13 Things Your Grocer Won't Tell You

#1 is way off. The busiest time is between 4pm and 7pm. I don't know why on earth anyone would voluntarily grocery shop at 5pm when everyone is stopping by on their way home from work. Awful advice. And while I do see "grazers" occasionally (although it's more from the bakery and produce departments than the deli) it doesn't really fit as something "grocers won't tell you." They gladly tell you when they post signs that say "we prosecute shoplifters."

No. 13 is sad...sad...and true

PLEASE. Always make sure you are paying the right price.If the tag reads "save" check the dates.
Marketing for grocery chains are now changing their sale tags weekly up to 10,000... who can keep up with that? Well truth is they don't whatever the price is on the shelf is what you should pay. Check your receipts if you see a discrepancy take it to the manager. It is against the law to advertise a lower price then what actually scans. This is mostly true on "ad day" most tags are not hung many are thrown away therefor pricing nightmares!!!

I don't see the big deal with fancy cars in parking lots. People do have to eat. So be it that they have a Rolls, Lambo, or even a Porche.

Now heres something they wont tell you. The guy/girl talking on the iPhone putting two full carts full of food into their cars probably didnt pay cash or credit for the food.

Another fun one: We don't like when you abandon your cart in the middle of an aisle full of food. If your smart enough to read, then be smart enough to put the stuff back if your not buying it. Its common cortesy that allows us to not have to throw out a spoiled gallon of milk and a melted box of ice cream.

Heres a good one this guy left out. If you used the self checkout machine, dont come back in and try to blame a courtesy clerk (bag boy) for breaking your eggs. We can read the receipt... We're not that stupid.

Also: I'm a stock clerk, not a go-for boy. I can hand you something close by if I am in the way, but I am not going to walk three aisles over for something.

Heres a great one he missed: The shopping cart that looks like a car... Yeah... The one you let your kids in... We dont wash them. If the kid before yours had a cold, or even the flu, then you are out of luck. Please use the wipes. Those bulky carts are disgusting.

We lock up the following: Sudaphed, Ephedrine, Razors, pregnancy tests, and fancy wine. Why? Sticky fingers and clumsy hands.

The final tidbit we should address: Your "green" bags do confuse the new baggers. Don't get mad that he is clueless, most places wont train their employees for more than a couple hours at most.

good advice, thanks

Absolutely incomprehensible article. What was the point of #7? How to cheat people?

#2 is not the best advice in the world. I work in a small grocery store and I get really annoyed at the people who reach to the back and get the newer dates on the milk. When milk goes out of date we have to dump it. For one thing that's a waste of food and for another the owner has to eat the cost, no returns to the dairy on outdated milk. If you are likely to use the milk before the date on the carton then just get the one in the front. After all your local grocer is just trying to make a living too!! :))

No, shopping at dinnertime is the absolute WORST thing you can do. Everyone spends all day thinking about what to cook for dinner and as soon as 5pm hits, it's madness. They flock to the grocery store in droves! The best time is between 10am-3pm or after 9pm. Personally, I do my shopping even later then that. Between 11p & 1am. The stores are clean, quiet and empty, and you wouldn't believe the sales! But I live in Los Angeles and the stores in my area are open till 2a or 24hrs.

The editors of this article need to get out and see how people are buying now of days. To save gas and time buying in quantity, and breaking it down to meal size for the family is getting more popularity than running to the store every day. Everyone want to save money, so, don't worry about the sales on name brand items, buy the store brand, it's a little hard to mess up diced tomatoes, canned veggies, ketsup, parm. cheese, flour, sugar.etc.

If you're a real estate agent with a ferrari, where the heck do you put the groceries?

i'm hungry- best time to graze and shop

I see Number 7 happening all the time. Children are crying that they are hungry, so mom reaches for a package of cookies, opens it and give each child a cookie and then puts the package back on the shelf. What is even worse than that is when people walk by the fruits. Always hit the grapes first. The open a package and eat, thinking that the fruit is free. What's even worse than that is seeing a loaf of bread being open and taking out three or four slices and then putting the rest back on the shelf.
Some people like to taste the butter or margarine before they buy. That is a sick one. Because they never buy the one they open.

The best time to grocery shop is Saturday evening. Everyone is out to eat, shopping, at a movie, or doing something more fun than grocery shopping! Here's another hint--the milk, eggs, and oj located near the store's door are usually the items that are near to their expiration date.

sorry I couldn't get past #1, dinnertime is always the most crowded, people are always stopping on their way home from work to grab something. Also wednesday is senior day. And I've NEVER seen infant formula, razors or cough medicine LOCKED up. Gimme a break!

This is my first trying this comment page. I like to say is when I shop at any of the local grocery store I do like to get my moneys worth. I do know that when the big guys put all the prices on there products thy are post to put with that price will pay part for all the bills, cashiers, baggers, and any other stuff. I can say that when we all as consumers goes to that new check out system that you do all the work of a cashier, and baggier, should you get paid for doing there job or better yet lets get a discount on all the items that you buy by using the new do it your self check out.
Thank You
Good Day

you forgot the most important thing...

the quality of the bagging of the cashier greatly increases as her looks decrease, and her age and weight increase...

if you only have a few items, go ahead to the line with the hot cashier... but if you got a whole cart, and you want your bags packed properly - go for the ugly old fat chick's line....

Talk about not knowing the basics..........I could have written a more in formed article

Two things -
First --
I dont know how many grocers the author of this article talked to who refused to tell them these things. But I've known several grocers and not a one of them would hesitate to tell you any of these things - if you asked.
Several of them are basic marketing -- variations of which are used in every business -- including publishing.
Kind of like using exagerated unsubstantiated charges in your title to entice people to read your article.
Second -
Most of these things are common sense.
If you NEED to be TOLD them - if you can't open your eyes and figure them out for yourself --- I would love to play poker with you.

As I've seen a few people comment on #1, I will also call BS. I work at a grocery store and dinnertime is a terrible time to go grocery shopping! Helen is right, most people come in after work and stand in line for a long time. The best time to go is early in the morning, it doesn't matter what day of the week. I will also suggest staying far far away from any grocery store on the 1st-3rd of each month when people receive money on their EBT cards. The lines will be insanely long, I guarantee it. I also agree with Carl, please don't come into our store 5-15 minutes before we close and expect to get fast service when everyone else has the same "bright" idea you had. If you want to go grocery shopping so late, then go to WALMART!! And these are not trade secrets of any grocery store, therefore I fail to see the point in this article.

As a food industry veteran myself, I find this article poorly written and useless. Thats why I'm starting my own CPG related blog to put this poor journalism to shame

I'd love to shop later but, our deli closes up at 7PM go figure. This is no little store either it's a lrg. chain.