# Super Market Scams



## QuickSilver (May 14, 2015)

Anyone else notice this?   I shop a major food chain.  And when it comes to the "buy one, get one free" sales,... do they think people are idiots?  They DOUBLE the price of one... and therefore force you to buy two at the regular price.  You are not getting anything for nothing.   Take the baby back ribs.   A rack of ribs normally runs $11 to $12 dollars..   when it's on sale for "buy one get one free"   one rack costs around $22.   What do they take people for?   I have brought this up to the butcher and he just shrugs and rolls his eyes.  I think he's embarrassed but it's not his fault.   Another trick they use it to rearrange the store.  I really believe this is to force people to search every single aisle to find their items, and too look at everything.. thus perhaps making people buy things they really hadn't intended to.   Just pees me off..  not to mention wastes my time.  I really don't want to play "Guys Grocery Games" when I run in for a few items.


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## Bullie76 (May 14, 2015)

I hate the reshuffling game. And some items you would think that would be together are not.


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## QuickSilver (May 14, 2015)

Bullie76 said:


> I hate the reshuffling game. And some items you would think that would be together are not.




That's my complaint.. My store is going through that now.   The pickles, relish, olives and peppers are in aisle 2....  then way over in Aisle 5 they stick the mustard and ketchup..   What kind of thought process did that entail?


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## Bullie76 (May 14, 2015)

No doubt they are forcing us to go down other aisles to entice us to buy other products. It probably works with many, but it just encourages me to buy as much stuff as I can from stores like Dollar General. Doesn't take long to cover that store, but you can't get everything there obviously.


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## SifuPhil (May 14, 2015)

Bullie76 said:


> No doubt they are forcing us to go down other aisles to entice us to buy other products. It probably works with many, but it just encourages me to buy as much stuff as I can from stores like Dollar General. Doesn't take long to cover that store, but you can't get everything there obviously.



Nor is their food always fresh or even within the expiration dates - you have to be careful there.

I don't know that I would call the supermarkets rearranging their goods a "scam" ... maybe more like "creative marketing". Department stores put their best stuff on display in front ... auto dealerships put their most expensive vehicles on primary display ... 

... and ladies of the evening always show off their best assets.


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## QuickSilver (May 14, 2015)

Here are a few tricks of the trade:
*1. Locked Door Behind You:* Grocery store doors are usually one-way. Once inside, you’ll have to walk past a few special offers to find the exit. It’s like when the frail, screaming victim in a horror movie realizes the only way out of their current environment is through it. Instead of killing you, grocery stores just want to sell you some Oreos.
*2. Fresh Cuts:* Neil Diamond doesn’t bring you flowers? Forget him. The grocery store greets you with hundreds. First impressions are important and the bucket garden of tulips right inside the front door says, “You’ve come to a fresh place of earthy joy.” There’s also a theory that sensory stimulation overwhelms us. It fries our mental motherboard and makes us more susceptible to impulse buys.
*3. Dollars and Scents:* Speaking of stimulation — know how when you get within 10 square miles of an American airport or mall, you can smell the kiosk selling cinnamon rolls? And how you would now knock over grandparents and small children for a taste? The bakery serves the same purpose. The grocer stimulates your appetite with one the world’s most primal intoxicants: the smell of baked bread. It urges you to shop with your stomach, not your budget-conscious brain.
*4. Got Milk?:* Remember in the ’80s when, as an aspiring break dancer, you signed up for the free boom box? All you and your legal guardian had to do was sit through a six-hour sales pitch on time-shares in Mexico. Same concept. You really wanted that boom box, and we all really want milk. Grocers are willing to give it to you, but only after they walk you through their entire sales pitch.
*5. Center Stage:* The center aisles with the name-brand goods are the most profitable. That’s why items necessary for life — like cereal and coffee — are placed in a middle aisle. And they’re often in the _middle of that middle aisle_. That way, no matter which direction you come from, you’ll be exposed to a half-aisle of stuff you didn’t know you needed until right now.
*6. Shuffle the Deck:* Face it. Most of us go back to the store for the same 10 items every few days. Doing so, we could easily develop our own “route” through the store and set autopilot when we enter the door. That’s why grocers shuffle the deck. The crate where the apples have been for the last couple months? Now seasonal blueberries for $50 a box (two for $80!).
*7. Fill ‘Er Up!:* Aside from those planning for a zombie apocalypse, very few people need a shopping cart that large. But here’s the thing. If humans are put in charge of a hole, we have a psychological need to fill it. That’s why the shopping cart has doubled in size and those little carry baskets are intentionally hard to find.
*8. The Right Stuff:* Americans “read” the world left to right. Our eyes are always leaning to the right side, or toward the natural progression of the “story.” So that’s where supermarkets often put the items you’re most likely to buy.
*9. Eye Bombing:* Not that we’re lazy people, but we are. We buy mostly what’s at eye level, so that’s where grocers put their high-profit margin stuff. The bulk economy foods are almost always on the bottom shelf, next to the boxed wine. Any cereal with a cartoon character who looks stricken with emotional issues? They’re put at thigh-level, which is eye level for your kiddo, who is now struck with a desperate, loud, crying need for sugar-spackled grains.
*10. Freebies!:* People come into the supermarket “on a mission.” It’s in the grocer’s best interest to encourage you to slow down, hang out awhile. Pausing for free nibbles helps. It also whets your appetite.
*11. Make It Rain:* How convenient. They let you put money into your pocket as soon as you walk in the door. And now that you’re so terribly wealthy, you may as well splurge on that gourmet bottle of olive oil.
*12. Tuning In:* Studies show that you slow down and take your time when you hear music. Speed metal is out, Air Supply is in. Let’s slow dance.

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2013/12/11-psychological-tricks-of-the-supermarket-trade/


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## Meanderer (May 14, 2015)

Product placement happens more often in the Supermarket than in the movies.   The coveted "eye-level" shelves are sought by vendors, and merchandise is moved around to keep us from popping in and buying one item and then checking out.  Impulse items have always been the biggest sellers.  It is a science...and we are the guinea pigs.  Maybe everything should be displayed alphabetically!


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## Don M. (May 14, 2015)

It's a Given that the longer a person stays in a store, the More they Spend.  A recent report by the US Chamber of Commerce said that, on average, a person spends $3 a minute when shopping at a grocery store.  Therefore, it is only logical that these stores scatter some products around, and "entice" the shopper to browse as long as possible.  About the ONLY way to avoid this tactic is to have a good shopping list in hand when you go to the store, AND stick with it.  It also helps to know the normal prices of things, so as to be able to spot the few genuine sale items.  

There isn't ANY retail outlet that is in the business of doing a favor for its customers.


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## QuickSilver (May 14, 2015)

My original example is fraudulent IMO...  Charging $11 for a rack of ribs one day... and the $22 the next, but you get the 2nd one free is forcing you to buy TWO.. when the day before it was only $11 and you could buy one.  You MUST take two to get the same price you had the day before.


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## Robusta (May 15, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> My original example is fraudulent IMO...  Charging $11 for a rack of ribs one day... and the $22 the next, but you get the 2nd one free is forcing you to buy TWO.. when the day before it was only $11 and you could buy one.  You MUST take two to get the same price you had the day before.


The grocery we frequent does not do that! It is a small independent store in a small town. The owner lives in town as did his father and grandfather before him. No he is not as cheap as Wal Mart and the other big chains,but he is reasonable and in the grand scheme of things and if you shop wisely is no more expensive than the corporate stores in the big towns.
Everything you mention is just marketing. I cannot blame someone foe maximizing profit. It is up to me to not spend more than I should,  all it takes is a modicum of intelligence and a bit of willpower!


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## Kadee (May 16, 2015)

One of our Major supermarkets recently had a promotion to encourage shoppers into their store ..The promotion involved Giving customers (One)  toy domino with Disney character on them with every $20 spent in store,You needed 44 for the complete set ....The supermarket sold a variety of tins, folders etc to store your dominos ...
To cut a long story short .. The dominos were so popular due to being "Disney" the supermarket run out of them 5 weeks before the end of the promotion , leaving many children disappointed with only part sets , I know quite few adults who were collecting them for themselves. The supermarket had a very bad attitude regarding getting more dominos to supply them for monies already spent in store .....but they refused by saying it was only a "promotion" I Think they should have renamed it A HUGE CON..
my 9yr old G/D was left with only half a set...As a result I refuse to spend any money in their supermarkets after all I do most of my shopping in Adelaide where I have a choice of Coles, Costco, Foodland and  very soon add Aldi to that list...


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## SifuPhil (May 16, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> ... Speed metal is out, Air Supply is in. Let’s slow dance.



(with apologies to "_All Out of Love_")

I'm all out of gloves
What aisle are they in now?
They used to be here
But now they have moved them.

I also need cloves
They should be in "Spices"
I guess I'm too late
I'll have to start searching ...


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

Stores in the UK are sneaky with the sales as well.  A couple of stores got busted for misleading advertising.  I always check and because I've got a good idea of the usual price of items I buy frequently, I know when it's a scam.  

I rarely buy things that aren't on my list although I always keep on eye out for a sale on items we use frequently.


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## QuickSilver (May 16, 2015)

Kadee46 said:


> One of our Major supermarkets recently had a promotion to encourage shoppers into their store ..The promotion involved Giving customers (One)  toy domino with Disney character on them with every $20 spent in store,You needed 44 for the complete set ....The supermarket sold a variety of tins, folders etc to store your dominos ...
> To cut a long story short .. The dominos were so popular due to being "Disney" the supermarket run out of them 5 weeks before the end of the promotion , leaving many children disappointed with only part sets , I know quite few adults who were collecting them for themselves. The supermarket had a very bad attitude regarding getting more dominos to supply them for monies already spent in store .....but they refused by saying it was only a "promotion" I Think they should have renamed it A HUGE CON..
> my 9yr old G/D was left with only half a set...As a result I refuse to spend any money in their supermarkets after all I do most of my shopping in Adelaide where I have a choice of Coles, Costco, Foodland and  very soon add Aldi to that list...




We have a promotion going on at our Supermarket where you get a little sticker for every $10 you spend and you try to collect all the stickers to paste in a booklet.  IF you collect them all you can win cash and prizes..  But it's tedious to open up the sticker packets and of course, there is only ONE sticker that nobody can get, because they only print one in every few hundred million..  I don't participate.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> We have a promotion going on at our Supermarket where you get a little sticker for every $10 you spend and you try to collect all the stickers to paste in a booklet.  IF you collect them all you can win cash and prizes..  But it's tedious to open up the sticker packets and of course, there is only ONE sticker that nobody can get, because they only print one in every few hundred million..  I don't participate.



Ours is a bit easier.  We now have a card they scan and you earn points. So every so often when you get your receipt it will also spit out a coupon for £5, £10, even £12 off on shopping.  On certain products you only get the sale price if you're signed up for this card (it's free).  They've had it a couple of years now.


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## QuickSilver (May 16, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Ours is a bit easier.  We now have a card they scan and you earn points. So every so often when you get your receipt it will also spit out a coupon for £5, £10, even £12 off on shopping.  On certain products you only get the sale price if you're signed up for this card (it's free).  They've had it a couple of years now.



This sticker one will only last a few months... Then they will come up with something else.  I like it when you get stamps to paste in a book and you can save for some nice items..   The last one was for Cuisinart cookware.  I was able to get a really nice roasting pan and a large soup pot..  great quality..


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## Capt Lightning (May 16, 2015)

I'm am very cautious about 'reduced' prices.  Here in the UK, Tesco are notorious for it.  Suppose an item is £4 or two for £6 - ie. £3 each.  Sounds like a bargain, but if they put them in the 'reduced pile', they charge £3.50 each.  My gripe is that they give an offer reconing that almost all people will buy 2 and set the price accordingly (£3 each), so buying the 'reduced' item is actually dearer!   They are also very good at mixing price/size for some items so that it is difficult to work out the best value.  eg.. 1kg jar for £2 on *Special Offer*  or the 600gm jar for £1 tucked away on another shelf.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> This sticker one will only last a few months... Then they will come up with something else.  I like it when you get stamps to paste in a book and you can save for some nice items..   The last one was for Cuisinart cookware.  I was able to get a really nice roasting pan and a large soup pot..  great quality..



We never have any like that.  But before xmas they start giving you a coupon every week and you have to have 6 or 8 I think which you can use just before xmas and get something like £40 off.  Weren't here last xmas and won't be this year so I just stick the coupon in recycle.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

Capt Lightning said:


> I'm am very cautious about 'reduced' prices.  Here in the UK, Tesco are notorious for it.  Suppose an item is £4 or two for £6 - ie. £3 each.  Sounds like a bargain, but if they put them in the 'reduced pile', they charge £3.50 each.  My gripe is that they give an offer reconing that almost all people will buy 2 and set the price accordingly (£3 each), so buying the 'reduced' item is actually dearer!   They are also very good at mixing price/size for some items so that it is difficult to work out the best value.  eg.. 1kg jar for £2 on *Special Offer*  or the 550gm jar for £1.



Yes, Tesco is the worst.  All we have where I live is Morrisons and Co-op and I won't near our Co-op.


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## Athos (May 16, 2015)

In a large supermarket here they have a clearance section where the products actually cost much more
double than usual, even.


At a dog store, they advertise "buy one dog, get one flea."


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## AZ Jim (May 16, 2015)

We shop at home with Safeway.  We get legitimate 2 or more for pricing.  If the item is normally $5 but it's now on sale as 2 for $6 but you only want one it's $3.  Our expiration dates are always good.  Our groceries are delivered in the one hour time frame we ask for on any day of the week (7 days) and the truck has freezer, refrigerator and other storage so frozen stays frozen as does cold.  The always have one FREE item and if you pick 5 specials off a list of 50, you get free delivery.


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## applecruncher (May 16, 2015)

Safeway delivers groceries?  What's the fee?


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## AZ Jim (May 16, 2015)

applecruncher said:


> Safeway delivers groceries?  What's the fee?



Not in all areas you need to check your area.  It you spend $150 they deliver for $9.50.  BUT they publish the list of specials and if you buy 5 of them your delivery is free.  You must spend $49 and if it's less than $150 delivery is $12. We never pay delivery.


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## applecruncher (May 16, 2015)

We don't have Safeways here.  I actually have a wonderful young lady who does my heavy shopping.

But the fees you quote are reasonable.  I would never spend that much and I like to see my meats and produce.  We used to have a service called Peapod years ago, but it went out of business here.  My guess is not many people used it.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

Many people get delivery in the UK.  Can't remember but it's either free or a small fee.  But not in my area.  I have no reason to need delivery.  Yet.


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## AZ Jim (May 16, 2015)

It's hard for my wife to get around in a large market due to a balance problem.  I am a crappy shopper so it's perfect for us.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> It's hard for my wife to get around in a large market due to a balance problem.  I am a crappy shopper so it's perfect for us.



Yes, my husband isn't a great shopper either.  I don't mind shopping so on one of my gym days in town I drive instead of taking the bus and do the shopping afterwards.

My brother and his family lived in London for 6 months and of course didn't have a car, so they used a delivery service. Loved it.


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