MARTIN SLOANE | Supermarket Shopper Customers will gobble up special Thanksgiving promotions

The offer of a free Thanksgiving turkey has a powerful impact on shoppers. It was humorously described in the poem that won the second prize in the recent 23rd Annual Supermarket Shopper Poetry Competition. Here are some lines from "What a deal!" by Dee Tusch:
"Upon my word, spend $50 and get a free bird!
The deal was tempting, size didn't matter,
The bird was free, whether skinny or fatter."
The free turkey may only be worth $15, but when customers get involved in this promotion, they will usually buy most of their groceries at that store. That is exactly what the stores want because these few holiday weeks are some of the most important in a supermarket's year.
In the Southeast, Bi-Lo gives shoppers turkey tokens each time they buy $30 or more. Shoppers who collect seven tokens receive a free turkey. In Central Florida, Kash n' Karry requires spending at least $40 on four store visits to receive the required turkey vouchers.
Supermarkets, such as A & amp;P in the northeast, base their turkey giveaway on total spending. For a large family, just one trip could earn a free bird. A & amp;P is offering a free 10- to 13-pound turkey to shoppers who spend at least $150 before Thanksgiving. Shoppers who spend $250 or more get a 16- to 20-pound bird. Now that most supermarkets have frequent-shopper clubs, getting the free turkey or other holiday promotions requires the use of the club card. This is true for the Bi-Lo, Kash n' Karry and A & amp;P free turkey offers.
Promotions differ
For major chains like Kroger, the Thanksgiving promotion differs from city to city. In Atlanta, Kroger tries to lock customers into weekly visits by offering them a turkey coupon each time they spend $35 or more in five out of the six weeks preceding Thanksgiving. Five tickets earn a free Honeysuckle frozen turkey up to 14 pounds, or 10 percent-off on a future shopping trip. Kroger stores in Detroit don't offer free turkeys. Instead, they give shoppers a discount on a future order. The discounts range from 5 percent to 15 percent. The highest discount requires spending $700 before Thanksgiving.
In the past, some of my readers have participated in the free-turkey promotions with a noteworthy motivation: They contribute the free turkey to a local food bank. Tops Supermarkets in upstate New York, reminds shoppers they can chose to have Tops make the donation for them. This year, Tops is offering one point for every dollar spent and 250 points earn a free turkey. Tops has a limit of one free turkey per household. If your supermarket has a free turkey offer, be sure to check the rules.
Deciding factors
For Smart Shoppers who play The Great Grocery Game, the decision whether to participate in a free turkey promotion should depend on that supermarket's prices and other money-saving opportunities. Shopping at a supermarket with lower prices will usually more than offset the savings from a free bird. Smart Shoppers also know that every supermarket, including those offering free turkeys, will have turkeys on sale in the two weeks before the holiday.
The weeks prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas are also a time when grocery product manufacturers will try to influence shoppers with their consumer promotions. The recent offer of a free Parker Brothers board game, worth up to $15, with the purchase of five Heinz products before Nov. 30, is an example. The manufacturers will fill the Sunday newspaper inserts with their coupons and this will be high season for coupon clippers.
Smart shoppers will sit down at the kitchen table and play the Match Game, looking through the supermarket sale circulars, matching sales with coupons for big Double Play savings.
Readers often write asking me why none of the supermarkets in their hometown are offering free turkeys? Many grocers don't want the extra involvement and bookkeeping these offers require. It also depends on what the competition is doing. Free turkey promotions are, in some ways, similar to double coupons. When one supermarket offers free turkeys, competitors may feel forced to match the offer. And, when supermarkets or their customers tire of the promotion, the free birds fly away.
Did you receive a free Thanksgiving turkey? If so, please share your Smart Shopping Adventure with my readers. Write to me, Martin Sloane, The Supermarket Shopper, in care of The Vindicator. I will publish the most interesting letters.
XSend questions and comments to Martin Sloane in care of The Vindicator. The volume of mail precludes individual replies to every letter, but Martin Sloane will respond to letters of general interest in the column.
United Feature Syndicate