[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

(Over here, they provide phenomenal prices for crap-quality food)

O'Rly ?

Last time I checked in Germany, Aldi got consistently very good ratings for its products (e.g. Stiftung Warentest).

Btw, high-quality != gourmet food.

For that, I go to Trader Joe's, which, oh shock, is also owned by one of the Aldi brothers.

-t

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

There's a nice healthy reminder of how horrible the color palettes of the late 70s/early 80s were.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is. I can go to Wal-Mart and pick up a Motorcraft brand oil filter, Mobil 1 synthetic oil, a motorcycle battery with a no questions asked warranty, Anderson Erickson milk, a muffin tin, and some shampoo. If you're not so elitist that you can't spend 20 minutes around ugly people, it's a great place to go. Sure, they sell a lot of crap, but no one's forcing you to buy it -- I go for the good prices on stuff I actually want.

It didn't used to be a big deal, but the quality of service fell off, the clientele started hitting almost fictional extremes, and I lost the will for shopping for necessities. Honestly, I thought the self-checkout was the greatest thing ever, but the damn thing always has a line, sabotaging what little advantage it was. They need to double the amount they have.

Now, honestly, my irritation was colored by a wonderful customer service experience I had at GameStop a few minutes before, leaving me lamenting that the two are the only games in town for their perspective specialties.

[Jawbone54]

Does anyone else think the new logo is trying to look eco-friendly?

[osiris]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Does anyone else think the new logo is trying to look eco-friendly?

I noticed that too. I read somewhere that they were experimenting with solar power for their stores.

found it: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2...-at-22-stores/

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

Honestly, I thought the self-checkout was the greatest thing ever, but the damn thing always has a line, sabotaging what little advantage it was. They need to double the amount they have.

I love the self checkout, except when buying booze or other age-restricted items, because then you have to wait for someone to notice you're waiting for an ID verification or something like that.

It's also handy for a prude purchasing certain...embarrassing items. Unless you inadvertently buy an age-restricted item at the same time. Note: Automotive touch-up paint is an age-restricted item.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by osiris 

I noticed that too. I read somewhere that they were experimenting with solar power for their stores.

found it: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2...-at-22-stores/

I'd be a lot more impressed if they would just open more than 4 of their 40 registers at a time.

Good call-back on that story, BTW.

[Jawbone54]

Walmart's logo is to Target's logo as Windows' is to Apple's.

Beauty in Simplicity:





You see them, you recognize them.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

I love the self checkout, except when buying booze or other age-restricted items, because then you have to wait for someone to notice you're waiting for an ID verification or something like that.

It's also handy for a prude purchasing certain...embarrassing items. Unless you inadvertently buy an age-restricted item at the same time. Note: Automotive touch-up paint is an age-restricted item.

I can only imagine how much worse my Wal•Mart would become if alcohol was sold here. I tend to find the place pretty decent after 10 PM, but that'd completely change.

Relating to embarrassing items, I remember one time in high school I was perusing the prophylactics with my then girlfriend when a friend passed the aisle, spotted us, returned to say hi, realized what aisle we were in, and abruptly bid farewell.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

I can only imagine how much worse my Wal•Mart would become if alcohol was sold here. I tend to find the place pretty decent after 10 PM, but that'd completely change.

Relating to embarrassing items, I remember one time in high school I was perusing the prophylactics with my then girlfriend when a friend passed the aisle, spotted us, returned to say hi, realized what aisle we were in, and abruptly bid farewell.

You didn't invite the friend to join?

Wal-Marts here sell alcohol. You can get a case of Busch Light for around $12, I believe. They also have a wine and liquor aisle.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I'd be a lot more impressed if they would just open more than 4 of their 40 registers at a time.

That seems to be the trend in most retail stores. I've noticed this at CVS, ShopRite, Target, Best Buy. Rows of registers, yet only 4 or 5 open.

BTW I hope everything is ok in your neck of the woods after Gustav.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

You didn't invite the friend to join?

Since when have I been a swinger?

Originally Posted by osiris 

That seems to be the trend in most retail stores. I've noticed this at CVS, ShopRite, Target, Best Buy. Rows of registers, yet only 4 or 5 open. .

Far as I can tell, it's for special events like Black Friday.

[Mac User #001]

My local Wal-Mart (Walmart, Wal☆Mart?) has very nice greeters, except for this one young guy in a wheel chair. I don't think he likes his job very much...

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

Since when have I been a swinger?

My mistake. For a second there I thought you were a badass.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

My mistake. For a second there I thought you were a badass.

Yeah, the friend was a dude.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

Far as I can tell, it's for special events like Black Friday.

Oh that's right - that's when they open up two more registers.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by osiris 

That seems to be the trend in most retail stores. I've noticed this at CVS, ShopRite, Target, Best Buy. Rows of registers, yet only 4 or 5 open.

I don't even see but about half of them open during Christmas. It makes me wonder why they even have that many.

BTW I hope everything is ok in your neck of the woods after Gustav.

Hey, thank you for inquiring!

I live in the NW corner of the state, so we got the least of it. It was downgraded well into tropical storm status by the time it reached here. We're fine; just wet. It did some unfortunate damage to our hairstyles, but we'll recover.

I did have some friends in New Orleans who were affected, but all the damage seems to be relatively minor so far. Gustav lost a lot of its teeth before it hit, thankfully.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

My mistake. For a second there I thought you were a badass.

[Dakar V]

Holy overreaction, Batman.

[Jawbone54]

Oh, I had more.

[osiris]

I'm happy everything is ok in your locale, but you might want to explain what went wrong with that last post of yours.

[Laminar]

I'd almost expect a reaction that excessive to be sarcastic.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

O'Rly ?

Last time I checked in Germany, Aldi got consistently very good ratings for its products (e.g. Stiftung Warentest).

“Over here” = Denmark, not Germany. I’ve been inside an Aldi in Germany once, to be honest, and it was quite strange for me, because it was actually decent.

The only thing I’d go to Aldi to buy is bulk candy. They have metric truckloads of that. And if you’re buying in bulk, it’s probably for a party or something, so no one cares that it doesn’t actually taste all that great. But for anything else, I’ll take the Netto on the other side of the building any time (Netto, by the way, is also known to be the cheapest of the cheap discountery; but it’s better quality than Aldi up here).

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

I'd almost expect a reaction that excessive to be sarcastic.

*bing*

Was it really not obvious?

[Laminar]

Well, you're aware of the reputation your wit has around here.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Well, you're aware of the reputation your wit has around here.

*sigh*

Yes, indeed...

[brassplayersrock²]

Last time I went to a walmart was to buy a $20 watch. That was 5 years ago, the watch is still ticking, so no need to go there yet.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

*sigh*

Yes, indeed...

It's one of those paradoxes where if you don't go far enough, people believe you, and then, if you go too far, people believe you again.

Either way the lesson here is Jawbone sucks.

[brassplayersrock²]

Hence his user name.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

Hence his user name.

There's the quality rejoinders my posts have been missing.

[Laminar]

Hey, anything that makes me look better in comparison.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Hey, anything that makes me look better in comparison.

Ah, yes, the fat chick corollary.

[Laminar]

*cue family guy reference*

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

But for anything else, I’ll take the Netto on the other side of the building any time (Netto, by the way, is also known to be the cheapest of the cheap discountery; but it’s better quality than Aldi up here).

Yes, in Europe, there is healthy competition in the discount supermarket segment. You have Aldi, Lidl, Netto and others.

Here in the US, all we have is Aldi. Therefore, by default, it beats all other supermarkets in terms of value (price - quality combination).

-t

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

It's one of those paradoxes where if you don't go far enough, people believe you, and then, if you go too far, people believe you again.

Either way the lesson here is Jawbone sucks.

Look, I've known it for years. I just can't believe it's gone without being vocalized for such long spurts.

I'm finally getting the recognition I deserve.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Aldi provides phenomenal prices for high quality food.

Originally Posted by Oisín 

(Over here, they provide phenomenal prices for crap-quality food)

Here as well. My wife is a MAJOR penny pincher. When she heard there was an Aldi nearby she nearly blew a blood vessel.

After grinning ear to ear, spending nearly no money on a cart full of food, and then tasting some of those items at home, she declared: "This the worst food I have ever tasted. The lunch meat wouldn't even make bad cat food. You are forbidden from shopping there."

[Railroader]

I didn't vote in the poll yet.

It scares me. Just a little.

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

There's a nice healthy reminder of how horrible the color palettes of the late 70s/early 80s were.

Shouldn't the wordmark be in Chinese?

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Here in the US, all we have is Aldi.

Wait...really?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Wait...really?

Geez, dude, learn to read the CONTEXT, for Pete's sakes.

-t

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Look, I've known it for years. I just can't believe it's gone without being vocalized for such long spurts.

I'm finally getting the recognition I deserve.

We'll have to make you a certificate.

...Hang on while I dig up my Print Shop diskette.

Originally Posted by Railroader 

I didn't vote in the poll yet.

It scares me. Just a little.

So long as you don't vote, I'm assuming option 1.

[Railroader]

If the question is "Do you like that Walmart* has greeters?" then the answer is "NO!!!1!"

If the questions is "Do the creepy Walmart* greeters creep you out?" then the answer is "YESSSS!!!!111!!"

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Geez, dude, learn to read the CONTEXT, for Pete's sakes.

-t

What's the difference between a regular supermarket and a discount supermarket?

[Railroader]

One has prices ending in "$1.99" and the other has prices ending in "$1.98", but has lower quality food.

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

If the question is "Do you like that Walmart* has greeters?" then the answer is "NO!!!1!"

If the questions is "Do the creepy Walmart* greeters creep you out?" then the answer is "YESSSS!!!!111!!"

Perhaps you should read the poll question.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

What's the difference between a regular supermarket and a discount supermarket?

Smaller variety (e.g. three different cereals instead of 25 different)
Mostly private label brands (which often is just repacked brand names)
Bare bones presentation - strictly no frills (no nice shelves, etc)
No credit cards, just cash or debit
No or very limited advertising
Small store size
No slotting fees:

"In the United States, major-brand supermarkets often demand slotting fees from suppliers in exchange for premium shelf space and/or better positioning (such as at eye-level, on the checkout aisle or at a shelf's "end cap"). This extra supplier cost (up to $30,000 per brand for a chain for each individual SKU) may be reflected in the cost of the products offered. ... Supermarkets that sell mostly their own "private label" products, such as Aldi, do not charge slotting fees to themselves, because doing so would be financially redundant."

See also here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi

-t

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

Perhaps you should read the poll question.

Perhaps I should post this in Feedback, but I always miss that little line of text. Usually the thread starter repeats the question in the post title or the first post. uhg.

Answer: NO!!!!

[Dakar V]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

Perhaps I should post this in Feedback, but I always miss that little line of text. Usually the thread starter repeats the question in the post title or the first post. uhg.

Answer: NO!!!!

Yeah, I only know it's there from creating polls. The text should either be 100% black, or automatically repost the title of thread.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Smaller variety (e.g. three different cereals instead of 25 different)
Mostly private label brands (which often is just repacked brand names)
Bare bones presentation - strictly no frills (no nice shelves, etc)
No credit cards, just cash or debit
No or very limited advertising
Small store size
No slotting fees:

"In the United States, major-brand supermarkets often demand slotting fees from suppliers in exchange for premium shelf space and/or better positioning (such as at eye-level, on the checkout aisle or at a shelf's "end cap"). This extra supplier cost (up to $30,000 per brand for a chain for each individual SKU) may be reflected in the cost of the products offered. ... Supermarkets that sell mostly their own "private label" products, such as Aldi, do not charge slotting fees to themselves, because doing so would be financially redundant."

See also here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi

-t

So you save a few bucks in exchange for crappy selection and brands you've never heard of?

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

So you save a few bucks in exchange for crappy selection and brands you've never heard of?

Yes.