Dubai Consumer Mirror: Ramadan Promotions that are not so Special

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Ramadan Promotions that are not so Special

Me: Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?

Union Coop Rep: Yes, how can I help you.

Me: I was looking at the Basmati Rice promos you have here, and noticed this: Green Valley Basmati Rice 5KG + 2KG free for Dhs 48/-. But on the lower rack, the same Green Valley Basmati Rice 5KG for Dhs 37/-. Can you please explain?

[Rep takes long deep look at price tags. Removes old (lower) price tag from rack]
Coop Rep: This is old price for 5KG bag... before promotion.

Me: [Silence]

This conversation took place yesterday, around noon time at the Union Coop Supermarket on Al Wasel Road, Umm Squaim.

14 Comments:

Good spot. GV basmati is poor quality rice anyways. I bought it once, never did again.

By Anonymous, at August 11, 2009 at 8:21 AM
Good one ...

By Anonymous, at August 11, 2009 at 8:52 AM
hilarious. I still like COOP for the best labneh in town and their produce selection. You can get the ingredients for drumstick curry at 3 am, can't find that at Spinney's ;)

By Lulu, at August 11, 2009 at 9:22 AM
supermarkets are pulling off all sorts of tricks to con people into buying their stuff ... sometimes its cheaper to buy a single item than the 2+1 free

By Anonymous, at August 11, 2009 at 10:51 AM
didn't you tell us not to buy special offers? LOL!

KARMA

By KJ, at August 11, 2009 at 11:11 AM
KJ - lol .. i didn't, and that does actually prove my point earlier .. thanks for the reminder :)

By moryarti, at August 11, 2009 at 11:13 AM
lulu - I always shop there ... and i don't think its the coop's fault as it is the suppliers' - thank i think the Coop should take some kind of action (if they are paying any attention)

By moryarti, at August 11, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Thats why I avoid shopping at the big hypermarkets, they psychologically blackmail you into buying stuff that you didn't really need in the first place :-)

By Anonymous, at August 11, 2009 at 12:11 PM
That. Is. Ace.

It's the lack of subterfuge that I like the most...

No hiding old product until the "bonus stock" has been shifted.
No apologies.
No admitting that indeed it should have been thought out better.

Just pull the tag and everything is okay.

I suspect though that the tag was later replaced - probably without change, simply because you can't have something untagged.

Until the next conversation.

Or at least until the bonus stock has run out.

By Andrew Webber, at August 11, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Shit, i was passing by yesterday and i saw 3 police cars with blue lights parked on the road, and 1 ambulance!!!

Excuse me, but will u be posting a Part II to this story once your wasta pulls you out of jail?

Look, if i were in your place, i would have done the same thing.. survival of the fittest after all..

By BuJ, at August 11, 2009 at 6:29 PM
Dubai Guy ... like moth to a flame :)

Andrew - thanks for the mention on your blog! Today, items are rarely priced. They tag the shelves instead because 1. Its easier and 2 (most important) they can manipulate prices as they wish since everything is bar-coded and all what is needed is to change the corresponding price on the system... diabolic, I know :)

By moryarti, at August 11, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Buj - no part 2 .. i walked away, picked up another bag of rice and went home :)

By moryarti, at August 11, 2009 at 6:43 PM
cheat!

By Alisha Coelho, at August 17, 2009 at 7:12 PM
You went home? CHIKINNnn! :)

Always shop at good 'ol SHJ Coop's ..though I hear they've jacked prices, up! My folks aren't sure where else to you shop? Carrefour?! umm..no thanks. If the prices don't kill, the traffic shall.

By rosh, at August 18, 2009 at 9:29 PM