I’m almost running out of shampoo so as I’m wondering which store I should head to (Watsons or Guardian?) in order to get another bottle, I figured I might as well compare prices of a few other products to see which company’s offering better prices. I would suppose that not all the products would be cheaper at a single company but it’s probably good to know what is being sold cheaper where. Unlike my mother, who has all these bits of information at her fingertips (she can tell me which supermarket sells my favorite brand of chili sauce at the best price), I need to do a comparison and thankfully, both Watsons and Guardian have online stores. In this blogpost, I won’t be comparing their current credit card promotions, free gifts with purchase, etc. It’s just a pure-and-simple price comparison for things we’d be expected to purchase regularly.
The Chinese have a saying “货比三家” which means that you compare the prices for the product you wish to buy at three different shops before making your purchase. Well, I’m a little lazy today to include NTUC’s Unity Healthcare as well (usually my mother shops there), so you can go ahead and check out Unity’s prices if you’d like, OK? 
Alright then… first up, some contact lens solution:
Bausch & Lomb’s Renu Fresh (355ml)
If you’re getting just one bottle, you save $4.30 by purchasing from Guardian. However, if you’re getting two bottles, you save only 50cents as Watsons has a “Quantity Discount” but even so, it would appear that buying this item from Guardian makes more sense.
Hansaplast Aqua Protect Waterproof Plasters (20pcs)
Clearly cheaper at Guardian as there’s 20% off (or $1.10) now, otherwise the price is the same. If you’re buying two boxes, then you should get them at Watsons for savings of $1.04.
Vicks Inhaler (0.5ml)
For a single inhaler, it’s the same price at both stores. If you’re getting the double pack, then it’s 5 cents cheaper at Watsons.
Lux Luminique Acai Straight Shampoo (450g)
Now this is the shampoo I’m currently using. And both Watsons and Guardian have promotions for it. The retail price is $16.90 but Guardian is offering $4 off while Watsons is only giving a $2 discount. Hmm.
Kotex Fresh Scented Liners (40s)
If you getting one pack, it’s 10 cents cheaper at Guardian. If you’d like a discount when you purchase more, then it’s 2 for $4.95 (or $2.475 per pack) at Guardian. And over at Watsons, you’ll need to buy 4 packs to qualify for a discount – $8.95 for 4 packs so it’s $2.2375 per pack.
Dettol Anti-bacterial wet wipes (10pcs)
These wipes cost 5 cents less over at Guardian. As these are used up quickly during this COVID-19 pandemic, I guess every cent counts.
Darlie Double Action Toothpaste (2 x 225g)
Are they from different countries? They seem to be the same item, same weight, but it’s $2.60 cheaper over at Guardian. Hmm…
Face Masks (different brands)
I was searching for “surgical masks” on their websites and while Guardian has their BYD 3-ply surgical masks, Watsons is offering ‘Hygienic Face Mask’ (which I’m guessing are not surgical masks or else they’d be labelled as such). But Watsons’ masks are a little more expensive, by some 90 cents.
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Overall, it does seem like the items we’d normally be expected to buy are cheaper over at Guardian pharmacy. But the fact that both these businesses are thriving seems to suggest that they must be doing something right. Perhaps it’s their social media marketing efforts, membership perks, freebies with purchase, etc, such that price may not be the only factor that consumers take note of. 