Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Around Ottawa, a company called Farm Boy has been building like crazy and taking a big chunk out of the supermarkets. Farm Boy essentially sells fruit, vegetables, meat, , dairy, deli, bakery goods, a fair variety of in-store prepared foods, and a very limited selection of canned goods and the like (just some canned beans and the like, a little bit of oil, that kind of thing). The stores are quite small for suburban grocery stores, probably under 1/4 the size of a typical supermarket (or perhaps even less). No pharmacy, baby clothes, etc. Hardly even any snack foods (a few bags of chips at the check out, a tiny section of soft drinks, mostly boutique ones). Their prices tend towards the premium over a regular supermarket, and well over a discount supermarket. The lines are extremely short due to well staffed lines, and of course customers have much smaller amounts then the traditional supermarket. They have been doing extremely well. You can be in and out in a much shorter time, and the goods are all good quality. They don't need self-checkout, because the store isn't full of zombies staring blankly at 10 shelves of vinegar and aren't understaffed. It's a great formula for an "everyday" store and has been kicking the big stores butts with at least a certain demographic.

When I do go to one of the big stores because I need something Farm Boy doesn't carry, I almost always migrate to the self check out since it is much faster then the understaffed lanes with shoppers with carts piled high, and me with my like one box of Kosher salt.

Studies and surveys seldom tell the whole story and are frequently biased. I would not fully trust what a consumer says. His wallet and debit card are much more likely to speak the truth.

The average consumer does not go traipsing from store to store looking for better service, they are looking for a better price. That better price is often at a big box store with plenty of buying power and lousy service. I have never heard a consumer brag about the service, but I have heard plenty brag about the deal.

In fact, service is often most noticeable when it is not there. A long line at checkout is often a sign, but so is an empty peg or shelf that prevents one from completing their shopping list. I have never chosen a restaurant for great service, but I have abandoned a restaurant with good food when it became apparent that not honoring reservations was habitual.

Jim,

I do not share your cynicism regarding consumer studies. In my previous professional life I ran a number of them for some of the largest companies in the world, and we went above and beyond in terms of sampling and research methodology (using techniques like CHAID) to ensure the results were UN-biased. A research study was no good to my clients if it gave them false results...too may business decisions (and profits) were dependent upon the results of those studies.

That being said, I certainly recognize not all research studies are run with such zeal. I'll stand by what I said. And yes, it's only true for certain demographics. I never said it was true for everyone...after all, what is?

Amy

I reiterate: Wegmans proves you wrong (as does, I believe, Byerly's).

I just shopped at Byerly's yesterday since it was on my way home from visiting a friend, and service would be the *only* reason to shop there. My love affair with Byerly's has been short-lived. The produce is mediocre, the meat prices are astronomical (for average-looking choice beef, previously frozen fish and industrial poultry), and they keep expanding their convenience food section at the expense of everything else (especially the bakery). They did have a few items I couldn't get at the local Hyvee but not many. And the service at the Hyvee, while not *quite* as attentive as Byerly's, is darn good. If I want something special, they will likely order it for me. They have so far, anyway.

I have to say, if I weren't on such a tight budget, (and I hadn't moved to the other side of the state) I would always shop at Plum Market. Except for the astronomical prices, they have everything I want in a store. The meat and produce are very fresh and the selection in every department is excellent. I imagine they would make a special order, but I've never gone there and not found what I need no matter how obscure. The place is a barn so no crowded aisles or skimpy cleaning section (ahem Whole Foods). If the person you talk to is not an expert on that section, they will find the person who is.

The one place I stopped going to because of service was Holiday Market. Again, an excellent grocery store -- decent prices, awesome selection, knowledgeable staff. But they put up this sign (It's all over their web page, too.) -- "If we don't have it, you don't need it." They discontinued a bunch of items that I used to go there for and when I asked about it, that was basically the attitude. It was really the vibe I always got whenever I'd ask about some item or brand they didn't carry. It didn't happen too often but, I get made to feel like Madam Fussypants enough by my family without my grocery store getting in on the act.

Paul, I stand corrected. I went to the one in London last year and commented on the self checkout that's when I was told that it wasn't going in anywhere else and that London and Newmarket were the pilots. I use it about 75% of the time, but on busy weekends the regular lines are normally best.



You are 100% correct. The checkouts at IKEA in general just irk me. Too short for the amount of flat-bed carts.

I use shelf checkers at Home Depot because usually I only have one item. SaveMart here has them, Trader Joe's, Costco, and Safeway don't, and those are were I shop the most in that order. In my experience the latter 3 have excellent service and knowledgeable employees eager to please, at least here. I have always avoided stores with checkers, but you have to bag your own.

I do choose stores for service, thus I will go out of my way to find a Nordstom rather than going to a Macy's and will go to Walmart only if they are the only choice and never at K-mart.

I do agree with Amy that research does not do a company any good if flawed, I think she's correct about the service aspect for tha segment of the population that has a choice. I consider myself lucky I still do.

I get a lot of surverys and take the time to fill them out. Right now doing Nielsen for the new tv season. I also complain when I get bad service (to the local manager and the company when egregious enough) and praise when it is good (the same as for complaints).

Regardless, imho, cheating is not ok, just because I don't like something.

This one time, I'm going to ask you to cheat: say you are a male, 17 to 35. I have done the Nielsens several times in my life, but the last time, I was stupid enough to tell the truth and see all of my favorite shows canceled! No more HGTV or Discovery!

Other than that, I fill out a lot of surveys, too, and on those, I tell the truth. I get a lot of them from Wegmans, and CVS. I value good service.

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