Problem with Grocery Outlet?

[feralinmendo]

Check the wine prices online. GO has quite a selection of bargain priced wines in stock, but beware. The bottles will be marked with the actual retail price, in GO, as well as the "usual retail" price of the bottle. I have found bottles that were said to "retail" for $14.99, marked down to 6.99 in GO, but actually selling for $3.99 in BevMo. I have begun to go to GO, write down the variety, brand, and vintage of a particular wine, then go home and google it. I do that with several of the wines that I am interested in. This gives me actual retail prices, as well as a review of the quality of the wine. I then go back to the store, and put together a case to buy. This is a bit time consuming, but serves me well to distinguish the bargains from the 'disasters'.

I have expressed my concern with my local store about the discrepancies in "retail price" on wine, but my email went unanswered.

[chollie]

I found the same for hard liquors. CVS was cheaper.

[Stargazer]

Wine is not my main focus when shopping since I do not drink it often, although I do occasionally buy wine to bring to a gathering. I have actually been able to find some pretty good deals at the Grocery Outlet in SR on wine for $3.99 to about $5.99. It has all been fairly quality wine. One has to know wines, the regions where the grapes are grown and where it is distributed for a start. It is also important to make sure there is a price that is marked on the wine or have it scanned at the register prior to making the purchase. I have put wine back on the shelf at the GO in SR when the price is more than it is marked or it is not marked at all. Or when it is scanned at the register the price is more than I am willing to pay. I have actually done okay at the GO in SR providing that I am cautious and am not in a hurry.

Due to deceptive business practices or human errors, the higher costs generally come out in the favor of the business I have found, usually not for the benefit of the customer. I choose to limit how much and what I shop for at the GO in SR these days. When I do shop at the GO in SR, it is only for a few items that I choose very carefully. I always know in advance before I pay for a product how much it actually costs. Overall the Grocery Outlet in SR is just a tricky store. It is the kind of a store where the "customer must be aware, detailed and take their time" when shopping. This lessens the potential for mistakes to occur generally and usually not to one's advantage. The prices change all the time on the same items and many of the items at the GO in SR are not marked with prices at all. Some of the items are marked incorrectly, specifically the organic ones that can be more expensive than they appear to be. I feel that the owner/manager at the GO in SR is dishonest and is a nasty man. I do not particularly like to shop there as much as I once did. I am lucky though. I have a car and have the option of shopping in numerous stores.

There have been a few times when I have caught the management being underhanded while I was shopping at the GO in SR. I have brought these errors/substantial price mark ups on items to the attention of the cashier when I was at the register. The items would be marked for a lesser price on the shelf but would ring up for a higher price at the cash register. If the manager/owner was called to come to the register by the cashier, I have seen him run to the back of the store or to the shelf where the item was from and quickly switch the price tag to make it higher to match the way it rang up at the cash register. When this has happened, I would put the item back and not purchase it. I have observed numerous prices tags on top of others for the same items and have seen them being switched by the management for their benefit. I am writing about this store from my own experiences and observations with this store for many years.
It is imperative to check the dates carefully on all items since many are close to or are out of date.

In conclusion, if one is careful, there can be some great deals to be had at the GO in SR. Be sure to save the receipts though, since many items can be spoiled due to poor refrigeration at times and other reasons why many items may appear to be okay but are spoiled. When that happens, the GO in SR will refund your money or exchange the item towards another item. What bothers me the most though is to witness the most vulnerable people being taken advantage of, specifically when they are noticeably disabled or are the elderly people on small fixed incomes who live across the street from the GO in SR. They are within walking distance to this store and usually do not or cannot drive. That puts limits on their shopping choices. Most people these days are on tight budgets due to the high cost of living. They do not have the energy or the where with all to have to be so detailed when they shop. Or perhaps they are just honest people who trust. That would be fine if the other side of the equation is trustworthy. I do believe that most people are honorable. It just takes a few rotten apples to spoil the bunch.

So people, please do not shoot the messenger, me. I am just trying to raise some awareness out there. It is very possible that the GO in SR is not the only establishment that does business like this. Whether something is caused by human error or it is done purposely, it is best to take your time so you do not do a disservice to yourself. Try to be aware and attentive when you shop, especially if you are living on a budget and must stretch your dollar to the best of your ability. Or when possible, if necessary, have someone help you shop or shop with a friend and help each other to live within your means.

[danargraves]

I believe that was just one employee. Why did you speculate it was store policy and put that on another employee? You seem to have had a negative attitude in place about the business with naming it " groce out". Why create conflict and suspicion when according to what you wrote, you were not at all sure what the store operation is about.

I have never had any problem with any Grocery Outlet and am very glad they are around especially as they do sell some organic foods and organic meats at a far better price than the other stores as well as dry goods, wine and other beverage prices. Check out dollar stores and 99 cent stores for household and dry good items. Same products other stores sell but at ridiculously low prices. Many times I have spent 10-15 dollars there where other stores it would be 35-50 dollars.

[danargraves]

Try the store in Rohnert Park. Never an issue.

[Stargazer]

Each GO store is operated and owned individually. Good to know about the GO store in Rohnert Park. Yes I do agree about the GO prices that can be less than most other retail grocery stores, although not all the time. I've have been to other GO's, not just the one in SR and this is the way they operate.

They are a "discount store" for a reason across the board. Shopping at stores like the GO can be tricky. GO's buy over runs (those are your best buys) and food that is close to being outdated for the most part. I have found that many items in the SR GO are not marked and/or the prices change on the same items, many times within the next day. GO's everywhere find out what sells, then they can and usually do increase the price. Many establishments do this same practice, not just GO's. Here is an example of a couple of other discount stores that can be misleading or disappointing. Look at the prices and products at Dollar General. I am not referring to the Dollar Tree which is a totally different company. There are hardly any products that DG sells that is one dollar.

It is just important to be an observant shopper wherever one shops. Almost every store grocery store that I have ever shopped at costs less than Whole Foods and Oliver's on all of their products, excluding the items that are on sale that get you into their store. Yes the quality is usually pretty good at WF and Oliver's. The quality is also pretty good or better from my perspective at Raley's and usually costs less than Whole Food's or Oliver's.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

I like the one in Petaluma. Seems to have the greatest selection of the three in Sonoma County. We find it's best to go there not really looking for anything in particular and when you see a deal stock up. The vegetables and fruit there generally are not great.