I am relieved that the local Country Mart has finally reopened after remodeling! I've had to resort to shopping at Save A Lot, which is not a problem except for the limited parking where people drive the wrong way down the aisles, and close-parkers block T-Hoe's large doors. Or the other Country Mart over in Sis-Town when I'm doing my errands on Thursdays. Not really convenient, considering that I need to buy bananas ever four days.
Anyhoo... after a shut-down of 11 weeks, I now have the option of shopping at the new version, called 10 Box Cost +. The prices on the shelves are the cost it takes to get the item in the store, and at the register, they add 10 percent. That's not an issue for me. I can add in my head. I know what I'll be paying, so no trickery for me!
The store smells delicious! Like a newly constructed home! Even the floor is different. The deli has been removed, so there is more shelving, and a wider variety of items. They still sell alcohol, with Hick's favorite Wild Turkey. They still have a service desk, for cashing in scratchers over $100 up to $500. And best of all, they still have LOTTERY MACHINES!
The inside cart corral has been moved farther from the door. So they have lost my free cart returning on my way in to buy scratchers. I will still push them close to the front door, and leave them on the sidewalk. But I'm not going out of my way to bring in a single cart and walk it partway across the store. Unfortunately, some people think they're doing a good deed, and return their cart just inside the double doors. Which creates a blockage for people trying to go in and out.
Another negative is the bagging procedure. You have to bag your own groceries. Normally not a problem, like in Save A Lot, or Aldi's, where they shove your items down and put them back in your cart, or on the end where you put them in your cart, and proceed to a counter on the front wall to bag them. Not so here. You are expected to bag them right there at the end of the register.
Here's the problem: you can't start bagging until you pay, since the card scanner is by the register, not the end of the checkout. Then you have to pull the bags off the rack. The bags are stuck! The checker even gave me a little round container of wax to dip my thumb in to assist in getting the bags loose, but it didn't help at all. So I was holding up the line trying to get bags for my groceries. Oh, and they have a divider thingy they flip, so two customers can be bagging at once, on separate sides of the aisle.
I don't see how this saves them any time, unless they get bags that will separate without a struggle. The next customer can't proceed until there's room to shove their items down for bagging. I have a plan to take my own bags next time. The very bags I used last time, or Country Mart bags. Just to they're loose and ready to fill. I actually like bagging my own groceries, because I can group them so they don't get smashed, and aren't too heavy.
Overall, I like the "new" store, except for the location of the carts, and the bagging stations. My receipt showed that they didn't actually add the 10 percent on a couple of items. That's on them! Not going back in to rectify a problem not my fault.
The changed store makes me think of my first few times with the new Cub grocery stores. Same situation with the location of the debit card scanner. I always liked it best when I got the side of the "aisle" that was closest to me because I could at least, start bagging and still step back over to pay. However, in doing this, the next customer behind me would often come in and be leaning on the little shelf where the scanner was, and not understanding why that was not the best place to be waiting their turn. However, when I had a lot of groceries, I was happy to get the aisle away from me because I felt a bit more out of the way and hoped the person behind me had a bunch of groceries also, so I wouldn't feel rushed. It wasn't long before we got our own reusable bags, which helped eliminate the battle for the bags. I did still have to fight for one now and then to put ice cream or something in, to contain condensation etc. It's an interesting concept with the pricing. The only people who will actually care will probably be the older generation - at least 40 plus of age, and capable of doing a rough calculation. The younger generation doesn't seem to care too much what anything costs. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteI was on the closest side, but was reluctant to step down to where the bags were, because the lady behind me was already creeping up with her cart. So if I went to bag, she would have her cart in front of the card scanner where I couldn't get back to it without making the whole line back up.
DeleteI will say that the lines were moving fast. Maybe because they had plenty of cashiers. The parking lot was packed, but I managed to get a good spot on the end of an aisle where nobody could block T-Hoe's door.
I thought of you today. I had to go get my driver's license renewed, and afterwards we ran over to the grocery store for a few items. One thing I noticed was that we all pull our carts in behind us, when we check out, instead of pushing then in. The carts are tall, in the back and it's nearly impossible to reach your groceries and I'm fairly tall and have long arms, and still can't reach. Which is why the next customer, behind you, can end up standing right close to the card scanner. Also, while (trying) to bag our groceries...every bag was attached to the next one - I couldn't pull it away, it was that stuck. So, every bag of groceries had an empty bag hanging off from it. It's like every 2 bags were stuck to each other. I also noticed a few random ones (stuck together) on the floor and on the end that other people must have gotten frustrated with. Quite the kerfuffle. Ranee
DeleteI try to fit as much as I can in the child seat part of the cart. And choose a register on the end, that has room for me to step up beside my cart and put out the bottom items first. If I pulled the cart behind me, that could act as a barrier to the next person creeping up in front of the card scanner. They'd probably be silently cursing me until I paid and moved the cart to bag my groceries!
DeleteI hate those dang sticky bags! Sometimes the Save A Lot bags do that, and I have a sidecar bag attached. I hope that taking my recycled bags will alleviate this problem.
Yes please! Take yur own bags and get reuseable ones that can be washed. Get an insulated one for dairy and/or frozen goods.
ReplyDeleteI used to have three big insulated bags that I bought at Save A Lot for $1 each. I wish this store would sell them! They had plastic handles, and snapped closed at the top. Until I can find them, I'll just re-use the plastic bags that I have gotten at Country Mart.
DeleteYou'd think (or at least I'd think) they would just add all the item prices up, and then add the 10 percent, instead of item by item.
ReplyDeleteI got out the receipt, and I DO see a charge at the bottom for $5.14, marked 10% COST +.
DeleteThat doesn't explain why some of the items on the receipt were higher than the price on the shelf. So maybe some prices were programmed wrong, or I didn't get the sale price, or they were not in the right area where the price tag was on the shelf.
I will have to be more vigilant when shopping there.
I actually prefer to bag my own. I always load the conveyer belt with items I want bagged together, but that doesn't seem to help the cashiers sometimes. They seem to dig around amnd ruin my careful placed items. HeWho loves the self check, but seems oblivious to bagging ettiquette! He puts too many items in one bag and is unaware of the need to not crush items. So, I bag and it takes us longer, because I will not be rushed! Do I care that people are waiting? They can wait, just like I did. I actually PAID for bags at Aldi's today! I have bags in the truck, but we were in my car, so ...
ReplyDeleteI put my items on the belt like that too. How dare they pick and choose what they want to bag together! My particular peeve is when they put anything but bread on top of my bananas! Like stuff in boxes that will gouge them, or a bag of onions that will bruise them. Also, the checkers who think all canned goods belong in the same bag, double-bagged. I do not want to carry a 20-pound plastic bag full of cans!
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