Those Retail Clubs
After nearly a decade as a member of first, Sam's Club, and then BJ's, I have come to realize that these people are giving us substandard merchandize and groceries. OK, not everything they sell is substandard or defective. Certainly, cans of beans are typical of what you would find at any other non-club store. However, when it comes to hard goods like electronics or home goods or clothing/shoes watch out. This is especially true of items that recently made it onto America's shelves.
The brand names are there but what I think is happening is that companies with poorly-selling products or products found to have some minor defect, dump their goods on these club stores. It would seem that everyone wins but just keep track of the items you buy and how often they end up in your garbage and you will see what I mean. Crappy products also end up on Amazon but at least you'll read reviews that alert you to problems before you buy.
To add insult to injury, these clubs put out coupons to its members. Wait, what's wrong with that, you ask. Well, if I don't want to go through a coupon book looking for specials--let's say I just don't have the time or I can't be bothered; in that case, I technically end up paying for the discount that other members receive. They could easily avoid this problem if they offered auto-discounts to members that pay a little extra for their yearly dues. This way, when I make a purchase of an item that's on sale, I automatically get the discount. I'd rather pay an extra $20 a year than have to go looking for coupons. Sadly, sometimes I find myself getting a product just because it has a coupon.
Now, for a product to be substandard, it doesn't have to be one that the company is looking to unload on the unsuspecting consumer. I may just be what we used call in the 60's, planned obsolescence. It is this BS that has kept many of our industrial engines working overtime. But it doesn't have to be that way, Wall Street. Just look at the products produced by Germany and Japan. Their governments are not corrupted by the dirtbags that run our corporations with the sole aim of maximizing profits. If they kept people employed, that would be one thing, but even jobs are sent overseas or replaced with automation.
When it comes to fresh foods, I have often bought avocados that for some odd reason never ripen properly or ripen too quickly. Here, the best buy is at a Walmart primarily because you don't have to buy 6 at time.
The brand names are there but what I think is happening is that companies with poorly-selling products or products found to have some minor defect, dump their goods on these club stores. It would seem that everyone wins but just keep track of the items you buy and how often they end up in your garbage and you will see what I mean. Crappy products also end up on Amazon but at least you'll read reviews that alert you to problems before you buy.
To add insult to injury, these clubs put out coupons to its members. Wait, what's wrong with that, you ask. Well, if I don't want to go through a coupon book looking for specials--let's say I just don't have the time or I can't be bothered; in that case, I technically end up paying for the discount that other members receive. They could easily avoid this problem if they offered auto-discounts to members that pay a little extra for their yearly dues. This way, when I make a purchase of an item that's on sale, I automatically get the discount. I'd rather pay an extra $20 a year than have to go looking for coupons. Sadly, sometimes I find myself getting a product just because it has a coupon.
Now, for a product to be substandard, it doesn't have to be one that the company is looking to unload on the unsuspecting consumer. I may just be what we used call in the 60's, planned obsolescence. It is this BS that has kept many of our industrial engines working overtime. But it doesn't have to be that way, Wall Street. Just look at the products produced by Germany and Japan. Their governments are not corrupted by the dirtbags that run our corporations with the sole aim of maximizing profits. If they kept people employed, that would be one thing, but even jobs are sent overseas or replaced with automation.
When it comes to fresh foods, I have often bought avocados that for some odd reason never ripen properly or ripen too quickly. Here, the best buy is at a Walmart primarily because you don't have to buy 6 at time.
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