Duane Reade Shoppertunity #1 #CBias #DReadeVIP

As you all know I am a Duane Reade ambassador. Myself and 19 other bloggers are the eyes and ears for Duane Reade, and their audience. It's been a wonderful opportunity and experience so far. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and posts with you.



My first assignment was to pick up the latest issue of the Duane Reade circular. You can access the online version of the circular here, and then find something in it that inspires me to purchase the product. The path to purchase has to be detailed. The great part is that you can access the circular online!



My neighborhood Duane Reade store is #14487. Even before walking into the store, the Duane Reader is presented on the window and automatic door of the store. This is great advertising. If you're walking by the store, you might see that your favorite snack or drink is on sale, and that might lead you into the store. When I walked inside, the Duane Reader was presented right by the entrance of the automatic doors. I feel that this is a great place to present it, as people will need to grab it when starting off their shopping.

I did not notice any special signs advertising the Duane Reader in the store. I assume that most people are already aware of its existence. Perhaps, sales people direct the select few first time customers to it.

My initial reaction of the Duane Reader was that it reads like a newspaper, which is very creative. You can tell that a lot of thought and dedication goes into creating it. I've never seen any other store's circular displayed this way. It makes reading it much more entertaining. The way the deals are set up is in a fun and playful manner. There are cute little messages and stories displayed next to each deal and item, and they definitely catch your attention. The headlines are witty and usually have a playful pun associated with the item represented. The headlines are easy to read and in large black font. Everything is clean and easy to read. The prices cannot be missed and are highlighted in yellow, so you know exactly what you'll be paying.

The Duane Reader is a friendly and inviting read and I love all of the pictures and multicolored text accompanying it. There isn't much fluff in the Duane Reader either. It's all relevant to the store.

I do not usually use the Duane Reader to shop. I know what I need upon entering the store and go right to the aisle to get it. Of course I will check out other aisles to see what's on sale, but I never think to grab it. I regularly buy Duane Reade Delish snacks and drinks. They are my go to food items when shopping at the store.

Now that I have had the chance to check out a Duane Reader from cover to cover, I will definitely be using one to shop with in the future. All of the store's deals, news, and information is right at your fingertips. It makes your shopping experience an easier and less hectic one. Having the Duane Reader in front of you is also a good reminder of what you could be forgetting to put on your shopping list. You might see the product featured and then remember that you do need to restock it in your home.

As I flipped through the Duane Reader viewing what items inspired me to buy, I looked at each item on every page. I recognized most of the items from seeing them in the store. Although I didn't know that Duane Reade carried shrimp cups, that stuck out to me. When I saw it in the reader I wished I could buy them! My neighborhood Duane Reade doesn't carry as much of the grocery section items as some of the other franchises such as the sandwiches, fruit, and sushi.

I perused the pages and liked that some of the items offered you bonus flex points. This is definitely an incentive to buy. The flex points accumulate on your reward card and may be used towards money off on purchases.

The items in the reader were very reasonably priced. There were also some great deals. One I noticed was if you buy two boxes of Kashi cereal at regular price, you'll receive a half gallon of Nice! milk free. That is definitely worth buying.

Duane Reade carries a large range of items that appeal to everyone. What I like so much about the store is you can find practically anything you need there. I finally settled on purchasing the Nice! 2x Ultra Laundry Detergent in Lake Breeze scent for $4.99, and Good and Delish's Probiotic Boost Blend at $2.49. I thought both of these were great deals. I chose both of these items because I needed new laundry detergent, and I had seen the Probiotic Boost Blend before and had been wanting to try it. I immediately circled them in the Duane Reader.

I went back to the store and purchased the items. I did purchase these items and also a Vitamin Water Zero. My path to purchase was very easy. I knew exactly which aisles the items were in and that made my shopping trip easier.

Here's the outside of my neighborhood Duane Reade. You can see the Duane Reader advertised on the door and window.


What I saw as soon as I walked inside Duane Reade.


My first purchase, the Nice! laundry detergent.



My second purchase, the Probiotic Boost Blend. This is very tasty!



Of course you can't forget the Vitamin Water either.


My items in the basket, ready for checkout.




What I would like to see in my local Duane Reade would be more of the deli cases with the grab and go sandwiches, cheese and cracker plates, sushi, etc. It would also be nice to have a case of donuts and pastries like the Duane Reade at 40 Wall Street does. It would be great to grab a quick coffee and donut to go and I know people would enjoy that. My local Duane Reade seems to always have fresh inventory and I'm never without the specific type of chips or hot chocolate that I'm looking for. That makes life easier for me.

The store employees are friendly, and always willing to answer any questions you may have. Whenever I go, I see a lot of the same employees and they do remember me. My checkout process was easy and I didn't encounter any issues. I can't wait to return to Duane Reade soon!

Please check out my Google + story here

*DISCLOSURE* This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All thoughts and opinions are strictly mine and not based on anything else.