I've heard from quite a few Target shoppers that it irritates them when they find identical items at variable prices at differnt Target locations. Make no mistake, it does happen at target, but don't single out just Target. When I did my recent price comparison of a dozen pet items, I compared prices at two locations of Target, Petco, PetSmart and Sam's Club. All had varying prices on at least one item.

I don't expect any retailer to be exempt from the simple laws of retail competition. If a Wal-Mart opens near a Target, you can bet that prices will be more competitive at both stores than in locations without a nearby competitor. "To be price-competitive with Wal-Mart, Target will adjust prices," said spokeswoman Sonja Pothen. Retailers are always competitive within their own trade areas. The closest Wal-Mart for St. Louis Park shoppers is nearly 8 miles away in Bloomington, which explains why some of Target's prices in St. Louis Park are higher.

Here are some of the price variances I found in a price check March 25-26:

Target's price on 25 lbs. of Fresh Step Premium cat litter was $11.99 at its Lake Street Minneapolis store and $11.39 at the Bloomington store. But before anyone starts preaching "higher prices at urban stores," Target's price on two other items were higher in Bloomington than at the Lake Street store. That's especially interesting because the Bloomington store is closer to a Wal-Mart. Target's price on 44.1 lbs. of Purina Dog Chow was $19.59 on Lake Street and $21.99 in Bloomington. Pedigree canned cat food (13.2 oz.) was 69 cents a can on Lake Street and 79 cents a can in Bloomington.

Petco's price on a 3-oz. bag of Whiskas Temptations treats was $1.85 in Richfield and $1.95 in St. Paul Highland Park. Pedigree canned dog food (13.2 oz.) was 85 cents a can in Richfield and 89 cents a can in Highland Park. Petco in Richfield is fairly close to a PetSmart.

PetSmart's price on 14 lbs. of Swheat Scoop cat litter was $10.29 in St. Louis Park and $10.49 in Richfield.

Sam's Club price for 48 cans of Purina Friskies cat food was $18.72 in Bloomington and $18.68 in St. Louis Park. Eighteen-and-a-half pounds of Purina Complete Formula Cat Chow was $12.52 in Bloomington and $12.07 in St. Louis Park. The St. Louis Park Sam's Club is close to a Costco.

Some of you are probably saying, "big deal," what's a few pennies? But some customers expect prices to be consistent. My point is that that isn't going to happen because of the competitive nature of the retail beast. Typically, prices will be lower in places where competition is fiercest. Shoppers in Maple Grove, for example, you're in retail overload and prices are usually lower there because of it.

Anyone else know of an area in the Twin Cities where prices are low because of competition or high because of the lack of it?