Do store owners really think their customers are stupid?
By savak03
@savak03 (6684)
United States
June 19, 2016 3:21pm CST
I went grocery shopping yesterday. I really hate having to do it but since I like to eat it must be done. My budget has always been tight so I have always read the labels and compared the deals. As a result I can usually get more for my money than most of my friends. I was amazed at how blatant the stores are being these days in trying to convince you that a price is a bargain when it is not.
The first thing I saw was that ten pounds of sugar was (on sale) for 6.00. But when I looked at the smaller four pound bags I noticed that they were only 1.92. So, if I bought three bags of the four pound size I would spend 5.76. So I could get twelve pounds of sugar for less than the ten pound bag.
The next one really got me steamed. I drink a lot of sprites so I noticed that the twenty can suitcase was on sale for 6.00. That wasn't too bad but while I was deciding if I needed another one right then I noticed that there was an end cap with the twelve packs displayed. So I rolled on down there to check out the price. There it was on a large sign. Three twelve packs for 13.00. I didn't even need a calculator to figure that one out. The regular price is a little over 4.00. If you divide three into 12.00 you get 4.00 and you still have that thirteenth dollar to deal with. So they were not on sale at all. People assume if something is on an end cap it is on sale. The stores are beginning to put the regular price stuff where we assume the sales will be to trick us into paying more than we need to.
Another trick the stores use is the two for. If you do the math you will find you are not really saving anything they have just tricked you into buying more than you needed.
I limit my grocery shopping to once a month because that is all the aggravation I can stand. 
9 people like this
10 responses
@Cherganski (219)
•
19 Jun 16
You'd be surprised how many customers are. Don't asume people are as smart and calculated as you.
I've been working in hospitality for years and some of these customers are just unbeliavable.
Very few people actually care to read past the big font
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
28 Jun 16
@Cherganski I can see no gain in watching others get taken advantage of. Often it is the ones that can least afford it that are paying the most.
@Cherganski (219)
•
19 Jun 16
@savak03 well l think we should be happy that a lot if people are like that. That makes people like you and l stand out doesn't it? As for people who take advantage of them... I guess that's how the world works. Laws of the jungke still apply sometimes as much as we try to ignore them
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (139951)
• Roseburg, Oregon
22 Sep 16
Where I used to work they had tags that said new lower prices.The price was the same they just changed the amount to less that you got before.
Than they would change the package again and say two ounces free. Again I checked the ounces and it was the same for the same price. So what were you getting for free.
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
28 Jun 16
I noticed it right off with the hot cocoa. The house brand was higher priced than a main brand. I had already picked up the house brand when I noticed it so I put it back and picked up the main brand although it had marshmallows in it and I don't really care for them. I noticed right off that the boxes were way lighter so I read the boxes a lot closer and found that there were only half as many envelopes in the main brand which made the cheaper price higher in the long run.
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
20 Jun 16
It is frustrating. Some stores will have a price for multiple items like 10.00 for three packs of sodas for instance. Then the sign will say you have to buy three to get the savings. Other times they will let you get just one and give you the savings anyway. I think a lot of these rackets started when they started those loyalty cards. Those cards don't just save you money. They collect data on what you buy. That way they can figure out how to target you to get as much of your money as possible.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
19 Jun 16
My son used to work at a grocery store so he's good at spotting out the good deals.
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
19 Jun 16
I worked at a grocery for awhile too. One thing the grocery manager told me was that when the store orders, lets say cornflakes, from the warehouse and lets say they cost 2.00 per box. They are put on the shelf at the suggested markup at that time. Then the next time they order corn flakes the price is 3.00 per box. They immediately go out and raise the price on all the cornflakes they still have that they purchased at the lower price. Would you like to guess what they do if the warehouse price goes down? 
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
20 Jun 16
even when there are buy one, take one deals, if it's not a brand i like or it would take too long to consume, i won't bite.
i would love to shop once a month, too, but it's hard when you live with other people because you can't monitor usage.
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
28 Jun 16
I know what you mean. I buy what I need for the month but toward the end of the month I find that someone has helped themselves to my pantry. Usually my son. Then I am short that month. But if I don't buy by the month the budgeted money will not go as far.
