a noticible difference to make a 2L bottle vs a smaller one. Sometimes the amount of plastic used is the same. PET bottles are generally injection stretched. IE, they just inject air into a malleable plastic.
So for the manufacturer(in this case water is cheap too) there isnt really a reason to increase price much.
Stores check the msrp and then decide on their markup, since most people dont buy 2L bottles they mark them up less to move inventory. Because less money is better than no money.
Someone seemed to wonder the same as you… https://www.quora.com/Why-are-large-bottles-of-water-priced-LOWER-than-smaller-bottles-of-water-in-convenience-stores
There is 10% more urine in the larger bottles. Sure, it is cheaper, but all of that urine 🙁
Same way that a tiny (ie 200ml) bottle of water costs hardly any less than the 500ml bottle despite being half the size (*whisper* people are willing to pay it so they charge it).
Also I think that’s mainly limited to water at konbinis. You’ll find that a 1.5L bottle of coke at the conbini is a good 300 yen.
Taking advantage of demand probably, like let’s say the small water bottle itself probably supposed to cost around 30 yen, but people will still purchase it anyway even at 100 yen so why not.
One of my friend usually also just purchase water from vending machine / konbini when we hang out, since it’s too annoying to bring one.
Supply and demand.
There are two different markets for the same product. One is for right away, and the other is to take home. Same for soda.
It’s like this in the United States, call me stubborn but I love water so I always opt for the huge one and just stick it in my backpack. It’s a marketing tactic.