Shoprite to replace cashiers with self checkout
Over the next four years we should expect to see more self checkout lanes. Any thoughts? It really grinds my gears...
Homosapien I love self-checkout. It's all I use. I can self-checkout faster than anyone who works there can check me out.
JeffersonRepub For all the money that Mr Romano makes he can without a doubt afford to put more people on registers I complained yesterday actually I hate spending 100s or dollars and haing to scan it myself. I cannot wait till acme or wegmans or Whole Foods comes and gives him a real run for his money. Plus he’s a legit jerk .
Drew 
Mark Mc. They should offer a small discount to those that use the self checkout since you are basically taking away their jobs and putting more money in Mr. Romano’s pocket.
kb2755 
Havaclue That’s what happens when you pass $15 minimum wage. Cost of food and services is going up too if you haven’t noticed.
I prefer scanning and bagging myself. Half the cashiers at stores are degenerates anyway and can’t bag correctly. Just hope they put in bigger self service registers like Walmart did.
HjjkMr. Romano better plan on hiring plenty of workers to assist the self-check out problems that constantly occur. If there are not enough workers the customers will just get more aggravated waiting for help --- and end up going to Weis ---- which by the way has competitive prices.......... and in many cases lower prices than Shoprite. You'll get much better produce there also.
This reads like a story from 20 years ago . All places , even Wallyworld have self checkout now . Ironically I get spring water gallons from there and that is the only place I don't use self checkout because self checking out 8 gallons is no fun when you can get a cashier to quick scan them . How many generations of Dominick Romano are there anyway ? My late mom worked for one in the middle 60s in the meat dept. at the Stiger street store - maybe he was the first ? A cheaper price will always move the merch Whole Foods or not . And Shoprite is always advertising for stock people , the help wanted sign is the first thing you see upon entering the store .
97XBAM Ps I heard his new shopeite in Sparta can’t find anyone to work there that’s what happens when you treat employees like crap
If they haven't yet, they will be coming out with mobile scan. I haven't used one yet, but have seen the machine at Stop and Shop.
I'm definitely going to try that and see if it will cut down on time.
Sher Does Mansfield Walmart self checkout have the scanner gun? When I get water or dog food I can scan it and leave it in the cart. If I’m getting bulk items it’s nice
Skippy 
JL There’s already technology that has been tested by supermarkets 10+ years ago where you place all of your items on the conveyor belt and it automatically rings it up based upon imaging. Will most likely be introduced in stores over the new few years. Then all u need to do is bag. You’ll only need 2 people running the front end at that point.
Basic economics - increase the cost of doing business through forced high minimum wages and businesses will automate / cut costs quicker. Through natural competition, companies were already paying 11-12 per hour in Hackettstown.
The problem is dishonest customers..They need a technology that ensures every item gets scanned...you know old dominic has a stroke everytime he sees a customer eat a grape without paying for it
$11. An hour?
How DARE they command such lofty compensation.
That’s $22,800 annually.
Great lifestyle- work 40 hours a week-52 weeks a year and live in a rented room ( 1 bedroom apartment in this area runs $950-$1,100/mo.)
Meanwhile, housing assistance, snap coupons and emergency room health care are being paid by all of us through government programs.
So the choice is:
Pay a living wage which comes with a generous helping of dignity,
Or,
Let the business owners pay a non living wage and continue to play the system like a fiddle.
Stymie BTW- Shoprite produce sucks( you can pitch a 9 inning game with their “tree ripe” peaches) and you can’t buy ice cream there- it melts before you pay for it.
I love self checkout. It’s much more efficient in my opinion. Shop Rote, however, does not have a very good system. They should spend some time in Target and Home Depot to see how to do it effectively. Furthermore, lose the bag scale. It doesn’t work effectively and is so aggravating. We have to wait for an employee to clear an error on average about every 25 items.
Res2 Stymie, it's not just the business owners that are gaming the system, it's all of us taxpayers blindly porking out at the welfare trough so we can get our cheap burgers and retail goods. Why? Because of artificially low subsidized wages and low subsidized prices. Like over half of all Walmart-ers and MickyD workers are on public assistance from our tax dollars. Over 70% of all welfare recipients work, many full time. So you think you're getting a great deal when in truth, Walmart is just being subsidized via our public assistance dollars.
We have ruined the free market by subsidizing these companies to keep wages and prices lower than a free market would determine. Why do we continue to subsidize the likes of Bezos and the Walton family. Isn't it time for us cut the cord on these billionaires? https://time.com/5388596/billionaires-welfare-bernie-sanders/
But no, we need to argue about the end of the world as we know it if we give some 40-hour a week full timer schmuck $15. It's not politics, it's called a living wage. So, enough welfare burgers and low-cost retail ---- let's all just pay a fair price, give these people the dignity of working full time for an actual unsubsidized life, and bring down the deficit at the same time by letting these folks have a living wage, not working full time to be able to live in poverty.
At least the farmers take their subsidies in plain view of how we, the public, are being messed with. Anyone else notice how much soy is in the ground this year. China stopped buying and so we're planting more than ever. Does that make economic sense? It's supply/demand turned upside sideways. Farmers have figured they got a sure-fire guaranteed profit from soy subsidies and total upside if the tariffs fall. You can see it in the fields all around us. And that's just NJ. That's how subsidies can corrupt the free market. And the longer they are they are in place for any given product, the worse it gets. In the case of minimum wage markets, we have institutionalized the free market corruption.
Artificially low wages subsidized by public assistance tax dollars supports artificially low prices by retail and fast food. You didn't pay a fair price, you got a welfare burger or welfare clothes from Walmart. We are all feeding from the federal trough and we don't have the balls to fess up and pay a fair wage which will result in a fair price. Instead we subsidize ourselves while building the largest pubic debt in American history. Face it, it's not the low income people, it's the rest of us that are big pigs at the trough.
strangerdanger For me the new Home Depot self checkout system is horrible in that they took out the flatbed scanners and now you have to use the gun. Just what I want during flu system....not. I see they sometimes have hand cleaner but most times they don't have it.
OnTheEdge I love the self check out and always use it. I can check myself out faster than anyone who works there and I am in and out quickly.
Bobbob Shoprite self check out does have the "guns" to scan heavy items. After each use of the gun scanner you do have to hit the "not bagging this item" prompt that comes up and after maybe 3 of them you need to have it approved by the employee thats there to help out.....
I self check out for a few reasons, I use to be a cashier at Shoprite and I just find I can do it faster myself, I also like to bag a certian way. It helps when I unload at home. Also nine times out of ten I would have to wait in line at a regular register and never have had to wait at the self check out.....time is valuable.
littlelu Another reason to do well in school and go to college for a employable degree. The other alternative is to obtain creditable skills in a viable trade. Cashiering is going the way of the dino.
Jono In most retail stores, 80% of the workers are part-time. The other 20% of workers are department managers, with the occasional full-time department employee who is compensated above minimum wage.
Part-time jobs are meant to supplement, not serve as a main income source.
When you force minimum wage increases, you force the cost of goods and services to increase, creating a net effect, which turns out to be negative for everyone.
Everyone also has the option to choose where they work and are paid relative to their skill level for the job. You can’t expect to pay someone $20 an hour to stock a can on the shelf, which requires little to no skill set.
Plain and simple, if you want to make more money, you need to develop a higher level of skills and work a job that requires the higher level of skill sets. Companies who pay too little will not be able to attract or retain employees, and therefore will naturally increase their starting wages.
Eperot I love that people want a discount for scanning their own groceries.
Do you complain when you buy gas out of state and have to pump your own?
FFS people...
Lori...since '73 "When you force minimum wage increases, you force the cost of goods and services to increase, creating a net effect, which turns out to be negative for everyone." I guess it's better for some to suffer than all to suffer.
"Plain and simple, if you want to make more money, you need to develop a higher level of skills and work a job that requires the higher level of skill sets." Not everybody is capable of doing this. However, with nepotism and connections it is possible for someone to get a good paying job in government with little to no skills.
" Companies who pay too little will not be able to attract or retain employees, and therefore will naturally increase their starting wages." Yeah, the old supply vs demand crap. So not true, unless you are a pure nationalist. I would agree with you if there were no such thing as guest worker visas, and job outsourcing. But there is, and it's rampant. So when a company needs workers and it does not want to "naturally increase it's wages," it just outsources the work, or in-sources cheaper labor. Then they hang the American flag outside on a pole to show how much they love those that live and work in the USA.
dodgebaal Exactly Jono. Why are young people working crappy jobs like these and expecting a living wage... They're meant for kids in school, retirees, and people who may need a 2nd job part time. Doesn't say much about a person's ambition in life if their life's goal is to be a full time cashier at Shoprite. The $15 minimum wage will just lead to lost jobs in the retail industry. It is inevitable.
Metsman You guys know you can bag your own groceries in a lane with a cashier, right? Just tell them.
I like self-checkout too, but Shoprite is annoying with the bag scale. And anything with a Manager's Special sticker needs approval because the price doesn't equal the expected weight.
Tracy Shoprite fulltime used to be pay very well with solid benefits and was not a job to be ashamed of. They make you work your but off for every penny. Its no different than working in a factory. The people offering stupid uninformed opinions about suoer market workers should be ashamed of themselves..To trash someone trying to make a living is a sad thing ..They reallly need to look in a mirror and ask themselves why they are so miserable...trashing working class people is not the American way
Bug3 I worked at Shoprite in Chester 20+ years ago. The old timers did well, but the contracts for workers just coming in sucked. Things are a lot different than they were in the 60's and 70's when those old timers started working there. It was clear to me that slicing cold cuts in the deli wasn't a lucrative job. Anyone who doesn't have some kind of disability is capable of getting a better living for themselves in a career that pays better. It's called hard work.
It's simple. Just learn how to throw, hit and catch like Mike Trout and you too can be a millionaire in America. So many people are willing to contribute in order to watch you play ball that you can do very well for yourself.
Bug3 I agree.
Just make people pay extra if they want to use a cashier, since they think the job is worthless maybe letting them pay for the privilege is a good thing. Maybe start at 10 percent of the amount on the receipt.
"I like self-checkout too, but Shoprite is annoying with the bag scale." If Americans were trustworthy the bag scale would not be necessary.
https://laborunionreport.com/2019/05/28/the-ufcws-newest-nemesis-marty-the-robot/
https://ufcwlocal152.org/news/message-from-the-president-winter-2019/
what the ufcw says
Metman..I know...I was part time in 94 makin $12 an hour...but that was Ronetco...terror city...nightcrew was making 50k a year with built in ot...25 years is a looooong time ago
Stranger-I agree with all that you’be written above.
HOWEVER- I do believe that there are some among us that are willing to pay more for goods and services in return for a living wage for our less fortunate neighbors.
They are out there “ fights the good fight”,struggling to move up the socioeconomic ladder.
My experience is that employers will do just about anything to avoid providing fair compensation- be it salary, health benifits, vacation, etc.
Least we can do is to require them to pay a living wage.
If this results in higher prices- fine- I’ll just have to shop a little smarter.
We’re already paying higher prices a a result of the “trade war” and tariffs and its not caving our economy yet ( just the farmers).
Sorry Stymie, but it doesn't work that way. If you choose to be a cashier and not better yourself then that's on you. I shouldn't have less money in my pocket to pay for people who don't want to improve their standing. That's called socialism. My responsibility is to my family not every cashier in the country. If you don't like your pay then do something about it. Get a better job.
About 15 years or so back, when SR first installed the scanners by the exit door, they had this very weird "security dude" who used to stand there and glare at everyone using the scanners, no doubt he was dying to catch someone trying to slip a banana past the scanner. I used to amuse myself by standing in front of my wife and blocking his view, then I would give him a big snarky smile as we walked out. Oh well, guess I'm just easily amused. Down here in FL, Publix has no scanners and even has baggers who will wheel your basket out to your car if you so desire, course they're all little old retirees happy to have something to do, but it's nice anyway. Publix is by the by, one of the most profitable and highest rated supermarket chains in the country, perhaps the Romanos should study what they do. And, bite my tongue here as I rarely agree with anything SD posts, but he's on the mark here.
Not sure how I confuse Stymie. I agree.
Hjjk; Do you have a source because I don’t think you’re correct.
First, part timers may work full time at multiple jobs; that’s part of the problem with these large employers that have the skills, resources, and financial acumen to build a part time labor model for full time results so they can avoid benefits too. According to a 2019 survey, 70% of part timers desire full time.
Second, according to Walmart, in May of 2019, most of their employees are full time. That would be 50% or better.
Store managers clear $175K a year.
Full time workers should not have to suffer the indignity of welfare just so billionaire owners can reap the profits while you and I cover the full time workers welfare bill just because we’re too weak to force a living wage. The fact that prices may rise is true; however the total cost of combined price plus welfare subsidy does not have to change by one penny at a macro level.
Isn’t it about time we buck up and pay our fair share and quit giving the likes of Bezos and the Walton family billions in welfare subsidy profits because they are too cheap to pay a fair wage for a full days work?
As far as real part time or under 18 workers deserving less; just solve that issue another way like with a special wage category if you feel they are not worth full pay.
But let’s see your source, thanks.
I will use the self checkout when they pay me to do so or give me five percent off on my order.
"Do you complain when you buy gas out of state and have to pump your own?"
I do not like pumping my own gas and in most states the fuel prices are higher than here in NJ.
The Man Self checkout is bogus. The lights are always flashing anyways and you need an attendant to clear it.
Also, I really hate when I see people saying these jobs are for kids or seniors. Work is work and it's better to do something than nothing at all. These people are on their feet all day and work hard just like many other people. Just ease up on the judging.
icicle Shoprite shrinkage will increase dramatically with this cashierless plan...won't last very long
I love how the person who started this thread could just fuel a rumor. Without any article or even a "I heard." And we all eat it up.
For reals He Muttsman.
Aren’t you the one always posting,complaining about not getting a raise in the past 4 years?
Complaining about having to contribute more toward your health care?
Complaining that the last Democratic administration caused you to lose your job?
Yes you are.
If the way you really feel is as in your above post— just stfu, get off your a$$ and quit bellyaching.
Guess it’s an injustice when it hits home with you—- for the others, not so much.
Selfish little “man”.
Has anyone even considered the jobs that have been created because of this ?
The designing, the manufacturing, the testing, the delivery, the installation, the maintenance, the repair ?
All of these these things take someone to do it.
Hey Slymie, I'm living just fine. I'm not asking you to foot the bill for what I lose in wages from health care increases and no raises. You're saying we should all help pay more to cashiers at Shoprite. I say you're delusional.
Wow. So much vitriol over SELF-CHECKOUT. I wonder if people realize how grateful they should be, that arguing over self-checkout lanes is enough to consume their afternoon?
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Shoprite-Supermarkets-Store-Manager-Salaries-E346610_D_KO22,35.htm
Not sure where that $175K number comes from - maybe a district or regional VP
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/grocery-store-manager-salary/nj
salary.com comes up with the same 80-90K with 10% bonus
"Wow. So much vitriol over SELF-CHECKOUT. I wonder if people realize how grateful they should be, that arguing over self-checkout lanes is enough to consume their afternoon?" -JR.
AMEN!!!
Greg I'll agree with the Shoprite having horrible produce. As if picked by a blind man that showed up 3 hours past everyone else.
As far as the self checkouts, they're becoming the norm at most stores. They seldom ring up correctly and easily miss items that won't scan. My policy is two swipes if it doesn't scan in the bag it goes. I don't have all day and they can obviously pay someone to stand there looking at their phone instead of ringing me up.
Groceries get trickier with all that weighing and deciding if its organic or not. They lose money for sure on the self checkouts.
Don The supermarket self check registers have many hardware and software technical issues.Technicians service the self checks almost everyday. There are also problems with accepting paper money that is crumpled,marked by ink or stained. They are not going to replace human cashiers anytime soon.The self checks also have problems when customers treat them like Coinstar change redemption machines.The change chutes clog up and need to be cleaned out of an overload of nickels,dimes,pennies and quarters.
Don.So it is alright for you to steal while using a supermarket self check.That is called shoplifting and you should get caught. You are on video during your thefts at self check.Better yet you are recorded on facial recognition cameras at most local supermarkets.So go ahead and steal.You are already in the database for shoplifters at most stores you like to steal from.Dont be surprised when you are arrested or escorted out of a supermarket or store when the cameras pull up your picture and theft profile.
I LOVE all the cashiers at our Shop Rite!! Self check out only good for a few items. I save a job and go to a normal check out and I always bag my own groceries.
Gardenfish +1 Gardenfish (except for the bagging). They got the bagger right in front on them; I spend my time organizing so they just grab and toss.
Might try the smart phone scan though.
Jr, not sure I see the vitriol, but it’s a once a week or more $$$-centric activity for some of us so a priority for efficient, effective, and economic actions. That’s like four time more frequent than your most favorite activity ;-)
I’ve worked in the supermarket industry and retail operations for many years and can tell you this is exactly what they are doing.
When ACA was implemented all we hired was part time employees and they were not permitted to work beyond 24 hrs per week.
Most retailers will absorb some costs, but they are predominantly offset through the consumer and employees. This is done through smaller product sizes being sold for the same price and price increases.
Automation and outsourced stockers from the manufacturer is another method. Benefits also get slashed.
I worked for a global consulting company whose client was Home Depot. We got rid of all the cashiers and moved to self check out with the exception of the lumber and garden area. Ever notice no other lanes are ever open? Huge cost save.
The bigger concern you all should be focused on is offshoring corporate jobs. When you can’t cut any more costs in the store we hit the back office. Finance, Supply Chain, etc. all going to India or “high growth regions” as we call it. We just leave a Skelton crew of a few managers for client facing reasons and to manage the outsourced employees.
Look at what Walmart did earlier this year - over 500 jobs to Genpact in India. Most the roles that get dumped are those that pay between 40-80k, and require less specialization or skills. Things like accounting, receivables, IT, etc. that’s where the real savings are.
It’s sad though, because most those jobs are held people the average person. Should be a law against it.
So you don’t have a source for your previous post? This newest one seems a bit of a miscall.
Genpact or whatever is US firm with partnership in India. Many of the Walmart outsource will be in Bentonville. I believe many of Walmarts existing force will move over to Gen but not to India. So, not quite as severe a picture you paint but I am sure not as lucrative a job for Walmarters being moved. Outsourcing in these jobs seems to come and go in big business as does off-shoring as does new factory locations which I hear is booming in the US right behind coal industry expansion.
Of course, this has nothing to do with basic minimum wage $$$ or self-serve check-out.
A.I. and Skynet is coming , the machines are gradually taking over . Be afraid be very afraid ! LMAO !
DeweyFoonduh So does anyone have evidence that ronetco store managers make 100% more than the self reported salaries linked? That’s not a thing in my opinion. Those days are long gone. In any regard I agree with other posters that automation and minimum wage increases result in reduced hours - there certainly is a benefit / wage gap.
Get used to it! With this BS minimum wage increase your going to see alot more self checkouts. I dont blame the owners for doing it they are in business to make money. Grocery stores operate at a very small margin. All these Murphy supporters thought this would be a good idea. I dont see why people are giving Mr. Romano a hard time, hes a business man, he provides a service you need and if you dont agree you can go somewhere else. I fully support them putting in self checkouts, why should they be forced to pay so much more and in turn make less? Its only going to get worse next the price of grocerys will increase along with gas prices because gas station owners will have to pay more. And btw its not just shoprite its also Weiss.
Momof6 
Acl76 "Get used to it! With this BS minimum wage increase your going to see alot more self checkouts."
Absolutely. It's a done deal, but was going to happen anyway. The equipment is a capital write off that is depreciated, so even with the expense of the hardware it is still cost effective, and was even before the wage increase.
Get used to bagging yourself no matter what. Just like McDonalds and other fast food places now hand you a cup to fill your own drinks, you will just be doing more of the work yourself in a supermarket. Those large orders are going to be the most fun to do those self checkout lanes.
Want a cashier- pay a premium. 10% ought to do it. And if paying a bit more for food makes Americans eat a little less of it maybe it's really not a hardship for some- possibly a blessing.
Skippy
Ronetco managers get big bonuses for things like firing long term employees, keeping the store under budget...getting cut rate produce while charging full price...innovative ideas such as requiring a quarter to use a shopping cart and most importantly harassing the work force to cause churn in employees..better to have a newby making nothing than a veteran making top wage
Exactly Momof6. People like Murphy are all about MAPA. Make America Poorer Altogether....
It's a private company Bug3 does any of this surprise you? All of it is fair game except for the firing of long-term employees (if it is for no valid cause). As far as big bonuses I am sure these managers work harder than any Superintendent in NJ but are compensated less from a total compensation perspective.
iJay "All of it is fair game except for the firing of long-term employees (if it is for no valid cause)."
Perfectly legal to eliminate long term employees with technology.
Very simple
Low Wage===Higher Level of Public Assistance
Not a very complicated equation.
Walton’s stiff their employees.
Walton’s make more $$$$
Walton’s has government subsidize employees basic living needs, since they choose not to.
IPSO FACTO-low wages and prices at Walmart are merely a smokescreen for a pass through of our $$$ to the Walton Family via government programs.
Don’t think for a minute that non living wages don’t cost you.
"Very simple: Low Wage===Higher Level of Public Assistance"
It is very simple, forcing wages to be higher than a bar code scanner, conveyor belt, touch screen, or other automated device == NO wages (living or otherwise) for someone that was willing to do the job for less (but more than $0).
Sure that "creates" IT/technical jobs, but it's not 1:1. The IT group can support 1,000 self checkouts just as easily as they can support 1,005 self checkouts, but that's 5 cashiers that now have now been priced out of a job.
What kind of public assistance does someone making $0/hour need?
Probably more than someone making $10/hour, right?
Perhaps they could try getting a job somewere else? Hope there aren't "automated" jobs there with the same issue... and there are only so many managers needed at higher wages (especially since there are now less people there to manage).
It's not entirely the fault of minimum wage... technology simply makes low-skilled jobs less prevalent. But the solution isn't to just make people more expensive when the demand for them to fill jobs is dropping. (i.e. the exact opposite of what supply/demand dictates should happen)
Walmart is already doing it and the Walton Family make $4 billion a minute.
So much for people's jobs. The rich don't care.
Botheredbyuu2 Manual jobs will become niche. Start using the noggin going forward. Even the field workers will be replaced by robots eventually...
Ok I don't understand... do any of you calling for a $15 minimum wage tells your kids to settle for those jobs at Shoprite or Walmart? There are plenty of jobs in the medical field, trades, engineering, and other tech careers that are needed in this country that can't be filled. Give people an incentive to get into these fields instead of making retail companies change their business models. Retail jobs are not meant to be jobs you raise a family on or have a mortgage with. The day is coming where those jobs absolutely will be automated with minimal manpower. The days of being an Al Bundy shoe salesman and supporting a family are over.
Bug3, “cobots” are all the rage in industry now: inexpensive, easy to use and program, and can work along side of people safely. Not quite ready for retail but quite reasonable for repetitive tasks. Combined with a camera they’re fairly sophisticated modern tools and if I had to guess not too far away from being able to pack groceries in a bag.
They are not our grand parents robots...ie
https://www.universal-robots.com
justintime A full time job at $15 dollars per hour gets you $31,200 per year before taxes. Is anyone under the impression that's gonna get you some luxurious lifestyle? I'm sure people working minimum wage jobs would love to get better jobs but how exactly do you propose they do that? The advice is always "go to college" or "learn a skill" but if you're poor how do you do that? You can take out a loan for college but how do you pay for everything else? Mortgage or rent, groceries, car, utilities, child care, etc.? Work and go to college at the same time? I'd love to hear about what jobs pay full time salaries for people who can only work part time. So now we've come full circle and we're back at getting a part time job that pays minimum wage. That people are now saying isn't meant for people to live on.
Automation is coming either way, these companies aren't paying cashiers because they like to, it's because a more cost effective alternative isn't available. Once it's more readily available they'll switch entirely to automated. That's why getting the youth some form of post high school education is so critical, either trades or degrees or whatever.
Reasonable Reasonable - your logic is null and void. Anyone can go to college, you don’t start paying your loans back until after you graduate and depending upon your household income you may be eligible for financial aid that pays for the majority of it.
Most colleges offer online degrees, allowing flexibility and the ability to work during the day at a full time job (I did this).
So yes, it is possible to better yourself. Just requires dedication and hard work which most people don’t have.
People all have the ability to make choices in their lives. Not everyone is right for college, just as not everyone is right for the trades. But if you’re expecting to make $100k plus a year working at retail it’s not going to happen unless you’re in management. Jobs pay the going rate for the skills requires for a given job. Retail positions are lower skilled jobs resulting in low pay.
And then what do you do for the people already making $15 per hour at a job that requires some form of skill? Why should a cashier be making as much as someone like that? You're just catering to laziness.
Duh...Muttsman
The employees now making $15 an hour have already proved their value to their employer.
They’ll get moved up the pay scale in an attempt to keep them on the job.
A concept apparently foreign to you.
So you’re actually arguing that someone can work full time, live in poverty, take public assistance and somehow that is right and proper?
Wirse yet, you’re actually arguing that certain employers, if they so choose, can pay people a wage that keeps them in poverty and then that employer gets rewarded by being wage/subsidized by your tax dollars.
That’s just whack. Man up, pay your fair share and make the Waltons and Bezos of the world pay theirs.
I hate self check out. What’s next? Fixing your own car at the mechanic? Part of the price of the food pays for someone to Che k you out and bag your groceries. When they give a rebate for self checkout-say 5% off, I’m all about it. Until then, someone else is doing that job. I already have a job. And it’s not “check out clerk”.
“So you’re actually arguing that someone can work full time, live in poverty, take public assistance and somehow that is right and proper?”
No, you’re just making that your straw man argument.
Where is the data that these cashiers are A) Full time, B) living in poverty, or C) taking public assistance (let alone the combination of all three).
What strawman? The stats are noted above, much straight from Walmart themselves.
I was talking full time minimum wage, not necessarily cashiers; just food service, retail, etc.
Crikey, Walmart even had a special employee program to help them fill out welfare and SNAP applications. The whole affair is institutionalized; you foot the higher combined price for welfare-subsidized goods but think you’re getting low, low Walmart and Mickey D prices. We’re being had and being used at the same time.
Everyone needs to pay their fair share. No more subsidized full time workers. No more useless government programs running up the debt. Enough. Let’s pay our tab and balance our checkbooks.
"And then what do you do for the people already making $15 per hour at a job that requires some form of skill?"
If you have an issue with your compensation then take that up with your employer. I don't see how it's other people's problem that your employer doesn't pay you enough money. Either that or quit your job and become a cashier if it seems so lucrative. Basically what I can see this boils down to is people getting cranky that others may get what they didn't.
Tell them to redefine “skill.”
Seriously, nothing. A rising tide lifts all boats. It will be trickle up for a change. And they will spend more, pay more taxes, la, la, la, de la.
Best % raises I ever got was during Carter rampant inflation years. Seemed like manna from heaven.
The point is full time workers should not be in poverty. We know where that bar is. Set the minimum wage to meet the bar at full time. If you feel kids and deserve less, make a new category.
Oh ok so give burger flippers and cashiers a boost but the people with actual skills keep at the same rate as those people. Talk about backwards thinking.
just put a iou in pay slot and off you go or leave a bill 27.50 for doing the work my self
Caged Animal How are they harmed mets? Or are you just feeling vulnerable?
If someone gets a raise, do you feel cheated?
HjjK -- half the cashiers at stores are " degenerates". As a retired business owner of 40 yrs. I can unequivocally refute that degrading statement. Any person who is working and trying to make a honest living should not be looked down on no matter what their position. Many of these degenerates you speak of are people working their way through college. Perhaps a mother or retired person who needs some extra income. Some of the lot people do have a disability & I admire the job they do working in the rain, heat and snow. Many of these "degenerates" are very hard working & kind people with integrity. Although I disagree with your personal statement, I don't deny that your business sense is spot on.
Be Kind "When they give a rebate for self checkout-say 5% off, I’m all about it. Until then, someone else is doing that job. I already have a job. And it’s not “check out clerk”."
Guess your just going to have to wait in fewer longer lines, or try another store. Corporations don't care about you. Unfortunately you need to eat, and have to buy food somewhere-and if all supermarkets go this route, it's eating out or waiting in line for you. In America, it was the customer is king for a long time. Now its the corporation that is king.
"Oh ok so give burger flippers and cashiers a boost but the people with actual skills keep at the same rate as those people."
Everyone who has a job is capable of asking for a raise at work, switching jobs, or educating themselves if they want more money. Nothing wrong with it.
With minimum wage laws the bigger travesty is the fate of all those whose labor is not worth $15 per hour. They get discriminated against and will not have a job. The very people that laws like this aim to help are the ones who get hurt. You’re telling those people that it’s not worth having them in the work place.
The law doesn’t magically make everybody’s labor worth $15 per hour.
Margaret McGutierez I suggest that anyone who cares take the time to view “burger flippers” at work in their stores anytime between noon and 8:00 pm.
Many people use the drive through and don’t get to see how these employees are working their butts off.
Unbelievably hard workers, in a less that pleasant environment.
I guess suggesting the Muttsman to pay $1.05 instead of .99 for a burger to provide them a living wage is a bridge too far.
Look up empathy and dignity in the dictionary.
No Dball, they can’t ask for raises. Because if they do, Mets will cry foul for anyone making that amount who didn’t get a raise. Others will get laid off to cover the raise. No one will be hired. Please don’t ask for a raise.
I asked for a raise yesterday. Look at the market.
Strangerdanger
Why pay someone more money when you can get someone off the street for less?.. and trained in a hour
Bug --- it's called minimum wage..... You can only pay less by cheating. I just extended Met's concept to all raises.
But yes, it seems that most agree with you that all you need is a body, and that any body will do. Sometimes this extends to people with Master's degrees and beyond. I do not agree. I think each individual has value, special skills and talents, and are not just round pegs for round holes. I also believe a well run team can outproduce the same number of individuals any day of the week. The sum is indeed much greater than the parts. I also believe that, while much harder to manage and make work, diverse teams provide the most creative solutions. How can you ever get outside the box if everyone thinks exactly the same. Or how many great ideas come from ideas we could never imagine from our perspective. Diversity can ignite innovation and creativity much better than marching in lock-step..
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking." George S. Patton.
In my youth I hated diversity and just want to march, like Sherman, to the sea. All together, moving in unison, no questions asked. That only goes so far and never gets you the most creative solution. But it is efficient and often effective. Especially for routine, unchanging, menial jobs that many think take no skills or critical thinking. (at this point there's a natural political segue to our current administration, but I will pass :>)
Today I believe that diversity creates far greater innovation, better solutions, and that people do matter and are not just easily replaceable cogs in the machine. Even in burger flippin or cashiering, there are those that are just better at it than others, and it shows.
All that from a burger flipper job...the only thing you can really learn from an entry level job is how to work...maybe after you prove yourself they will let you make fries...and then maybe shift leader...perhaps store manager and then franchise owner...but when you pay everyone $15...there is no incentive to succeed
When we first moved to town we stayed at Quality Inn for a few days between closings on our houses. While there we checked out the Weis and the Shoprite to see which one we might prefer for our weekly shopping. Of course we didn't actually buy anything because we didn't have a kitchen at the hotel, but we were pretty impressed with the deli and prepared foods section at Shoprite. So the first time I went grocery shopping I went to the Shoprite. As soon as I saw the 25 cent deposit for the shopping cart, I got right back in my car and went to Weis. I've never set foot in Shoprite since, and I suspect I never will.
I hate self-checkouts, and will only use them if I have one or two items and all the cashier lanes are long. Even then, if I have produce or something that isn't packaged, I wait for a cashier.
Something I hate more than self-checkouts is when people look down on other people because of what job they hold.
Monty SD and Stymie sorry but you’re misguided. Every single product and service you pay for will go up and it’ll be more than a few cents. Companies will cut staff to save money. So not only will more people be jobless but the consumers will be poorer. Maybe that’s ok with you but most Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Healthcare alone has been hurting people with the ridiculous increases. So maybe it’s a feel good story to you to give bigger flippers more money than it’s worth for a product that costs $2 on the value menu, but I don’t feel like paying $4 for that item because a person doesn’t want to go to school or work a job that requires a meaningful skill. I make a pretty damn good burger at home, but I’m not worth $15 per hour to do it.
Monty, The 25cents you get back ! It’s to keep all the loose shopping carts out of parking lot..Yo keep them from rolling into peoples cars... That’s it... Shop rite does not keep your quarters!!
"Something I hate more than self-checkouts is when people look down on other people because of what job they hold."
Well said Monty!!!
"So the first time I went grocery shopping I went to the Shoprite. As soon as I saw the 25 cent deposit for the shopping cart, I got right back in my car and went to Weis. I've never set foot in Shoprite since, and I suspect I never will." -Monty
you do understand you get the quarter back right? you simply need to return the cart to the correct area and put the chain in. this is to cut down on shopping carts all over the parking lots and to make it easier for customers and employees to retrieve carts.
the things people get pi$$y about...
Joe Friday I do understand. That's why I wrote "deposit" instead of "fee" or "charge." And I'm not pi$$y about it. I just don't carry cash and I won't make a point of having a quarter in order to go shopping.
The good folks in customer service inside the store will give/load you a quarter...
Hipster I keep a quarter in my cup holder just for shopping. When I finish, I put it back so I have it for the next time I go to the store. It's not rocket science and that's a pretty lame excuse for not going to a store if that's the only reason. Much rather have the quarter deposit and not have to worry about tons of shopping carts all over the place, including the side of my car.
thomasnj I'm all about saving my car from needless stray carts rolling through the parking lot. Aldi does the quarter deposit too, it's the best way to free up spaces in a crowded lot and keep the door dings to a minimum. I love it.
The reality is in the not too distant future there will be way more workers than jobs. The self check outs are just one example. If you really get crabby about a $15 minimum wage, just wait until we get to a basic universal wage for all.
"The reality is in the not too distant future there will be way more workers than jobs. The self check outs are just one example. If you really get crabby about a $15 minimum wage, just wait until we get to a basic universal wage for all."
Exactly right.
"that's a pretty lame excuse for not going to a store if that's the only reason."
I'm sure lots of things I do seem really lame to other people, just like lots of things other people do seen really lame to me. I can live with that.
"'m all about saving my car from needless stray carts rolling through the parking lot. Aldi does the quarter deposit too, it's the best way to free up spaces in a crowded lot and keep the door dings to a minimum. I love it."
Could not agree more Eperot!!
JrzyGirl88 Just for the record, I have not witnessed any marauding shopping carts over at the Weis parking lot, either.
Actually the Romano's are saving on the salaries of 5 or 6 associates by making you pay a quarter...they could care less about your car in the parking lot...they are not responsible for any damage...
With so many stores in the area, I’ve learned to spread my business around to get the best values.
Buy a lot in Shoprite, some grocery items at Walmart, some at Weis (they have items SR does not stock) and produce at Verdi Fresh in Budd Lake.
Meat ( not a real carnivore) Chester Meat Mkt.
Special bakery Coco Lux in Peapack.
No good seafood in this area ( that I am aware of)- got tired of driving to Denville.
ru There’s no quarter cart deposit when ordering online. No self checkout either. It’s fast and relatively painless. Aside for meat and produce why even enter the store? The shopping fee more than covers any silly impulse buys I make while shopping in the store. We also do the shopping from home while looking what we have in stock which cuts down on bone headed over buying. We do the same at Walmart. Order for pickup. They have a new area at the front of the store dedicated to that order stream. Embrace technology.
Desserts don't generally interest me very much, but I think it's a really good thing I don't live any closer than I do to Coco Lux.
"Actually the Romano's are saving on the salaries of 5 or 6 associates by making you pay a quarter...they could care less about your car in the parking lot...they are not responsible for any damage..." -Bug3
Please elaborate on your paying a quarter statement
OMGoodness Mets, you paint a dismal picture if people get a raise. Of course, you don’t have a clue, but it’s a nice story.
My point all along is that you are paying billions already to support the working poor. I just say let’s give these people the dignity of work, pay them up front instead of letting the poor Walmarts and Mickey D’s off the hook while you subsidize their low low prices with your tax dollars.
If you work 40 hours a week, you should not have to apply for food stamps. We should mot have to pay welfare for full timers. Why you don’t want to pay upfront but would rather take it after the fact seems strange. Apparently someone has convinced you that it doesn’t happen. But it does.
SD you really think $15 per hour is a livable wage if you have a family? It certainly isn't in NJ. So you take away the programs to a person making that much with kids and they're still going to be poor. How about we get people to make better decisions in their youth. Create programs that help people achieve better jobs. And I'm sorry to say but a big chunk of these people living off government assistance are delinquents. They'll get housing assistance and food stamps but then you see some of them with nice clothes and the latest iPhone....
Its a deposit...you only pay if you dont return your cart...much better than paying 5 or 6 youth to clear carts
So Stymie admits he shops at Walmart after ripping the Walton Family for stiffing their employees. Hypocrisy at its best.
Right. So if you're poor, you should at least have the common decency to dress like you're poor.
"much better than paying 5 or 6 youth to clear carts" -Bug3
not sure where you are getting 5 or 6 youth from...? many grocery stores have employees that serve multiple roles that range from stocking to cart gathering. The title "All Jobs" exists for a reason; there is no employee gathering carts receiving a paycheck for just doing that. Additionally, cashiers at times will be taken off register to gather carts as well if it is necessary. This is all based on real experience from working at Pathmark for many years.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/08/cbo-estimates-effects-of-house-democrats-15-minimum-wage-plan.html
"Raising the pay floor to $15 per hour by 2025 would boost wages for 17 million workers, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated. At the same time, 1.3 million people would lose jobs, according to the CBO projections."
the CBO just reviewed the proposed minimum wage increase in depth.. for every worker it lifts above the poverty line - one goes on unemployment
"The wage increases would cause total real family income — adjusted for inflation — to fall by 0.1%."
so higher prices and more people needing additional public assistance.
this article lays it out:
https://www.uschamber.com/series/above-the-fold/increasing-the-minimum-wage-focus-economics-not-politics
"Small businesses do not have the resources to absorb such a dramatic increase in costs.
A $15 wage will lead to reduced hours, fewer jobs created, cut backs in operations, and quite likely job losses.
Increasing the minimum wage will require employers to raise the wages of millions of employees making between the current minimum wage and the new wage, not just those who are currently making the minimum wage, resulting in an impact far greater than advocates acknowledge.
Increasing the minimum wage, which is effectively a starting wage level for low and unskilled workers, will freeze those workers out of the market as employers look for employees who can justify being paid the higher wage. "
If you tried to limit your shopping to only those companies that paid a living wage, you’d be growing your own produce and slopping your own pigs.
And you wouldn’t have a cell phone either.
Smarten up...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/05/08/walmart-wages-what-do-walmart-managers-and-hourly-workers-make/1147546001/
Walmart seems to be doing a good job albeit to keep the UFCW out, the ronetco employees are collectively bargained for no?
of course not joe friday..back in the 80's there were..called SERVICE CLERKS..but alas that job was eliminated for the most part with quarter cart scheme..customers would have to pay a quarter to have their carts pushed back
The store I shop at employs primarily special needs adults to do the cart collection and similar tasks. I wonder if they will keep doing so if it costs them $15 per hour..
ianimal They may - the ARC program in NJ helps pay for salaries. Found that out from my favorite QC coffee guy Keith on stiger. They also get tax breaks
Hey Skip .
Nice link.
Thank you.
So I guess a $15/hr minimum wage would have a marginal affect on their bottom line.
I think (hope?) it goes without saying, but it occurred to me as I was driving home from work that I want to make it absolutely clear that my post above, about dressing like you’re poor, was written entirely in disgusted sarcasm.
Skippy, finally someone actually comes to the table with facts and sources rather than myth. I just don’t see how paying a 40-hour worker a living wage is wrong. But apparently others do. I do see where putting 40-hour a week workers on welfare hurts my bottom line, the deficit and the debt ----which is quite high, higher than ever, even with a yuge tax cut to bring it down. Lucky we have those Russians dropping a $200M plant in Kentucky after we lifted their sanctions. No unintended future consequences there. Instead, let’s focus on full time people in poverty and how we can keep them there.
OK, enough rant. Skippy, your link does not lay it out as you say, not even close. Were you surprised the CoC is against higher minimum wage? In a spark of stupidity, the first link in the OP ED supposedly supporting the OP ED leads to: ““Gradually Raising the Minimum Wage to $15: Good for Workers, Good for Businesses, and Good for the Economy." Hmmm, was that his point? I am confused, is that like a double balk?
The rest of the article consists of suppositions, not support. Done. Let’s try some CBO quotes: “Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 would increase the pay of at least 17 million people, but also put 1.3 million Americans out of work,” OK, that’s the headline. While we can argue the numbers, damn straight doubling the minimum wage would hurt some folks. Course it helps a lot more, but hey….. it’s about saving that one victim from being shot, right? 17 million better, 1.3. million on unemployment. Save the 1.3M.
Question: how long till the DOUBLING of wage for 17M turns into trickle down to hire the 1.3M? I mean the tax cuts worked before we got our checks, right? Just saying…… But wait, there’s more CBO --- you know the rational part you conveniently left out :>) The House Bill is a gradual wage increase over a number of years. The CBO says: “At the same time, the study says the $15 minimum wage would boost pay for 17 million people would otherwise be earning less than $15 an hour, and possibly for another 10 million Americans who would otherwise be earning slightly more than $15 per hour.” answering the question that keeps Mets awake; what the effect on his salary :>) That's 27M better, 1.3M on unemployment.
“Considering a smaller increase to $12 an hour by 2025, the CBO estimated a boost for 5 million workers and a loss of 300,000 jobs. An increase to $10 an hour would give a raise to 1.5 million workers and would have "little effect on employment." Oh horse hockey, the CBO says gradual increases have little to no effect. Damn, sounds like a plan. SCORE! https://www.npr.org/2019/07/08/739607964/-15-minimum-wage-would-boost-17-million-workers-cut-1-3-million-jobs-cbo-says
Back to your op ed and the link to the testimony: “Gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 would be good for workers, good for businesses, and good for the economy” go figure.. Facts are your friend, but don’t abuse your friend, Friend… https://www.epi.org/publication/minimum-wage-testimony-feb-2019/ Ooops…. You gotta read the fine print….. heh, heh.
As to the rest: the CBO just reviewed the proposed minimum wage increase in depth.. for every worker it lifts above the poverty line - one goes on unemployment.” You sure this ain’t a typo? "The wage increases would cause total real family income — adjusted for inflation — to fall by 0.1%." They did say this but I need context on this; not sure what real family they are talking about…..
Good post, gotta read that fine print.
I don’t think it’s ronetcos decision to have the quarter deposit for cart. It’s the landlord of the shopping center that requires shoprite to do this. Has anyone been to the other location such as Bryam, Newton and Netcong? Do you have to deposit a quarter for a cart at those locations?
I'll gladly put my quarter into the cart. Makes for much more orderly parking lots. Parking lots are underrated in how dangerous they are. Lots of pedestrians, lots of backing up and then add shopping carts.
Actually Skip, the CBO and we, really don’t know what happens. There is a principal of price stickiness which says that the cost/price relationship is not linear and prices do not rise equally to cost increases. Matter of fact, prices are actually “sticky” and only move when pushed very hard. Competition, margins, all play a factor. For example, you are making a good margin in a competitive market when costs suddenly increase. Instead of immediately raising prices to cover cost increases, you eat some of that margin and increase your competitiveness. Or, you’re a little over manned, so you don’t raise price, you let someone go. Both happen all the time. Works the other way too. So, gas tax increase not seem in price. Sure. Sales tax decrease not seen in price. Sure.
So CBO and other estimates are just that. Other economists already take issue with the algorithms the CBO used in this one. But we do know that paying a full timer a poverty wage forcing the company, the employee and you and I to be subsidized by taxpayer funded welfare is bass ackwards. We all can afford to pay our fair way and give these employees the dignity of work.
And to those who say it’s menial, unskilled labor, we should bear on mind we have a service economy. In that economy, paying service workers substandard wages is not a sustainable economy. Subsidizing substandard wages, especially to mega international corporations, is a false economy. And stupid.
Of course, then just put the cart back and get your quarter, move a little bit! By doing so prevents them from hitting cars and getting banged up -- what is worse than a cart that doesn't push smooth and straight?
Or you can just hail a passerby and say "want cart?" You can either pay it forward as I do quite often or, usually, the passerby has quarter in hand.....
Of course, only the first row handicapped spots have a return, for the rest you need walk a mile to put that camel back.....
Used to shop at a SR-sized store that actually had poles outside the doors, like along the SR sidewalks so you couldn't take the carts farther than the sidewalk. You would leave your cart, an associate was there to watch, and drive up whereby the associate would load your bags and then put your cart away It was quite nice and quite fast and I think they had less associates manning it than SR has in the lot. Didn't need the quarter either.
What I love is the new SR marketing technique of displaying food in the lobbies. Washington Store is especially egregious in this. Sorry guys, I will not buy perishables that are basically in the outside air...… Nor will I browse and window shop in the lobby...… But I might pick something up on the way out :>) I mean isn't that why the product is there, trying to head out the door?
Also trying to figure out whether it's better to buy coffee for $1 at the door OR wait past the bakery to get it for free? Decisions, decisions.....
Whip Not Washington...
RONETCO SUPERMARKETS, INC.
The following ShopRite stores are owned and operated by this member.
ShopRite of Byram
ShopRite of Flanders
ShopRite of Franklin
ShopRite of Mansfield
ShopRite of Netcong
ShopRite of Newton
ShopRite of Succasunna
Here is the group that owns Washington and 29 other ShopRites...
https://www.shoprite.com/VillageSuperMarket
From the department of A-R shopper, my latest peeve with SR is the digital coupons. In the beginning, SR honored digital on-line coupons on top of paper essentially doubling even the $1 coupons. Abbadanza savings!
NOW --- we have matured the digital on-line coupon system so the rules are:
- A paper coupon can not be used with a digital coupon.
- “They” say, if you provide paper and has the digital selected too that the “program” will pick the best offer but I call BS. The digital coupon wins whether lower or higher
- The digital coupons, under $1, do not double, the paper coupons still do.
- “They” say it’s the manufacturers fault but I call BS. Most doubling programs are the sole purview of the store.
- Remember that digital and paper can not be simultaneously used; and that digital rules. Therefore, if less than a $1 coupon, paper will double your savings, digital will cut it in half.
This sounds like work to me…..Now, to get your best coupon value, for any coupon less than $1 for which you can get paper, you can get double IF you remember to cancel the digital version. Oh $#%#%#% me, now I need a college degree just to cut coupons…..
What really burns me is SR management trotting out the old tired “it’s not us, it’s the manufacturer's fault” crap line. I call that the “it’s Obama’s fault” rationale that the banks told it’s employees to tell customers to cover onerous, draconian, banking policies and programs after the great meltdown. There is no reason on earth that SR could not continue the doubled coupons in the digital age. After all, it's just software......
You know where this is heading --- to digital only and no doubling at all. For me, this is about a 5% inflation factor for my shopping basket. I say, flag thrown, BS on the play.
My 88 year old Mom will not be happy. She's been going their forever. I shop at Weiss and fortunately I haven't been maimed yet, or even seen the marauding shopping carts.
Denis Holy hell Stranger Danger- if you don't like the price, don't shop there- no need to get stupid and crazy ranting over it.
I run my own business- and people like you are exactly why I don't have ANY coupons.
Josh Coupons are a manipulation game, a carrot on a stick, and an outright lie dressed up as something nice.
Raising prices in the first place just to say you lowered them to be a generous and altruistic business? BS at the best, manipulative of folks at the worst....
Good for you Josh. And people like you, to use your phrase,
I will take your advice and not shop anywhere I don’t like the price. Matter of fact, I won’t shop there if I don’t like the policies either. Or the owner. Good stuff, keep it coming.
What business do you run so we can avoid each other? And, to use your quaint expression, people like me....
JIT, Josh, to each their own. If you don't want to play, stay out of the game..... Is it manipulation ---- what about buying something isn't? Packaging, placement, price, --- hard to find a product attribute that isn't. But good for you to rise above it, although Josh to apparently gets some twisted knickers over it. My point is if you are going to play, don't you want to win? And how can you win if you don't even care to know the rules?
But some facts.
I save about $5,000 a year on coupons and sales. That has been more or less true for a decade. (want to know my market basked inflation rate, heh, heh, told you --- A-R). You have to assess both coupons/sales together since smart shoppers try to hit both simultaneously. Oh God, the inhumanity of it all. Total manipulation....
Of the $5K, about 40% is coupons, so $2K. At Josh's salary of $7.50 per hour, that's over 250 hours a year I can spend at this. At my $50/hour salary, I can spend about 40 hours, or 3.5 hours a month which is about right given my level of automation. But it is close, thus the wrinkle SR has just thrown in not only lowers my margin, but simultaneously increases my time. Double bad ju-ju……. Just saying.
Aint' facts fun? What homemaker wouldn't take $50/hr for their labors?
So be proud like JIT, angry like Josh, but if I opt to play the game, I like to win. And sorry if people are offended by my explanation of how digital/paper coupons currently work at SR and the fact that digital coupons represent a de facto price increase. Maybe no one really cares.
"I save about $5,000 a year on coupons and sales. That has been more or less true for a decade."
Just on groceries? Or are you including all purchases, like clothing and other household goods?
Hi iman; great minds take breaks at the same time. :-) Watch out, we’re gonna tick Josh off... ;-)
Groceries only but household goods like cleaners, laundry, etc. An occasional can of Raid. SR stuff. Although there are shifts ovet time due to kids comin n goin, eating out more or less, eating old (more fruit, more veges = less coupons, more meat = less coupons), less heavy (online for pet supplies).
And I really don’t tru that hard, others do much better I am sure.
How to do it? Well, if you SR, the receipt has 3 or 4 line items for sales and coupons. So a five line spreadsheet starts you off and pretty soon behavior modification sets in. Danger though — managing on % can lead to to buying 50lbs of xxxx because the % discount is great. And leads away from store brand which may actually have a lower price. I don’t worry since I and a brand guy first.
And I take my spreadsheet a bit further calculating yearlies based on ytd, price per unit to calculate my inflation rate on my basket of goods, but like I said, I am ARententive.
Once I set it up, its four or five numbers a week and yes, the data changed how I shop but not how I eat, really. Let me look it up, but I think my net is more than 20% less than my gross — maybe a good bit more.
Does anyone realize that profit margins for grocery stores are razor thin to begin with?? Couple that with the stupidity of paying a "Living Wage" which, by the way, ultimately hurts the people it's supposed to help by making employment unaffordable for business owners...... The end result being less jobs and less opportunity.
Guy D'Esposito I don't know maybe I just really don't like change. I'm only 26 but I remember a time when shoprite was a good place to start out especially for high school kids looking to make money and stay out of trouble. It makes me sad that a machine can so easily replace a human being. They are doing this because of the cost of living and min wage increasing. And I quote "people are not spending as much as they used to" at least at the mansfield location which I find incredibly hard to believe. I spend nearly $200 after coupons every week for only 2 people!
I'm also not looking forward to the whole "please check your bagging area" popup every time I scan an item.
I will say this again... They will never get rid of the cashiers at Shop rite and replace the with machines... It’s never gonna happen people....
Not sure the Union has much input as to how the Romanos run their business.
What can the union do other than enforcing their current contract and negotiating hard on the next one?
Never say never. As a customer, wouldn't you prefer to just walk out of a store and be charged accurately? I am referring to the testing of such a system by Amazon. This technology may be rolled out in 5-10 years.
Not sure how the local agreement reads but I would think anything that reduces the amount of hours of bargained for employment would be something they would oppose. Invent a robot electrician and see how fast the inflatable rat shows up
"Here is the group that owns Washington and 29 other ShopRites...
https://www.shoprite.com/VillageSuperMarket"
thanks. I had just assumed they were all owned by one conglomerate.
Wakefern is a "retail cooperative" that dates back to the 1940s with 50 private members currently owning and operating 350+/- stores. Most of them are "ShopRite"-branded, but there are also some Price Rites and The Fresh Grocer markets as well.
The UFCW already logged this in their NEngland strike earlier this year although not a real bargaining issue yet.
Iman --- I did look it up: I was averaging a 35% discount including sales and coupons, 40% of the 35% is coupon related, store and manufacturer.
This year I am at 30%, so a 5% discount decrease. Plus my inflation rate on my personal shopping basket is 5% for the second year running. The fact that inflation and discount change are both 5% is coincidental -- they are linked but not linear. And the 5% is certainly not due to SR's coupon policy change; some of it, sure, but not the lion's share of the 5%. More likely everyone involved: me, mfgs, SR, all affected the change. And it's early yet, a data point does not a trend make, and still have 4.5 months to go!
At the same time, my number of "units" purchased has dropped 10%, less kids, however, like I said, we are moving to more veges, fruit, fish while moving away from carbs. Frankly, the discounts are on carbs and not the things I am buying more of. That's part of it for sure. Also, discounts are indeed seasonal, with a "marginal" factor as well as SR and it's suppliers adjusts their meager margins to satisfy owner and competitive corporate needs. Every notice end-of-quarter promo's as manufacturers scurry to garner revenue with margin losses; happens all the time.
While I agree SR has a meager margin; there's a high volume of cash rolling through so they may be thin ---- but there's a lot of thin there. I am sure a shift to the right of the decimal means millions in profit.
Bottom line, my 5% increases are just a data point, not even a trend yet. But chances are 1) prices are rising and 2) my personal choices are increasing my price as well. At least I can see the direction.
Special thanks to Homosapien for fessing up. I used to roll at $150 in your situation but am clearing $200 on a regular basis now. Although it's not exactly weekly anymore. I really was feeling blue about it until I saw your post. Now I just feel poor....er….than before....er.
SD that's great you save so much with coupons.... (eyes rolling)…. Automation is the future. Companies in a capitalist economy are all about profits. Keep pushing your socialist view of $15 per hour and see how high unemployment jumps to in the years to come....
Stop and Shop keeps a running total of your "savings" for the year and displays it on each register receipt. I'm at about $1,250 for the year. There's no way I would ever get to $5,000 in a year at that rate. Plus I really only spend maybe $10k on groceries in any given year, so I would need to have a 50% savings rate, which isn't feasible unless you're willing to only eat things that are on sale whether you actually like them or not, lol.
I also get a moderate amount of groceries from Costco, but I don't know how I would calculate the savings from there over normal supermarket prices, without a whole lot of legwork that I'm not inclined to put in the effort on.
" Companies in a capitalist economy are all about profits. Keep pushing your socialist view of $15 per hour and see how high unemployment jumps to in the years to come...."
So I guess you would agree that the following is a lie."Group of top CEOs says maximizing shareholder profits no longer can be the primary goal of corporations"
https://opportunity.businessroundtable.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Business-Roundtable-Statement-on-the-Purpose-of-a-Corporation-with-Signatures.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/08/19/lobbying-group-powerful-ceos-is-rethinking-how-it-defines-corporations-purpose/
"I also get a moderate amount of groceries from Costco, but I don't know how I would calculate the savings from there over normal supermarket prices, without a whole lot of legwork that I'm not inclined to put in the effort on."
Long ago, when we lived in PA, I spent an entire day and took my grocery list to BJ's (they didn't have a Costco), Redner's Warehouse Market (a no-frills grocery), and Giant (a regular grocery store). I priced everything on my list at all 3 places. There was virtually no difference between Redner's and Giant, and after adjusting for quantity, there wasn't a *huge* difference at BJ's, either. That is, lots of things were slightly cheaper, but if you could buy a 5-gallon bucket of Crisco at Giant, they'd probably sell it at the same unit price BJ's had it.
I did this comparison probably 20 years ago or more, but I suspect the same holds true today for most all grocery stores and membership clubs. We still keep a Costco membership, almost entirely due to the quality of their meats.
Metsman
Eventually they will automate and outsource at every corporation...The problem is that eventually there will be no consumers for their products...nobody will be employed
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/industry-standard-gross-margin-groceries-38121.html
Looks like stores do 38-40% on bakery and deli and 1 point on most stuff.
Averages out to ~20%
https://retailowner.com/Benchmarks/Food-and-Beverage-Stores/Supermarkets-Grocery-Stores#290292-gross-margin
Bug3 that's why it's important to go to school to get a degree or learn a trade that machines can't replace. At the end of the day it's all about making money not trying to make everyone happy.
"You have to figure in store remodels...self checkout lanes cost money to install"
It's a tax write off with depreciation. A major equipment purchase.
"Bug3 that's why it's important to go to school to get a degree or learn a trade that machines can't replace."
Becoming harder to do everyday. Even if a machine does not replace everyone, it increases efficiency- so it requires less people to do the job.
Think about a group of kids running. One set is always first, the fastest. Then the bulk are in the middle. And some, no matter how hard they try, are going to be on the bottom. Those kids grow up to be adults, they may not be the smartest or the fastest, but are good hardworking people that deserve a life as well. What do you suggest we do with those who don't make it in college, and are not good at a trade, yet are willing to work hard at a job that they can do?
Metsman
There are mostly kids getting their first real world experience at a job in those cashier positions...actually making money to pay for school...wh would have thunk?...
dodgebaal that's not Walmart or Shoprite's problem. I've seen a lot of people let go at my company in the last 5 years. Companies aren't obligated to employ you. There will always be low level workers. Just have to find something else.
Dball - we give them minimum wage and then subsidize food with SNAP, housing with welfare, health with Obamacare and give Walmart and MickyDs the extra profits from our taxpaying subsidization of the their unlivable minimum wage that they pay to full time workers. Yeah, that’s the ticket. How’s that deficit. Still the bestest ever?
Mets: if you’re gonna call names, get a good one, not the punk trash you came up with here. My capitalism knows no bounds; you screwed the pooch on that, and your other purely political dog whistles posted here are off target to boot. There is no socialism in the minimum wage whatever the value. You’re just trying to pick a fight
Half self checkout. With the money saved, there, pay the remaining cashiers $15, per hour.
Guilty-Remnant "Companies aren't obligated to employ you." I agree with you. Companies are not obligated to employ visa workers either, but they do-and why, to save money. This is where the government has a hand in this, and why companies lobby politicians. Cut off all visa workers immediately. Send them home. This alone will create jobs. And if companies whine there aren't enough skilled workers, then let them train Americans to do these jobs.
Correct Bug3
I don’t mind self checkout for maybe a dozen items, but no way I’d try to navigate a full cart of groceries.
Pros are very quick.
Bar code always seems to be on the last place I look on almost every item.
I cannot recall the last time I didn’t need assistance while self checking.
Assisting customers at the self checkouts has to be one of the worst positions in the entire store.
Dball - everyone is hired, we don’t need more jobs. We need higher paying jobs. Especially minimum wage workers who work hard but can’t rise above poverty. And then we subsidize said minimum wage with our welfare tax dollars to make it a living wage and complain Walmart will fall if they cover our subsidy and raise their minimum wage and prices. Dude, you’re paying for the difference between minimum wage and living wage already.
SD
You do realize that raising the minimum wage has been tried over and over yet we still don't have a living wage....and we never will...capitalism doesn't work that way...prices go up when wages go up...economics 101...look at the chapter on inflation
Is capitalism supposed to work with the CEO and those around them getting over 300 TIMES what the average worker gets?
Don’t believe so.
Time to recalibrate.
Way past time, actually.
Raising the minimum wage will probably cost me- I’ll pay a bit more for my purchases and the Government will piss away any savings on social services, so my taxes won’t go down.
But, it’s the right thing to do.
(IMHO)
Here are the Poverty Guidlines.
https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/aspe-files/107166/2019-pctpovertytool-highlight.xlsx
Guidlines to get assistance.
https://www.sapling.com/8611298/max-make-still-eligible-welfare
NJ Guidlines
https://whyy.org/articles/explainer-how-new-jerseys-welfare-program-works/
I work for the Shop Rite of Mansfield . The store is not replacing any cashiers. I know because I am one of them. We have self check outs so the customer can scan their items and get out sooner. We also have employees there to either scan you out or correct the issue with the machine. As for raises, we are union. We get raises every year. I came to work for Ronetco when my sons were in school to have some extra income. Through all the years, I've put two boys through college,paid for a wedding and have customers that are like family to all us cashiers on the line. So, please don't knock the cashiers. Oh, and I also work for Kohls( as a cashier!) As for the produce, weather and place of origin play a big factor in what we get in. Some times its great, others not so much. We have no say in what comes in on a truck! Or what Mother Nature does, weather wise. Hope I kind of clear things up for all concerned.
CashierMom +1 stymeister
And in a weird twist of fate, after Walmart teaches it’s poverty-level paid full time employees how to fill out welfare applications because the minimum wage Walmart pays is not a live-able wage and these full time minimum wage working poor get their taxpayer funded SNAP checks, many turn around and buy their food from Walmart.....
Ain’t capitalism grand!
Actually shoprite can and does refuse produce deliveries...must have gotten a great deal on over ripe produce
CashierMom, thanks for the info. I have a question I don't know if you can, or will, answer. I've noticed this trend lately, the last year or two or so, of all the cashiers asking "Did you find everything you were looking for today?" Years ago, once in a while a cashier might ask that, but now it seems like they're robotic about it, like instructed to do it.
One time, I answered, "Well no actually, you don't ever seem to have..." whatever it was I was always looking for at that store. She responded with, "Well you can go and talk to the courtesy desk about it", which sort of makes me think if I had to go to courtesy to discuss it, which I actually knew was what I should do in the first place, then doesn't that somewhat negate the need for the cashier to ask me? What exactly is that cashier going to do with the information that I provide? Nothing.
And before anyone tells me to relax and oh... it's just a conversation starter to be friendly... no, it isn't. It's annoying as heck. I'm already aggravated that you only carry one type of product which I know is available at other Shoprites, and now I have to go there in addition to stopping here, and I really don't feel like having idle chitchat.
Last week, the young fellow asked me that question, and I said "No. Not by a long shot", which was met with a blank stare and no verbal response.
So again, I ask - are they MAKING you ask that question? Do you ever have confrontational guests in response to that? Does management ever brief the cashiers on the various answers they receive?
Just asking because I"m really curious. Also, why do cashiers have to ask if I want my milk in a bag? No. I want my milk jug with its condensation to roll around on the floor of my car and pick up every spec of dirt my kids track in with their shoes. No bag. Just the dirt. Thanks.
MYD Coupons is just a highly inefficient method of marketing, to get you to buy a product. It will go away. Go abroad and see if you find coupons in many countries, you won't.
MYD -- It's tied directly to SR's customer satisfaction survey.... There's a metric for that.... And the survey is tied directly to the cashier, the register, and even the transaction, by date and time.
iJay: don't get me wrong --- I hate coupons, the entire process from time spent to manipulation manifested. But at 30% - 35% discount, $5,000 a year, with combined savings of sale prices (60%) and coupons (40%); if I play the game, I like to win.
Walmart pretty much ends the sale price discount, but coupons alone would be $2,000 a year for me, so until they take the game away.....
Meanwhile folks, a mea culpa on the full time minimum wage = food stamp subsidy rant ---- appears the big story is a study undertaken by partisans, takes one state and extrapolates that to the nation, and may have some questionable estimates (partisan bias). It is a 2014 study, and while others have been made --- and I think I am still in the ballpark ---- from my standpoint, this one needs further research to be fact checked. Gonna take a bit of study because everyone circled around this 2014 study. Of course, Wallymart and McDougal's are not participating in the research; thus I am pretty sure I am in the ballpark, right church --- just need to find a pew. Funny think, one silver-haired candidate is still broadcasting these numbers too.
Ijay
Coupons have been around 50+ years...must be doing something right.....stop visiting socialist countries
"Also, why do cashiers have to ask if I want my milk in a bag? No. I want my milk jug with its condensation to roll around on the floor of my car and pick up every spec of dirt my kids track in with their shoes. No bag. Just the dirt. "
Ha ha, next time you get asked that, why not respond like that? Just wait and see what kind of look you get then.
"Coupons is just a highly inefficient method of marketing, to get you to buy a product.It will go away. Go abroad and see if you find coupons in many countries, you won't."
iJay.. Coupons are actually a highly efficient way of marketing. Almost everyone uses them.
I look for the coupons I receive in the Shop-Rite, Weis and other circulars sent in the mail and use them faithfully. I do not use the digital coupons, however...as I am not very computer literate and do not really understand just how they work.
joyful "Go abroad and see if you find coupons in many countries, you won't." Hmmm. Busted! https://www.statista.com/statistics/480628/european-shoppers-checking-for-coupons/ Gotta love a guy who leaps before he looks......
Joyful, not to worry --- I think almost every digital has a paper version and since the digitals never double ---- you be better off for right now.
"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." -Albert Einstein
"Question the authenticity of all quotes you read on the internet." - Abraham Lincoln
“Coupons are actually a highly efficient way of marketing.”
Agreed
“Almost everyone uses them.”
Disagree. If that were the case then your first statement wouldn’t be true.
Businesses issue coupons to make money. If everyone used the coupons then why would they bother with the expense of marketing them? They’d save money by simply being more competitive in the first place.
Coupons are a marketing scheme, using our human nature of wanting something for nothing and the corresponding feelings that go along with it. But without a doubt they are merely another marketing scheme to make more money, not less by giving everyone a “deal”.
Just google “psychology of coupons” or similar.
Justintime, I speak from experience at a big box store who has a very well known coupon that you get in the mail. They are used by the Marketing team to track user spending habits by zip code. They’re not a scheme.
"20% off any one item?" Can't tell you how many of those I've landfilled in the last dozen years. Probably 140 of the 144...
The easiest way to go beyond 20% on an item is to combine it with a sale. How do you think I get to 35% on every item..... Although you have to watch out for huge discount, small package (that’s what my wife calls me ;-). where a larger package actually costs less per unit/lb/qty.
Jit: I am sure they are efficient; otherwise they wouldn’t exist. But you’re rationale is wanting. Sure, human nature but how about buying market, budging fence sitters, creating first timers, generating revenues, spending margin, beating competition, all sorts of reasons beyond human nature. Any many of those lose margin, not make it. Some may even lose revenue.
As negative as you seem to be on coupons, like it’s a demeaning human trait you would never succumb to, has your better self opted out? Cuz I’m goin to Disneyland! And with my credit card kickbacks, I’m flyin first class.
It’s people that don’t use them that keep the discounts higher thank you very much. And I’m not joshing you. If everyone used them, the first thing that would happen is lower discounts. And then they would just fade away. Same with credit card kickbacks.
It’s not me being negative, it’s just acknowledging what it is.
Have you ever stopped to think that while you are personally benefiting from your couponing (aka playing the *game* dictated by the business) that someone is on the other side of that deal? Folks who dont want to play, those who are too ignorant to play, and those who simply dont care? That’s who’s funding the business profits.
I dont happen to like playing games where others make the rules for their benefit while dictating my choices and behavior. You happen to enjoy the chase, the thrill of the manipulation of human interaction to achieve a desired outcome. Cest la vie.
But no matter your position it still doesn’t change the reality of what it is, more profits for the business by guiding the behavior of their customers thru carrots on a stick...
Ok, we’re straying off topic, again, but I’ve seen “save up to %50 and more.” What does that even mean? Is it up to....or more? Can’t be both, simultaneously. Now....back to self checkout. Oh, forgot. I already left a reply. Or....maybe there’s multiverses! :)
I love the self checkout for less than 20 items. The cashiers don't seem to be upset by the change and none that I knew at Shop-Rite lost a job because of them. Coupons are free money as far as I am concerned. I often save 30% of my bill, especially when combined with sales. A little organization and a little elbow grease means over $2500 a year for my wife and I, love that free money.
MK Bug3, that doesn't make sense. Whenever costs rise prices rise. They do not fire people for paying more rent or more in taxes or even more for product costs. If the cost of business is too onerous then they close the business. If the minimum wage rises it will rise for all stores. All will charge more for doing business and life will go on.
Mets; prices have been rising for a couple years; like 80% of our apple juice is Chinese and under tariff. And when aj goes up, it is likely other juices will follow suit. Suffer the children.
My basket shows 5% inflation two years running and may be higher by year end. Not all of that is tariff, there’s lifestyle changes, and I believe SR carving out a little more margin or holding against the tide of rising costs. Hard to match that with salary raises unless one changes jobs.
Their will always be cashiers available at Shop Rite, a lot of customers need assistance
with checkout. seniors, Mom's and their children, customers with disabilities.
Can not afford to lose the human interaction on all levels.
KWD I hate people who think they are better then others, because of the job they have.
I worked at Walmart for a time and NEVER was I given papers about applying for welfare or SNAP.
And cashiers are NOT full time.
And who doesnt have a quarter lying around in their car for a cart at Srite?
I never have a quarter when I need it, honestly. That’s One of the reasons why that SR is not where I do my shopping.
3wbdwnj Those carts always eat my quarters! I do my shopping at a ShopRite that doesn't use them.
Courtney1 The other day I appeared to have a "fat" quarter. Did not fit in first two carts, third one was a charm!
Then I offered my cart to a new shopper who said, no thanks, appreciate the offer.... Thanks --- now I can walk a mile to a cart hub..... Guess I need to have cleansing wipes to offer with the free cart......sniffle, sniffle.
They don’t give out the cart keys anymore? When SR first started the locked up carts, they gave keys out in case you didn’t have a quarter.
Positive Again...the good folks at SR Customer Service are happy to give you a quarter to obtain a cart.
“And who doesnt have a quarter lying around in their car”
Me.
“They don’t give out the cart keys anymore?”
You can get a quarter if you ask at the courtesy counter.
I have a small cup of change in my car, but I can tell you I hate "paying" for a cart to shop, AND I am not walking all the way in to Courtesy, standing in their interminable lines for a quarter, then having to go back outside for the cart. I have difficulty walking, & going to this store wears me out because of its size & maze-like entrance. Forget trying to just get milk & bread, it's a trek.
Lonesome Dove Well, on one occasion that the carts ate three or four of my quarters, I decided to go to the courtesy counter rather than to the cup o' change in my car.
I handed the woman $1 and explained the events that had just transpired. She replied, "Oh, I'm sorry," took my dollar and handed me four quarters.
I went back out into the bitter cold with my Raynaud's addled fingers to battle the carts yet again. Praise be!!! The luck of the Irish was with me and I got a cart on the very 1st attempt!!!
Grocery shopping just shouldn't be that difficult.
Wow. First, you put a deposit down, you don’t buy, you don’t rent a cart. Most often, without a quarter, you can find a loose cart. And when I go to the counter, they have always just flipped me a quarter. If the carts “ate” four quarters, I am really surprised they didn’t reimburse you. Very odd.
To me, a quarter is not a huge burden in return for less carts laying about. It’s no harder to remember than the drivers license most have to remember to go shopping. Think of those interminable lines, cold weather, long walks, as teachable moments ;-)
Shoprite does not CHARGE one to use a cart.
It’s nice to find a decent parking spot not filled with empty carts.
It’s nice NOT to find cart dings and scratches on my vehicle.
I’m curious, how does the cart eat your quarter? If you can’t release the cart, you usually just wiggle the key thing and it will push your quarter back out.
Bessie "Grocery shopping just shouldn't be that difficult."
It isn't. Order your food online and they can deliver it to your door. How much easier does it get for Americans?
I guess the store could cook it for you as well. Or you could get a reverse mortgage and hire an assistant to help you.
4catmom "I have difficulty walking, & going to this store wears me out because of its size & maze-like entrance. "
They have electric ride on carts for those with difficulty walking. No quarter required. If you are unable to navigate a supermarket under your own power, that would be the safest way for you to do it.
If someone didn't have a quarter, I would give them mine. Or give my cart, if I was done with it. Quarters are the new penny!
Always happy not to have some lazy persons cart smashing my car!
maja2 what is the BIG deal? I keep a quarter in my console- aka cup spot - I replace it each time I return a cart-- I'd rather have the carts in a shed than next to my car.................
how about talking about - and maybe solving - some real problems that affect people not as fortunate as us
Ah, now we enter the territory of personal responsibility vs. community responsibility where the choice is to have your own quarter or depend on the state to provide cart people (good movie fyi) saying it takes a village to corral those carts. Next they will be asking for the wealthy to use two quarters; the middle class one, and we give a free quarter to all the poor. Called the quarterfare state, we know this just leads to the poor living off those quarters. And then there’s those illegal cartians coming in from across the border from Weissico. We need to decart them back to where they came from; it’s ok to separate the illegal cartians from the little hand-held baskets in the process, and let’s build a wall to stop this once and for all time.
“how about talking about - and maybe solving - some real problems that affect people not as fortunate as us“
I just did... Hire someone to do that.
Three Points:
1. I’m not venting, merely relating my experience in response to a few of the aforementioned statements regarding the customer service counter. Perhaps the employee I dealt with was new to the job; I really don’t know.
2. As to how my quarters got eaten? I suffer severe Raynaud’s in addition to neurological damage in both hands. I’m lucky I can get the quarter into the slot, much less fiddle around in the freezing cold attempting to retrieve it.
3. For the individual who didn’t quite comprehend my first post, I solved the problem all by myself by shopping elsewhere.
Courtney, can you ask someone to help you put the quarter in if someone is nearby? I would be happy to help if someone asked me and I give out quarters if you’re stuck without one and are grateful for those that have given me a quarter or a free cart.
Bessie, I don't like to bother people.
One time, a nice gentleman came to my rescue after a cart ate my quarter. The cart began to give him trouble, his wife got all aggravated, and I ended up feeling terrible.
I just go elsewhere; it's not worth the effort.
I dunno......free quarter, aggravated wife, what’s not to like? Throw in a bit of imagined jealousy, a hot day, some melted ice cream and you have a trifecta!!!! One might think about always leaving that quarter in your pocket ;-)
I just keep a small change container in the car for this, drive through, and charity for mentally challenged druggies. That’s what ashtrays are for! (Do they still have ashtrays in new cars, been awhile...)
Try “hey handsome, is that a free cart or are you just happy to see me?”
I agree the first time without a quarter is traumatic. And I have done it more than once. But it’s the price we pay for discourteous carters and I do get less cart scratches. So, I keep change in the car and all those reusable bags, unused, at home. Because that’s just a bridge too far..... :-)
"his wife got all aggravated,"
Yup. I believe it. It's all making sense now. She must have been on her last nerve.
Okay. I'm not a mind reader; I don't know why she was aggravated. I can only surmise that she may have had better things to do than stand around waiting for her husband to help some disabled woman to retrieve HER OWN QUARTER.
I have plenty of quarters; the cup/ashtray in my car runneth over with them. Quarters and money aren't the problem—dexterity is.
Don’t know how many times I have to repeat this, but I solved the problem by shopping elsewhere. Don’t know why my statement/vent/recollection triggers some of you so, but I’m entitled to voice my truth and experiences—just like the rest of you.
Weis is better anyway. Fresh produce. Good sales. Heck, they even gave away the Party Size Stouffers Lasagne for 99c ---- and you did not have to spend $400 to get it. You did not have to spend *anything* to get it -- just scan your card and it's yours.
Party-sized Stouffers Lasagna? $0.99 for the pan and $8 in toilet paper for the bowl over the next three days, lol...
Jeez Iman.....
Sorry Courtney, just meaning to be funning the silly lady, Sorry. And thank you; makes perfect sense you would go elsewhere where you don’t need extra support. I do that too for all sorts of reasons to simplify my dealings.
"Shopping with the hubby can do that. Wallpapering even worse....."
"she may have had better things to do than stand around waiting for her husband to help some disabled woman to retrieve HER OWN QUARTER."
So annoyed by shopping with hubby that one is unable to allow their husband to help a disabled woman?
Res ipsa loquitur
I'd like to think that if I got married again, my wife would care enough about people that she'd chastise me if I did NOT help, or may even beat me to the punch by asking if she could help. I know my ex wouldn't have had a problem with me helping someone, as it's happened before.
I'm not a fan of the self-checkout lanes. In Home depot and other places I've been waved over from an active line with a cashier to the self-checkout area. When told that I preferred a cashier, they always assume that I know nothing about the system or don't know how to do it myself and try to nicely show me how to scan the items. Of course, as usual, either the tape is at an end or clogged in the machine or there's some other issue, which is why I prefer a human.
Yes, the supervisor of that area is taking care of 4 to 8+ stations and those lovely flashing lights continually call them over and often they're harried trying to keep up with continuing issues. At least a human can solve minor issues themselves, like changing the register tape without having to call the head cashier or shift supervisor. Ever been in the self-checkout line at Shop Rite only to have "Unexpected item in the bagging area" be called out by the machine and it locking up? That's the one place I do go to the self-checkouts more often, due to having only 1-5 items to checkout and that's the mantra I hear every other time, requiring me to wait for the supervisor to come over and override the system. I just scanned the freakin' item, so why is it "unexpected?
Of course due to other comments I've made on this and other threads, SOME people seem to have assumed I'm a Luddite, but I assure you it's just my own personal preferences. I started working with computers in the early 70's, where I learned Basic and Fortran (no need for COBOL at the time, as I was always math and science oriented, not a business major when I got to college. As a supervisor at Rickel, I was cross-trained on register and when I became a Manager at R&S Strauss, I not only trained cashiers, but also proved them out (finding where some had made mistakes in their count out report, etc.) and ran the register myself (having no shortages or overages at all, btw). I also oversaw the implementation of the automatic stock replenishment system in several stores and provided feedback on making it better. Obviously I have experience in the area that many don't.
As far as the internet itself, I've been surfing it since around 1997, and using PCs before that, so I've actually embraced technology that I've found useful. Anyone remember the Timex-Sinclair ZX-1? I still have my old one from the 80's with the 128k RAM pack, that plugged in the back of it, LOL. I also have an unused TS-1000, the color and more advanced version. Got rid of many other old units finally when I moved.
Personally, I believe too many people would rather have nothing to do with other people, besides argue with them on the interwebs. Actual social interaction IRL has been replaced/co-opted all to often by seeing people as faceless IDs. People often fight for their beliefs based on what they've found online and tend to see and categorize people based on their own value system and experiences without knowledge of other people's real struggles and challenges. What one may have gone through and survived and thrived, despite the challenges, isn't what others may have experienced and perhaps not done anywhere near as well, due to parental upbringing (or lack of same), genetics, environment, economic or educational opportunities, etc.
By the way, my thanks to the gentleman yesterday who was about to check out at Walmart (along with his 2 children), who asked me if all I had was the wiper blade in my hands and welcomed me to go ahead of him. I initially said "That's OK, I'm in no rush", but he stated that there was plenty of time before he had his cart unloaded anyway, so I accepted his offer. That was quite nice of him and he didn't have to do that, but I definitely appreciated it! Yes, I was avoiding the self-checkout lol and I do often offer to let people in front of myself as well, especially If they have children or an unmanageable armload of stuff. It was awesome to have that returned, especially since I had to make a special trip due to the wiper I bought the night before being wrong.
Phil D. Well, that was an SD level meander..... Did you return it at Walmart Customer Service better known as Dante’s 4th level of hell?
In defense of the “aggravated wife,” my disabilities are not readily apparent to the untrained eye. And at the end of the day, it was neither her nor her husband’s responsibility to accommodate my shopping cart needs.
Phil, I used to get that "unexpected item in the bagging area" a lot myself. One time, a store manager explained that the problem was in how I was bagging the items. The bagged items need to be fully touching the counter in order to get an accurate weight.
In other words, at least as far as Weis goes, what you’ve scanned in weight has to correspond with the items in the bagging area. If the item doesn't weigh properly because the hooks holding the bags are carrying some of the weight, you'll get that unexpected item message. Hope that helps.
Strangerdanger
Of course I did, and had no problem at all returning the wrong wiper blade. When I got to the aisle, I found that the blade with the correct suffix in the right length (-1) was covered over by ones with the wrong suffix (-2) and I'd grabbed the right length, but wrong attachment type by accident. My bad.
Courtney1
Of course it wasn't their responsibility, but if you see another person struggling, even if they don't have an obvious disability I believe in at least asking if they need any assistance. If they don't or would prefer to do it themselves, then that's good too. I don't want to try to push my unwanted help onto someone else either.
Thanks for the explanation too. For some reason it happens when I put the item in the bag while it's still hanging in the bag holder or even if I take it off and set it aside it still seems to do it at SR. I haven't used the self-checkout lanes at Weiss yet so I don't know if it will happen there too.
Phil; the people are nice, slow but nice. And the room looks like the waiting area in a state penitentiary......think I smell the ghost of french fries.... now, Targette; there’s a nice returns desk. Or HDespot, Lowes...
Strangerdanger
LOL, yeah I remember when Mickey D's was there too, as well as the nail salon next door, before the remodel to add the Deli, etc.. Pretty much never had an issue with any of the ones you mention either. It does seem a bit closed and institutional in there though, so I get your point.
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