"Nomen Nescio" > wrote in message
...
> The Tucson Sunflower Farmers Markets location (they have many other
> multistate locations) I have shopped at is really badly managed. Most
> "farmers" would be embarrassed or fail if they managed their farms like
> this place is managed.
>
> Have had this happen several times now, where the cashier refuses to
> give a raincheck and makes the customer and anyone else in line wait
> several minutes while the clerks,who should have kept the stock up go
> about looking the back room to see if they have more stock and then wait
> until they shelve the product. They are trying to obstruct the issuance
> of rainchecks by this tactic.
>
> I have worked to limit my shopping at Sunflower,the only advantage being
> they are close to my location. But it is a PITA to shop there, very poor
> experiences.
>
> This refusing to issue a timely raincheck will be reported to the proper
> consumer and regulatory agencies.
>
> On several occasions I have witnessed cashiers loudly arguing with
> customers. When you ask them to find you a sale item they cannot and do
> not want to look for it either.
>
> I have had several instances of bad produce that was hidden from
> view-celery that was rotten in the middle, same for coconuts. When I
> asked one of the clerks about this he said it happens frequently because
> they cannot get the coconuts fresh. So why are they selling them then?
>
> Many times when I asked for double bagging of groceries my request went
> ignored and had to return to the checkout again to get them double bagged.
>
> The FREQUENTLY are out of ad sale items early in the ad time period and
> more frequently than other stores they misscan or wrongly ring up items
> over the true amount. Yet, in contrast to Fry's or Safeway they will not
> give the full purchase price back on items they have mis-scanned.
>
> They have NO corporate headquarters and their CEO Mike Gilligan in
> boulder does not reply to faxes or consumer complaints.
>
> They advertise that they have lower prices, but like most corporate
> boasting, it's not true. Their prices on produce are sometimes lower
> than the major markets, but not the lowest.
>
> Food City has the lowest prices,(if your not predjudice and don't mind
> shopping at a mostly hispanic staffed store), Food City is significantly
> lower than Sunflower. Sunflower is filled mostly with yuppie, upper
> middle class shoppers who pay high prices for specialty items. I mean
> ridiculously high in most cases-West and East Coast high.
>
> There are at least 3 major supermarkets all within 1-2 km of the
> Sunflower on Speedway: Safeway at grant and swan, Fry's at craycroft and
> swan, Grocery Outlet at speedway and craycroft. Thats just the major
> close ones. For the best prices on non produce items go to Fry's. For
> the best meat deals and sale deals, watch the ads and go to Safeway. For
> the best deep discounts go to Grocery Outlet. And MOST of all for the
> best, deeply discounted produce go to Food City, a few more kms away,
> but not far. Additionally, there are Albertsons at campbell and pima.
> Bashas has very good prices and Albertsons prices have really come down
> lately, so they are no longer high.

Somehow I don't think your bad mouthing them on a newsgroup is going to help
very much. I saw vote with your feet! Just don't go there any more.

I don't personally care too much for Grocery Outlet, although I have been to
only two of them. One in Oakland, CA and one in Lynnwood, WA. They seem to
have a lot of undesirable types shopping in there. A lot of the brands they
carry are odd. Some foods come from other countries. You just never know
what you might find. But I guess if all you care about is the price, then
it might be the place for you. Me? I prefer organic foods and preferably
locally grown.