SUNFLOWER MARKET mismanaged yuppie store, advice on smart shopping

 

The Tucson Sunflower Markets location (they have many other multi-state
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 vehemently 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 mis-scan 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.

 



on smart

living,alt.consumers

managed. Most

their farms

Ya have to laugh at these so-called Farmers Markets, they are
just like the big chains, advertising things they don't have,
poor service and unhappy low paid clerks.


refuses to

line wait

stock up go

and then

obstruct the

Obviously illegal, they must give rainchecks for advertised
items they do not have in stock. I think the FCC is the
proper place to report them as well as the various state
consumer agencies. AZ I think has an agency called weights
and measures that inspects and fines stores not in compliance
with pricing regulations.
 

advantage

shop there,

arguing with

cannot and

Maybe they are union scum who think they cannot be fired?


coconuts. When I

frequently

selling

Best thing is to OPEN the celery and check it. Closely
inspect fruit and other produce for spoilage and softness.


request

These grocery clerks are like hypnotized zombies with their
heads up there keysters often.


time period

wrongly ring up

Safeway they

Gilligan in

Really sounds like this is a case of bad CEO also, top down
mismanagement.

corporate

sometimes lower

They have a mission statement on their web page. Sounds like
this is a case of: we wish we were like this, but we're not,
hehe http://www.sfmarkets.com/about/mission-statement

don't mind

mostly with

specialty

East Coast

craycroft

just the

ads and go to

And MOST of

City, a few

Albertsons at

Albertsons prices

Sounds like you have alot of choices so you don't have to
rely on such a bad store.

 

The "mission statement" for Sunflower seems to say the
opposite of what the OP experiences were. In my experience
the louder they shout what they ARE the more it means they
are the OPPOSITE. :-)



@tatooine.homelinux.net:

compliance

hidden

 

I know this Sunflower store. They sell a large percentage of
their food in bulk containers. These containers are exposed
to peoples dirty hands regularily-the food is expose to air,
bacteria and other contaminants on a daily basis as people
open and close the bins, stick their hands in there, drop
whatever crap is on their hands into often sugar laden bins
where bacteria thrives. Not a good place to be buying your
the food you eat. Despite their blaring TV ads, their prices
are definitely NOT low. In fact, rather high. $3-4 for loaf
of in house bread? Very high vitamin prices, much cheaper at
Trader Joe's or online.



managed. Most

their farms

refuses to

line wait

stock up go

and then

obstruct the

advantage

shop there,

arguing with

cannot and

coconuts. When I

frequently

selling

request

time period

wrongly ring up

Safeway they

Gilligan in

corporate

sometimes lower

don't mind

mostly with

specialty

East Coast

craycroft

just the

ads and go to

And MOST of

City, a few

Albertsons at

Albertsons prices