Common Marketplace Mistakes
Who would’ve thought there were do’s and don’t’s to grocery shopping?! Apparently there is a right way to grocery shop and if you’re like me, you definitely make at least…
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 21: Food 4 Less grocery store general clerk Xochil Montenegro hands out a free reusable shopping bag, supplied by the California Grocers Association (CGA) and the City of Los Angeles, to a customer in observance of Earth Day, on the eve of Earth Day, April 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. During the two-day program, 50,000 bags are being handed out at about 40 grocery stores to encourage consumers to use reusable bags instead of disposable plastic or paper bags. The use of reusable bag has increased since a statewide plastic bag recycling law was enacted in July 2007 requiring grocers to provide in-store plastic bag recycling and to sell reusable shopping bags. Some communities have banned disposable plastic grocery bags. The free bags provided by the CGA and the city are made of 100% recycled water, soda and food containers. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)Who would've thought there were do's and don't's to grocery shopping?!
Apparently there is a right way to grocery shop and if you're like me, you definitely make at least 1 if not all 5 of these marketplace mistakes:
- Not looking beyond what's right in front of you- grocery stores strategically place more expensive items at eye level, knowing most people won't look high or low. To get a better deal, check those stretch/bend-worthy areas!
- Missing "by volume" pricing when shopping in bulk- check the "price per unit" to see if you're actually getting a good deal when buying multiples of the same item
- Failure to negotiate- it is not against store policy to negotiate prices based on packaging, appearance, and competitor's pricing.
- Picking from the front of the display- a lot of meats tend to get new expiration dates and moved to the front of the line in the hopes to sell faster, pull from the back to guarantee better freshness.
- Not using sanitary wipes on carts- there are countless germs on the handles of carts/baskets, bring sanitary wipes if your local marketplace doesn't provide them.
- Not checking health inspection rating- grocery stores are not required to display their inspection rating to the public so often times shoppers will have no idea the type of environment they're actually shopping in. Check with the health department to disclose ratings.
Learn from your mistakes to get the most out of your shopping experience!
