JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
With a value proposition of "You save and we give back," and a mission to provide military shoppers with quality goods and services at competitively low prices, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has to work double-time to deliver the savings Airmen have come to expect.
Military shoppers trying to squeeze the most out of their dollar have an edge, thanks to the tax-free advantage they find at the Joint Base Andrews Exchange. But the Exchange can save Airmen and their families even more thanks to market price coordinators, whose main duty is to compare the prices of top sellers in key categories with local competition at least once a month.
"Market price coordinators play an extremely important role in the exchange' s day-to-day operations," said Rick Mendoza, Joint Base Andrews market price coordinator. "From soda and snacks to washers and driers, we work to ensure that the exchange' s prices are comparable, if not lower, than the competition."
Market price coordinators conduct periodic checks at local convenience, liquor and big box stores, comparing exchange prices on top selling items in each department. The results are then sent to a central pricing team. From there, pre-tax shelf prices are set to be comparable to the competition. Shelf prices are of primary concern because all products available at the Exchange, except for gasoline, are not subject to sales tax.
In addition to regular, local price surveys, the Joint Base Andrews Exchange offers a "We'll Match It!" program that acts as a last line of defense to ensure military shoppers always receive the lowest price possible when shopping the Exchange. If a shopper sees a price differential of less than $10 they can simply tell the cashier who will match it on the spot. Anyone who reports a price difference of $10 or more need only bring a current local competitor's ad to receive the reduced price.
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is a joint command and is directed by a Board of Directors which is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. The Exchange has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with articles of merchandise and services and generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our web site at http://www.shopmyexchange.com.