Posts from Splinter in thread „Why can't Argentine supermarkets get their act together and modernise?“
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I accompanied my wife the other day to purchase 4 bar KitKats. Not to one of the chain supermarkets where they sell for a 'bargain' 58 pesos
nor to the Kiosco round the corner who sell them for 40 pesos. Instead we went to the house of a nice lady who advertises on Facebook and sells them for 28 pesos!!Must admit I was a bit wary as I assumed they were either knocked off or past their sell by date. Turned out the lady was a rep for a certain company and the sell by date on them was for the year 2020....way longer than the last supermarket KitKat I bought.
They taste wonderfully fresh.
Just a reminder...
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She could have been an axe murderer of course.
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When I go to any supermarket here, I always carry out the exercise with military precision and only turn up when the least amount of fellow sufferers are expected to be there, otherwise it's BOHICA.
This morning I had a clear and present objective: approach Disco (Maipu, Vicente Lopez) at 1000 zulu time, from the north, park the bike on the forecourt and reconnoitre, ensuring that enemy combatants are minimal, otherwise it could be FUBAR.
Once that is established, lock the bike, but ensure it's facing the downward ramp for a rapid getaway.
Enter store, deposit military Bergen with overweight I couldn't give a fuck security guard, head directly for the objective and secure the assets, taking care not to be diverted by enemy distraction techniques (for they are many and belicose).
Ignore the single cashier out of ten that is actually open, but with fifteen in line and silently smirk as you head for the much heralded auto-checkout.
Scan the assets with the weapon provided, remembering that on each and every other occasion that you've inserted yourself into said store, the device refused to behave automatically requiring assistance from the store commander.
Follow instructions on the device screen, hit finalise purchase, swipe your card (which isn't accepted), wave your arms around as if you're calling in an air strike at the RV or LZ.
Swipe the card again, but this time much faster as if you really mean it, input the security code, input your ID card number and finally input the last four digits of your mother's social security number.
Secure the assets once more and deposit them post haste into your camo Bergen, ignoring the on-screen message of please take the receipt to the cashier for verification.
Scope the exit, ensuring it's clear of any threats and exfil the area pronto, safe in the knowledge that the operation has been successful.
Don't look back.
SNAFU
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I had to dash out for a couple of things this evening and it was a toss up between Coto, the Chinese or Carrefour.
My decision was swayed by wanting a spin out on the bike, my dread of Coto and not being able to use a card in the Chinese, so I went for Carrefour in Olivos.
I had to take a lie down when I got back ten minutes later, because I was in and out in less than five minutes, all the tills were open and I didn't have to queue.
Miracles do happen sometimes.
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Isn't that harakiri?
Well spotted serafina
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Erm, no you haven't. It's till a fucking dump.
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What is it with me and Coto, the stack em high, in your face supermarket?
Anyway, Adri wanted to go the larger one on Maipu, Olivos at 1300 today and I said I'd join her just to keep her company, which I knew was a bad idea.
I become a tad murderous in Argentine supermarkets after three seconds.
This one has a car park the size of a postage stamp, so I volunteered to sit in the queue while she went on ahead as the advance party, which is just as well, since I didn't make it in until 20 minutes later, jostling for a space to dump the car.
There's something about the smell of Cotos, which reminds me of bad drains and sewers, and so often I'm tempted to talk to management and ask them why they don't clean up their act.
As luck would have it, Adri had almost filled up the trolley by the time I tracked her down and I quickly threw in the odd item so as to make the journey slightly more worthwhile.
We were even permitted to purchase Cracker Barrel cheese on this occasion, can you believe?
As usual, the checkouts were choc a bloc, so instead of carrying out harakiri on myself, I snapped a few shots for Google maps, to be uploaded with my review later today. I mean, what else can you do whilst waiting for the twenty questions and the endless reams of paperwork?
Here are a few samples for your delectation.
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This morning we went to the dreaded Coto at 0950 to beat the queues which normally build up later and so that we could buy booze early at the stroke of 10.00 (you can't buy it before then).
Anyway, we achieved most of the objectives in what I normally handle as a military operation and just as we were leaving the cheese area I spotted some tasty Cracker Barrel US cheese, so I threw one into the trolley hoping they could price it up at the till. That's when the premonition flashed through my mind.
Anyway, the miserable bloke at the till - you know the one that has the 'I couldn't give a fuck' look on his face - couldn't get the Cracker Barrel to register on the bar code reader, so he called a woman over who may have been a supervisor. She then waddled over as slow as you like with a quick upward tilt of her head as if she really couldn't be bothered, took the offending cheese and plonked it on the customer service counter, then started chatting with her mates.
When we'd paid for everything else (eventually) we wandered over to customer service and said 'The cheese?' 'Oh yes' came the reply and then she waddled, cheese in hand to the other end of the building. Five minutes later she returned saying that they couldn't sell us the cheese as it hadn't been entered into the system yet.
I then asked why it was on display in the first place and she replied 'I wouldn't know since cheese is not my sector.'
I then asked when precisely I could buy the cheese. Maybe tomorrow was the I couldn't give a fuck reply.
I kid you not and this episode is just another example of the complete and total apathy in this country. They simply do not care any more.
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The best offer in our area is the 40% off all wines at Coto on some Thursdays; a supermarket that's way off the chart in terms of filth and inefficiency.
For that kind of deal however, I am prepared to make some sacrifices.
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UK Man I was on a three yearly visit cycle to the UK until a couple of years ago until I realised that it's far too long for not seeing my family. A lot happens in three years, so we've been back twice recently and God willing, I'll be back again in February following the birth of my grandchild (November).
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I've noticed that people in general are not in the best of moods recently. It's just something my radar has picked up.
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It's a black art trying to shop with cards in this country, because half the time it's one price for cash and another for cards, which is then hiked up sometimes by as much as 15%. To be fair to traders though, the banks are the culprits what with their charges and very often the trader won't see the money for up to three fucking weeks. I know, because I used to accept cards in my shop and all the profit was eaten up by the charges and having to wait for the money.
On the other hand, and much as I slag Mercadolibre, their payment system (MercadoPago) does actually work and now that I have a MercadoPago Mastercard, which is really a prepaid debit card in effect, I can use that provided that there are funds in it.
Also, if someone wants to buy from me with their MP account, all they have to do is scan my QR code and the money is credited to my MP account.
And yes serafina , paying by card in a supermarket is a time consuming business mainly due to the ancient dot matrix/Pentium II machines, the need to write a novel on your credit card slip and the amount of fucking questions they keep asking.
And let's not even talk about "Would you like to donate $5 to the local hospital?"
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As soon as it opens is normally the best time, but the drawback to that is, you can't buy booze before 10.00 am.
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When I shop in supermarkets here, I prefer to suffer alone and so rarely go with Adri. Also she knows what a foul mood I end up in when we start to queue.
I've also noticed that the checkout staff all have a sign over their heads that reads "I couldn't give a shit."
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I went to Carrefour in the end which is the lesser of two evils.
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Yesterday I went to our local Coto at around 1530 thinking it wouldn't be a busy time of day. Wrong.
Out of eight tills there were only three running with each having a queue of about 15 people, all looking like the tired and pissed off Argentines I see of late and I knew that if I joined them I wouldn't be responsible for my actions, so I left as a precautionary measure.
I have since vowed never to step foot in the place.
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Shopping here is a nauseating experience, with limited choice, crappy staff and overpriced products. The stores are generally run down, desperately need modernisation and most of the time the queues are horrendous.
I pinched these shots from the Hereford Times, showing a new Aldi reopening, thinking how nice it would be if they were a bit like this over here.
