# Retail secrets usually only known by the employees **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822 "2011-09-19T13:48:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/102 "2011-09-24T13:51:45Z")
It is basically all the same. I used to work at a marina that was a “Texaco” dealer. WE got gas deliveries from a distributor-one day the truck would say “Shell”, another day “Exxon”, etc. As long as the octane rating is the same, who cares? ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/103 "2011-09-24T15:27:28Z")
Why do employees need the secret price code on the items? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/104 "2011-09-24T17:21:39Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Why do employees need the secret price code on the items? One reason is if the manager wants to discount the item for a customer, the manager may not want to discount it below cost. ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/105 "2011-09-24T17:41:21Z")
I don’t know if it’s the same outside the UK, but product barcodes contain three control numbers. a 6 at the start, a 6 in the middle, and a 6 at the end. 666…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/106 "2011-09-24T18:41:20Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Salsa not spicy enough at your favorite Mexican restaurant? The cooks in the back usually make their own super spicy blend for themselves. They usually don’t offer this stuff to the customers as it is too spicy. > > Next time, tell your server you want _that_. They might look at you all crazy as in: “How did you know?” but they’ll serve up for you if you ask. I may have told this story before, but this reminds me of the time my mom went to a Starbucks for the first time, found the coffee sizes on offer too large, and drawing on her elementary Italian, took a stab in the dark and ordered a “piccolo.” And they made it for her! With its own cup size and everything. It’s apparently uncommon enough knowledge that some time later when she asked a colleague who was going on a coffee run to pick one up for her, they recognized it as being her order. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/107 "2011-09-24T18:58:01Z")
> [@Waxwinged](#): > > Not sure if this applies, but: any art gallery that sells stuff on consignment takes anywhere from 30 to 50% of the cost for itself. So contacting the original artist can get you a hell of a discount. Yeah, but if an artist is going to sell directly to a customer, screwing the gallery who gave him or her a show, they risk burning that bridge. Running an art gallery is not an especially lucrative business, and it depends on trust and belief. Every gallery owner I know has stories about artists who fucked them, and word gets around. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/108 "2011-09-24T19:05:00Z")
> [@spotthegerbil](#): > > I don’t know if it’s the same outside the UK, but product barcodes contain three control numbers. a 6 at the start, a 6 in the middle, and a 6 at the end. No, they don’t. That is a myth generated by ignorance and misinterpretation. First of all, the “6” in the middle is not a six, but guard bars, and if you see a pattern at the start that looks like a 6 to you, it can’t be a six at the other end because 6’s at the left and right are of different parity and don’t look the same. How do I know? I wrote software to read & print barcodes of many kinds, including UPC. But don’t take my word for it: > **[Is the barcode The Mark of the Beast 666?](https://www.av1611.org/666/barcode.html)** > > Is the barcode The Mark of the Beast 666? What does the Bible REALLY say about the Mark of the Beast 666? www.av1611.org (Scroll down; there’s a discussion of this claim.) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/109 "2011-09-24T19:40:26Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I may have told this story before, but this reminds me of the time my mom went to a Starbucks for the first time, found the coffee sizes on offer too large, and drawing on her elementary Italian, took a stab in the dark and ordered a “piccolo.” And they made it for her! With its own cup size and everything. > > It’s apparently uncommon enough knowledge that some time later when she asked a colleague who was going on a coffee run to pick one up for her, they recognized it as being her order. You can probably get that size by asking for a “short” whatever; sometimes I just want a smaller drip coffee of whatever special kind they have and ask for a short. The downside is that the standard size of insulated sleeve is a little too big for the cup. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/110 "2011-09-24T20:21:15Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Yeah, but if an artist is going to sell directly to a customer, screwing the gallery who gave him or her a show, they risk burning that bridge. Running an art gallery is not an especially lucrative business, and it depends on trust and belief. Every gallery owner I know has stories about artists who fucked them, and word gets around. I was just going to post this!! Whether you can get a discount by bypassing the gallery is going to depend a lot on how much the artist values her relationship with the gallery, how likely it seems that you can keep your mouth shut, and other factors. Some exceptions might be if you can find out if the artist will be selling in an alternate venue, like a temporary fair or something, and they might be able to do a deal that way. Also it might help if you have a personal connection you could go through, friend of a friend etc, rather than approaching the artist cold and asking her to screw over her gallery. ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/111 "2011-09-24T22:09:54Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > No, they don’t. That is a myth generated by ignorance and misinterpretation. First of all, the “6” in the middle is not a six, but guard bars, and if you see a pattern at the start that looks like a 6 to you, it can’t be a six at the other end because 6’s at the left and right are of different parity and don’t look the same. > > How do I know? I wrote software to read & print barcodes of many kinds, including UPC. But don’t take my word for it: > > [Is the barcode The Mark of the Beast 666?](http://www.av1611.org/666/barcode.html) > > (Scroll down; there’s a discussion of this claim.) Cheers Musicat for setting me right, and sorry to all for propogating the myth. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/112 "2011-09-24T22:16:12Z")
> [@spotthegerbil](#): > > Cheers Musicat for setting me right, and sorry to all for propogating the myth. No problem. Ignorance Fought. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Prasmibesem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecb155/32.png) [@Prasmibesem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prasmibesem)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/113 "2011-09-25T07:53:59Z")
[seo optimalizace](http://prvni-misto.cz) ---
**Author:** ![Prasmibesem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecb155/32.png) [@Prasmibesem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prasmibesem)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/114 "2011-09-25T07:59:54Z")
[seo optimalizace](http://prvni-misto.cz) ---
**Author:** ![Prasmibesem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecb155/32.png) [@Prasmibesem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prasmibesem)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/115 "2011-09-25T08:08:44Z")
[seo optimalizace](http://prvni-misto.cz) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/116 "2011-09-25T08:09:47Z")
reported ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/117 "2011-09-25T08:18:43Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I’ve worked at the headquarters of a major grocery wholesaler (we supply about 1/4th of the grocery stores in the country). So I know a ‘secret’ about groceries: _they are mostly the same from one store to the next_. Even produce, meat, bakery, deli, etc. Whenever I mention this to someone who doesn’t work in the business, 9 times out of 10 they’re absolutely, utterly shocked. I notice it more with bakery because…er, I’m a baker 😉 I can walk into any supermarket bakery and tell you which manufacturer makes X or Y, why they might carry bread from Z as opposed to A, etc. Two things I’ve learned in the past couple of years: Most, if not all supermarket bakeries in my area use the same supplier for their cakes and icings. Ditto muffins and danish. Try explaining this to a customer and you’re met with utter shock which sometimes is downright hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Prasmibesem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecb155/32.png) [@Prasmibesem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prasmibesem)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/118 "2011-09-25T08:27:21Z")
[seo optimalizace](http://prvni-misto.cz) ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/119 "2011-09-25T08:37:51Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > reported God, I laughed ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/120 "2011-09-25T10:54:30Z")
Not ALL food stores are supplied from the same distributor. I temped for a chain that is starting up here in California called Fresh & Easy. They are owned by Tesco and this is their attempt to break into the US market with a “clean sheet” concept. _ALL_ stock came on a daily basis from their own solar powered distribution center on their own hybrid diesel trucks. Even items usually delivered by the manufacturer like soda or chips came on those trucks. The Coke or Frito/Lay guys would come by from time to time to kibbitz and check that their product was being stocked and displayed properly, but they never brought any product. Even the produce and meat was different than what you saw in other stores. Different packaging, different product (higher quality, IMHO). All prepared food was made by Fresh & Easy in the “kitchen” at the distribution center. They are fanatic about quality. We had a rule that any employee could waste out product that didn’t measure up. “If you wouldn’t buy it, take it off the shelf!” They really had an excellent inventory system set up. Seems like a lot of effort, but it must work for them, as the prices are consistently lower than in the competitor’s stores and they maintain total control. Good outfit! ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822/121 "2011-09-25T17:32:47Z")
These [secret Costco codes](http://lenrapoport.hubpages.com/hub/Secret-Codes-Will-Save-You-Money-At-Costco) were posted on the Dope a while back but I can’t remember by whom. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-secrets-usually-only-known-by-the-employees/596822.md?page=7)