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16 Aug 18 - 01:07 PM (#3944401) Subject: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: DMcG A post over on another thread got me wondering about this. I am about to go off on a holiday so probably won't get to read the responses before it drops of the bottom, but I will look it up then. For years people have been telling me about how supermarkets are cunningly designed so you are led past specific places in the aisles, how the air is scented, cunningly planned lighting and strategic impulse buys and all the rest. Very little of that applies to online sales. True, they can position one or two adverts, but if you work from a saved list few of those classical tricks are available. You might see one or two offers in the adverts, but that is a tiny percentage of the hundreds the big supermarkets throw at you if you visit a shop. Then self checkout. I don't use then very often, but I don't remember the vast galleries of sweets etc next to them that there are on the normal checkouts. The physics is all wrong: there is a 'channel' you have to walk down with a normal checkout with goods to the left of you, goods to the right of you (while all the world wondered). With self checkouts, those channels don't exist. Now, I hardly feel sorry for the trials and hardships of supermarkets, but I hadn't really appreciated how so many of their tricks of the trade are simply no longer there. No doubt they are desperately trying to replace them, but what are they doing that with? Especially, as I say, if you are working from a 'saved list'? |
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16 Aug 18 - 01:57 PM (#3944413) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou We rather like all the tantalising smells, (baking bread, roasting chickens etc) tempting goods strategically placed and the sweets near the checkout. We're suckers really. Online is a bit soulless. I also like to see heaped-up special offers, BOGOF etc. I'm a bit of a squirrel and like to have a stock of stuff in the kitchen cupboards. We must be a supermarket's dream customers! |
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16 Aug 18 - 03:02 PM (#3944433) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 Hi Sen You would get on with my wife.! She is like you in Super Markets etc. I am just the opposite. I hate shopping especially if we don't know what we want to buy. If I offer to accompany her she says "No Thanks " I always research what I want and go straight to the shop/store and inspect the item and if it is OK I buy it. We do shop together when we are abroad as I like going in shops in foreign places. regards Mike |
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16 Aug 18 - 03:06 PM (#3944436) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Bee-dubya-ell The supermarket where I shop moves things around way more often than one would think is needed to accommodate new items, changing sales patterns, etc. I'm pretty sure they do it so shoppers like myself, who arrive with list in hand and already know exactly where each item is, will have to actually look at some of the other stuff on the shelves instead of automatically grabbing the same old thing. |
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16 Aug 18 - 03:20 PM (#3944442) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou Hello there Mike! I'm very, very lucky in that my husband is, after all these years, entranced by supermarkets and shopping generally. He adores browsing, poking about and popping new things in the trolley. I suppose it's due to his early life in Ivory Coast. No supermarkets in his district, and practically no food either! I'm happy for him to grab whatever he wants. He does make me smile though. If he's choosing lamb he makes baaing noises, and moos if it's beef. Chicken gets a loud clucking noise. People do stare a bit, but it does make me giggle. He's supposed to eat halal stuff, but we can't always find it. The man is also a gem at loading everything into the car, and putting it all away when we get home. Good eh? |
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16 Aug 18 - 03:54 PM (#3944447) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: robomatic I am still smiling after the latest ploy I saw in Walmart. Snickers Bars, one of the most sacrosanct and popular American candy bars, just came out with big letters of the same font as their name, only instead of spelling out their name, they say: "Wimpy?" "Confused" and in some cases they are augmented with hazelnuts and my personal fave: chili powder. I won't link you folks to any of the promotional material but I did see that in the U.K. they are using terms that wouldn't be understood in the good ol' U.S., my favorite: "Stroppy" which I ran into in New Zealand. I am sure that the first sales promotion came out the day after the first market debuted. or maybe hour. |
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16 Aug 18 - 07:11 PM (#3944489) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: michaelr Self checkout is a ploy to reduce the number of employees on the store's payroll. I don't use them. |
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17 Aug 18 - 03:27 AM (#3944539) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Rusty Dobro Supermarkets are a ploy to reduce the number of employees on the High Street. I still use them, though. Always amused when I worked at Heathrow when an arriving passenger gave 'Piggly Wiggly manager' as his occupation. |
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17 Aug 18 - 03:36 AM (#3944541) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou Banks are doing the same (reducing staff-customer contact and time) Our bank discourages going to the counter. A fierce woman patrolling the entrance directs one to the long line of machines set in the wall, which may not provide the service one requires. I expect the thing will close soon. I don't like banking online, but the telephone banking is quite good (usually a lovely Indian person, cheery and helpful) I'm a 'people person' and value human contact very much when out buying stuff and conducting business. |
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17 Aug 18 - 03:57 AM (#3944544) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Dave the Gnome I work for Morrisons and they were the last major UK Supermarket to go online. Ken Morrison, who had executive control until 2006 and then still had a major shareholding, was against it as it did discourage people from browsing and impulse buying. The Morrisons online store has done pretty well though. I think they learned from the mistakes of the earlier adopters. It does clever little things like suggesting things you may like and listing the offers prominently. |
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17 Aug 18 - 04:16 AM (#3944548) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Dave the Gnome BTW, Eliza, not that I am biased or anything ;-) but Morrisons delivery drivers are very friendly and can usually spare a few minutes for a chat :-D (BTW - They are really Ocado vans and drivers in disguise but don't tell anyone) |
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17 Aug 18 - 04:28 AM (#3944551) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou I'm sure they are Dave. And living as we do in quite an isolated village, it would save us oodles of petrol and time getting our groceries online. And budgeting is easier, as one can keep an eye on the total, knock things off the order and have an 'overall view' of the spend. But there are so many things I love about physically visiting a supermarket:- There's often a charity collector/raffle in the doorway and we like to contribute.(Help For Heroes, Cat Charities, Homeless Night Shelter etc) My husband loves to help really elderly folk with loading their stuff into their car boot. I like to browse the clothes/housewares I prefer to inspect the fresh produce before buying it. (And pick the stuff with the latest 'best by' date on!) We love the drive there, through lovely countryside, rather than staying at home hunched over the laptop. My husband likes to select one of his many Premier League football tops in which to strut about the aisles. People often stop him and chat about football. They little suspect that he supports ALL the teams! |
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17 Aug 18 - 05:52 AM (#3944560) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos I do urge everyone who shops at supermarkets to CHECK the RECEIPT. I used to shop at Tesco as there are several small branches near where I live. I was overcharged nearly every week. I bought a lot of special offers as it is a good way of trying new things if you don't know if you will like them, then if you don't, you haven't wasted too much money on them. Tesco have a policy that if a customer is overcharged they will refund DOUBLE the difference, and this usually works in the large branches, but in the smaller "convenience" stores the manager will usually try to wriggle out of it, saying they have 'never heard of it', or that it 'doesn't apply to the small stores' [it does], or that it 'doesn't apply to goods reduced manually' - the ones with the yellow labels [it does]. A letter to customer services with the receipts and product labels at first results in a voucher and an abject apology, saying it is 'very rare'. [It isn't. What is rare is for customers to notice that they have been overcharged.] If you keep writing to customer services they get tired of you, and just tell you to take it up with the shop manager [who is having none of it]. I don't go to Tesco's any more. |
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17 Aug 18 - 09:37 AM (#3944602) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou That's interesting Jos. I must say I don't particularly check our Tesco receipt. I will in future in the light of your warning! |
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17 Aug 18 - 02:13 PM (#3944649) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Donuel Of course there are the smaller boxes, cartons and cans. The containers and cups that used to come in Medium, Small and large are now limited to small and large. The smalls are too small and the large is too big but gets filled up anyway. The check outs all contain a question that must come from lawyers. The question is "Is this amount correct?" After 20 items how the hell do I know. I have waged war over certain policies at supermrkets and have won. It requires telling the manager what you are up to and be persistant and pleasant. Some stores go against federal laws regarding giving food to the poor instead of trashing it. I did get 3 Giant stores to stop selling gun mags. That was positively sneaky and insideous. |
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18 Aug 18 - 07:48 AM (#3944746) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: theleveller Not a fan of trailing round supermarkets. I do the big weekly shop online with Ocado, buy meat and vegetables locally, usually from the farm shop down the road, milk delivered by the milkman, and sometimes pop into Aldi when I've been to the gym - mainly for their fantastic olive oils, sublime Cheshire cheese and dark chocolate with hazelnuts. I also get most of my wine from Aldi but have it delivered in bulk! |
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18 Aug 18 - 07:58 AM (#3944748) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: theleveller "Ken Morrison, who had executive control until 2006" Ken was a great character - met him regularly when I worked for the Leeds ad agency that handled their advertising until they moved to a trendy London agency which Ken hated (More reasons to shop at Morereesons? That's not my bloody name!). He knew the names of everyone at the head office in Bradford and would stop and chat to them about their families. He'd often park his roller outside a mate of mine's chippie and pop in for fish and chips on the way home. |
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18 Aug 18 - 08:21 AM (#3944751) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou We buy local produce too. (free-range eggs, locally raised chicken for example). And we grow lots of vegetables and salad stuff ourselves. Our neighbours all around us grow far too much produce and give it away like anything. Husband is now attempting to grow those fiery Scotch bonnet chillies in our greenhouse. The plants look quite big and sturdy so far. I wonder how soon we'll see Crimbo stuff appearing in the supermarkets? I find that a bit depressing. At the moment it's 'Back To School' items. As a teacher, I used to get a sinking feeling seeing those words! |
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18 Aug 18 - 08:47 AM (#3944756) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos I am sure I saw something Christmassy in a shop last week but I looked away quick. I don't want anything to do with it until after bonfire night. My nearest Waitrose used to be Safeways, and then it was Morrisons for a while. When it became Morrisons there were big orange signs hanging above the aisles saying "WOW" (as if they thought that would get you excited). The savoury dips started tasting like salad cream, and they made the people behind the fresh meat and fish counters come out and ring bells and shout at you, pretending to be market stallholders. It was awful. |
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18 Aug 18 - 09:12 AM (#3944759) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 Hi son Re Jos complaint. We shop for virtually everything at Tesco. It is conveniently close. My wife religiously checks the bills every time we go. She has never detected any wrong charges. She also checks the amount deducted by the credit card company with nothing wrong. My daughter-in-law works in a convenience store in a nearby village. I will check with her if they have any complaint about over charging. Cheers Mike |
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18 Aug 18 - 09:32 AM (#3944767) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou Morrisons have a section of their stores called 'Market Street' where meat, fruit and veg are presented on refrigerated tables. The butcher and fishmonger have traditional stripey aprons. It's all a bit 'mise en scene'. However, their tiramisu is gorgeous and they have excellent great chunks of topside of beef for less than £10. Much more exciting and interesting than ploughing through a website and ordering online! |
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18 Aug 18 - 11:31 AM (#3944782) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos I am happy to have a part of the shop 'where meat, fruit and veg are presented on refrigerated tables' and I have no problem with the butchers and fishmongers wearing stripey aprons (though some might think it a bit twee, especially if they wear straw boaters as well) - just so long as they don't start ringing bells at me and shouting. |
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18 Aug 18 - 04:35 PM (#3944826) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: JHW I don't use 'self checkouts' as they are temperamental and always find something about my use to complain about or grind to a halt. I do get niggled by supermarkets that hide things I regularly buy but I don't go looking, they just lose that sale. Tesco does price differently at different locations. |
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18 Aug 18 - 05:09 PM (#3944836) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw All supermarkets are shite, aisle after aisle of bloody greasy crisps, cakes, biscuits, rubbery cheap cheese, bread made with the worst flour available, tinned bollix, tasteless heaps of chemical golf-ball tomatoes, rancid fish counters, gallons of fourth-rate milk from sad cows and even sadder farmers, fridges full of junk ready meals and meat you wouldn't give your cat, four-quid Belsen-house chickens and burgers and bangers that will give you cancer, junk Californian Echo bloody Falls wine, you name it. At least there's always Morrisons Nero d'Avola... ..and Cricket St Thomas Lubborn Creamery Camembert... Damn... |
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18 Aug 18 - 05:25 PM (#3944839) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: gnomad A related cartoon (hover your mouse over more than 1 place, the author plays games with you, but safe ones) Somehow this is the attitude I can imagine some contributors endorse (the hovertext sounds right to me too). |
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19 Aug 18 - 09:48 AM (#3944929) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 hi Steve Yours of 18 Aug 18 - 05:09 PM Do I take it then, that you don't like Tesco ?? We have tried all the others but we go back to Tesco because it suits us. If we are in town we sometimes use M&s food store. We enjoy their fresh produce but it cost a little more. We are having our monthly delivery from Tesco tomorrow. Saves petrol and we find carrying heavy goods is difficult for us octogenarians. ( Wife will kill me she is only 79....lol Regards Mike |
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19 Aug 18 - 10:58 AM (#3944940) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw The nearest Tesco to me is 17 miles away in Launceston, the next nearest is 25 miles away at Wadebridge. I use the Tesco car park in Truro for a free two hours (car park fees in Truro are a ripoff) when we go (frequent: our daughter lives there), the condition being that you have to spend three quid in the store. Not difficult as they are one of the few shops that have my favourite Cornish butter (Trewithen unsalted, since you ask), and 25% off six bottles can occasionally be very nifty whenever Dave can't manipulate the price of Morrisons Nero d'Avola down to five quid. Two hours is enough for shopping, then we take a picnic to a lovely little park down by the river with a view across to the cathedral. Otherwise, as with Asda, I find Tesco to be grim and depression-inducing. Mind you, Asda Wine Atlas Negroamaro 2016 at £5.68 is a thing of absolute beauty. And shopping in Aldi or Lidl feels like some kind of terrible punishment, especially when you reach the checkout queues. Very grim places indeed. Waitrose is grand. That'll do me, and the £4.99 Mellow And Fruity Spanish red (5% off six) is the bargain of the century. Here in Bude we have a Morrisons, which I find to be a charmless shopping experience (sorry, Dave!), though good for some things if you choose carefully, and a cheerful little Sainsbury's where everybody knows everybody and which is a relatively relaxing place to get around. It's just a bit too little to stock everything you might need, that's all. It used to be a Somerfield. Are there any of those left? And a Gateway before that. |
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19 Aug 18 - 11:09 AM (#3944942) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red They little suspect that he supports ALL the teams! WOT? Aston Vanilla (easily licked), West Bromwich Ambulances, Preston Both Ends, Rent a-Sunderland, and Manchester Untidy? Or even Hamilton Accadumbicals? Tesco spearheaded the drive to acquire land just to prevent rivals building, they squeezed the farmers dry, and built stores on the basis of market share instead of profit, covering their tracks with illegal accounting. Now all those balloons are up, they want to be the good guy! My reaction is to park in their car park all day (they are not allowed to charge in Stroud) give them all my recycling that the council don't take and therwise nothing. Painsburys moved our Argos instore, and don't take E-Bay deliveris any more. I was told without a flicker, it was more trouble than it was worth, the staff were fed up with it! And they stopped selling Staffordshire Oatcakes in most stores, it was one of those enticement loss leaders, I can be enticed but not for an empty shelf. Why would I visit? Well curiously Wantage (how far from North Staffs are they?) do stock, and I went while near and bought just them. FWIW Painsburys do have the offer voucher system in store, and if you have a Nectar (loyalty) card (or pay with the same credit card), sometimes they get it right by offering products that I have bought several times. Otherwise they get posted (at self checkout) just to skew their metrics. |
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19 Aug 18 - 11:24 AM (#3944948) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw Well I've been getting a string of "£4.50 off if you spend thirty quid" Nectar tickets at my Sainsbury's, which I've been happily using to offset the cost of buying a few bottles of the excellent I Heart Prosecco while it's been on offer at seven quid. Four pounds fifty off three of those gives me the fizz for an eminently reasonable £5.50 the bottle. All I have to do then is find another nine quid's-worth of stuff to make it up to the thirty. We buy a lot of their big bags of figs. |
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19 Aug 18 - 11:37 AM (#3944953) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 hi We have friends who shop around in every Supermarket for their "best" offers. It takes them hours every week. He's always telling me about the great bargains he gets. The trouble is with them they would eat S***e if it was free.!! It just doesn't seem worth it to me....but each to his own. Cheers Mike PS Man united have just gone 2 down to Brighton !!! ouch |
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19 Aug 18 - 12:02 PM (#3944959) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw Yep - see footie thread, Mike. I appear to be gloating tastelessly... |
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19 Aug 18 - 12:45 PM (#3944970) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou 'Fraid so Mr Red. (Love those names of teams by the way hee hee) He's even got some European ones and a Cote d'Ivoire top too. One day no doubt, some proud ManU geezer in Tesco will remember he had on a ManU top last time and is now proudly strutting about in a Liverpool strip. He's a football tart. |
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19 Aug 18 - 01:24 PM (#3944982) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Dave the Gnome No probs, Steve. Our 2 nearest Mossers stores are Skipton, which is lovely, and Keighley, which is downright depressing. Same stock, similar decor, there is just something that makes some stores good and others miserable. If I knew what it was, I'd make a fortune:-) |
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19 Aug 18 - 01:56 PM (#3944988) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou We visit Morrisons at Fakenham and one right in Norwich next to the football stadium. They're both very different in atmosphere, ad it's due to the different type of shoppers. The first is rural and the customers are conservatively dressed, quiet and sedate. Not many children or young families. The second, in the city, is more vibrant with all age-groups, races and types coming in. We actually prefer the city one, but we only go there once or twice a month. |
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20 Aug 18 - 02:56 AM (#3945076) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: BobL A non-driver, I'm in the curious position that some of my nearest supermarkets are inaccessible - no buses. As it is, I have the choice of Dunstable for Aldi, Asda or Sainsbugs, Tring for M&S or Tesco, and Aylesbury for mega-Tesco, Waitrose, all the rest if I don't mind walking. Of course I'm limited to what I can carry, and a faceplant taught me not to try running for a bus when laden with a heavy backpack. Dunstable Aldi has the advantage that if I only want a few normal household items, I can zip round in twelve minutes flat (the checkout queues look horrendous but they move fast) and catch the same bus on its return journey. All others involve waiting up to two hours for the next. Online ordering is useful for bulk irresistible offers (like Plymouth Gin at £20 - and I shall check out some of the other suggestions made in this thread), and no doubt will be even more useful in future years should I outlive my mobility, but I shall continue to shop in person while I can. |
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20 Aug 18 - 05:28 AM (#3945105) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw Plymouth gin? Yep, on for twenty quid in Sainsbury's and I'm supposed to think that's good. But just a few short years ago Plymouth gin decided that it deserved premium status and the price shot up to not far short of double almost overnight. We've given up buying it. I'll pay twelve or thirteen quid for something I slop ice and tonic water into, but not anything up to twenty-six quid, thanks. Someone somewhere will always soon be putting Gordon's on for sixteen quid a litre anyway. That'll do me. And Aldi's ultra-cheap Oliver Cromwell house gin is actually extremely good. |
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20 Aug 18 - 05:57 AM (#3945111) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red If you want to see how Supermarkets can do things properly try E. Leclerc (think Waitrose+ on steroids). The one in Moulins (Avermes) is handy for le Grand Bal de l'Europe in July. They call them hypermarkets. Can't work out value/prices, it is all in toy money. And the self check-outs have differing machines, some cash, some no cash, all identified in a foreign lingo. But on the plus side they have three flags on-screen (if you spot them) so they will speak English once you are committed to credit card rather than dumping all your Euros. Which ain't obvious till it's too late. I'm sure Senoufou would be in seventh heaven. And there is always Cidre Deux to take away the irritations............ Oliver Cromwell house gin ? a bit puritan if you ask me, and don't ask me to drink it. Mind you I know where there is a juniper tree (bush?) and it even has a mesh cradle to place your blanket on as you shake the tree. |
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20 Aug 18 - 09:03 AM (#3945134) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jon Freeman Mostly Tesco home delivery here. I started this when Pip/mum had a hip op say 2 or 3 years ago. We stuck with this after she was able to drive again although she now manages the account in her name. It simply is a far more convenient way of getting the weekly shopping for us. On to Dave’s question in the OP. I might suggest a lousy web site, prone to the occasional crash and that can make it difficult to find what you want is a part solution – I mean you can go throught the order twice and look at things you hadn’t thought of? I gather that MikeL might disagree with this and I concede that Pip is not the greatest of “pilots” but comments from a number of delivery drivers do indicate that there are numerous complaints – though Tesco haven’t seen fit to either revert to the previous more useable system or fix this one. --- I think I read someone mention out of town locations for many stores. I think that works better for us than in town, at least if I say Pip would have to drive in either way and parking in Cromer would be an added hassle. But maybe I did wonder about something the other day… I read an article in the Guardian about (I think) Lidl offering random boxes of fruit and veg on the sell by date for a very cheap price. Seemed something I could make use of, if it wasn’t for the journey in – then I started wondering about about people in the town who possibly could use this sort of offer and kind of figured the store is too far out of town for many to go in to pick up a box so maybe there is a no win on location? Sticking with fruit and veg. We find Tesco quite variable. We’ve had delicious cauliflowers for example and sprouting brocolli that’s turning yellow the day its delivered… It’s one area that perhaps we will get round to addressing one day. There is a reasonable farm shop about 1 ½ miles from here where you would see what you are getting but we never get into the habit of using it regularly. |
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20 Aug 18 - 09:29 AM (#3945138) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jon Freeman Drifting a bit but another sort of “home delivery” did (or do) anyone else have a mobile shop? Back in the late 60s/early 70s, a big greengrocers van went round once a week the N Wales village I lived in and I guess they (possibly Hughes’s in Llanduno, who last I heard are still going but are only supplying the catering trade) would have covered a lot of villages in the area. I also have vague memories of a fish van (possibly from Conwy when there were more fishing boats). |
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20 Aug 18 - 02:50 PM (#3945212) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 H i Jon I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you on some of your comments. We have only recently used order delivery. My misuse (sic) was getting to the stage where she couldn't handle buying large heavy monthly orders. We tried doing smaller orders more frequently. That didn't work because it seemed that we were always shopping ( which I hate) and I was acting as cash & carry ! So we decided to try ordering. At first we struggled a bit in navigating around the Web site and we made a few errors but having done it a couple of times we ( I) manage. We havn't had the problem of changed web site because we have only been using it for a short time. without too many problems. The first trick is to create a shopping list of EXACTLY what you want instead of trying to remember as you order. This savwd us lots f too-ing and fro-ing. Since then we have had few problems. We find that the pickers pick the best quality stuff so we have few problems with quality. We actually had on order delivered today, Bang on time and driver carried it all in for us, There were a couple of items that they did not have so they gave us alternatives. Cheers Mike . We actually had delivery of an order today. |
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21 Aug 18 - 08:43 AM (#3945349) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red On-Line groceries don't offer much in the way of benefit for people living on their own. First there is the minimum order threshold, second there is the consume-by-date on any sensible quantity and third the alternative wheeze precludes shopping elsewhere. And where can you re-cycle your plastic bags? No not carriers, wrapping that says "re-cycle with carrier bags at supermarkets" And there is the exersise of trotting down to the local Coop, how do you fake that? On-Line groceries is a market share exercise, not a cost cutting tactic. With the squeeze on food prices exacerbated by Brexshit this also will make my grocery bill more expensive! FWIW Morrison's cheapo oats is measurably cheaper than Coop which is waaaaay cheaper than Painsbury's. If you are time rich & money poor - you notice these things. And I bought my Magners pack today, Tuesday, ready for Towersey and claimed my 10% Tuesday discount. |
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22 Aug 18 - 12:27 AM (#3945490) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: BTMP Being basically naive and a trusting soul, I was shocked to learn that the self checkout registers can be cheated by customers who switch the removable barcode label from an inexpensive item to an expensive item. For example, the label from a package of ground beef can be removed and affixed to a package of steaks, saving quite a bit. |
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22 Aug 18 - 02:52 AM (#3945500) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: BobL Switching labels only works between items that weigh exactly the same. And the labels are supposed to be impossible to remove, at least in one piece - especially from the thin plastic bags used by Tesco. |
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22 Aug 18 - 03:21 AM (#3945510) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red I did wonder if you could re-use Painsbury's offer vouchers by feeding the "used voucher" slot with old ones instead. Maybe they have that covered and use the data to TAG you "honest/dodgy". I wouldn't bet against it. I never get there often enough to try it. But I always feed it out of date ones, and useless ones as soon as they are printed. Simple pleasures - skewing their metrics. I did read some years ago that supermarkets were trialing e-paper shelf labels. E-paper is like early Kindles, write speed slow but needs no backlight. The only ones I have seen so far were in France. |
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22 Aug 18 - 03:35 AM (#3945513) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Dave the Gnome The oddest thing I found that some people do to steal things is putting small expensive items in with the pick and mix sweets! The cleverest I saw, on TV some years back so I don't know if it ever happened, was to have 2 people fill two trolleys with identical items. One paid, then nipped back in to the supermarket with the receipt and gave it to the second one who breezed out and, if stopped, showed them the receipt! |
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22 Aug 18 - 04:30 AM (#3945536) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos Dave, I used to work in a supermarket and that did happen. There were also the people with cardboard grocery boxes in the trolley with false bottoms, which they filled with food and then emptied onto the checkout belt, except that the expensive steaks remained hidden in the boxes. And the ones who ate food while they went round the shop, and then hid the wrappers somewhere on the shelves. And the regular customers we needed to help unloading their trolleys, not forgetting the large pack of washing powder under the trolley on the wheel arches ("Oh, I didn't realise it was there - this is my sister's trolley"). |
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22 Aug 18 - 04:45 AM (#3945542) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos On the other hand, there was a customer with lots of children including one sitting in the trolley (an even smaller one was occupying the seat}. She had lots of shopping, paid for it and left the shop. A few minutes later she came back holding a rather squashed packet of margarine that she had found under the child in the trolley. It was a very cheap item but she was anxious to pay for it. Some customers are honest. |
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22 Aug 18 - 05:31 AM (#3945552) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou (To Jon) Yes, we have a lovely 'wet fish' van which comes round on a Thursday morning and toots his horn. (Dougie, our centenarian, rushes out to get his fish. I wonder if that's why he's lived so long?) We also used to have a fried fish-&-chips van in our last village, which one of our neighbours called the 'dysentery cart'. (It looked a bit grubby) Ruth-across-the-road does a fruit-and-veg run, just using her car, around nearby villages. She sells our surplus rhubarb and Bramley apples too, which we're happy to contribute. Regarding exercise, I find the enormous Tesco Extra we go to the most often is a great work-out for me. It takes ages to walk round and browse, and I find it quite therapeutic for my old legs. It also has a comfy bench to sit on (and yap) if I'm too exhausted to wait at the checkout. (Husband is never exhausted) I've been back a few times if there's an item that has been underpaid, for instance in Roys of Wroxham. A small Camembert cheese (sigh, it gives me vertigo now, but I used to love it!) had been overlooked by the checkout lady. We went back the next day (quite a long drive) and the supervisor was astonished. I can't understand dishonesty, even if one can 'get away with it'. What sort of a way is that to live one's life? I like to be able to look in the mirror and while I resemble a wrinkly prune (no oil painting), at least an honest face looks back at me! |
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22 Aug 18 - 05:32 AM (#3945553) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw I once inadvertently held two very slim packs of ham as I scanned them, so scanned only the one then put two in my bag. The gizmo didn't notice and neither did I until I got home and checked the receipt. Morrisons in Bude has recently installed CCTV in the booze aisle. I understand that the shop was losing thousands a week down to shoplifted booze. Naturally, anyone caught shoplifting the Nero d'Avola should receive three times the sentence meted out for any other item... There's sort of urban myth - or is it - going round in Bude that if you conceal expensive bottles of spirits inside a stack of toilet rolls and kitchen towels in your trolley, the security alert at the shop exit won't be triggered. Don't get any ideas! |
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22 Aug 18 - 05:53 AM (#3945563) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou When we're at Asda, the security alarm often sounds (not ususally for us I hasten to add!) but mostly, the customer halts and produces their receipt. Once or twice the 'offender' has galloped off into the distance, so obviously something was being pinched. We once bought an electric kettle there (only £5 and we still have it -it's a dream) and the checkout lady forgot to disable the security tag. This has also happened with an item of clothing I purchased. My Lord, when that alarm sounded, everyone turned to look and we froze in horror. We had the relevant receipts of course, but my poor husband shook with fright and I wasn't much better. We had to go for a McDonalds and a cup of tea in the store before we felt able to get on home. |
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22 Aug 18 - 07:09 AM (#3945588) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Jos The alarm usually goes off when I leave a shop. Nobody takes any notice. Someone told me the alarms are triggered by the metal in hip replacements. |
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22 Aug 18 - 07:35 AM (#3945592) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou We always nod and smile at the security guard at supermarkets. They all recognise us. We got chatting to a nice Algerian man at the Nike shop recently. He said he was allowed to talk to customers, so we did. We learned all about his family in Algeria (he spoke good French) He told us one gets to know by sight if a person is going to nick things. They have certain body language and facial expressions. Also, they get 'regulars' known to them and the Police (Habitual thieves and shoplifters) I asked him if we looked particularly shifty. He laughed and said he'd check the CCTV afterwards as we had a very shady look about us. |
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22 Aug 18 - 09:51 AM (#3945629) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 hi It is not just the supermarkets. Couple of weeks ago my Wife had to go to Boots to get an adjustment made on her glasses. We arrived a bit early so we went to the Boots Chemists a few doors away. We bought a few toiletries including some razor blades for me. We checked the items out and as we walked in our the door beeped. We continued going out and went to the opticians. As we walked in the beeping happened again. Nobody said anything. They repaired the glasses which took a few minutes as we walked out........you've guessed it. Nobody took any notice. I makes one wonder what use are the beepers?? Cheers Mike |
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22 Aug 18 - 10:23 AM (#3945647) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: JHW Never done online but freinds (with no car) have. I once had to go and drive them to a supermarket because ASDA cancelled their online order due to snow. |
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22 Aug 18 - 10:42 AM (#3945655) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: G-Force We had to go for a McDonalds and a cup of tea in the store before we felt able to get on home. If you did that at our local Tesco & M&S double store you'd probably be fined for staying too long in the car park. |
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23 Aug 18 - 03:16 AM (#3945775) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red We had to go for a McDonalds and a cup of tea in the store before we felt able to get on home. So cruel, we sympathise............. |
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23 Aug 18 - 08:23 AM (#3945813) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou It's true, I believe one only gets 3hrs parking at Asda. And having to eat a McDonalds was indeed cruel and unusual punishment. (My husband adores McDonalds, although I doubt whether it's halal. I'll eat one occasionally, but I find they bung one up somewhat. I eat lots of prunes afterwards.) |
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23 Aug 18 - 09:40 AM (#3945825) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Steve Shaw I've never been in a McDonalds and never tasted their fare, and probably never will. I last had a Wimpy and chips in about 1973. When I was a student in London in the early 70s I often got hungry when pissed and frequented the all-night Wimpy in Gloucester Road at two or three in the morning, whether I had a lecture coming up or not. I don't remember ever feeling particularly well in those days. |
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23 Aug 18 - 02:39 PM (#3945857) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: MikeL2 Hi Like Steve I have only once been in MacDonalds. That was enough for me. I have to explain that it was a Family childrens' party. The place was crowded with extremely noisy children enjoying themselves. including ours. It was quite a few years ago and all I could find for a seat was a bloody mushroom thing once I had sat down it was hell to get up.. I have to say that my wife who goes to all the kids parties says it has improved since then. But I don't Know if she is just trying to bribe me into going. Thankfully the kids have grown up and the parties tend to be in pubs etc. My son's father-in-law swears by McDonalds coffee but he is a tight wad so I don't believe him. Did used to do to a Wimpy most Saturday mornings where we could always meet friends. of course it is not there now. Cheers Mike |
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23 Aug 18 - 03:16 PM (#3945864) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou I remember Wimpy bars. I actually loved a Wimpy, and they had a juke box in the place. When husband first arrived in UK (many years ago) he dragged me into a McDonalds and begged me to take dozens of photos of him sitting there with a huge double cheeseburger thing and a Coke, wearing a ManU top. He was nearly weeping with pride and joy, and sent the photos to his family & friends to show that he had 'made it' in life! He did exactly the same thing with all the huge supermarkets with about 30-40 checkouts. I felt like a press photographer, clicking away while he chose stuff from the endless shelves and stood at the checkout wearing...(insert here any Premier League football club shirt) I had to show him what to do with the trolley (He wasn't sure how/when one pays) He'd never in his entire life seen so much food on display, and goggled at the overflowing trolley we pushed to the checkout. It really made me reflect on how fortunate we are, and how greedy (well, I know I am) plonking anything we fancy in our trolleys and stuffing it all in the fridge and the freezer. No end of good meat, wholesome fruit and vegetables, gallons of milk, while he and his family had literally starved many times on just a bit of rice or even nothing at all. I never forget this now, and I'm so glad we can help them with regular funds for food and medicines. |
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24 Aug 18 - 02:50 PM (#3946059) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: JHW Above this box I'm writing in is an ad offering Calculate my BMI. I guess some robot has read the thread words 'self check out' Scary |
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24 Aug 18 - 11:55 PM (#3946119) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: leeneia I think it's funny. Thanks for spotting it. |
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25 Aug 18 - 03:13 AM (#3946124) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: DMcG MacDonalds: My wife lived in Washington DC aa a teenager, but even there rarely had any and would not go near them in thw UK. But when she was pregnant she developed a craving for Big Macs. This was a problem because at the time there were only two or three MacDonalds in the whole of the UK, and none less than 90 minute journey each way. |
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25 Aug 18 - 03:41 AM (#3946128) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Senoufou We always pop something in the Food Bank crate on our way out. But does anybody know if one can add a purchase when ordering online which one designates as 'for the food bank'? I know Tesco adds a proportion of donations itself to all the stuff that is offered. |
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26 Aug 18 - 03:40 AM (#3946276) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Rusty Dobro The inestimable Banjo Brian still drives a Waitrose delivery van round Suffolk at the age of 82 (Brian, not the van), but mercifully leaves the banjo at home. |
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28 Aug 18 - 02:58 PM (#3946723) Subject: RE: BS: Supermarkets, self check out and online From: Mr Red but mercifully leaves the banjo at home. Just as well, the low life would nip in while he delivers each time and add to the pile. And Waitrose couldn't offload the hundreds of banjos even as free with any bag of biscuits |