I needed to stock up for usual plus some upcoming events. Didn't want to drive through town at rush hour, waited till about 8.
Spent an hour filling about 60 items and a lot of produce. Lots of employees stocking shelves, 3 or 4 watching the self checkout to stop thievery, 3 front door greeters shooting the breeze. Not one checkout lane open. WTF? I asked a greeter, he said go to customer service, I said I did, lights are off and they are closed. I said, well they can pay someone to put all this stuff back and walked out.
I did the same at Krogers early one morning a couple years ago. Customer service, what a joke!

I’m recently back from the self checkout at Walmart. One has to be prepared ahead of time for the ordeal. I check alcohol first.

It’s like the game plan to meet the perp in a dark alley. Don’t expect much from any customer service.

I'm not a fan of the whole self-checkout trend. But what I really don't understand about it is why are half the self-checkout lanes always closed? You're literally making me do your job for you, saving you money on staffing and overhead, and even then you can't manage to keep all the lanes operational and open.

Two words:
WalMart pickup

I went into the store a few weeks ago and there is nothing anyone can say that will convince me that ordering ahead and picking it up is not the way to go.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Two words:
WalMart pickup

I went into the store a few weeks ago and there is nothing anyone can say that will convince me that ordering ahead and picking it up is not the way to go.

Ok, I gotta ask and I'm sorry for the hijack, how do you get things like produce? I'm particular about my produce and I cant have someone else picking out my tomatos.

One of the reasons I only shop at Publix is because of the customer service.
I've been the 3rd person in the checkout line and they opened another line and called me over. They open and close lines with the ebb and flow of the customers.

And don't ask an employee where an item is located and expect a simple answer. They will walk across the store with you to make sure you find it.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Ok, I gotta ask and I'm sorry for the hijack, how do you get things like produce? I'm particular about my produce and I cant have someone else picking out my tomatos.

THIS! X 100.
Produce and meat. l don't even let my wife pick out my steaks let alone a stranger.

I like Walmart pickup, because I can order things online, let them have a paid-employee find the items (sometimes the shelves at our local WM are a mess), and pick them up when I get the text notification. And if they don't have it at a particular store, often they will deliver it or ship it free, if I have made a certain purchase amount.

In recent years, in my experience, going to WM for a few items often turns into a SAR mission, where lots of time is wasted trying to find things.

And sometimes, the prices online are different than in the store, as in cheaper.

Customer service at so many stores these days can be hit-or-miss.

quote:

One of the reasons I only shop at Publix is because of the customer service.
I've been the 3rd person in the checkout line and they opened another line and called me over. They open and close lines with the ebb and flow of the customers.

And don't ask an employee where an item is located and expect a simple answer. They will walk across the store with you to make sure you find it.

This

We have only Publix, Walmart, Krogers & ethnic stores. In Nashville Krogers are dirty with no customer service & employees with a bad attitude. I only go to Publix or to the Walmart Neighborhood grocery. We do go to the Kurdish markets for vegetables not found elsewhere.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Ok, I gotta ask and I'm sorry for the hijack, how do you get things like produce? I'm particular about my produce and I cant have someone else picking out my tomatos.

THIS! X 100.
Produce and meat. l don't even let my wife pick out my steaks let alone a stranger.

Farmer’s market and Publix for produce. Use Publix pickup for produce, but you get your money back if you don’t like what they pick. We’ve been doing it so long and we’re among the first to embrace pickup that my wife is on a first name basis with the Publix person that picks her produce.

Meat is the reason I was in WalMart before the Fourth. I picked up a whole brisket and pork butt and then stood in line 4 deep to pay with all self checkouts open as well as 12 registers open. All I could think was I should have done pickup.

In Florida, I get meat from Sam’s Club, use the app to pay, and bypass the lines. I use a local butcher for steaks in Michigan.

We take advantage of shipping from Sam’s Club and WalMart as well. Toilet paper, motor oil, water, soda, cereal, etc.

Publix does have the best customer service, and the highest prices as well, but you get clean stores, lots of good employees, produce is better.

Wal-Market Store near us is always packed, good selection and better prices.

We used Kroger for delivery for a while, the produce was almost always good, only a few times was there any issue on availability. Sadly Kroger closed down in CFL so they are gone.

Daughter uses Wal-Mart grocery delivery all the time and is very happy with it, we need to start doing that, or pickup as well.

I think you save more money with delivery or pickup because you don't browse every aisle and get hit with deals on endcaps.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

Publix does have the best customer service, and the highest prices as well

I use the Publix app or the website to cruise the listings that are published every Thursday, paying particular attention to their BOGOs and special savings sections to plan meals. I'm just feeding wife and self, so it's pretty easy to keep the grocery budget under control by making the majority of Publix purchases from these "bargain bins."

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Two words:
WalMart pickup

I went into the store a few weeks ago and there is nothing anyone can say that will convince me that ordering ahead and picking it up is not the way to go.

Well I live in Florida, Most of the employee's at my Walmart can not really speak english, and have to use translation apps on their cell phones to communicate with english speaking people. They do not always pick up the right items. I found it better to just do it right the first time and get it myself.

I wish we had Publix.

I don't really have an issue with self check, though we SHOULD get a slight discount by using it. We are saving them money by doing work for free instead of their paid employees.

I was initially hesitant with self check. But after awhile, I liked them, especially at Costco. I think I get through checkout much faster than with a person check out. Perhaps because there are 4 checkout lines where there used to be 2. Plus I think it keeps costs down - I assume 4 self checks is cheaper than 2 employees considering wages, insurance, retirement, vacation pay, overtime, whatever.

I have a HEB within 5 minutes of my house and it's less than 10 years old (well maintained too). I have a Kroger within 7 minutes of my house and it's even newer.

I have 1 thing I need to pick up at Kroger once a month. Every time I turn my nose up at both their sad meat section and produce section and I get fooled into wondering where the people are as I breeze through the nearly empty grocery store. Then, I get to the checkout and find all of the people. Barely any cash registers open, and half the self-checkout are closed. It takes forever to checkout and I have yet to ever see a manager.

HEB in contrast the aisles are jam packed full of people, they're so busy they have to restock during peak shopping hours, their meat section is incredible (e.g. both Wagyu and Prime beef), they have homemade onsite fresh tortillas, and their produce is fresher and more selection. Here are the real differentiators:

tons of lanes open with both friendly cashiers and baggers

all 6 self-checkouts open

I know who the manager is as he is usually directing people to the shortest line, ready to help a cashier at a moment's notice, and if the lines get too long he'll open another lane and check people out himself.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Ok, I gotta ask and I'm sorry for the hijack, how do you get things like produce? I'm particular about my produce and I cant have someone else picking out my tomatos.

Meat included and right there with you! Their idea of fresh and mine are sometimes worlds apart.
My wife ordered steaks for pickup ONCE and only once. I just told her I will pick them up.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:

Ok, I gotta ask and I'm sorry for the hijack, how do you get things like produce? I'm particular about my produce and I cant have someone else picking out my tomatos.

For us, produce and meat are hit or miss. Also, they do make errors sometimes, grabbing the wrong product. I'm Celiac, so gluten free is a necessity. Plus, we're particular about wanting what we asked for, not something different. Most times they leave something out, either they just missed it or didn't have it.

The pickup at WalMart and our local Kroger affiliate are excellent when either guests are visiting or when time is short, and a long shopping excursion is inconvenient. For every day shopping we find the error rate too high.

Meat is easy, I don't buy meat until the day I need to cook it and typically buy it at the butcher not grocer. Also Fresh Market is close, and I'm on the email list, they have deals on meat and seafood all the time so I'll run up there to get it on the day it is to be used.

I've bought stuff, put it in the fridge and forgot to pull it out before it goes a bit bad, smelly meat goes in the trash....

VT yes I go after the BOGO's at Publix as well, but it never seems to bring the bill down reasonably.

At my Costco self checkout, an employee scans your card then items. Checkout is just swiping the credit card at the machine. They have a scanner that attaches to their pointer finger and it is linked to their tablet