supermarket shopping ...grrr...

[carole]

I don't know about anyone else, but this is one of my pet-hates,(excuse the pun).

We go grocery shopping every sunday, and of course we like to buy specials, to save on the cost, so one goes around happily putting the specials in the cart.

Now on coming home, checking the till receipt find that we have been charged full price.

Now this happens quite often to me, except now I try and check it before I leave, but that can be a bit of a pain.

I feel supermarkets are ripping the public off all the time, the specials should be loaded into the computer and they are not, how many other people donot check their till receipt.?

So this sunday I ended up holding up the people behind me for over 15 mins while they fixed their mistakes, they were not impressed, and I felt bad keeping them waiting, but it was not my fault.

I feel I pay enough for our groceries, and I go to this supermarket because they do offer good specials, that is when they actually apply them.

Well I have had my vent for the day, thanks all for listening

[RubyMutt]

What I really hate about grocery stores is all their stupid cards!! :mad: The QFC Advantage Card, Safeway Club Card, Albertsons ... whatever! And you have to be a card member to get the majority of their discounted prices! :mad: Oy. I love the few stores that don't carry those ridiculous cards (like Trader Joes & Fred Meyer), but those stores are much further from my home so it's not convenient going to them if I'm in a rush. I hate grocery shopping :mad:

[Maresche]

I also hate it when supermarkets advertise in flyers that something is on sale and when you go to the store to get said item, they don't have any....on the FIRST day of the sale!! :mad:

I noticed this happening many, many times at one store I frequent and spoke to the manager about it. I used terms like "false advertising" and "bait and switch" and made sure I said them in a louder tone of voice. That got his attention and he gave me 15% off my total for that visit.

Of course a few weeks later nothing had changed so I told him that I wouldn't be coming to his store anymore and would be frequenting their #1 rival down the street. He asked me why as it is a smaller store. I told him #1- they always have what they advertise on sale in stock and #2- they always have what I want. I can't say how many times I went to the first store and they were out of things like milk and other basic staples. The manager asked me to write to the company about my issues (apparently things were out of his hands :rolleyes: ). So I did and they sent me a $50 gift cert for the store. I used it but I still shop at the rival just down the street a bit.;)

Basically what I'm saying is, make a fuss. If they don't program the sale items into a computer before a sale starts, talk to the manager and use terms like "false advertising" and "bait and switch." Both are illegal in the US and can get the store into trouble, even if only by reputation. If the manager doesn't change anything or blows you off, send a letter to the headquarters of the company and tell them the same thing you told the manager. Be sure to tell them what store and which manager you are talking about. Threaten to report them to the Better Business Bureau or your local news station (most news station have consumer activist segments).

Remember, it is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. :D

[Logan]

You did the right thing, Carole. I always try to watch as they ring them up, but sometimes it is hard to catch because they go so fast! I found this to be a huge problem at K-Mart as well, advertising something at one price, and even having a "sale" sign on the product, but it rings up differently. You really do have to be diligent about it!

Another one that I have heard a lot about recently is eating out in restaurants and paying with a credit or debit card. You write in your tip and total it, then you balance against your statement and find that the server has upped the tip! As much as we eat out, I'm sure this has happened to me, but I am a terrible bookkeeper, so I probably would never catch it!

Logan

[gini]

I have never been a big fan of grocery shopping. In particular I don't like it when you cannot figure out what something costs while it is still on the shelf.

As for the grocery club cards, that is there way of tracking exactly what you buy. Into the computer goes your card number and name. They could tell you at the end of the year exactly how much beer you buy, for example. In my case, it would be cat food.

Since they encourage EVERYONE to have one of these cards, why don't they just give you the discount upfront. But that way they couldn't track what you are purchasing. Your receipt tells you how much you have saved. That's pretty funny when something is way overpriced and then I get a "discount" which brings the price down to what it should be anyway.

It is a pain, but I make visits to Costco every couple of months and purchase in bulk more staple items.

I also buy from Trader Joe's as often as I can. I find their produce to be far more fresh and appealing. Also the milk is much more fresh.

Have you noticed how little respect people have for food? If they decide they don't want a frozen item - they will just chuck it in the bread section. I found two cartons of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in the canned food section. They will put it back into the freezer, but the poor person who buys it will be disappointed when they get it home.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I do not like to go to the grocery store. However, my husband seems to think it is necessary...so we go.

I was buying bulk nuts for the squirrels ;) . When we got home my husband looked over the receipt ---$20 for the squirrels? Impossible -- it should only have been about $6. So I called the store. They said they had made an error and come in for my refund. (Pain in the ___.)

Okay...same store -- different location -- different Friday night. I watch the scanner. Again it rings up at the wrong price. They call produce --the guy says..."that's the price it scans." I know that, that's the problem. I show him the sign in the produce department with the lower price. He says that is for bulk nuts, these are in a bag (there aren't any NOT in a bag.) So I ask him...."Do you want me to believe this plastic string bag cost $10???????"

My husband asked if there is anything that can be done to help control my outrage....I suggested leaving me home on grocery night.

I now buy my nuts in a nut outlet store.....

[carole]

Well it appears the same problem's exist in the US as here, but yes you are right I am going to make more of a fuss from now on.

Another thing that really bother's me, is when I have been buying a certain product for ages, like for example my dove shampoo, now they have stopped stocking it, only the one I buy of course, the volumising one, they have had all the others but not that particular one for over 8 wks now, so I end up going to another store just to get it, GRR GRR.

Actually I joke to my husband I think their is a conspiracy against me, because whenever I have been enjoying a particular brand, they dis-continue it, and that makes me mad:o :o

[CathyBogart]

Huzzah for shopping online, I love getting my groceries delivered to my house. :) No lines, no squalling kids, no person in front of me reading their reciept before I get to get rung up (J/K ^.^), no hassle! (Not to mention...uuh...my lack of driver's license! :D)