Also in this article:1. If you hate crowds and lines, shop at dinnertime (5 to 9 p.m.) or even later. Only 4 percent of shoppers hit the aisles between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Least-crowded day of the week? Wednesday.
2. Go ahead and reach way back for the fresh milk. Everybody does.
3. Coupons with a bar code are easy to scan. The other ones take an eternity. But if you're willing to wait … 4. That star fruit has been here a lot longer than the broccoli. Familiar produce turns over more quickly than exotic things.
5. "The more products you see, the more you are likely to buy," says Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. "That's why the aisles are so long and the milk is usually in the far corner."
6. Like employees with a good attitude? Shop at chains that are employee-owned, suggest customer-satisfaction surveys. When employees have a stake in the profits, it shows in their attitude.
7. The "grazers" order food at the deli, eat it as they're shopping, and get rid of the wrappers before they check out. We also call that stealing.
8. I'm not just selling groceries, I'm selling real estate. Look high and low-literally-for good values from smaller manufacturers who can't afford to stock their products in the eye-level sweet spot.
9. We're marketing to your kids too. That's why we put the rainbow-colored cereals and other kiddie catnip at their eye level.
10. Be wary of "specials." When people see signs with numbers-"8 for $10!" "Limit: 5 per customer"—they buy 30 to 100 percent more than they otherwise might have.
11. The baby formula is locked up because thieves resell it on the black market. Ditto for the cough and cold medications, smoking-cessation products, razor blades, and batteries.
12. Driving your Ferrari to the Piggly Wiggly and want to avoid shopping-cart dents? Park far, far away.
13. You'll end up tossing 12 percent of what you buy.
Sources: Maurice Nizzardo, former supermarket executive in Connecticut; David J. Livingston, an industry consultant; Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating; and others. Interviews by Adam Bluestein and Lauren J. Gniazdowski.
Print | Close X
13 Things Your Grocer Won't Tell You
Get smarter about grocery shopping. These tips could change your family eating habits.
By Adam Bluestein and Lauren Gniazdowski
From Reader's Digest
Self serve lanes equal one less job or a cut in hours for employees. What is next your job
Wednesday is NOT the least day shopped - this is an absolute myth. Have you ever walked into WalMart on Wednesday???? They have reinvented KMart's "Blue Light Special" - everywhere you look is blue and silver haired patrons!! Wednesday is senior day (most typicaly day for senior citizen discount) no matter what store you patronize.
i am a owner/operator of a fairly small convenience store in a very very small town we sell gas, grocery, deli, and hardware items i never shop in town for my groceries and i don't make near 6-figures my wife works in town to pay the bills while the store is self-sufficient until i make improvements which are hard to finance. i know about 90 percent of my customers and a few of them CHEAT or take advantage of me and that is why i have a 35-40 percent mark-up on most items but gas is a 5 percent
Another thing about those "10 for $10" sales, not only do customers tend to buy more than usual, sometimes the regular price of one of those items is LESS than a dollar, so you're actually paying more for the bulk buy. I have witnessed this in my local grocery store. Canned beans, 10 for $10. Regular price of one can: 89 cents.
I'd say the best time to go to the grocery store is 5-9 A.M. (Not on a Wednesday if you go to a Krogers though). The floor cleaning is done and there are no customers. I work early mornings at a grocery store and will literally go 2 hours without seeing a single customer. So, you'd be much more likely to get my undivided attention than when I have a long line.
something else....consider places like COSTCO or if you are entitled - shop at your military commissary! your groceries are marked up extremely high. 50% minimum. Vitamins / supplements are marked up 100%. how do you think they pay for those fancy stores and why every grocery store manager is making 6 figures a year? i know people on the inside and i have never known a store manager to NOT make that much.
contrary to what the signs say in the parking lot, stores ARE responsible for damage done by loose carts! Their property, Their parking lot, their liable! just like if something at your home (like a bowling ball) bounced off a shelf and into a neighbor's windshield - you ARE writing a check! don't be fooled by those signs! it is just a way to keep people from making claims
Beware when buying fruits and veggies at a grocery store because the trays they sit on are 9 out of 10 times covered with slimy mold and mildew because the produce is constantly being sprayed with water to keep them looking fresh. Check the produce or fruit carefully before buying and always wash them at home.
Gah! #1 just made me want to rip out my hair. DO NOT SHOP LATE. Large crowds right before closing are the very last thing the cashiers want. Also, keep in mind that stores have fewer people on the floor and in checkstands late at night, so you'll end up standing in line anyway. It's just that now you'll be standing in line with a cashier who should have clocked off fifteen minutes ago and has a final in the morning, but is still there because you showed up so late.
There are a lot more things that could be added to this list... First and foremost, if the checkout lines are backed up, be patient and keep your mouth shut. Believe me, the people working are already well aware of this. If you complain, you'll get home to discover that one of your items was scanned twice or damaged. Also, read signs. Every word. If you see an employee carrying food, don't stop that employee to ask a question, she's on break. That's what the service desk is for.
there's a helluva lot more that could be added to this list, but it's a decent beginning for all the nitwits out there. speaking of - i shouldn't mention this, b/c you honestly have it coming to you if you're this naive - ladies, don't walk away from your cart w/ your purse ripe for the picking. i worked at trader joe's for a couple years, and it happened at least once a week, esp. over the holidays.
This are great tips and very enlightening. Dunno why some people seem offended by them, I found them really great to know.
The advice about the hours is off the mark for my area. Most wives work and stop by on the way home from work. My husband is a store director and the busiest time of day is from about 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Wednesday is the slowest day of the week.
Great list. I always wondered about the milk at the back. The dates are newer and the containers are colder, so I assume that's the fresher milk that will last longer. Thanks for the info.
You obviously know nothing about the grocery industry. Try working with a good grocery chain like Whole Foods or Harris Teeter to come up with a better list than this garbage.
Awesome advice, I do it every time.
When grabbing a shopping cart, always ripe down obvious places like the handle, but remember, to wipe where the kid with the diaper has been sitting lid up and down, because the purse or delicate food item may go there next, and you don't want to bring home some kids invisible mess!