These days Amazon is dominant when it comes to selling practically anything — and that includes razors.
That said, the online retailer is far from the only place to buy a new shaver. Grocery stores continue to be a popular spot to buy. While it’s hard to beat the convenience of shopping online, if you are in the grocery store anyway, it’s not a big deal to make a quick pass down the shaving aisle to grab some new blades.
And while a grocery store is likely to have a solid lineup of offerings, the big question is the price you’re paying.
Amazon is known for normally having cheap prices on just about anything they sell. Does that mean they offer the lowest prices? Will you pay more for a razor at a grocery store? Or does it actually offer a better deal?
To see for ourselves, we decided to do some price comparison at what was recently voted the top grocery store in America.
The Top Grocery Store in America vs. Amazon
HEB is a regional grocery store with more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. It was also named at the top grocery store in America in 2020. This rating came from a survey of 7,500 people by the consumer research firm Dunnhumby.
While there is a lot to like about HEB — including fantastic customer service — one of the things that stands out is the value. The grocery store is well-known for offering tons of value, including low prices and generous return policies.
In all, we couldn’t think of a better place to test whether it is cheaper to buy razors on Amazon or from a grocery store.
Price Comparing Razors
While it’s hard to beat the selection available on Amazon, our trip to the local HEB left us impressed. There was approximately 10 feet of aisle — and three levels — dedicated to men’s razors. This included everything from high-end Gillette razors with all the latest features to inexpensive disposable razors.
In fact, there were high-end razors from all the big names including Gillette, Schick, Bic, and more.
So how did the prices compare with what you find on Amazon? Here’s a list of what we saw, with prices compared between HEB and Amazon:
Amazon Wins… Barely
So what’s the verdict? Among this list, four items were priced the exact same at the grocery store and Amazon. Two were cheaper at HEB, and five were less expensive on Amazon.
In that case, we think you could say that Amazon wins.
What we noticed, however, is that the price differences are relatively small. The biggest difference was $1.29 was on an 8-pack of Mach 3 refills that runs more than $15. The rest of the differences were between fifty cents and a dollar.
In other words, prices might be slightly cheaper on Amazon in many instances, but the price difference isn’t significantly lower versus buying at a grocery store.
Where Amazon does have an advantage, however, is in the selection. They have significantly more razors and packages. For instance, whether you want a 4-pack of refill blades or a 12-pack, then Amazon usually has them available. As well, many razors come in a number of different styles (e.g. the Gillette Fusion/ProGlide family). If you have a specific razor that you have to have, then Amazon is a better bet for finding it.
What Amazon doesn’t offer is the ability to see a razor up close. And while we do the best to give you an idea of what each razor is really like, sometimes you just have to see it in person. That’s where the grocery store wins.
So whether you want the convenience of buying online or the ability to hold/see the razor before you buy, the good news is that while Amazon might be a little cheaper, the difference isn’t huge. You can buy either place with confidence.
