On Apr 4, 4:51*pm, (Fred/Libby Barclay) wrote:
> Okay.......here are the rest of the stores in the consumer survey. *For
> some reason I left off #10, so I'll start with that . . .

> 14. *Aldi

> 48. *Stop & Sop

Very interesting. I hate the stuff at aldi's except for milk and
eggs, sometimes cheeses. But they are low-priced.

Stop& Shop is less expensive than Shaws mostly, but other than a few
items I can't find elsewhere, they're too expensive for my blood.

maxine in ri

On Apr 4, 4:51*pm, (Fred/Libby Barclay) wrote:
> Okay.......here are the rest of the stores in the consumer survey. *For
> some reason I left off #10, so I'll start with that . . .

Thank you for taking the time to type them in.

maxine in ri

On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 16:51:20 -0400, (Fred/Libby
Barclay) wrote:

>
>Okay.......here are the rest of the stores in the consumer survey. For
>some reason I left off #10, so I'll start with that . . .

>42. BJ's Wholesale Club
>43. Albertsons
>44. Safeway
>45. Jewel-Osco
>46. Giant Eagle
>47. Acme
>48. Stop & Sop
>49. Pick 'n Save
>
>This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
>covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
>of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.

I don't know why BJs is so low on the list... their food quality and
service are pretty good, around here anyway. We like them much better
than Costco.

On 2009-04-04, blake murphy > wrote:

>> The top ten~
>>
>> 1. Wegmans
>> 2. Trader Joe's
>> 3. Publix
>> 4. Raley's
>> 5. Harris-Teeter
>> 6. Fareway
>> 7. Costco
>> 8. Whole Foods
>> 9. Market Basket

Total crap, as usual from CR. All those stores do the same thing. They
sell loss-leader items and screw you blind on the rest. Buy when on deep
sale. Ignore the rest.

nb

"Kajikit" > wrote in message
>
> I don't know why BJs is so low on the list... their food quality and
> service are pretty good, around here anyway. We like them much better
> than Costco.

We don't have a Costco so I can't compare. I do, however. live about equal
distance from three BJ's stores and they are not equal. If you were to visit
each of them you'd be able to rank them 1, 2, 3 easily. Individual mangers
have different standards for their crews, different parking lot layout for
ease of getting to the store entrance, carts, personality of the cashiers
all make a difference. Some stores just have a better "feel" to them.

Tracy wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>> Tracy wrote:
>>> Jean B. wrote:
>>>> We have Shaw's too. I would be curious to know the rating of Stop &
>>>> Shop. That and Shaw's are the usual grocery stores here. Market
>>>> Basket, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods too. The MB that is near here
>>>> is just awful, so I have an irrational prejudice against it. A pity
>>>> because it is cheaper. Therefore, I do find myself going there more
>>>> these days.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Which one is that Jean? Just curious - so I know to avoid it. We
>>> usually shop at one in Nashua.
>>>
>>> -Tracy
>>
>> This one is in Burlington, Mass. Near the almost-closed Expo, and the
>> closed Linens n Things, if you are at all familiar with the area. If
>> you are not, perhaps you will venture out after H-Mart opens. It will
>> have a food court like our favorite Super 88. Now I read it will also
>> have nonfood stalls!!!!! I am glad I am still close enough to avail
>> myself of this!
>>
>
> Ahh, Burlington. I think that is the one the DH dislikes the most. I
> don't go to Burlington much except for the mall.
>
> If H-Mart ever opens, I will definitely be visiting more often. The
> Super 88 is such a downer these days...
>
> -Tracy

Yes, the MB in Burlington is just awful. :-(

--
Jean B.

Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:
> Okay.......here are the rest of the stores in the consumer survey. For
> some reason I left off #10, so I'll start with that . . .
>
> 10. WinCo Foods
> 11. Stater Bros.
> 12. Hy-Vee
> 13. Piggly Wiggly (pertain only to stores
> in Wisconsin, Iowa and Ilinois)
> 14. Aldi
> 15. Fry's Food Stores
> 16. Fred Myer
> 17. Save Mart
> 18. King Soopers
> 19. H-E-B
> 20. SuperTarget
> 21. Hannaford
> 22. ShopRite
> 23. Ingles Markets
> 24. Schnucks
> 25. County Market
> 26. Dillons
> 27. Price Chopper
> 28. Cub Foods
> 29. Sav-a-Lot
> 30. Big-Y
> 31. Bashas'
> 32. Meijer
> 33. Giant Food Stores
> 34. Smith's Food & Drug
> 35. Bi-Lo
> 36. Vons
> 37. Kroger
> 38. Sam's Club
> 39. Ralphs
> 40. Weis Markets
> 41. IGA
> 42. BJ's Wholesale Club
> 43. Albertsons
> 44. Safeway
> 45. Jewel-Osco
> 46. Giant Eagle
> 47. Acme
> 48. Stop & Sop
> 49. Pick 'n Save
>
> This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
> covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
> of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.
>
Thanks for typing this in, Libby.

Oh my! Look at Stop & Shop!!!

--
Jean B.

"Fred/Libby Barclay" > wrote in message
...
>
> Okay.......here are the rest of the stores in the consumer survey. For
> some reason I left off #10, so I'll start with that . . .
>
>>
> This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
> covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
> of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.

Thanks, it makes more sense when I see all of the stores. One point I would
make is that each store can be very different, even just a few miles away.
My closest, newest King Soopers is a real pain. The people are rude
(customers and employees) and the service is poor. Same with some of our
Safeway stores. Yet one of the Safeway in our proximity is great. I think
the manager of each store can make a great store or a mediocre store.

Dale P
>

On Apr 4, 4:49*pm, Pixmaker > wrote:
> Interesting!
>
> Here in South Florida, we have Publix, Walmart, *Winn Dixie and Whole
> Foods.

My big beef with Publix is the packaged produce. I wrote the home
office about it, and got the pat reply that they were protecting my
produce ( do they think ppl don't rewash produce at home?) and that
they are glad to break up packages. Oh sure, it wastes their time and
mine, not to mention packaging material. I wonder what their answer
is to that.

This may seem small, but I hate the parking lots . Angled spots with
barriers. Gimme drive thrus any day.

I don't belong to Costco or any of the other clubs as it wouldn't pay
me to drive that far for the savings. My friends belong and they
waste a lot pf money on gas to go every few weeks and load up on junk
in large quantities.

Waiting for the day I can visit a Trader Joe's.

blake murphy wrote:
>
> On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 09:29:49 -0400, Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:

<snip>

> > 54. Giant
> > 55. Winn-Dixie
> > 56. Walmart Supercenter
> > 57. Shaw's
> > 58. A&P
> > 59. Waldbaum's
> >
> > I thought it was interesting how low Walmart scored. People must shop
> > there even though they hate it!
> >
> > Libby
>
> either that or they don't have the money to go anywhere else.
>
> your pal,
> blake

The original Walmarts were located where there weren't any other places
to shop. Might still be the case?

> wrote in message

I don't belong to Costco or any of the other clubs as it wouldn't pay
me to drive that far for the savings. My friends belong and they
waste a lot pf money on gas to go every few weeks and load up on junk
in large quantities.

********************************************

Yes, it is possible to load up on junk and waste gas. It is also possible
to save a lot of money by careful and sensible shopping. Some items I buy
are far cheaper and easily pay for the 40 mile round trip. Do you want to
pay $1.89 or $3.89 for the same boneless pork loin? Do you want to pay
$1.29 for $.70 for the same chicken thighs? How about butter at $1.55
instead of $3.99?

Some things I like to buying quantity and have, others we don't use much of
so we buy at the local store even if it costs a bit more. A 40 mile trip is
$3 in gas, but the savings on the pork alone is about $10. Te savings to
fill two propane tanks is another $10 a few times a year. We make the trip
once a month and spend about $250.

"Arri London" > wrote in message
>
> The original Walmarts were located where there weren't any other places
> to shop. Might still be the case?

You may be right is the south where they started. Not the case at all here
in New England, one of the last areas they built. We still have plenty of
stores if Wal Mart went away, just as we did before they came. Many chains
have come and gone is the past 20 or 30 years though.

Ames
Bradley's
Two Guys
The Fair
Lechmere
Giant
Jumbo
Caldor
Zayres
Montgomery Ward
Filenes
Edward's
Finast
probably a bunch of others I've missed

Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

[ Costco ]

>Yes, it is possible to load up on junk and waste gas. It is also possible
>to save a lot of money by careful and sensible shopping. Some items I buy
>are far cheaper and easily pay for the 40 mile round trip. Do you want to
>pay $1.89 or $3.89 for the same boneless pork loin? Do you want to pay
>$1.29 for $.70 for the same chicken thighs? How about butter at $1.55
>instead of $3.99?

If you're only buying non-animal products it is more difficult
to justify the Costco membership.

Steve

On Apr 4, 5:21*pm, notbob > wrote:
> On 2009-04-04, blake murphy > wrote:
>
> >> The top ten~
>
> >> 1. Wegmans
> >> 2. Trader Joe's
> >> 3. Publix
> >> 4. Raley's
> >> 5. Harris-Teeter
> >> 6. Fareway
> >> 7. Costco
> >> 8. Whole Foods
> >> 9. Market Basket
>
> Total crap, as usual from CR. *All those stores do the same thing. *They
> sell loss-leader items and screw you blind on the rest. *Buy when on deep
> sale. *Ignore the rest.

Shhhh! If there weren't folks who foolishly paid full price, you and
I couldn't get those loss leaders.
I mostly shop at Shop'n Save, a Supervalu chain.
>
> nb

--Bryan

Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
>
> Or in many small towns, Wal Mart has driven the small grocers out of
> business. Plus, you can get all the Wal Mart type stuff in the same
> trip, i.e. a quart of oil. I run up to Wal Mart for milk and
> half&half, when Aldi isn't open. They're closer and cheaper than the
> supermarkets.
> One really awful thing is their brined beef (enhanced with a
> solution).


One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
until Walmart opened Her store closed one year later, along with the
store next door to her, which was a fabric store. This is why some
communities do not care for Walmart.


Becca

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> "Arri London" > wrote in message
>> The original Walmarts were located where there weren't any other places
>> to shop. Might still be the case?
>
> You may be right is the south where they started. Not the case at all here
> in New England, one of the last areas they built. We still have plenty of
> stores if Wal Mart went away, just as we did before they came. Many chains
> have come and gone is the past 20 or 30 years though.
>
> Ames
> Bradley's
> Two Guys
> The Fair
> Lechmere
> Giant
> Jumbo
> Caldor
> Zayres
> Montgomery Ward
> Filenes
> Edward's
> Finast
> probably a bunch of others I've missed
>
>
Jordan Marsh...

Your list brings back memories.

--
Jean B.

Becca said...

> Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
>>
>> Or in many small towns, Wal Mart has driven the small grocers out of
>> business. Plus, you can get all the Wal Mart type stuff in the same
>> trip, i.e. a quart of oil. I run up to Wal Mart for milk and
>> half&half, when Aldi isn't open. They're closer and cheaper than the
>> supermarkets.
>> One really awful thing is their brined beef (enhanced with a
>> solution).
>
>
> One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
> until Walmart opened Her store closed one year later, along with the
> store next door to her, which was a fabric store. This is why some
> communities do not care for Walmart.
>
>
> Becca


Not to mention, Walmart is the most employee discriminatory, un-green
company on the planet!!!

I wouldn't spend my last red cent there!

Andy

"Becca" > wrote in message
> One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
> until Walmart opened Her store closed one year later, along with the
> store next door to her, which was a fabric store. This is why some
> communities do not care for Walmart.

Yet some high end bike shops are thriving. You can't compete with Wal Mart
for the every day kids bike but when it comes to higher end stuff WM has
nothing like it.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> "Becca" > wrote in message
>> One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
>> until Walmart opened Her store closed one year later, along with the
>> store next door to her, which was a fabric store. This is why some
>> communities do not care for Walmart.
>
> Yet some high end bike shops are thriving. You can't compete with Wal Mart
> for the every day kids bike but when it comes to higher end stuff WM has
> nothing like it.
>
>
And you don't have to spend a lot more to get good quality. I am very
active in biking and often friends who want to get into biking will ask
for recommendations.

We have two very competent reasonably priced local bike shops that will
spend the time to make sure you get a good fit and won't sell you a pile
of junk. While they have $5,000 bikes you don't have to spend a lot more
than wally to get a good bike. They will ignore my recommendations
because wally tells them they are their buddy in all of their marketing
and buy a POS bike that has crappy components and doesn't work smoothly
and maybe doesn't even fit them so they will go out one time and get
disgusted and never try again.

If enough people do this the local bike shop can't keep the doors open.
I know the place I usually use is hinting about closing.

Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:

> 56. Walmart Supercenter
....
> I thought it was interesting how low Walmart scored. People must shop
> there even though they hate it!

And the board of directors is laughing their asses off all the way
to the bank.

Their newest stunt is developing a new U.S. store format that caters
to... get this... Mexicans.

-sw

Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:

> I received my Consumer Reports magazine yesterday, and it's all about
> grocery shopping and how to save.
>
> They surveyed 32,599 people and the rankings are based on service,
> perishables (quality of meat and produce), price and cleanliness.

The fact that they only surveyed Consumer Reports subscribers makes
the whole survey completely flawed.

A typical consumer only has 3-4 stores to choose from and their
opinions are relative to some imaginary standard. It's meaningless
to rate the stores next to each other unless everyone is able to
shop at most of the stores being surveyed.

-sw

"Becca" wrote:
> Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
>>
>> Or in many small towns, Wal Mart has driven the small grocers out of
>> business. Plus, you can get all the Wal Mart type stuff in the same
>> trip, i.e. a quart of oil. I run up to Wal Mart for milk and
>> half&half, when Aldi isn't open. They're closer and cheaper than the
>> supermarkets.
>> One really awful thing is their brined beef (enhanced with a
>> solution).
>
>
> One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
> until Walmart opened Her store closed one year later, along with the
> store next door to her, which was a fabric store. This is why some
> communities do not care for Walmart.
>
>
> Becca

A small bicycle shop should have easily survived, they should have been
selling far superior products, be highly knowledeable about bicycle
technology, and service what they sell, Walmart sells mostly low end
bicycles and gives zero service. The same is true for a fabric store,
Walmart fabrics are garbage, and Walmart has no one who can give sewing
advice.

Most often the big box stores put the small privately owned specialty stores
out of business because for many years small neighborhood stores were the
only show in town and took advantage: they over charged and gave lousy
service, and many sold inferior products at large markup... I see that all
the time; paint store, hardware store, lumber yard, office supply store,
fabric store, window treatment stores. appliance store, the list is endless.
There is no reason to patronize a small neighborhood shop when they over
charge AND do not give service... most people will pay higher prices IF they
are properly serviced and not met with rudeness. The small neighborhood
stores disappeared because they were unwilling to respect their customers,
they never had to. However there are still plenty of small sole
proprietorships that do quite well, because they adjusted their attitude.
My small town had stores that didn't make it, the small Ace Hardware owner
was rude, just sat there, would never get up to help find something, when
you asked for something at best if he acknowleded your presence at all he'd
say in a begrudging tone to say end of aisle three... if you bought
something or not he never said thank you, come again. But we have a toy
store that beats toys r us all to heck, they give customers undivided
attention and their politeness is sincere. Small stores got knocked out of
business because they never should have been in business to begin with, but
often they were the only show in town... they didn't have the business
acumen to deal with competition... they're the type with the mindset that
believes sampling produce is bad... success in business is predicated on one
reaps what they sow. Our new toy store has been there three years, and has
already expanded to take over the next store space... whether their parents
buy something or not every kid that enters their store leaves with a free
complimentary toy... it's amazing how quickly a disappointed kid's tears
stop when a 25¢ waterpaint set is thrust in their hand, and how far that
goes towards people returning.

Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:

> This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
> covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
> of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.

36,000 people took the survey documenting 48,000 trips to the
grocery store? That would mean a awful lot of people never even
shopped at any of those stores.

A recently published survey found that 94.42% of all surveys had
serious flaws. And this on is no exception.

-sw

"George" wrote
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:

>> Yet some high end bike shops are thriving. You can't compete with Wal
>> Mart for the every day kids bike but when it comes to higher end stuff WM
>> has nothing like it.

> And you don't have to spend a lot more to get good quality. I am very
> active in biking and often friends who want to get into biking will ask
> for recommendations.

There's a local one here and I won't trust any others with my bike. It's a
genuine Japapnese Cultech. Not the light little racing model which is all
you see here, but the real workhorse type used to pull loads or work-carts,
deliver goods (anything that doesnt mandate a truck).

He works on high end bikes but also will fix (upgrade) the lower end ones
for kids if the frame is made of anything better than pot metal. As a
sideline, he works on smaller mopeds and scooters too which is filling the
gap nicely.

He also has a lot of good bike gear like decent helmets and side mirrors
that aren't crappy and fade out in 6 months.

"Arri London" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>
> The original Walmarts were located where there weren't any other places
> to shop. Might still be the case?

Right. All those people sat around naked and ate dirt because there wasn't
any place to shop? Of course there were places to shop. They just weren't
mega coporation marts.

Not only were there places to shop but they were owned by the same people
that lived in the community. People worked in those places. Those places
to shop bought their goods from manufacturers and farmers in other
communities. And so on and so on.

Now there's only mega corp and they buy everything you could need from
China. The wages at mega corp are so low the people that used to have
decent paying jobs and could afford to shop at local stores can only afford
to shop at mega corp and that's only because the other people in their
community help support them with food stamps and medicaid.

And now mega corp is so large and bloated they're spreading like some kind
of disease. They have put so many small stores and manufacturers out of
business they have become the only place to shop.

But they were most definitely not the only place to shop to start with. It
took concerted effort on their part to make it that way.

Ms P

"Sqwertz" wrote
> Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:
>
>> I received my Consumer Reports magazine yesterday, and it's all about
>> grocery shopping and how to save.
>>
>> They surveyed 32,599 people and the rankings are based on service,
>> perishables (quality of meat and produce), price and cleanliness.
>
> The fact that they only surveyed Consumer Reports subscribers makes
> the whole survey completely flawed.

My thoughts too but it was at least interesting to see. I also *suspect*
that people who are consumer reports *subscribers* have above average
incomes hence the higher end stores mostly came out on top? Thats what it
seemed to be from my angle at least.

> A typical consumer only has 3-4 stores to choose from and their
> opinions are relative to some imaginary standard. It's meaningless
> to rate the stores next to each other unless everyone is able to
> shop at most of the stores being surveyed.

I didnt even recognize the name of some of them and others I know only from
friends who have mentioned them.

Lets see, my area: Norfolk roughly but well south of the nearest TJ's (a
100+ mile round trip). No particular order other than as they come to mind:

Harris Teeter (F) (V) 1m
Krogers (F) (V) 1.2m
Food Lion (V) 2m
Big Lot (Big Lots?) 1.5m
Sams 1m
BJ's (B) (P) (C) (N) (O) 1.5m
Walmart 1.2m
Farm Fresh (F) (V) 2m
American Asian Market (F) (P) (D) (V) (C) (O) 3m

Of them, I've not used Sams or Big Lot and rarely Walmart (cans, shampoos
etc)

F= Fish/seafood, V = Fresh Veggies, B= Beef, P= Pork, C= Chicken, N=
Non-grocery Misc, O= Other food items. I listed what I use each one for.

The Asian Grocery (AAM) is actually a small chain here and probably not
related to any of similar name elsewhere. It's well known locally though
and almost everyone I know has been there at least a few times if not a
regular customer.

Being in a large city, all of these are within 3 miles of my house. I
listed distance too.
There are other big chains too, but these are the ones I am familiar with.
So if they wanted a survey of the 8 first listed ones, my area would work.
But then, they have local surveys on them and here, Krogers and Farm Fresh
do well as does BJ's and Sams (and our local AAM). Krogers, Farm Fresh, and
Food Lion are all variable in quality depending on area and the regional
managers.

On Apr 5, 8:35*am, "Jean B." > wrote:
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> > "Arri London" > wrote in message
> >> The original Walmarts were located where there weren't any other places
> >> to shop. Might still be the case?
>
> > You may be right is the south where they started. *Not the case at all here
> > in New England, one of the last areas they built. *We still have plenty of
> > stores if Wal Mart went away, just as we did before they came. * Many chains
> > have come and gone is the past 20 or 30 years though.
>
> > Ames
> > Bradley's
> > Two Guys
> > The Fair
> > Lechmere
> > Giant
> > Jumbo
> > Caldor
> > Zayres
> > Montgomery Ward
> > Filenes
> > Edward's
> > Finast
> > probably a bunch of others I've missed
>
> Jordan Marsh...
>
> Your list brings back memories.

Jean, you read my mind. A tad more local, but Almacs Supermarkets,
Bread & Circus ( bought out by Whole Paycheck), Further afield, Steve
and Barry's <?> a sports clothes store.

maxine in ri

On Apr 5, 10:35*am, George > wrote:
> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> > "Becca" > wrote in message
> >> One of my friends is visiting this weekend, and she owned a bicycle shop
> >> until Walmart opened *Her store closed one year later, along with the
> >> store next door to her, which was a fabric store. *This is why some
> >> communities do not care for Walmart.
>
> > Yet some high end bike shops are thriving. *You can't compete with Wal Mart
> > for the every day kids bike but when it comes to higher end stuff WM has
> > nothing like it.
>
> And you don't have to spend a lot more to get good quality. I am very
> active in biking and often friends who want to get into biking will ask
> for recommendations.
>
> We have two very competent reasonably priced local bike shops that will
> spend the time to make sure you get a good fit and won't sell you a pile
> of junk. While they have $5,000 bikes you don't have to spend a lot more
> than wally to get a good bike. They will ignore my recommendations
> because wally tells them they are their buddy in all of their marketing
> and buy a POS bike that has crappy components and doesn't work smoothly
> and maybe doesn't even fit them so they will go out one time and get
> disgusted and never try again.
>
> If enough people do this the local bike shop can't keep the doors open.
> I know the place I usually use is hinting about closing.

I've not bought a new bike in 40 years, and that one was a paint-
chipped frame that the guy made into a 5-speed for me (I never did
like 10-speeds). The rest of our bikes over the last 20 years have
been sidewalk specials or dumpster diving finds. Hubby usually finds
they need some minor repairs, does them (it pays to be mechanically
inclined) and off we go. I'm now riding a 15 speed that doesn't go
into high gear, so it's a 10 speed. DH has one that all the folks in
the MS 150 drool over, since it's an classic of some sort or another.
Oh, wait. we did spend $60 for my DD's bike. Came off of Craigslist.

maxine in ri

On Apr 5, 10:46*am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:
> > I received my Consumer Reports magazine yesterday, and it's all about
> > grocery shopping and how to save.
>
> > They surveyed 32,599 people and the rankings are based on service,
> > perishables (quality of meat and produce), price and cleanliness.
>
> The fact that they only surveyed Consumer Reports subscribers makes
> the whole survey completely flawed.
>
> A typical consumer only has 3-4 stores to choose from and their
> opinions are relative to some imaginary standard. *It's meaningless
> to rate the stores next to each other unless everyone is able to
> shop at most of the stores being surveyed.
>
> -sw

Not flawed, any more than any other self-selected group. But for the
people who do read CR, or subscribe to it, it's a good-sized
representative sample.

You couldn't really do a nation-wide survey like that, since there are
many stores in small areas where the sample would be too small to draw
any meaningful information from. "I do all my shopping at Dave's
Markets" a 4 store chain in RI only. What would their rating on the
list be (probably pretty high, since they have good prices, good
selection, and very good service) but what good would that do someone
in Iowa?

A lot of their store surveys don't do me much good, since many chains
haven't gotten here yet. Hmart, for example, or 88. So I make do
with the small, cramped Asian markets, all 4 of them in my
neiborhood. I'm bummed that the one Medeterranian market has now
switched to Japanese-Korean goods.

maxine in ri

http://www.supermarketi.info/index.php?action=flashZup

> wrote in message
...
On Apr 4, 4:49 pm, Pixmaker > wrote:

I don't belong to Costco or any of the other clubs as it wouldn't pay
me to drive that far for the savings. My friends belong and they
waste a lot pf money on gas to go every few weeks and load up on junk
in large quantities.

Waiting for the day I can visit a Trader Joe's.

I know what you mean about Costco. We dropped our membership for years, and
would use the neighbor's card for the occasional trip for a special need.
Then they opened a new Costco near us last fall. I am really enjoying
shopping there. The produce is great, and even with just two of us, very
little goes to waste. The big bag of onions are a great product at a great
price. Items we cannot use up, we split the bag with friends. The apples
and pears are the best I've ever had, and the price is a fraction of the
grocery stores. We buy meat and freeze it. That has been hard for me to
get used to, as I always just bought fresh meat as we needed it. I now have
to remember to get meat out of the freezer for tomorrow's meal. They have
a great selections of frozen fish that is always excellent quality. I wish
Costco had a better selection of canned goods, as I do not mind buying
quantity of an item that keeps. My contact lenses are also major cheap at
Costco. The laundry, dishwasher, detergent and so on are good prices, but
not much better than the sales at other stores. The only thing that is too
big a buy for us is the spring mix salad. I usually end up dumping some of
it, but it still comes out cheaper and better than the super market. We do
NOT buy junk or items we would not buy anyway.

We don't have Trader Joes, and I don't think they will come here soon as
they cannot sell wine in the grocery here. But Whole Foods is selling a few
stores that would be great locations for TJ. The TJ's I have been to look
like a lot of fun stuff. Time will tell.

Later,

DP

Dale P

On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:29:57 -0400, George wrote:

> blake murphy wrote:
>> On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 09:29:49 -0400, Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:
>>
>>> I received my Consumer Reports magazine yesterday, and it's all about
>>> grocery shopping and how to save.
>>>
>>>
>>> I thought it was interesting how low Walmart scored. People must shop
>>> there even though they hate it!
>>>
>>> Libby
>>
>> either that or they don't have the money to go anywhere else.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>
> No, just folks responding to big box marketing. I have been dragged into
> walmart supercenters a couple times and know that it would definitely
> cost more to buy the same stuff there.

actually, there is no wal-mart within striking distance of me. but even if
there was, i don't think i would go there unless it was for a specific
item, which wouldn't be groceries.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:43:00 -0400, Goomba wrote:

> gilb wrote:
>
>> That's always been a problem I've had with CR. A majority if their "top
>> choices" of products they review are frequently not available to the
>> average consumer.
>
> Such as? I've never experienced that problem (if it is one?)

when i was thinking of buying a new computer last spring, at least two of
their top choices (budget division) weren't available anywhere, even
online. this was maybe two months after the issue came out.

but the only thing i've heard that they routinely suck at evaluating is
audio equipment. i do check out (when possible) what they have to say
about small appliances and the like.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:28:05 -0400, Jean B. wrote:

> Tracy wrote:
>> Jean B. wrote:
>>> We have Shaw's too. I would be curious to know the rating of Stop &
>>> Shop. That and Shaw's are the usual grocery stores here. Market
>>> Basket, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods too. The MB that is near here
>>> is just awful, so I have an irrational prejudice against it. A pity
>>> because it is cheaper. Therefore, I do find myself going there more
>>> these days.
>>>
>>
>> Which one is that Jean? Just curious - so I know to avoid it. We usually
>> shop at one in Nashua.
>>
>> -Tracy
>
> This one is in Burlington, Mass. Near the almost-closed Expo, and
> the closed Linens n Things, if you are at all familiar with the
> area. If you are not, perhaps you will venture out after H-Mart
> opens. It will have a food court like our favorite Super 88. Now
> I read it will also have nonfood stalls!!!!! I am glad I am still
> close enough to avail myself of this!

if it's anything like the h-mart near me (wheaton, md - listed as silver
spring for some reason), you're in for a treat. jesus, they have a lot of
stuff! it's tilted towards korean.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:50:04 -0700, Joseph Littleshoes wrote:

> Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:
>> I received my Consumer Reports magazine yesterday, and it's all about
>> grocery shopping and how to save.
>>
>> They surveyed 32,599 people and the rankings are based on service,
>> perishables (quality of meat and produce), price and cleanliness.
>>
>> They have 59 stores listed, with the highest overall score being 87 out
>> of 100, and the lowest being 64.
>>
>> The top ten~
>>
>> 1. Wegmans
>> 2. Trader Joe's
>
> For some reason i have started to get Trader Joe's catalogues in the
> mail, up until that happened i was curious about the stores that so many
> people here find fascinating.
>
> Having seen the catalogue im no longer interested. Im pretentious
> enough on my own, i don't need a grocery store to provide me with a
> patina of sophistication at inflated prices

how odd. i find their flyers surprisingly down-to-earth. you gotta admit
they're a little different.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 23:03:26 GMT, l, not -l wrote:
>
> I don't buy ANY prepared food (lobster-stuffed, bacon-wrapped, blah-blah -
> pop it in the oven/microwave/blah), at TJ's or at the chains; that kind of
> thing they do seem to go overboard describing in their mailing. I don't
> drink, therefor don't buy, wine, another thing they seem to push in their
> mailings.

i'm a sucker for clip art, so i think their flyers are funny.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy wrote:

> i'm a sucker for clip art, so i think their flyers are funny.

LOL! As a graphics and marketing person, I think they are quite
effective in their "anti-graphics" approach. They don't need the
flash-bang effect to get the message across. Less is more, perhaps?

They do seem to value artists that can do signage lettering and
illustration by hand in each store. That might be a cool job to have if
you are a cartoonist and can create on the fly.

--Lin

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message

> Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:

>> This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
>> covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
>> of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.

> 36,000 people took the survey documenting 48,000 trips to the
> grocery store? That would mean a awful lot of people never even
> shopped at any of those stores.

> A recently published survey found that 94.42% of all surveys had
> serious flaws. And this on is no exception.

I don't take any of CR's "surveys" to mean anything. Their methodology is
completely removed from standard polling procedure, because it's a
self-selecting group. It only includes CR readers, who are likely more
educated and affluent than average, and of those, only CR readers who choose
to respond to the questionnaire. I can accept anecdotal reports from their
readers, but not any rankings or statistics.

"cat" > wrote in message
...
> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>
>> Fred/Libby Barclay > wrote:
>
>>> This survey was held between April 2007 and April 2008. The survey
>>> covers a total of 48, 831 visits; and findings reflect the experiences
>>> of their readers, not necessarily those of the general population.
>
>> 36,000 people took the survey documenting 48,000 trips to the
>> grocery store? That would mean a awful lot of people never even
>> shopped at any of those stores.
>
>> A recently published survey found that 94.42% of all surveys had
>> serious flaws. And this on is no exception.
>
> I don't take any of CR's "surveys" to mean anything. Their methodology is
> completely removed from standard polling procedure, because it's a
> self-selecting group. It only includes CR readers, who are likely more
> educated and affluent than average, and of those, only CR readers who
> choose to respond to the questionnaire. I can accept anecdotal reports
> from their readers, but not any rankings or statistics.


*spraying wildly*

This is my turf, beeeetch.

cybercat > wrote:

> "cat" > wrote in message

....[snipped]

> *spraying wildly*
>
> This is my turf, beeeetch.

Now, now ladies (supposedly). Settle down while I go grab the
catnip, camera, and body oil.

-sw