Who to complain to
 

So I shop at a local small supermarket, that is neither fine nor fare yet still named fine fare. They had this week an ad in their window for Hunt tomato sauce 4/$1. So since we really like hunts sauce, we decided to go in and stockpile some since it is a good deal. We also notice on their weekly flyer on the cover it has a price 4/$1. We get to the register with a few other items, and they were saying that it is 3/89¢. Now I tell them it is advertised there, and in the window. They then pull out their weekly flyer pull to a sub page and shows that on the top with no picture it is re-advertised as 4/1$ if you spend $7.50 and only limit of 1 per customer. Now in my book if this is not false advertising since you have already advertised it twice, saying something else with no rules attached.

Now would you complain, and if yes to whom?

Oh the manager did not say anything except to reinforce what they say on another page.

Like you, I'd have complained only to the in-store management. Surely it seems like false advertising but is fighting it really worth the stress? Even if you got everything you wanted and some free sauce as well, would it really be worth the fight?

Chances are that those fliers are printed to correspond with discounts that were set at a corporate level, the error (if it was an error) was probably noticed before the fliers went out and what they're allowed to do for you was probably predetermined as well.

It's not fun for the workers and it certainly isn't a conspiracy against you. You'd be better off just letting it go.

Yeah, a flyer correction isn't false advertising; it's corrected advertising. False advertising would be if the regular price of Hunt's tomato sauce was inflated and it normally did sell for 4/$1 (or 3/89¢).

"Beware the fine print!"
Retailers all do it. Case in point: Department store ad, in bold letters will say, "Laura Ashley quilt sets, $39, regularly $79". Cool! But look again. All the way on the bottom of the page in itty bitty print will be "Discontinued styles only, Twin size." And then we had to run to the registers where an angry customer holding a queen-sized quilt set was insisting it was $39, not $149 or whatever....
It's to get you in the store, period. And, it's to prevent what you planned to do, which is stock up on a single item and leave. I used to be able to go into a supermarket and fill up a handbasket and walk out having spent less than $1....they got smart and don't allow that any more.

Just to clarify I agree this is not the worst that they have done, but this is one of many things that have happened at the store. The following have all happened:
1) Soda on sale, but rings up regular price. Even when mentioned they do nothing to fix the system, they just adjust your price.
2) Check out person talks about you in a foreign language to other check out people.
3) Selling expired food, including meat. They then have re-dated the same meat claiming the meat 'expiration date' was the packing date.
4) Asked if they carried something to an employee (who was just standing around), she said ask the manager. I asked where the manager was, she said he will be around in a few minutes. I asked if she could find out, got the look of death.

Needless to say while I have complained about other things, this is sadly the local supermarket (which I RARELY ever go). But they do have in this case a HUGE ad in the window, saying 4/$1. The weekly flyer is not even really advertised or given out when you come in, if you find one then you see it.

To me this is just like a final straw where, I have no problem going in and if I hear a complaint from a neighbor just complain complain complain. And I hope that maybe they will start to learn how to treat their customers. Needless to say I still will continue to do 99% of my shopping outside of the neighborhood.

How bout 100%

Best way to get even is to go to the local news paper or a local news station what has a bit they do on things that arent quite right. Get some publicity going and rat them out.

If you were upset over it, it is likely there are many more who were too!

Really! Complain with your feet and walk away, never to return again. Ever. And tell everyone you meet abuot your experience including the new place you shop.

Most importantly, keep chanting to yourself - "It's not a conspiracy. It's not a conspiracy. It's not a conspiracy....."

(inside joke)

Time is money.
Please slap my face if I said that.
Time is what our lives are made of...
Good luck utilizing your time more effectively, so that tomatoes don't cost you more than they have to.
Have you tried growing your own?

that's what i do...

The absolute best thing you can do in the case of a small grocery like this is to shop elsewhere if it is feasable. Also advisable is to mention your problem to the owner of the market you end up going to. We had 2 small groceries competing for business in the medium sized town I grew up in. my mother was going thru the same thing you are with the one and finally said the heck with it. I was with her the day she walked into the other store and asked to talk to the owner and told him what had been going on at the other store. He gave her 10% off her groceries for a month (what he gave his employees) and for the rest of the time that man owned that store ( a good 12-15 years) on the front page of his little 2 page (double sided) ad that he put out weekly it said " We don't kid around about our sales. if its in this ad or in our window, thats what it is. If you are charged a different price than what the ad or window says, that item is free."

Oh and a sidenote - their business increased by 35 % and the other store went under within the year.

http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dca/downlo...dvertising.pdf

NYC groceries are covered by Department of Agriculture normally but the above reads that it should be covered by the NYC dept of consumer affairs.

I would call 311 from Fine Fare all the time. In fact after you talk to Carlos and he doesn't honor the price, call them in front of him. Also let him know that you will send a letter to the Board of Directors who monitors complaints against his store especially since the grocery has to renew their lease every year for the next 5 years.

from nyc.gov:

Report the bait and switch and then shop elsewhere.

You could maybe attempt corporate.. if there is one? If not... well suck it up and take the blow =(.