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| Who shops at ALDI? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 24 2006, 05:37 AM (639 Views) | |
| Klaus | Dec 24 2006, 05:37 AM Post #1 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Aldi supermarkets have gained cult status in Germany. Ten or twenty years ago many people would not have admitted that they shop at Aldi (because only poor people went there), wheras nowadays it is not uncommon to see a Porsche besides a BMW and a Mercedes on the parking place. There are now even cookbooks using only Aldi products, and it is quite customary to say "Oh, I buy this Aldi wine, too - incredible value for 1.49 Euro a bottle" to the host of a party. Not because people could not afford something more expensive but because the "no frills" approach of Aldi has gained cult status. So, what are your experiences with Aldi, if any? |
| Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman | |
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| George K | Dec 24 2006, 09:50 AM Post #2 |
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Finally
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I can't comment on the German incarnation of ALDI, however, my experiences (long ago) were, though not negative, not particularly favorable either. Almost all the food they stock is generic. I know, many "named" suppliers also supply the generic variety, but it's a crapshoot. Sometimes it's as good, sometimes it's not. Paper goods in particular, were of an inferior quality (paper towels, for example, were not absorbent). The decor (if that's important to you) was "Wal-Mart" like, but not as nice. Use your imagination. They took only cash. No checks, credit cards. Cash only. You had to bag your own groceries, which may not seem like a big deal, but when there's a half-dozen carts behind you in line, "eggs and chips on top!" becomes a distant memory. |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Riley | Dec 24 2006, 11:24 AM Post #3 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Sounds similar to the Canadian supermarket actually called 'No Frills' http://www.shopnofrills.ca/ Particularly needing to put in a coin to use the cart, and paying for bags. |
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| Steve Miller | Dec 24 2006, 11:32 AM Post #4 |
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Bull-Carp
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I've never seen an Aldi store, but I can tell you I would shop there even if my wife wouldn't. I found this quote interesting:
The local grocery chains in the Hispanic sections of town have an unusual new take on cart management. Many of their customers don't have cars, so the stores encourage their customers to take the carts home if they like. They then send a guy around with a truck to pick up the carts from in front of the houses and return them to the store. The system works very well, even if I find the appearance of grocery carts in front of houses and apartment buildings to be a bit odd. |
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Wag more Bark less | |
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| Klaus | Dec 24 2006, 02:15 PM Post #5 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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In Germany you need a coin for your cart at *every* supermarket. In fact, most people have special coins in their pocket, which have the same size as a 1 Euro coin, and whose sole purpose is to get a cart at the supermarket - real 1 Euro coins have the disadvantage that you can pay with them, so probably you don't have one ready when you need it for your shopping cart. You also have to bag your stuff yourself, and every bags costs additional money - so most people bring their own bags. On one hand you may say this is a lack of service, but on the other hand it greatly reduces the garbage you produce, and if you buy a bag then the bag is high-quality and can be reused multiple times. |
| Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman | |
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| Riley | Dec 24 2006, 02:33 PM Post #6 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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I don't understand the coin system. Particularly when it is 25 cents. Is it to stop theft? Are people not going to steal a cart when their quarter is stuck to it? Is it to get people to return the carts? People are either kind enough to do it, or they aren't. |
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| sue | Dec 24 2006, 03:09 PM Post #7 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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You don't have those in TO, Riley? I can't remember the last time I was at a grocery store that didn't use the coin system. It's the norm here. Some are only a quarter, but most you need a loonie. Yes, it's to prevent carts from being taken away, thrown in ditches, etc., but my guess is it's mostly to avoid having to pay employees to be cart retrievers. Also helps with not having random carts blocking parking spaces and rolling into vehicles. It's a pain in the butt, cause I often do not have the right change. You'd think I'd learn, but oh well.
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| Mark | Dec 24 2006, 03:11 PM Post #8 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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We returned two rogue carts in a parking lot today. I hate it when people are so friggin self centered that they just leave the cart in the middle of the parking lot because they can't possibly take the time to return it. Idiots! |
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___.___ (_]===* o 0 When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells | |
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| Klaus | Dec 24 2006, 03:16 PM Post #9 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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It certainly is! Maybe it won't work with 25 cents, but it works quite well with 1 Euro or 2 Euro coins. I wonder why the 1 $ coin is not more common in the US. I have been to the US at least ten times, but I've seen a 1$ coin only once! They are so much more practical than all these dirty 1$ notes... |
| Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman | |
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| Qaanaaq-Liaaq | Dec 26 2006, 07:50 AM Post #10 |
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Senior Carp
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I’ve been regularly shopping at Aldi’s for a long time. If you’ve ever been to a commissary of a military base, then you know that Aldi’s uses the same business model. It’s a no frills store all the way: no large selections, no coupons accepted, cash accepted only but now they accept debit cards, and DIY bagging. Aldi’s selection stock is very limited. At a regular supermarket, there might be 20 different brands and sizes of mayonnaise jars to choose from whereas at Aldi’s, there’s only one. Prices are low and they hardly ever raise them so it’s a stock up store. I’ll sometimes see someone buying 50 jars of coffee. The wine and cheese set haven’t discovered Aldi’s here in the U.S. It’s everyone but them that shops there. Aldi’s was late in installing check out scanners. Prior to the scanners, the cashiers had to memorize the price of every item sold in the store. That’s why their stores and their variety is so small. It was to hold down the number of items that the cashiers had to memorize. As you can imagine, they frequently made errors when ringing up checked out food. Rather than having to hire people to retrieve carts from the parking lot, they installed those coin operated locks to encourage people to return the carts themselves. |
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| ***musical princess*** | Dec 26 2006, 07:52 AM Post #11 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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I live quite close to an Aldi store. I was amazed that you can buy a can of beans for 4 pence. Fantastic for students. x |
| x Caroline x | |
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