Retail crap that's pissing me off

[Vinyl Turnip]

Originally Posted by saoirse

I was pretty upset when they gutted the Federal Comma Bureau.

It gave me pause too.

[Hero From Sector 7G]

Originally Posted by The Tao's Revenge

Read it again. He never said there was two ways to raise price. He said there was two ways to deal with increased cost. Which I believe he meant costs of producing product.

He did say the second way is sneakier, but I was pointing out it's outright deception. No better than liars.

I like your posts here, you seem like a reasonable person with a good perspective. In this case, however, I think you're severely misinterpreting my post.

I fail to see the relevance of your first point.

As to your second point, when I shop for groceries I pay very close attention to the little number under the price tag. Usually this number is the Cost Per Unit/Volume/Weight. For example, I automatically go for the cheapest dish detergent by the Cost Per Ounce. I disagree with you that any outright deception has taken place; the cost per unit is always accurate.

I do think the practice of keeping the same packaging shape and size consistent but reducing the amount inside is "sneaky." But the package is labeled accordingly. I seriously doubt anyone out there is putting in 12 ounces and calling it 16.

I don't really expect an apology or anything, but I think you're really reaching for outrage here. I'll admit that the term "sneaky" is unclear, but c-mon man, calibrate yourself.

[digs]

Originally Posted by Hero From Sector 7G

... c-mon man, calibrate yourself.

I think I have a new battle cry for my constant self-therapy.

[billfish678]

Originally Posted by Hero From Sector 7G

. I'll admit that the term "sneaky" is unclear, but c-mon man, calibrate yourself.

But I can't. I'm catholic and the Pope says that is a bad, bad thing.

[Jamicat]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

I'm still annoyed that a half gallon of ice cream doesn't contain a half gallon of ice cream.

[Linda Richman]

Today on Coffee Talk, a Half Gallon of Ice Cream contains neither a Half Gallon, Ice, nor' Cream...Discuss amongst yourselves.

[/Linda Richman]

[Smeghead]

Actually, that's another thing. I'm seeing more and more packages of "ice cream" that are labeled as "dairy dessert" or something of the sort. Like...a LOT of them. In packages that are identical to others labeled "ice cream". I don't know exactly what the difference is, but somehow I doubt I'm getting more quality for the money.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by cwthree

I used to have a book from the late 1800's that frequently gave measurements in terms of price. Recipes would include measurements such as "twenty-five cents' worth of lean meat" or "two cents' worth of alum." The relative scarcity of stores selling bulk dry chemicals to the general public aside, what the hell is the conversion factor for two (1889) cents' worth of alum? One could get a senior thesis out of that project.

That is also not good. I just realized today that I shouldn't have called out US Americans for this one - there are probably people around the world who don't realize that their local can of tomatoes isn't worldwide.

Originally Posted by Antigen

And now the points expire after 30 days, so if you don't shop often, or don't fill up often, you never manage to use the discount. Jerks.

Time to stock up on Federal Park coupons!

Originally Posted by Hero From Sector 7G

As the cost of food rises a manufacturer's options are to either continue providing the same amount and raise your cost, or reduce quantity and maintain the old price. I get that the latter is a little sneaky, but I don't think there's some greedy conspiracy happening.

I think large corporations who make billions of dollars in profits want even more in profits.

Originally Posted by Sunspace

I noticed this with chocolate bars years ago. Say they start with a 50g bar at some normal price. As the cost of ingredients rises, the bar retains the same price but dwindles in size: 49g, 47, 45, 42... Then a new larger size appears at a new price point. It may start at a larger size, but it dwindles as well, and eventually reaches the 50g size. By this point the "new larger size" badge is long-gone from the packaging. The new size is now the standard size, and the smaller bar at the old price point can be discontinued.

Those "thins" bars that they introduced a while ago were an egregious example of this - standing in line waiting to be processed at Safeway, I did a quick calculation of cost per grams - the Thins chocolate bars were significantly more expensive than a full-sized chocolate bar. I'll continue to buy a better value bar and just eat part of it, thanks.

Originally Posted by tumbleddown

<snip>
I always give a zip code as far removed and highly unlikely from where I am as physically possible. My go-tos are 65734 (Purdy, MO) 57252 (Milbank, SD) or 50201 (Nevada, IA). I love messing with their metrics.

My zip code is always 90210.

Originally Posted by Smeghead

Actually, that's another thing. I'm seeing more and more packages of "ice cream" that are labeled as "dairy dessert" or something of the sort. Like...a LOT of them. In packages that are identical to others labeled "ice cream". I don't know exactly what the difference is, but somehow I doubt I'm getting more quality for the money.

Because cream from a cow hasn't come anywhere near that package?

[D_Odds]

Originally Posted by The Tao's Revenge

Read it again. He never said there was two ways to raise price. He said there was two ways to deal with increased cost. Which I believe he meant costs of producing product.

Originally Posted by Hero From Sector 7G

I fail to see the relevance of your first point.

That's because there is none.

[Savannah]

I too despise the shrinking product, same size container rip-off. Just be honest about the pricing. Also, what a waste of packaging material.

On the "ice cream" versus "dairy dessert"--my husband brought home some vanilla ice cream the other day. He thought it was ice cream. I thought it was ice cream--until I tried some. It tasted more like coconut oil and chemicals, and the "creamy" texture was just greasy. In short, it was a bowl of yuck. Sure enough, it had coconut oil in it, and lots of it, and not much in the way of dairy. I ended up putting it in the sink to melt, so I could throw it away. Seriously, it wasn't edible.

It NEVER melted. It stayed as solidly fluffy (if that's a texture) as it was when it was in the freezer. It was... unsettling.

I had to blast it with hot water to get this... stuff... to disperse and go down the sink. I wish I could remember the brand to warn everyone.

[AqualungBats5th]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

Also, signs proclaiming a fantastic deal, and somehow the wrong size or wrong product just *happens* to be right by that sign, so you grab the thing by the sign and find out your error when you check out.

Seriously? You think stores put things in the wrong place on purpose so you buy a more expensive item?

Look, I know this is too much a tax for your brain while you do the "retail consumer" thing (somehow just walking into a store tends to drop people's IQ 10-20 pts.) to understand that man hours are spent on both facing and fronting the shelves so that thing go where they are supposed to and for some customer service person up front to go back to aisle to check the signage/price for you because you are too fucking stupid to properly read a sign in the first place and that is it not in anyone's best interest for the store to do this on purpose.

ps, hi thread, retail businesses are there to take your money. That is why they exist. They also face the increase in costs in gas prices that effect the transport and manufacturing of their products and such. They have a goal to cut costs without raising the price. In effect, they are just raising the price, yes, but now they do it in a way that keep most of the herd placated. A simple cost increase and you'd be here mooing about that instead.

So, like, just learn to pay the fuck attention to what you're buying so the big bad supermarket chains can't pull a fast one on you.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by AqualungBats5th

Seriously? You think stores put things in the wrong place on purpose so you buy a more expensive item?

"Wrong" place? Absolutely not. But they do put an 8ounce bottle of chocolate syrup that's on sale next to a 10 ounce bottle of chocolate syrup that's not on sale, and then place a sign under them saying "SALE - CHOCOLATE SYRUP 8oz". Yes sirree, they do. It's a science.

Look, I know this is too much a tax for your brain while you do the "retail consumer" thing (somehow just walking into a store tends to drop people's IQ 10-20 pts.) to understand that man hours are spent on both facing and fronting the shelves so that thing go where they are supposed to and for some customer service person up front to go back to aisle to check the signage/price for you because you are too fucking stupid to properly read a sign in the first place and that is it not in anyone's best interest for the store to do this on purpose.

I'm pretty sure there's a "my job sucks" thread around here where this would be a more appropriate post. If not, wait 10 minutes and someone will start a fresh one.

What you don't see as a groundling is the number of sales at other lines where the person remained ignorant and paid the extra buck for the not-on-sale item. As long as the money collected from those "mistakes" exceeds the money spent on paying you $8 an hour to walk to Aisle 3 twice in your shift it makes financial sense to inconvenience the workers and customer. And if you're doing it more than twice a shift, then Cat Whisperer is not the one taxing his brain here; just remember that there's a misleading display and a) fix it (which your manager won't like, because in her eyes it's not broken) or b) take a few of the on sale items with you to the checkout to offer the next sucker customer who makes the same error. "Error" of course, from his viewpoint; he's done exactly what the behavioral scientists hired to plan a POP predicted he would do. Mostly because...

...retail businesses are there to take your money. That is why they exist.

Exactly.

[Nava]

Originally Posted by kaylasdad99

And welcome to the world of the 12-ounce pound of bacon and the 30-ounce quart of mayonnaise.

And the 1-kilo bar of bread which weighs all of 450 grams...

[FairyChatMom]

Originally Posted by CanvasShoes

How funny you should post this! I was just thinking about that very thing. It annoys the crap out of me. NOT that the company has to charge more for their product (though yeah, annoying), but that they think they're so sneaky about it. For instance a jar of something or another that has a large concave bottom so that it looks as if it contains more product.

Just be honest. If you have to raise the price, raise the price, don't stealthily keep reducing package sizes and appearances as if we're stupid or something.

Grrrrrr!

A thousand times AMEN!!! My favorite pumpkin pie recipe calls for a 1-pound can of pumpkin - those are now 14.5 oz. Our 1-pound cans of dog food were down to 13.5 oz when our last dog was gone (no, we didn't starve them...) Toilet tissue rolls are about a half an inch shorter, so they don't fit neatly on the spindle any more.

Prices go up - it's a fact of life. So, dammit, raise the prices and keep the sizes of products constant. I expect before too long, we'll see "New larger size!!" bringing all our products back to where they used to be, with a higher price tag, of course.

[septimus]

If you enjoy recreational outrage at retail pricing come to Thailand. Just recently at 7-Eleven I noticed a $9 bottle of wine on the shelf so asked for it. I got less change than expected and walked away with a bemused look. The manager noticed my expression and mentioned that this was a different $18 wine on the wrong shelf. I just walked out with a half-smile: Don't sweat the small stuff.

Originally Posted by tumbleddown

My go-tos are 65734 (Purdy, MO) 57252 (Milbank, SD) or 50201 (Nevada, IA). I love messing with their metrics.

It's 45212 when I'm trying to think of a zipcode. The U.S. Playing Card Company puts its address on the Joker, so, when playing poker, I used to taunt "What's the Zipcode of Cincinatti?" when holding (or pretending to hold) the Joker.

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

"Wrong" place? Absolutely not. But they do put an 8ounce bottle of chocolate syrup that's on sale next to a 10 ounce bottle of chocolate syrup that's not on sale, and then place a sign under them saying "SALE - CHOCOLATE SYRUP 8oz". Yes sirree, they do. It's a science.

As long as the money collected from those "mistakes" exceeds the money spent on paying you $8 an hour to walk to Aisle 3 twice in your shift it makes financial sense to inconvenience the workers and customer.

And if yon moronic sucky customer would READ the damned sign and make sure they have the correct product that is advertised on the aisle card, there wouldn't be a problem. Why is it the cashier's job to walk around making sure the idiot got the correct product?

[BigT]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

And if yon moronic sucky customer would READ the damned sign and make sure they have the correct product that is advertised on the aisle card, there wouldn't be a problem. Why is it the cashier's job to walk around making sure the idiot got the correct product?

Because the store is the one putting the items on the wrong shelf in a deliberate attempt to get you to pay more than you intended. The person trying to trick you is the one that has the moral obligation to stop doing so.

Or, if you're more of Objectivist, tricking the customer makes them less likely to trust you and more likely to shop elsewhere. You may get a short term gain, but you lose in the long term.

I know I don't shop anywhere that pulls this crap. I've never been to the market and seen the sign point to the wrong thing.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by BigT

Because the store is the one putting the items on the wrong shelf in a deliberate attempt to get you to pay more than you intended. The person trying to trick you is the one that has the moral obligation to stop doing so.

No, they don't. There is no deliberate attempt to get you to buy the wrong product. When a brand runs a sale on a specific item, they want to get people to buy the sale item. They may have a surplus, or they may be trying to get more people to try it. Regardless, the item is on sale because they want to move that specific size and flavor.

[Cat Whisperer]

Like I said in my original post on the subject, I've been retail shopping for a long damned time - I know they play this game, and I know that I have to look very carefully at what is on sale and not just grab the item that appears to be on sale. That said, when you're doing a big shop and you're tired and you just want to get home and relax (and that's not even taking into account people who are shopping with kids), sometimes you let your guard down and assume that the item right behind the sale placard is the item that's actually on sale, not the item that's slightly off to one side of the sale placard.

ETA: Funnily enough, when I've grabbed the wrong product because it looked like it was on sale, it never rings up as a lower-priced item - it always rings in as a higher-priced item. That must be a hell of a coincidence, no?

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

And if yon moronic sucky customer would READ the damned sign and make sure they have the correct product that is advertised on the aisle card, there wouldn't be a problem. Why is it the cashier's job to walk around making sure the idiot got the correct product?

Because, let's review: "...retail businesses are there to take your money. That is why they exist." If you want me to bring my wallet back to your store, you're not going to make me walk back to Aisle 3.

I have plenty of other stores to choose from. I even have a number of other stores that are more or less exactly at your price point to choose from. So how do I choose a store? I choose by customer service. A quaint idea, I admit, and one that's been out of fashion for years as price became the primary determinant of shopping behavior. But my hypothesis is that now that we've gotten prices as low as they can go (and yes, due to the price of fossil fuels, now they have to go up), customer service will make a comeback.

A new mass market grocery store opened near me within the last year. They literally moved into the same building that another mass market grocery store was failing in for decades. There's another failing mass market grocery store 250 feet north, essentially in the same parking lot. The new one is selling circles around the old ones. Basically the same products. Basically the same prices (slightly cheaper for some things, slightly more expensive for others). But their "thing" is true customer service. Butchers who actually know and can recommend meat based on my budget and how much time I have to cook tonight. Produce people who know produce, and ask me what I like and recommend new items or seasonal items, and can pick me an avocado that will be perfectly ripe in two days. Managers who can and will special order anything and shelve it for a trial run (I'm responsible for them bringing in the naan in the bread aisle, folks. You're welcome!) All this stuff matters, especially when it doesn't cost me more. It got me as a customer, and the place is always packed, so I'm not the only one. And now it's got me posting on a message board with other Chicagoland readers, who now know that Mariano's on Western and Roscoe is made of awesome and you should go check it out. Try the in house sausages, only $4.99 a pound and made fresh daily.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

ETA: Funnily enough, when I've grabbed the wrong product because it looked like it was on sale, it never rings up as a lower-priced item - it always rings in as a higher-priced item. That must be a hell of a coincidence, no?

Wait, non sale items are more expensive than sale items? Who would ever think such a thing would happen every time? What a coincidence!

[Smeghead]

Originally Posted by AqualungBats5th

ps, hi thread, retail businesses are there to take your money. That is why they exist. They also face the increase in costs in gas prices that effect the transport and manufacturing of their products and such. They have a goal to cut costs without raising the price. In effect, they are just raising the price, yes, but now they do it in a way that keep most of the herd placated. A simple cost increase and you'd be here mooing about that instead.

So, like, just learn to pay the fuck attention to what you're buying so the big bad supermarket chains can't pull a fast one on you.

Gee, what an excellent point. It's amazing that no one thought to bring it up before now. Imagine if, for instance, the OP itself raised these issues. Oh, wait...

Originally Posted by Smeghead

I know this will never end. I know it's an inevitable consequence of our economic system. I know it's up to me to keep my eyes open and avoid being ripped off. But, dammit, I have enough shit going on in my life. I'm TIRED of feeling like everyone and everything I encounter in an average day is out to screw me over. You need to raise your prices? Fine, raise your prices. I will deal with that. But this stupid bullshit sneaky-ass underhanded twattery annoys the ever-loving FUCK out of me.

So, like, maybe you could just learn to pay the fuck attention to what you're reading before coming off as a smug, sanctimonious ass who thinks he's soooo much cleverer than the rest of us.

[Ponch8]

I remember when Dannon cut the amount of their yogurt from 8 to 6 ounces, the container actually advertised the fact that you now had more room to add your favorite mix-ins like granola, raisins, or whatever. Not true if your favorite mix-in is more yogurt.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Wait, non sale items are more expensive than sale items? Who would ever think such a thing would happen every time? What a coincidence!

No, you've missed the point.

Sale item: $2.00
Nearly identical item next to sale item: $3.00
Nearly identical item waaaaaay down the aisle nowhere near sale item: $1.50

Yes, you're right that they want to move sale items. But they're not loathe to sell a few of the higher regular priced items while they're at it.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

No, you've missed the point.

Sale item: $2.00
Nearly identical item next to sale item: $3.00
Nearly identical item waaaaaay down the aisle nowhere near sale item: $1.50

Yes, you're right that they want to move sale items. But they're not loathe to sell a few of the higher regular priced items while they're at it.

No, I'm not missing the point, you are. There are rarely "nealy identical" items next to the sale items that cost less than the sale item. There are rarely "nearly identical" items that cost less than the sale items anywhere in the entire store.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

No, I'm not missing the point, you are. There are rarely "nealy identical" items next to the sale items that cost less than the sale item. There are rarely "nearly identical" items that cost less than the sale items anywhere in the entire store.

Store brands are often cheaper than name brands on sale.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by WhyNot

Store brands are often cheaper than name brands on sale.

Yes, and the packaging is totally different. There is almost no way to accidentally buy the Kroger brand when there's a huge sign advertising a sale on Kraft Mac n Cheese. On top of that, many brands price their sale products to undercut generics.

Kraft does not want you buying the store brand, and has an army of employees who make sure it doesn't happen.

[Švejk]

Originally Posted by tumbleddown

I always give a zip code as far removed and highly unlikely from where I am as physically possible. My go-tos are 65734 (Purdy, MO) 57252 (Milbank, SD) or 50201 (Nevada, IA). I love messing with their metrics.

The MTA in NYC asks for zip codes, too. I'm from Europe and live in Canada; the only US zip code I know is 90210

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by Švejk

The MTA in NYC asks for zip codes, too. I'm from Europe and live in Canada; the only US zip code I know is 90210

Sometimes I just keep listing numbers at random, until the clerk looks confused and runs out of room in the field. "4...5...3...8...6...9...5...8...7...2..." I know, it's mean. But it mostly makes them laugh.

[bouv]

I almost started a thread the other day on this bullshit from Nabisco concerning their "Premium" brand of saltine crackers.

Look, I don't know what kind of backwards-ass, negative-zone, bizzaro-world planet those executives at Nabsico live on, but where I live, saltines are square. Don't give me that round BS, and don't you even try to claim their original when they clearly aren't! Original recipe, sure, I'll buy that (well...I'll accept that explanation, I won't buy the product,) but with no other qualifiers, original should mean the same as it was.

But the worst part is it is just an excuse to save a LOT of money at the expense of the consumer. If they just wanted to make round crackers, despite my rant about square being "correct" I'd say 'fine.' Someone even posted a comment on that article as to why round ones are probably cheaper to manufacture...but at least give us the same amount for the price! If indeed round ones are cheaper to make, then Nabisco is already saving money...but to then double-down and ALSO give us less product, and a substantial amount, no less (10.5 ounces vs 16...over 34%.)? That's low.

Originally Posted by Smeghead

Actually, that's another thing. I'm seeing more and more packages of "ice cream" that are labeled as "dairy dessert" or something of the sort. Like...a LOT of them. In packages that are identical to others labeled "ice cream". I don't know exactly what the difference is, but somehow I doubt I'm getting more quality for the money.

Yeah, that's a "thing" now. The USDA has strict labeling and content guidlines for food. Ice cream has to have min and max percentages of milk fat, milk solids, and other such things. If those requirements aren't met, then they can't call it ice cream. But "frozen dairy dessert?" Go hog wild!

Another aspect of ice cream is how much "over-run" a product can have. "Overrun" in this case meaning air in the product. A certain amount of air is desirable...it gives a good mouth-feel and texture. But too many companies use it to sell you less ice cream/frozen dairy dessert. The upper limit is 100% overrun, which would mean a product is literally half air. Premium brands (Ben and Jerry's, Hagen-Daz) are typically at or below 50% overrun, so cheap ice cream is often cheaper because there's physically less ice cream in the package, even at the same volume.

Oh, and since the "unit price" on ice cream in the store is going to be in volume, not weight, you can't tell just by looking at it which brands have a modest amount of overrun, and which don't.

So, uhh...bring a scale.

[D_Odds]

Originally Posted by Švejk

The MTA in NYC asks for zip codes, too. I'm from Europe and live in Canada; the only US zip code I know is 90210

It does? That's news to me, and I live here.

You may be talking about credit card validation on vending machines (and gas pumps). I'm pretty sure that foreign issued CC bypass that check (as it only accepts 5 digits). For US issued CC, every billing address has a 5-digit zip code. My guess is that it helps keep down fraud from cloned cards. While to the consumer it may seem to be the MTA, really it is the CC verifier asking for the information.

[Smeghead]

True - I've often been asked for my ZIP when I'm traveling far from my home address, and almost never here around town.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by Smeghead

True - I've often been asked for my ZIP when I'm traveling far from my home address, and almost never here around town.

Just about every gasoline pump will ask you for your zip now, if you're paying with a credit card. A block away, or halfway across the country.

[BlinkingDuck]

Originally Posted by CanvasShoes

How funny you should post this! I was just thinking about that very thing. It annoys the crap out of me. NOT that the company has to charge more for their product (though yeah, annoying), but that they think they're so sneaky about it. For instance a jar of something or another that has a large concave bottom so that it looks as if it contains more product.

Just be honest. If you have to raise the price, raise the price, don't stealthily keep reducing package sizes and appearances as if we're stupid or something.

Grrrrrr!

The problem with this is that if you are the company that does this, you will lose business more than the company that just uses the shrink ray.

I work with this stuff as my job. You don't think these companies don't test this? They do, and the overwhelming behavior of customers is to punish the company that raises prices but keeps the size of the package the same.

I agree with you all...I wish they would just raise prices. However, we are not normal it seems.

[FairyChatMom]

I love the ads for the Hershey candies they're calling "Air Delight" or some such. They're filling the bar with air, telling you it's full of air, making it the same size as a regular, non-aerated bar, and charging you the same for something that's an ounce or two lighter. Oh yes, I would like to buy a mouthful of air, please!!
Not deceptive, but it still cracks me up.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by FairyChatMom

I love the ads for the Hershey candies they're calling "Air Delight" or some such. They're filling the bar with air, telling you it's full of air, making it the same size as a regular, non-aerated bar, and charging you the same for something that's an ounce or two lighter. Oh yes, I would like to buy a mouthful of air, please!!
Not deceptive, but it still cracks me up.

Almost as bad as whipped cream cheese, which you can actually make at home.

[Finagle]

Originally Posted by Ponch8

I remember when Dannon cut the amount of their yogurt from 8 to 6 ounces, the container actually advertised the fact that you now had more room to add your favorite mix-ins like granola, raisins, or whatever. Not true if your favorite mix-in is more yogurt.

For a while, my favorite brand of yogurt advertised "Still 8oz!" while all the other brands were shrinking. Then they caved and went to the 6oz size. That was the last time I bought yogurt. Guess they didn't want my business bad enough.

In my mind, a six oz yogurt is barely worth the effort of tearing off the foil lid.


A recent bit of marketing that has me shaking my head is the return of the 12 and 16 ounce soda bottles, this time marketed as "right-sized" or some such crap. But, of course, disproportionately priced in terms of what you get. My grocery store was selling cute, retro 8 ounce Cokes at the head of their checkouts, when you could probably have bought a full liter bottle for not much more in the soda aisle. I'm assuming that this trend is largely due to the fact that carting around enormous amounts of heavily sugared water is pretty expensive in the days of $4.00 gasoline.

[Smeghead]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Just about every gasoline pump will ask you for your zip now, if you're paying with a credit card. A block away, or halfway across the country.

Not in my neck o' the woods.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by Smeghead

Not in my neck o' the woods.

ETA: You're lucky.

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by FairyChatMom

I love the ads for the Hershey candies they're calling "Air Delight" or some such. They're filling the bar with air, telling you it's full of air, making it the same size as a regular, non-aerated bar, and charging you the same for something that's an ounce or two lighter. Oh yes, I would like to buy a mouthful of air, please!!
Not deceptive, but it still cracks me up.

That one I don't mind. I mean, I haven't tried it yet, but if it gives me more chocolate mouthfeel with fewer chocolate calories, sign me up.

But then, I liked 3 Musketeers even before I cared about calories.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Almost as bad as whipped cream cheese, which you can actually make at home.

Check out the cans of icing - you can buy a can of icing, or you can buy a can of whipped icing (with extra air) for the same price. I'll take the can without all the added air, thanks.

[ralph124c]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Almost as bad as whipped cream cheese, which you can actually make at home.

They are actually copying a British product ("Aero" Chocolate Bars)-which have been around for decades.
Since chocolate bars are sold by weight, what's the big deal?

[kayT]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Just about every gasoline pump will ask you for your zip now, if you're paying with a credit card. A block away, or halfway across the country.

I think that is to help with credit card theft. The card companies prefer the retailer to see the card and if they don't, they're supposed to get some kind of ID. So I don't mind that.

[Labrador Deceiver]

Originally Posted by ralph124c

They are actually copying a British product ("Aero" Chocolate Bars)-which have been around for decades.
Since chocolate bars are sold by weight, what's the big deal?

I'm not particularly bothered by it at all.

kayT: That's precisely why they do it.

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by ralph124c

Since chocolate bars are sold by weight, what's the big deal?

I've always paid by the bar.

[digs]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

...I know that I have to look very carefully at what is on sale and not just grab the item that appears to be on sale...

Am I the only one who matches up SKU numbers? Just look under the bar code on the item and match up the number with the tag on the shelf. I got in the habit at office supply stores where a "letter-size padfolio" and a "business portfolio" look almost the same and are shelved in amongst each other, but are $10 different in price.

[D_Odds]

Originally Posted by digs

Am I the only one who matches up SKU numbers? Just look under the bar code on the item and match up the number with the tag on the shelf. I got in the habit at office supply stores where a "letter-size padfolio" and a "business portfolio" look almost the same and are shelved in amongst each other, but are $10 different in price.

No you are not. But that's because if I make a mistake and grab the wrong item, I blame myself, not the store, and I don't like to repeat mistakes more than 5 times. Too many new mistakes to find and make.

Originally Posted by BlinkingDuck

I work with this stuff as my job. You don't think these companies don't test this? They do, and the overwhelming behavior of customers is to punish the company that raises prices but keeps the size of the package the same.

Consumer actions, which are often quite different than their words, inform lots of decisions. For the most part, consumers are price sensitive, and react better to getting less for the same price than getting the same for a higher price. I blame the current state of airline travel (once one passes the TSA) on this.

[Trinopus]

Originally Posted by Cat Whisperer

. . . "99 cents each!
If you buy 10 or more. . . .

FWIW, the three major grocery supermarket chains in my area all allow the lower price for smaller quantities too, in at least some cases. I asked the clerk, "Do I actually have to buy ten?" He said, "Nope. Same price."

It might be different in other stores?

[FairyChatMom]

Originally Posted by ralph124c

They are actually copying a British product ("Aero" Chocolate Bars)-which have been around for decades.
Since chocolate bars are sold by weight, what's the big deal?

They're not sold by weight in my grocery store. The candy bars by the register are all $1.09 - when I saw these air bars, I checked the weight compared to a regular Hershey bar and if I recall correctly, it was 10-15% less. So per unit weight, the air whipped candies cost more. Not that it mattered to me - I wasn't buying candy anyway.

[bouv]

Originally Posted by FairyChatMom

I wasn't buying candy anyway.

How odd...

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by BorgHunter

You're obviously not a programmer. Zero indexing is perfectly intuitive for us propeller-heads. That said, I can't imagine why laundry detergent companies would want to pander to us in particular.

They must be going for the C, Java, or Perl developer market. Maybe people who program in Fortran are too old to buy their own laundry detergent.