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Aldi's newbie

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Ema Nymton

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May 14, 2013, 6:11:07 PM5/14/13
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This morning, George and I went to Aldi's for the first time. My first
impression was, the store is not very big. They had brands that I am not
familiar with, but they had decent prices. They did not have scallions,
but they had everything else on my list. I bought 10 lbs of russet
potatoes because they were 29 cents per pound, so now I have to cook
potatoes, even though they are not George's favorite vegetable. Poor
George. We had to insert 25 cents to get a grocery basket, I have never
seen that before.

So, how do you like Aldi's?

Becca

John Kuthe

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May 14, 2013, 6:33:45 PM5/14/13
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On Tue, 14 May 2013 17:11:07 -0500, Ema Nymton <EmaN...@comcast.net>
wrote:
...
>So, how do you like Aldi's?
>
>Becca

I like it spelled correctly: ALDI

No 's'!

John Kuthe...

meda...@gmail.com

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May 14, 2013, 6:36:22 PM5/14/13
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Do you like queer spelled faggot or homo? How's your job search going?

Tara

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May 14, 2013, 6:47:12 PM5/14/13
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I like and buy:

milk

half and half

eggs

yogurt

cheese

butter

pasta

crackers

cereal

tortillas

canned beans and tomatoes

rice

mac and cheese

frozen vegetables

peanut butter

laundry and dish detergent

plastic baggies, foil

ground turkey

ham

paper products

bread and hamburger / hotdog buns

produce, but not much as it does not stay fresh long

coffee beans

... and probably more. I'd say everything is worth a try. It's great
for stocking your freezer and pantry with affordable staples.

Tara

z z

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May 14, 2013, 9:11:41 PM5/14/13
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Grocery store was implicit in the title as in the grocery store
belonging to Aldi.

It is good for boredom relief but I don't regularly go there. I love the
Deutsche Kroene amaretto pound cakes. The non-food products are fun to
look at-bought a lawn chair once that was spectacular. I like the
package of tostada shells. It is a good place to buy cheap treats to
take to work. I am still afraid to try their meats though they clearly
have an efficient delivery to shelf system due to being small stores.
Usually I will spend under $20 when I do go. I am surrounded by people
shopping for large families is what I notice when I am there.

Message has been deleted

Nunya Bidnits

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May 14, 2013, 10:29:31 PM5/14/13
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I have spotty experience with them, especially their store brands. Same with
produce. I don't generally buy that kind of prepacked meat. I want it cut in
the store. Crappy coffee too, for example. But some of their stuff is close
to what people get at Trader Joe's and if you like a lot of prepared foods
and snacky stuff you will probably find something you like.

BUT if you buy chocolate, it's the place to be. Aldi's chocolate is
imported. They are owned by a large German company and part of their empire
includes some great chocolate, which trickles down to the Aldi stores. For
example, white chocolate is at least as good as Baker's brand, and about 60%
cheaper.

Chocolate is the only thing I make a special trip for. Otherwise if some
known brand products catch my eye in an ad once in a while (they run
Hillshire sausage sometimes, for example) I wander in but I never leave with
much.

MartyB

itsjoan...@webtv.net

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May 14, 2013, 10:35:55 PM5/14/13
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I buy about ¾ the same items and have been pleased with all that
I've bought. As far as the quarter goes for the cart, you get it back
when you return it. Some of their 'weekly specials' for non food
items are interesting such shredders, shelves, utensils, steamers,
etc. Have you tried their housebrand of mayonnaise? It's called
Bermans/Berrmans and the jar looks quite similar to Hellman's.

Ed Pawlowski

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May 14, 2013, 10:38:23 PM5/14/13
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On Tue, 14 May 2013 17:11:07 -0500, Ema Nymton <EmaN...@comcast.net>
wrote:

Mediocre. We've only shopped there a few times and what we bought was
OK, but not great. Butter and eggs were good, but my grandson did not
like the milk. That could vary with local suppliers though.

Produce selection was very small, some was good, the rest looked like
it was ready for the pig farm. The meats are injected crap. OK if
you want to pay $5 a pound for water and salt.

It is near the bottom of our list of stores. If you need an essential
item and are close by, fine, but now worth driving an extra mile for.
The cart thing is very European and making a bit of headway around
here. The good part of it, people take the carts back and don't leave
them to bang into cars in the parking lot.

Julie Bove

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May 14, 2013, 11:08:45 PM5/14/13
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"Ema Nymton" <EmaN...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:kmucq...@news6.newsguy.com...
We don't have them here. I did shop at one in PA, twice. At that point
they did not have any produce. I don't even remember frozen or refrigerated
foods. My MIL said they were best for non-food items and canned goods. I
did buy some kind of tomato sauce and maybe some beans the first time. The
next time I bought two cans of an off brand diet sodas and a stuffed animal.
Daughter now has the stuffed animal.


Tara

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May 15, 2013, 4:49:36 PM5/15/13
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On Tue, 14 May 2013 19:35:55 -0700, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:

> Have you tried their housebrand of mayonnaise? It's called
> Bermans/Berrmans and the jar looks quite similar to Hellman's.

I did try it, but I didn't love it or repurchase it. I can't remember
anything wrong with it; it just wasn't my preference. I have stopped
buying anything but Duke's or Hellman's. Those are my favorites. I
don't go through mayo so quickly that I can't splurge on my favorite.
That said, I would give it a try if you are curious.

Tara

spamtrap1888

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May 15, 2013, 5:03:04 PM5/15/13
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My buddy managed one when they first came to America, some 35 years
ago. At the time, at least, they private labeled the best known
products in America: Their blue swirl laundry detergent was Cheer,
their orange swirl detergent was Tide, all the soups came from
Campbell. They were even less frills than they are now: no
refrigeration in the store. "Velveeta" was the only dairy product I
can recall. No bags, not even for sale -- the way Costco is now. And,
like Costco. the cashier would throw stuff into another cart as she
rang it up. No prices were marked -- Boxes were simply slit open as
needed -- the cashier would have to memorize the prices of everything.
But there was a minimum of unique pricing. I think a can of Campbell's
Tomato soup was a dime, 50% lower than anywhere else.

As time went on they added some Euro touches like the quarter to
release a cart (you get that back when you return it). That tends to
insure that no carts lurk in the parking lots -- people who want to
make 25 cents will pick it up. Also the non-food weekly specials --
people buy their power tools and even their AC generator.

I have shopped at Aldi's in Munich. If you like their housebrands they
are fine, but I treated it like Trader Joe's here, as a supplementary
store rather than the one to shop. They were the only store to take
back their beverage containers, making them a bit inconvenient. One
thing I liked was the tricolored bell peppers that you sometimes see
at TJ's.

Nunya Bidnits

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May 15, 2013, 6:48:25 PM5/15/13
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spamtrap1888 <spamtr...@gmail.com> wrote:

clip

> ... I treated it like Trader Joe's here, as a supplementary
> store rather than the one to shop.

That is how I treat those stores as well, with TJs getting more play than
Aldi, but not by much.

MartyB.

gregz

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May 16, 2013, 12:47:19 AM5/16/13
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I shop in pa. I bought their extra fatty ground beef, and I didn't like it.
I quickly got tired of the pre made hash brown rectangles, too oily. Tried
mayo, but I'll use any kind, but my favorite is miracle whip. Fresh
veggies ok but sparse. Good buys in nuts and stuff. I always forget to take
my home depot monster shopping bag.

I also use bottom dollar, better produce, more selections, and have pop.
Even had raw peanuts.

But I bought my generator at Aldi, a very good buy.

Greg

bigwheel

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May 16, 2013, 6:28:49 PM5/16/13
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Rumor is their store brands are very good. I went into one and grabbed a
couple of things and headed to the check out. Looked like a two hour
wait...so I just sit it down somewhere and walked out. Not my kinda
place.




--
bigwheel

itsjoan...@webtv.net

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May 16, 2013, 10:15:01 PM5/16/13
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On May 16, 5:28 pm, bigwheel <bigwheel.bdb44d8.701...@foodbanter.com>
wrote:
>
> Rumor is their store brands are very good. I went into one and grabbed a
> couple of things and headed to the check out. Looked like a two hour
> wait...so I just sit it down somewhere and walked out. Not my kinda
> place.
>
>
> bigwheel
>
>
That is one aggravation they have; longish lines. But they do get you
quickly checked out as your purchases are placed in another cart and
you're gotten out of the way for the next customer. You take the
filled cart and bag/pack your groceries into whatever box or bags you
have brought with you.

Julie Bove

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May 16, 2013, 11:39:12 PM5/16/13
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I have a friend in Chicago who buys a lot of his food there. He does keep
kosher so I don't think his meat comes from there. But he does buy their
bagels.


Julie Bove

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May 16, 2013, 11:40:03 PM5/16/13
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itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:
> That is one aggravation they have; longish lines. But they do get you
> quickly checked out as your purchases are placed in another cart and
> you're gotten out of the way for the next customer. You take the
> filled cart and bag/pack your groceries into whatever box or bags you
> have brought with you.

I went into the Grocery Outlet in Oakland and I could not believe how long
the lines were! Only other time I saw anything that bad was at the military
commissary.


George Leppla

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May 17, 2013, 8:44:31 AM5/17/13
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We tend to go grocery shopping very early in the morning during the week
so we don't usually see lines anywhere.

I liked Aldi's and I think it will go into our shopping rotation. So
far, the store brands seem to be fine. Last night we had burgers we
bought there and they were very good (80/20, 1/4 pound, 3 pounds of
$8.89 or around 74 cents each).

Some prices were very low... cream cheese was 99 cents compared to $1.98
at Walmart. Milk was $1.89 per gallon compared to $3.49 at Sam's. Eggs
were 74 cents a dozen. Boxed mac and cheese is 39 cents (a guilty
pleasure).

And they had a "take it and bake it" pizza with the works for $5.99 (16
inch). We tried it and it was good enough that I would buy it again.

George L
Message has been deleted

zxcvbob

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May 17, 2013, 1:47:39 PM5/17/13
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Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article <kmucq...@news6.newsguy.com>,
> It's okay but I don't carry much cash so I don't go often. You should
> have gotten that quarter back. Did you?


I buy most of my groceries at Aldi.

The prices beat the pants off of every other store in town, even Sam's
Club, Costco, and Walmart. All of their store brands are good quality
(I dislike a few things that are too sweet or not spiced to my liking,
but that's not really a quality issue.) The produce is hit-or-miss. I
don't buy much meat there except whole hams, frozen fish, and sliced
luncheon meats. OTOH, I don't eat much meat -- I can coast all week on
one restaurant 1/2 pound hamburger with all the trimmings. :-)

For a while Aldi replaced their pints of sour cream onion/ranch dip with
some nasty flavored skim milk and hydrogenated palm oil crap, but the
good real dairy stuff is back again. So you do need to read the labels.

The lines are long sometimes, but they move really fast. I have trouble
unloading my basket fast enough to keep up with the checker, and I can't
watch the prices ring up that way. But I check the receipt afterwards
and I've never found a mistake.

Bob

bigwheel

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May 17, 2013, 11:51:11 AM5/17/13
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George Leppla;1834827 Wrote:
> On 5/16/2013 5:28 PM, bigwheel wrote:-
> Ema Nymton;1834358 Wrote:-
> This morning, George and I went to Aldi's for the first time. My
> first
>
> impression was, the store is not very big. They had brands that I am
> not
>
> familiar with, but they had decent prices. They did not have
> scallions,
>
> but they had everything else on my list. I bought 10 lbs of russet
> potatoes because they were 29 cents per pound, so now I have to cook
> potatoes, even though they are not George's favorite vegetable. Poor
> George. We had to insert 25 cents to get a grocery basket, I have
> never
>
> seen that before.
>
> So, how do you like Aldi's?
>
> Becca-
>
> Rumor is their store brands are very good. I went into one and grabbed
> a
> couple of things and headed to the check out. Looked like a two hour
> wait...so I just sit it down somewhere and walked out. Not my kinda
> place.-
>
>
> We tend to go grocery shopping very early in the morning during the week
>
> so we don't usually see lines anywhere.
>
> I liked Aldi's and I think it will go into our shopping rotation. So
> far, the store brands seem to be fine. Last night we had burgers we
> bought there and they were very good (80/20, 1/4 pound, 3 pounds of
> $8.89 or around 74 cents each).
>
> Some prices were very low... cream cheese was 99 cents compared to $1.98
>
> at Walmart. Milk was $1.89 per gallon compared to $3.49 at Sam's. Eggs
>
> were 74 cents a dozen. Boxed mac and cheese is 39 cents (a guilty
> pleasure).
>
> And they had a "take it and bake it" pizza with the works for $5.99 (16
>
> inch). We tried it and it was good enough that I would buy it again.
>
> George L

Thanks for that report. Maybe give them another try at the proper time
of day/week etc. Will at least put the burgers and pizza on the agenda.
We buy some kind of high dollar organic milk and eggs I think. Our eggs
must come from happy chickens..lol.




--
bigwheel

Pete C.

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May 17, 2013, 7:17:35 PM5/17/13
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The cart thing is asinine. I recall when a grocery store in Avon, CT
tried that (Big Y?) and damned near went out of business as a result and
quickly removed the offending devices.

There is a new Aldi about to open near me, I'll stop in and check it
out, but if it lives up to what I've heard about it I won't bother
visiting it again even though it's right next to Sam's which I do visit
regularly.

gregz

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May 17, 2013, 10:20:37 PM5/17/13
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I bought their cheap pack of dogs. I had to toss them away.

Greg

itsjoan...@webtv.net

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May 17, 2013, 11:37:18 PM5/17/13
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On May 17, 6:17 pm, "Pete C." <aux3.DO...@snet.net> wrote:
>
>
> The cart thing is asinine.
>
>
Not really. It does keep those wayward carts that lazy shoppers can't
be bothered to be returned to the 'corrals.' Also keeps those
homeless people from running up and down the streets with their junk
in them.
>
>
> There is a new Aldi about to open near me, I'll stop in and check it
> out, but if it lives up to what I've heard about it I won't bother
> visiting it again even though it's right next to Sam's which I do visit
> regularly.
>
>
Make your own decision based on not what you've 'heard.'

Bookwyrm

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May 17, 2013, 11:47:48 PM5/17/13
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From: Melba's Jammin' <barbsc...@earthlink.net>In article
> So, how do you like Aldi's?
>
> Becca

It's okay but I don't carry much cash so I don't go often. You should
have gotten that quarter back. Did you?
--
Barb,
http://www.barbschaller.com, as of April 8, 2013.


Barb --
The Aldi stores that I occasionally go to (Minnetonka and Crystal) don't
require cash now. They happily take my debit card.
Good thing when I'm buying 72 cans of pumpkin in November.

gregz

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May 18, 2013, 12:16:25 AM5/18/13
to
At my regular grocery today some asinine jammed a cart where it could break
away. I took the time to put it away properly. I admit a couple times I
shopped at Aldi, it was pouring. Had to hustle, otherwise I have no problem
with it. Here in Pittsburgh we have mostly slanted land. I don't like a
buggy hitting my vehicle.

Greg

Cheryl

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May 18, 2013, 1:31:44 AM5/18/13
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On 5/14/2013 9:36 PM, l not -l wrote:
> Aldi purchases account for maybe 20% of my weekly shopping. Since
> they are a block away from my main supermarket, a second stop is of
> little concern.

You're lucky! I have an ALDI about 10 mins away but it is completely on
the other side of town from where I usually shop so I have to make a
special trip. It might not sound like much out of my way but I'm just
really not a shopper and like to get it all done in one place. It is on
the way to and from my new gym so I might make it there more often.

--
CAPSLOCK�Preventing Login Since 1980.

Julie Bove

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May 18, 2013, 4:13:47 AM5/18/13
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"Cheryl" <jlhs...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:51971245$0$33772$c3e8da3$a909...@news.astraweb.com...
Oh how I wish I could get all of my shopping done in one place! Yes, if I
need something to make one meal, I can do it. But overall, no. Even as a
kid, we could not. My mom would only buy meat at one place and would only
buy produce at another. And now I see why. Although that has changed
somewhat, the one place still has pretty bad meat if you buy what they
package there. They have added a butcher counter and my friend said that
meat is better. But they also sell some packaged organic stuff and that is
good. The other place has good fresh produce but a poor selection. And in
those days there were a couple of places where you'd write your prices on
with a grease pencil. They were the cheapest for stuff like bread, canned,
frozen, cereal, etc. And they were the only places in those days with bulk
foods. Then Fred Meyer came in. They had a health food section but we
generally didn't buy groceries there unless they were health foods.

These days it is more of a matter of selection. There are some specific
things that I like that are only sold in the stores that in general sell
very expensive/gourmet stuff. I wouldn't necessarily mind buying all of my
stuff there but they are too expensive. Plus a couple of them don't sell
things like diet soda or the HBA that we use.


George Leppla

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May 18, 2013, 8:28:19 AM5/18/13
to
On 5/17/2013 6:17 PM, Pete C. wrote:
> The cart thing is asinine. I recall when a grocery store in Avon, CT
> tried that (Big Y?) and damned near went out of business as a result and
> quickly removed the offending devices.


IN PA, a local town made using those 25 cent deposit shopping carts a
law. They wanted to keep the carts on the property, not in the street.

Where we used to live in Shreveport, there was a bus stop about 1/4 mile
from the local Walmart. Every morning you would see 10 to 20 Walmart
carts at that bus stop... and every morning Walmart had to send people
to bring them back.

George L
Message has been deleted

Ophelia

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May 18, 2013, 10:23:58 AM5/18/13
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"l not -l" <lal...@cujo.com> wrote in message
news:kn8200$dt$1...@dont-email.me...
> Last summer I went to Portland OR for a week. There was a Safeway a
> couple of blocks from my hotel and I shopped there on a couple of
> occasions. They solved the wandering cart problem with wheels that
> locked at the property line; you could push the cart anywhere on the
> parking lot, but if you tried to go further the cart would not roll.
>
> The quarter cart at Aldi is no problem for the regular shopper who
> thinks ahead. After the first trip, I knew I needed to keep a quarter
> in my wallet; it's no problem to take it out to get the cart and put
> back as soon as I remove it from the cart.

Just what I do:) Most of our supermarkets operate in the same way so we are
used to it.

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

Pete C.

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May 18, 2013, 11:43:57 AM5/18/13
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There is other technology available to help keep carts from leaving the
property *without* inconveniencing the customers. It's an "invisible
fence" of sorts that is triggered when the cart crosses the transmitter
line around the property and locks the wheels of the cart. Inside the
property the cart operates normally without any action from the shopper.

Pete C.

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May 18, 2013, 11:47:39 AM5/18/13
to
You've been conditioned to accept it. As I noted that other grocery
store in a relatively wealthy area nearly went out of business as they
saw their customer counts drop precipitously over the course of about a
week from the installation of the idiotic devices. I was one of the many
former customers who went to get a cart, found the stupid quarter thing
and simply walked away never to return until they eliminate the
stupidity. All the competitors in the area saw a sudden spike in their
customer counts reinforcing the fact that the customers would not
tolerate the cart nonsense.

jmcquown

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May 18, 2013, 12:05:31 PM5/18/13
to
On 5/18/2013 11:47 AM, Pete C. wrote:
>
> Ophelia wrote:
>>
>> Just what I do:) Most of our supermarkets operate in the same way so we are
>> used to it.
>
> You've been conditioned to accept it. As I noted that other grocery
> store in a relatively wealthy area nearly went out of business as they
> saw their customer counts drop precipitously over the course of about a
> week from the installation of the idiotic devices. I was one of the many
> former customers who went to get a cart, found the stupid quarter thing
> and simply walked away never to return until they eliminate the
> stupidity. All the competitors in the area saw a sudden spike in their
> customer counts reinforcing the fact that the customers would not
> tolerate the cart nonsense.
>
No Aldi's here but I haven't seen the trend for paying for carts yet. I
understand the logic behind it. But I have never, *ever* left a cart in
a parking lot or just shoved it off to the side for someone else to deal
with. I'm grateful I have two good legs. I use them to take the cart
back. Regardless of whether or not it's refundable, I wouldn't be happy
if they started charging me to do what I've been doing all along.

How does that work, anyway? Do you have to show a cart receipt and wait
for someone to give you back your quarter? What a colossal waste of
time. I'm pretty sure some people don't care about that quarter, in
which case store employees still have to go gather up the abandoned carts.

Jill

Ophelia

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May 18, 2013, 12:10:21 PM5/18/13
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"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5197a1c2$0$22581$862e...@ngroups.net...
Yes, we have those too, but it doesn't prevent shoppers abandoning their
carts all over the car park.

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

Ophelia

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May 18, 2013, 12:12:49 PM5/18/13
to


"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5197a2a0$0$39849$862e...@ngroups.net...
Not at all. I prefer it. At least I am not trying to avoid carts as I
drive around the car park. I don't want to have to move other carts to be
able to get out of the parking bay.

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

George Leppla

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May 18, 2013, 12:16:43 PM5/18/13
to
On 5/18/2013 11:05 AM, jmcquown wrote:
> if they started charging me to do what I've been doing all along.
>
> How does that work, anyway? Do you have to show a cart receipt and wait
> for someone to give you back your quarter? What a colossal waste of
> time. I'm pretty sure some people don't care about that quarter, in
> which case store employees still have to go gather up the abandoned carts.

There is no charge to use the carts.... it is a returnable deposit The
carts have a slot where you insert a quarter and that releases a lock
that is hooked by a short chain to the next cart in line. You take your
cart. When you are done, you put the cart back in line, insert the
locking mechanism from the adjoining cart and you get your quarter back.

Look at http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/carts.jpg

or http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2612/3996048815_7afb6cb196_z.jpg?zz=1

This system has been in effect in various places for over 15 years. It
is a simple and effective way to keep carts from ending up in the middle
of the street.

And like I said, in some locations, using this system is mandated by
local law/regulations/zoning.

I'm thinking that this isn't really something so onerous that people
should be getting their panties all in a twist and I have to admit I am
getting a kick out of all the angst that this topic is generating.

George L

Doris Night

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May 18, 2013, 12:19:08 PM5/18/13
to
On Sat, 18 May 2013 12:05:31 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
wrote:
Couldn't be easier - when you get your cart, you have to insert a
quarter into a slot in the handle, and the cart is released from the
rest of the pack. After you have unloaded your groceries into your
car, you wheel the cart over to the cart corral, attach it to the next
cart, and your quarter is released from the cart handle.

Nobody around here seems to mind paying the $0.25 rent on the cart.

I always keep a couple of quarters in the change tray in my car, for
shopping carts and parking meters. I also have a quarter in the pocket
of each of my jackets.

Doris

S Viemeister

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May 18, 2013, 12:21:39 PM5/18/13
to
On 5/18/2013 12:05 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> No Aldi's here but I haven't seen the trend for paying for carts yet. I
> understand the logic behind it. But I have never, *ever* left a cart in
> a parking lot or just shoved it off to the side for someone else to deal
> with. I'm grateful I have two good legs. I use them to take the cart
> back. Regardless of whether or not it's refundable, I wouldn't be happy
> if they started charging me to do what I've been doing all along.
>
> How does that work, anyway? Do you have to show a cart receipt and wait
> for someone to give you back your quarter? What a colossal waste of
> time. I'm pretty sure some people don't care about that quarter, in
> which case store employees still have to go gather up the abandoned carts.
>
Inserting the coin unlocks the cart. When you return it, you nest your
cart into another cart, then insert the tab attached to the free end of
the chain on the other cart, into the slot on your cart. The coin then
pops out, and you can remove it.

Ophelia

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May 18, 2013, 12:20:53 PM5/18/13
to


"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:kn89g...@news7.newsguy.com...
lol ikwym

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

jmcquown

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May 18, 2013, 2:04:59 PM5/18/13
to
Hmmm, okay. What happens when the mechanism fails and the quarter gets
stuck? ;)

Jill

jmcquown

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May 18, 2013, 2:07:01 PM5/18/13
to
On 5/18/2013 12:10 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>
>>
>> There is other technology available to help keep carts from leaving the
>> property *without* inconveniencing the customers. It's an "invisible
>> fence" of sorts that is triggered when the cart crosses the transmitter
>> line around the property and locks the wheels of the cart. Inside the
>> property the cart operates normally without any action from the shopper.
>
> Yes, we have those too, but it doesn't prevent shoppers abandoning their
> carts all over the car park.
>
I doubt anything will *ever* deter lazy people from doing that. Those
people won't care about the quarter (or whatever the equivalent is
there). They'll still be thoughtless and careless.

Jill

Bryan

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May 18, 2013, 2:17:48 PM5/18/13
to
You go inside with the cart and tell the helpful Aldi workers who promptly and politely hands you a quarter. It's happened to me one time out of the many hundreds of times I've shopped there.

I have returned two products because they were sub par:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/-aldi-benito-queso-quesadilla-cheese-25179404
and
http://aldi-reviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/reggano-grated-parmesan-cheese.html

Right now, they have this prosciutto wrapped mozzarella thing that's delicious.
>
> Jill

--Bryan

Bryan

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May 18, 2013, 2:19:34 PM5/18/13
to
You know how often I see an abandoned cart? Almost never.
>
> Jill

--Bryan

Bryan

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May 18, 2013, 2:21:15 PM5/18/13
to
On Friday, May 17, 2013 11:25:28 AM UTC-5, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article <kmucq...@news6.newsguy.com>,
>
> Ema Nymton <EmaN...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > This morning, George and I went to Aldi's for the first time. My first
>
> > impression was, the store is not very big. They had brands that I am not
>
> > familiar with, but they had decent prices. They did not have scallions,
>
> > but they had everything else on my list. I bought 10 lbs of russet
>
> > potatoes because they were 29 cents per pound, so now I have to cook
>
> > potatoes, even though they are not George's favorite vegetable. Poor
>
> > George. We had to insert 25 cents to get a grocery basket, I have never
>
> > seen that before.
>
> >
>
> > So, how do you like Aldi's?
>
> >
>
> > Becca
>
>
>
> It's okay but I don't carry much cash so I don't go often.

They take debit cards, just not credit cards.
>
> --
>
> Barb

--Bryan

zxcvbob

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May 18, 2013, 4:17:37 PM5/18/13
to
And some industrious kid will take the abandoned cart back and collect
the quarter. Either way, the carts end up back where they belong and an
employee doesn't have to wrangle them.

Bob

George Leppla

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May 18, 2013, 4:25:28 PM5/18/13
to
On 5/18/2013 3:17 PM, zxcvbob wrote:
>> I doubt anything will*ever* deter lazy people from doing that. Those
>> >people won't care about the quarter (or whatever the equivalent is
>> >there). They'll still be thoughtless and careless.
>> >
>> >Jill
>
> And some industrious kid will take the abandoned cart back and collect
> the quarter. Either way, the carts end up back where they belong and an
> employee doesn't have to wrangle them.

Or a homeless person will do it to get the quarter. Heck, it if isn't
too far, I'll do it. <vbg>

It amazes me when people walk past 67 empty shopping carts on their way
into a store... just to take one from the line at the door or better
yet, bitch that there aren't any shopping carts and have to go back to
the lot to get one. We grab the first cart we come to once we get out
of the car.

Another peeve.... people who leave their carts in an empty parking space
instead of returning them to the designated area.

Those 25 cent deposit/return gizmos eliminate both problems.

George L

S Viemeister

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May 18, 2013, 4:38:39 PM5/18/13
to
No idea. I've never had a quarter (or a pound coin) get stuck.

Libby

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May 18, 2013, 4:52:53 PM5/18/13
to

Libby

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May 18, 2013, 5:00:12 PM5/18/13
to
Usually when I'm ready to take my cart after unloading, I'll ask someone who has just driven up if he's like mine. He'll give my my quarter, and I don't have to walk back to the store. I used to go there a lot for canned fish, like red salmon, fancy appetizer item, and frozen blueberries in the dead of winter when they are so expensive. I've also bought some of their small electrical appliances.
Message has been deleted

Pete C.

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May 18, 2013, 6:12:01 PM5/18/13
to
The sad thing is that at the various stores around here you *don't* have
to dodge carts driving around the lot. They have cart corrals to return
the carts to that are positioned every 25' or so and the majority of
people actually return the carts to them. For the few carts that get
left other places people tend to grab them along the way when returning
the cart they used to the corral or grab them to use on their shopping.
Someone from the store collects the carts from the corrals every hour or
so to replenish the main cart corral inside the store.

Heck, around here the store personnel will help you load the groceries
into your vehicle and take the cart back with them. It's just an all
around higher level of service and more polite people I guess than over
there. One key difference is that there is limited public transit around
here as it seems that public transit brings with it less courteous
people along with increased crime.

Pete C.

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May 18, 2013, 6:13:14 PM5/18/13
to
Precisely, and around here we simply don't have an issue with such
inconsiderate people.

Pete C.

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May 18, 2013, 6:14:54 PM5/18/13
to
Better quality people eliminate both those problems.

Ed Pawlowski

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May 18, 2013, 11:25:36 PM5/18/13
to
On Sat, 18 May 2013 11:16:43 -0500, George Leppla
<geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:



>This system has been in effect in various places for over 15 years. It
>is a simple and effective way to keep carts from ending up in the middle
>of the street.
>
>And like I said, in some locations, using this system is mandated by
>local law/regulations/zoning.
>
>I'm thinking that this isn't really something so onerous that people
>should be getting their panties all in a twist and I have to admit I am
>getting a kick out of all the angst that this topic is generating.
>
>George L

I wish more places had it, or at least had people doing cart
collection more often. Too many lazy slobs don't bother to take the
cart either back to the store or to a corral and the parking lot will
get littered with them. I had one car dinged and I don't want
another. If I part near a cart, I'll take it back to the store with
me to get it away from my car.

I've shopped at stores in Europe that required a one Euro coin for the
cart. In fact, I don't recall ever shopping at a store there that did
not require a coin.

Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:03:46 AM5/19/13
to

"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:kn7s4...@news1.newsguy.com...
> On 5/17/2013 6:17 PM, Pete C. wrote:
>> The cart thing is asinine. I recall when a grocery store in Avon, CT
>> tried that (Big Y?) and damned near went out of business as a result and
>> quickly removed the offending devices.
>
>
> IN PA, a local town made using those 25 cent deposit shopping carts a law.
> They wanted to keep the carts on the property, not in the street.
>
> Where we used to live in Shreveport, there was a bus stop about 1/4 mile
> from the local Walmart. Every morning you would see 10 to 20 Walmart
> carts at that bus stop... and every morning Walmart had to send people to
> bring them back.
>
> George L

Some stores here have sensors in the parking lot and on the carts. You can
only take them to the edges of the parking lot and then they'll lock up. Of
course this doesn't prevent someone with a truck from picking the carts up
and loading them into their truck. There is quite a market for used
shopping carts. The smaller stores will buy them. But these days most of
the carts are clearly marked with the store's name. Was easier to change
them in the 80's. The carts were generic metal and the handle had pieces
that could be easily removed with a screwdriver so that you could insert the
store's name under the clear piece.

In NY, plenty of places would not let you take the cart to your car. They
put up posts that were so close together that if you were much larger than I
was, you couldn't get yourself through there to shop! Some stores had
unsavory type people hanging around outside, sometimes with mean looking pit
bulls who "offered" to take your bags to your vehicle for a tip of course.
They were not employed by the stores, but neither did the store stop them
from doing this.

At other stores, you either had to go shopping with another person who could
either drive the vehicle up there, blocking traffic (this was tolerated)
while you walked the things a few at a time or one at a time in the case of
large things to the vehicle. Or... You parked as close as you could and
ran back and forth, hoping no one would steal what was still left in the
cart. Or... You bought only enough items to hand carry in one trip. I
don't recall any stores that had baggers who would help. Not even for
elderly people.

The smaller stores had no carts at all. You had to supply your own. I did
own one. But it eventually broke. I didn't replace it because I don't need
one here.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:04:58 AM5/19/13
to

"l not -l" <lal...@cujo.com> wrote in message
news:kn8200$dt$1...@dont-email.me...
>
> On 18-May-2013, George Leppla <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote:
>
>> On 5/17/2013 6:17 PM, Pete C. wrote:
>> > The cart thing is asinine. I recall when a grocery store in Avon, CT
>> > tried that (Big Y?) and damned near went out of business as a result
>> > and
>> > quickly removed the offending devices.
>>
>>
>> IN PA, a local town made using those 25 cent deposit shopping carts a
>> law. They wanted to keep the carts on the property, not in the
>> street.
>>
>> Where we used to live in Shreveport, there was a bus stop about 1/4
>> mile
>> from the local Walmart. Every morning you would see 10 to 20 Walmart
>> carts at that bus stop... and every morning Walmart had to send people
>>
>> to bring them back.
>>
>> George L
> Last summer I went to Portland OR for a week. There was a Safeway a
> couple of blocks from my hotel and I shopped there on a couple of
> occasions. They solved the wandering cart problem with wheels that
> locked at the property line; you could push the cart anywhere on the
> parking lot, but if you tried to go further the cart would not roll.
>
> The quarter cart at Aldi is no problem for the regular shopper who
> thinks ahead. After the first trip, I knew I needed to keep a quarter
> in my wallet; it's no problem to take it out to get the cart and put
> back as soon as I remove it from the cart.
> --
> Change Cujo to Juno in email address.
>
> Bad decisions make good stories.

Some stores in NY did the quarter thing but... If you were a member there,
they'd give you something...I think it was a key that you could insert to
unlock it. I used that at one store until I discovered the roaches in
there. Never again.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:12:41 AM5/19/13
to

"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5197a2a0$0$39849$862e...@ngroups.net...
> You've been conditioned to accept it. As I noted that other grocery
> store in a relatively wealthy area nearly went out of business as they
> saw their customer counts drop precipitously over the course of about a
> week from the installation of the idiotic devices. I was one of the many
> former customers who went to get a cart, found the stupid quarter thing
> and simply walked away never to return until they eliminate the
> stupidity. All the competitors in the area saw a sudden spike in their
> customer counts reinforcing the fact that the customers would not
> tolerate the cart nonsense.

I can believe that. As I said in another reply, some stores in NY require
the quarter and for a time, some in PA required it. I would usually opt to
shop elsewhere because that was a PITA.

Used to be that the airport had pay toilets. But people complained. So
they made it a law that they had to keep one toilet that was not a pay one
for emergencies or for people who couldn't pay. So of course there was
always a long line for that one free toilet because nobody wanted to pay.
They did away with the pay ones quite quickly.

When I was a kid, there was a big push to recycle shopping bags. Some
people did it but not many. They would even pay you a few pennies if you
brought your own bag. That didn't go over so they stopped it.

But when they started it again in recent years, older people like my parents
pooh poohed it and said that it wouldn't work. And sometimes it is the
older people who refuse to use the reusable bags. My parents simply won't.
Some areas have banned the use of the plastic bags. Those stores will give
you a paper bag but also highly encourage you to buy one of their reusable
ones. Most store do give you a discount for bringing your own. And I
almost always bring my own now. The only time I don't is if I am not in my
own vehicle and I decide to buy something...although I probably should get
one of those bags that folds up into a strawberry or something. I could
keep it in my purse. Or at Winco. Sometimes I do use my own bags but they
are always super busy and you have to bag your own. Due to their setup, it
is just quicker and easier to use theirs. If I am only buying enough for
one or two bags, I might use my own. Otherwise I use theirs. We do re-use
their bags. We just don't need very many.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:14:19 AM5/19/13
to

"jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:avpn6d...@mid.individual.net...
The only time I have left a cart in an odd place is if the store has no cart
return place. There are a couple of stores here like that. And their
parking lots are such that you have to walk quite a ways to get back into
the store. Not sure why they don't put a few cart returns out there.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:15:03 AM5/19/13
to

"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:kn89g...@news7.newsguy.com...
Lots of places use this system but they don't do it here.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:16:55 AM5/19/13
to

"jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:avpu6f...@mid.individual.net...
> Hmmm, okay. What happens when the mechanism fails and the quarter gets
> stuck? ;)

I've never had that happen. In fact, I've often had people just give me
their cart when they were done with it. Then I would usually just give it
to someone else. Not sure who originally put that quarter in. But it was
probably there for a while!


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:22:46 AM5/19/13
to

"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5197fcb7$0$32480$862e...@ngroups.net...
> The sad thing is that at the various stores around here you *don't* have
> to dodge carts driving around the lot. They have cart corrals to return
> the carts to that are positioned every 25' or so and the majority of
> people actually return the carts to them. For the few carts that get
> left other places people tend to grab them along the way when returning
> the cart they used to the corral or grab them to use on their shopping.
> Someone from the store collects the carts from the corrals every hour or
> so to replenish the main cart corral inside the store.

The vast majority of the stores here are like that. And if you load your
groceries in slowly enough, usually some worker will pop up and take your
cart back for you! If I am walking towards the store and see someone
putting their groceries in, I will usually wait there and take their cart
for them.

Some of the stores here have machine sort of things to collect the carts.
Winco has one with a little vehicle attached to it. I don't think they have
the vehicle part at Target but it is still a machine of some sort. Other
stores like Costco use a tool. These allow them to get far more carts than
you could get otherwise in one swoop.
>
> Heck, around here the store personnel will help you load the groceries
> into your vehicle and take the cart back with them. It's just an all
> around higher level of service and more polite people I guess than over
> there. One key difference is that there is limited public transit around
> here as it seems that public transit brings with it less courteous
> people along with increased crime.

Aha! That could be it! We don't have good public transit here either. And
most stores will take the groceries to the vehicle for you if you want.
That was the norm when I was a kid, then it seemed to fall out of favor but
now it is back. I never have them do it only because it's far easier for me
to walk if I am pushing the cart.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:23:25 AM5/19/13
to

"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5197a1c2$0$22581$862e...@ngroups.net...
> There is other technology available to help keep carts from leaving the
> property *without* inconveniencing the customers. It's an "invisible
> fence" of sorts that is triggered when the cart crosses the transmitter
> line around the property and locks the wheels of the cart. Inside the
> property the cart operates normally without any action from the shopper.

Yep. We have that here.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:26:22 AM5/19/13
to

"Ophelia" <Oph...@elsinore.me.ku.invalid> wrote in message
news:avpnnr...@mid.individual.net...
>
>
> "Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:5197a1c2$0$22581$862e...@ngroups.net...
>>
>> George Leppla wrote:
>>>
>>> On 5/17/2013 6:17 PM, Pete C. wrote:
>>> > The cart thing is asinine. I recall when a grocery store in Avon, CT
>>> > tried that (Big Y?) and damned near went out of business as a result
>>> > and
>>> > quickly removed the offending devices.
>>>
>>> IN PA, a local town made using those 25 cent deposit shopping carts a
>>> law. They wanted to keep the carts on the property, not in the street.
>>>
>>> Where we used to live in Shreveport, there was a bus stop about 1/4 mile
>>> from the local Walmart. Every morning you would see 10 to 20 Walmart
>>> carts at that bus stop... and every morning Walmart had to send people
>>> to bring them back.
>>>
>>> George L
>>
>> There is other technology available to help keep carts from leaving the
>> property *without* inconveniencing the customers. It's an "invisible
>> fence" of sorts that is triggered when the cart crosses the transmitter
>> line around the property and locks the wheels of the cart. Inside the
>> property the cart operates normally without any action from the shopper.
>
> Yes, we have those too, but it doesn't prevent shoppers abandoning their
> carts all over the car park.

Here you might see carts set partly into a planter so they won't roll, or on
the sidewalk but rarely abandoned.

One problem at the Target store though is that they stupidly put a cart
return on a hill. You put you cart in there and it will roll backwards at
you. This happened to me once on a windy day. Since I had my back turned
on it, I couldn't see it coming. Dang thing knocked the wind out of me.
Hit me hard in the back. I lurched forwards and almost fell. So now I know
why there are always so many carts on the sidewalk on that end of the store.
The cart return is fine for the first few carts in it. But once it starts
filling up, the carts won't stay in.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 3:29:08 AM5/19/13
to

"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:kn8o3...@news6.newsguy.com...

> It amazes me when people walk past 67 empty shopping carts on their way
> into a store... just to take one from the line at the door or better yet,
> bitch that there aren't any shopping carts and have to go back to the lot
> to get one. We grab the first cart we come to once we get out of the car.
>

I do that too. If there is a person along my way who is filling their
vehicle, I simply ask if I can have their cart when they are done. They
always give it to me. Or I will grab one from a cart return.

> Another peeve.... people who leave their carts in an empty parking space
> instead of returning them to the designated area.

I have only done that when they have no cart return. But I am not the only
one who does this. Generally there are about a dozen there.
>
> Those 25 cent deposit/return gizmos eliminate both problems.

Maybe.


Cheryl

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May 19, 2013, 3:48:10 AM5/19/13
to
On 5/18/2013 12:05 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> No Aldi's here but I haven't seen the trend for paying for carts yet. I
> understand the logic behind it. But I have never, *ever* left a cart in
> a parking lot or just shoved it off to the side for someone else to deal
> with. I'm grateful I have two good legs. I use them to take the cart
> back. Regardless of whether or not it's refundable, I wouldn't be happy
> if they started charging me to do what I've been doing all along.

People are lazy. Even though I still have a hard time walking
distances, and when my shopping trip is over I'm usually hurting, I
still take the cart to either the cart shopping parking spot or back up
to the store front. But so many don't do it and I don't understand the
laziness at all.

--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

Cheryl

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May 19, 2013, 3:53:26 AM5/19/13
to
On 5/18/2013 12:16 PM, George Leppla wrote:

> I'm thinking that this isn't really something so onerous that people
> should be getting their panties all in a twist and I have to admit I am
> getting a kick out of all the angst that this topic is generating.

Same here.

--
CAPSLOCK�Preventing Login Since 1980.

Cheryl

unread,
May 19, 2013, 3:57:11 AM5/19/13
to
You wrote they don't do that there. Anyway, the first time I went to
ALDI I tried to take someone's cart, not knowing about the quarter
thing, and they wouldn't give it to me because they wanted their quarter
back.

Cheryl

unread,
May 19, 2013, 4:03:49 AM5/19/13
to
On 5/18/2013 6:12 PM, Pete C. wrote:

> The sad thing is that at the various stores around here you*don't* have
> to dodge carts driving around the lot. They have cart corrals to return
> the carts to that are positioned every 25' or so and the majority of
> people actually return the carts to them. For the few carts that get
> left other places people tend to grab them along the way when returning
> the cart they used to the corral or grab them to use on their shopping.
> Someone from the store collects the carts from the corrals every hour or
> so to replenish the main cart corral inside the store.
>
My normal store has reduced the number of cart corrals and there are
maybe two where there used to be probably six. Not sure why they did
that, maybe they were taking up too many parking spaces. I tend to try
to park near the corrals if my back is having a good day, because they
tend to be far from the door of the store.

> Heck, around here the store personnel will help you load the groceries
> into your vehicle and take the cart back with them. It's just an all
> around higher level of service and more polite people I guess than over
> there.

You have helpful stores! I rarely see that here (my little area of
Maryland).

Cheryl

unread,
May 19, 2013, 4:07:34 AM5/19/13
to
On 5/18/2013 2:19 PM, Bryan wrote:

> You know how often I see an abandoned cart? Almost never.

It must be rare where you are, but abandoned carts are all over the
parking lots every place I shop here.

Cheryl

unread,
May 19, 2013, 4:09:02 AM5/19/13
to
Where do you find those? lol

Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 6:29:04 AM5/19/13
to

"Cheryl" <jlhs...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:519885d8$0$44651$c3e8da3$4605...@news.astraweb.com...
Right. Not here. No Aldi here. But I did live in PA where not only Aldi,
but Weis did this. Weis did not do it for long though. And I lived in NY
were some store did it. Can't remember the name now.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 6:30:33 AM5/19/13
to

"Cheryl" <jlhs...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:51988766$0$1255$c3e8da3$fdf4...@news.astraweb.com...
> On 5/18/2013 6:12 PM, Pete C. wrote:
>
>> The sad thing is that at the various stores around here you*don't* have
>> to dodge carts driving around the lot. They have cart corrals to return
>> the carts to that are positioned every 25' or so and the majority of
>> people actually return the carts to them. For the few carts that get
>> left other places people tend to grab them along the way when returning
>> the cart they used to the corral or grab them to use on their shopping.
>> Someone from the store collects the carts from the corrals every hour or
>> so to replenish the main cart corral inside the store.
>>
> My normal store has reduced the number of cart corrals and there are maybe
> two where there used to be probably six. Not sure why they did that,
> maybe they were taking up too many parking spaces. I tend to try to park
> near the corrals if my back is having a good day, because they tend to be
> far from the door of the store.
>
That's not many at all. Pretty sure most of the stores here have far more
than six! And Target has tons! Two in each row and they have lots of rows
of parking!

>> Heck, around here the store personnel will help you load the groceries
>> into your vehicle and take the cart back with them. It's just an all
>> around higher level of service and more polite people I guess than over
>> there.
>
> You have helpful stores! I rarely see that here (my little area of
> Maryland).

They do it here too at most stores.


George Leppla

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May 19, 2013, 8:40:43 AM5/19/13
to
Well, Pete, then I helpfully offer you the suggestion that you stay
wherever you are. You probably won't like it here and if you ever
visit, your nose is stuck up so high in the air that you wouldn't see
anything but blue sky, and for a curmudgeon like you, that is a good thing.

George L

George Leppla

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May 19, 2013, 8:45:20 AM5/19/13
to
On 5/19/2013 2:53 AM, Cheryl wrote:
> On 5/18/2013 12:16 PM, George Leppla wrote:
>
>> I'm thinking that this isn't really something so onerous that people
>> should be getting their panties all in a twist and I have to admit I am
>> getting a kick out of all the angst that this topic is generating.
>
> Same here.
>

Using a cart without the 25 cent deposit:

You walk up to a cart. Use the cart. Return the cart.


Using a cart WITH the 25 cent deposit:

You walk up to a cart. Insert a quarter and use the cart. Return the
cart and get your quarter back.

Yeah... I can see where the 10 seconds involved in inserting a quarter
and then getting it back could sure be a hardship on some people. <snarf>

George L

Pete C.

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May 19, 2013, 9:05:06 AM5/19/13
to
There doesn't seem to be a shortage around here (N. TX). As noted, at
the various stores I frequent around here carts just aren't a problem,
most people return them to the proper cart corral.

Pete C.

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May 19, 2013, 12:29:02 PM5/19/13
to
You (as always) are missing the point. It is offensive to the majority
of customers who return carts to their designated location(s) to be
inconvenienced for the actions of a few who do not, or more likely for
the idiotic manager who thinks that saving the $10/day it costs for
employees to retrieve the carts is worth offending the customers. I will
take my business to a store that treats me as a valued customer, not
some sort of nuisance they grudgingly deal with.

George Leppla

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May 19, 2013, 12:34:35 PM5/19/13
to
On 5/19/2013 11:29 AM, Pete C. wrote:
> You (as always) are missing the point. It is offensive to the majority
> of customers who return carts to their designated location(s) to be
> inconvenienced for the actions of a few who do not, or more likely for
> the idiotic manager who thinks that saving the $10/day it costs for
> employees to retrieve the carts is worth offending the customers. I will
> take my business to a store that treats me as a valued customer, not
> some sort of nuisance they grudgingly deal with.

1) You are easily offended.

2) Inserting a quarter into a slot and retrieving it does not come under
the category of "inconvenience".

3) AGAIN... use of systems like this are often mandated by local laws
and regulations and store management has nothing to do with it.

George L

Pete C.

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May 19, 2013, 12:35:40 PM5/19/13
to
The funny thing is, I've shopped at a great many places in wildly
differing neighborhoods and none of them had any notable issue with
errant shopping carts. None of those places were inner cities, so
perhaps that is where the problem originates and perhaps managers
getting transferred from inner cities to suburban locations are bringing
their prejudices with them. The area I'm in currently is incredibly
diverse, in one location there is a multi million dollar mansion across
the street from a mobile home part and it has no fortress walls either.
I see people of all races and apparent classes (as inferred from attire
and vehicles) shopping and returning carts where they belong with no
prejudicial deposit gadgets to try to force them to do so. If errant
carts are the norm where you live I suspect you need to look at the
culture there to find the cause.

Ophelia

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May 19, 2013, 12:36:21 PM5/19/13
to


"George Leppla" <geo...@cruisemaster.com> wrote in message
news:knauu...@news1.newsguy.com...
Indeed!
--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

Ophelia

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May 19, 2013, 12:48:53 PM5/19/13
to


"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5198ff63$0$15779$862e...@ngroups.net...
Awww isn't that sweet:)
--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 1:20:02 PM5/19/13
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"Ophelia" <Oph...@elsinore.me.ku.invalid> wrote in message
news:avse17...@mid.individual.net...
and the neighbors near the bus stop really appreciate it.


James Silverton

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May 19, 2013, 1:21:17 PM5/19/13
to
I wish more supermarkets would demand a deposit for carts. It is
antisocial to leave them blocking parking spaces and sometimes going
unaccompanied down a sloping parking lot. There are often signs saying
"The store cannot take responsibility for damage caused by carts" and I
wonder if that has ever been tested in court?

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 1:25:09 PM5/19/13
to

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knb1ct$po$1...@dont-email.me...
figure out which is the store manager's car and try it out.


James Silverton

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May 19, 2013, 1:34:25 PM5/19/13
to
Sounds like a good thought but I'm pretty sure employees have their own
parking lot at my local store :-(

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 1:36:20 PM5/19/13
to

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knb25g$po$3...@dont-email.me...
carts have wheels. make it happen.


James Silverton

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May 19, 2013, 2:08:15 PM5/19/13
to
Unfortunate, distance precludes that. I'm damned if I am going to push a
cart 300 yards to make a point :-( And, you are asking for detective
work to be sure.

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 2:14:44 PM5/19/13
to

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knb44v$g58$1...@dont-email.me...
ok, well find a lawyer who shops there and push it into his car.


Pete C.

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May 19, 2013, 2:50:19 PM5/19/13
to

George Leppla wrote:
>
> On 5/19/2013 11:29 AM, Pete C. wrote:
> > You (as always) are missing the point. It is offensive to the majority
> > of customers who return carts to their designated location(s) to be
> > inconvenienced for the actions of a few who do not, or more likely for
> > the idiotic manager who thinks that saving the $10/day it costs for
> > employees to retrieve the carts is worth offending the customers. I will
> > take my business to a store that treats me as a valued customer, not
> > some sort of nuisance they grudgingly deal with.
>
> 1) You are easily offended.

No, I expect a proper level of service from any business I deal with.

> 2) Inserting a quarter into a slot and retrieving it does not come under
> the category of "inconvenience".

It most certainly does and this is supported by the massive exodus of
customers from the grocery store that tried the stupid cart thing and
then removed it after they nearly went out of business.

> 3) AGAIN... use of systems like this are often mandated by local laws
> and regulations and store management has nothing to do with it.

Cite for those claimed regulations? There certainly were no such
regulations in the cases I'm aware of since the devices went away in
short order after the customers went away to the competitors.

Ed Pawlowski

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May 19, 2013, 4:18:03 PM5/19/13
to
On Sun, 19 May 2013 13:34:25 -0400, James Silverton
<not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote:



>>
>> figure out which is the store manager's car and try it out.
>>
>>
>
>Sounds like a good thought but I'm pretty sure employees have their own
>parking lot at my local store :-(

Not all stores do though. Pisses me off to see an employee coming to
work and taking the first couple of spots. They will tie up those
spots for 6 to 8 hours while little old ladies must walk further in
bad weather

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 4:30:34 PM5/19/13
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"Ed Pawlowski" <e...@snet.net> wrote in message
news:7lcip8htchl3ikq42...@4ax.com...
that is why smart business or landlords have policies about such things.


Ed Pawlowski

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May 19, 2013, 4:36:31 PM5/19/13
to
On Sun, 19 May 2013 13:30:34 -0700, "Pico Rico"
<Pico...@nonospam.com> wrote:


>>
>> Not all stores do though. Pisses me off to see an employee coming to
>> work and taking the first couple of spots. They will tie up those
>> spots for 6 to 8 hours while little old ladies must walk further in
>> bad weather
>
>that is why smart business or landlords have policies about such things.
>

But enforcement is not always very good.

Pico Rico

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May 19, 2013, 4:42:25 PM5/19/13
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"Ed Pawlowski" <e...@snet.net> wrote in message
news:ntdip8pgq8vgokqk9...@4ax.com...
It can be. You want a raise? Then quit taking up the good parking spaces
that we should save for our customers, ya dope!


Pete C.

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May 19, 2013, 4:42:16 PM5/19/13
to

Ophelia wrote:
>
> Awww isn't that sweet:)

Yes it is, as is most everything else in this still somewhat free
country. I've been to your country and I've seen how beaten down and
submissive your populace is. Much of what you consider normal would
never be tolerated here and for good reason. Stores exist to serve
customers, not the other way around. A few of your stores actually
realize this (Harrods for one) and they don't treat the customers as the
enemy as your "cart rental" stores do.

Ophelia

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May 19, 2013, 4:51:04 PM5/19/13
to


"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:51993931$0$25302$862e...@ngroups.net...
lol

--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

James Silverton

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May 19, 2013, 5:31:57 PM5/19/13
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I strongly dislike paying to "rent" a cart but I quite favor having a
deposit for return. The trouble is that in the US we would need
something like a dollar coin since not everyone has four quarters handy
but the general populace does not like dollar coins.

I dislike paying the plastic bag tax too that we have in my county. I do
have one reusable bag in the car but I've no idea in advance of how many
I will need.

Ophelia

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May 19, 2013, 5:46:23 PM5/19/13
to


"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knbg2s$j77$1...@dont-email.me...
We use a pound or a euro coin. They both fit. We never pay for the
rental but it is returned when we return the cart.
--
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 6:34:12 PM5/19/13
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"Pete C." <aux3....@snet.net> wrote in message
news:5198ff63$0$15779$862e...@ngroups.net...
I have certainly seen errant shopping carts but they are also not the norm.


Julie Bove

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May 19, 2013, 6:35:29 PM5/19/13
to

"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:knbg2s$j77$1...@dont-email.me...

> I strongly dislike paying to "rent" a cart but I quite favor having a
> deposit for return. The trouble is that in the US we would need something
> like a dollar coin since not everyone has four quarters handy but the
> general populace does not like dollar coins.
>
> I dislike paying the plastic bag tax too that we have in my county. I do
> have one reusable bag in the car but I've no idea in advance of how many I
> will need.

I have learned to take one or two more bags than I think I need.


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