Publix is way over-priced

This is not a complaint about my local store directly, it's more of a complaint about Publix as a whole. The employees are more than friendly 99% of the time. However, I think that Publix is highly over-priced. Why would I want to shop there and pay a lot more for something I can get right down the street at our local Walmart for a lot less?? Don't get me wrong, customer service is very important to me, but prices and saving money is even more important, especially with 2 small children.

The sales they run never really have anything that I use or need. I understand that they're not really a big store. I could walk in and out of there in probably about 2 minutes with my kids without stopping to buy anything. They don't even offer a savings card. Occasionally their Advantage Buys are worth it for me, but that's not all too often. I guess if they weren't so expensive, I would shop there all the time. For what I spend at Walmart every week on groceries, I could probably get half of that for the same price at Publix. And I spend at least $100 a week on groceries.

So Publix - let me know when you decide to drop your prices and start a savings card - then I will shop there every week.

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Walmart is sucking smaller stores dry with questionable business practices. They're a parasite on the US. However, I do agree - Publix is much more expensive than any other local store. I stop by a local produce place and a smaller grocery store and skip Publix... even the smaller stores have deli meats that are 1/2 the price of Publix... fruits/vegetables/meat that are not only 50-75% off of Publix prices, but significantly better quality.

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Publix is an awful place. For the customer it might seem wonderful but they treat their associates poorly. They humiliate and disrespect them on a daily base. I worked for them for 10 years, both in Georgia and Southwest Florida. I finally had to walk out on them. I have never been treated as badly as Publix managers treat you. They think they are kind of a "God". Let me tell you there is life besides of Publix and I truly regret wasting 10 years of my life for a corporation that does not care one bit about their associated. Very sad. Also they lost a frequent customer. I'd rather give my 1000 dollars a month in groceries to Target. Sorry Publix, but I am done with you. The worst stores are in Fort Myers, Florida and Estero, Florida.

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Publix has been able to use their marketing tactics in the same way a thief uses his knowledge to his advantage. I find that shopping at Publix where shopping is not my pleasure is the same as taking money and throwing it in the trash. I have fond numerous times of buying seafood that it ends up smelling like ammonia. When you go to complain they bend over backwards to help you but when it comes time to really resolve the issue it is like trying to get a thorn out of a lions paw. They are way over priced and they don't really even care. Is there a government agency that controls this or do they have a direct license for theft. Please let me know if someone can assist.

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Publix prices are only comparable to Walmart prices where they are on sale. Rest of the time, it is always expensive. I also believe that some of the publix employees have an attitude. I found Walmart to be better at times. Just to bring up an example: There was a price difference of $2 on a quart of Dreyers fat free ice cream. I mean come on $2??? No one has money to burn. Because of these reasons, i only visit Publix when i only have to or do not have any other options.

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I appreciate your commendation of our Customer Service. It means a lot whenever we get that recognition.

However, I think you'll find that our prices are very competitive and often lower when compared to other traditional grocery stores. We don't offer a savings card because all our weekly sales and "Advantage Buys" are available to everyone who steps foot in our stores. We do not require a loyalty card that only serves company's marketing research goals, instead of truly benefiting the customer. Every week we offer 20+ Buy One Get One Free deals from pastas and pasta sauces, to crackers and cookies, to juice, and even condiments. We also offer some of the highest quality product in our fresh departments, all the while with the friendliest and highest rated customer service in the industry.

Many stores also offer quick meal ideas and free cooking demonstrations weekly, especially designed for those small families with little time to spare. Also, if your expecting you can join the Publix Baby Club and receive an abundance of savings for all your baby's needs. You're neighborhood Publix also offers $5 off coupons off your order at least once a month, if not more.

You won't find all of that at other retail locations that say they 'always' offer low prices.

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People living in my area swear by Publix as if it was THE bees knees. Well trust me when I say that Walmart quite literally knocks some knees of that bee and then some. Every single month I make exactly the same purchases. I buy cat food, cat litter, canned soup and some groceries. Same exact products (mind that I dont buy those in Walmart) are marked up significantly in Publix. 1 can of soup Publix costs 2.39 while same exact can costs 1.50 in Walmart. 32 pack box of canned cat food (friskies)costs 15.32 in Publix and $12.99 in walmart. 27 lbs tidy cat cat litter costs 11.99 in publix while same exact bucket of litter costs 9.99 in walmart.

Some people may want that "service" that publix is famous for. After all they help you bag your food and bring your stuff and load it to the car without requiring a tip. They also quite often remember you and call you by name and chit chat. But at the same time I am a 27 year old who is perfectly capable of bringing bags of stuff to my car all by myself and capable of pushing the shopping cart.

Last time I did my math shopping at walmart saves me hundreds of dollars. Yes hundreds of dollars. I bring canned soup to work. 49 weeks each year 5 times per week. Publix cost 585.55 vs Walmart cost of 367.50. That is 218 dollars more per year. I also buy 4 buckets of cat litter per month x 12 months. Publix 575.52 vs walmart 479.52 thats 96 dollars more. I also buy 3 boxes of cat food per month x 12 months. Publix 551.52 vs walmart 467.64 making it cost more by 83.88 each year.

Now I dont know about you but I can swallow my pride and wait in line and endure punishment of going to walmart if I end up saving 400 dollars per year just on these couple of items.

Unfortunately in my case I have walmart 6.1 miles away and super walmart (where they sell groceries) 8.9 miles away with heavy traffic and publix 1 mile away. Being stuck in traffic to shop for groceries in super walmart is not exactly practical so that is why I buy those in publix. Aside from that I found that I do 90% of all my other shopping at regular walmart.

So to recap. If I just considered soup, cat food and cat litter.. by shopping at walmart for those items alone I am saving a whopping 33 dollars just on those items.

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I agree with you about the asthetics of the store and employees. However, Publix has pretty much bought all of its competition up like Albertsons, leaving only Sweetbay and couple of other scarce chains to fill in the gaps. Publix has monopolized the grocery business in many areas of Florida especially the upper, and the upper middle income areas (they use geographical marketing dynamics to layout their pricing), they know these areas will just suck it up and pay their prices without complaining. No competition means they can charge whatever they want for items (i.e mayo at $4.79 a jar, corn 4 ears for $4.00, a can of "Publix" brand pepper $3.29 Pleeeeeeze.

Publix stock just jumped .50 cents. There profit margins are borderline rediculess they've learned from watching the fuel, pharmacuetical, and insurance industries who can charge whatever they want because these are meccessities. The American virtue of Supply and Demand. The only one keeping them from not really taking this thing to the bank is WalMart.

In the last 4 years grocery prices are anywhere from 40% to 300% depending on the items. And if you think they don't buy a lot of these products through China and other 3rd world countries your sadly mistaken. Of course if you ask their excutives they'll blame it on the (abstract) "world market". This is all a ruse to cover the greed factor. There is no such thing as a comfortable profit anymore, its all about making a killing or nothing.

At a time when many families are trying to eek out an exsistance this is irrehensible and all about greed. No conscious morals or ethics in business anymore. Its a ME World now and as long as I got mine, everyone else can go fly a kite. Happy Shopping!

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People come to Publix expecting great service and people to help them everywhere. You can't get that at WalMart. Not paying for people to help you is ine of the ways WalMart keeps its prices low. I know I shop around a lot. As for an advantage card, I am glad that people without one can still get the sale items at advertise prices without one. Those cards are a gimic simply to keep a person coming to a store when in reallity the main thing the card give you is sale items at sale price. As for not having what you want on sale, do you expect the company to call you and see what you're gonna buy this week so that they can put it on sale when you want to buy it. If you were really interested in saving money, you would look in the sale papers and plan some of your shopping around what is on sale. Publix has more Buy One Get One Free items every week than any other place I have been. Frewuently I find items that I had never considered before and tried them do to the fact that they were so cheap (and loved them). All and all you wouldn't even be complaining except the fact that you like all the thing Publix offers, but you want to pay WalMArt prices for them. WalMart doesn't offer Publix atmosphere because it costs money.

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I agree with the original complaint Publix is waay over priced..after doing my shopping at Walmart for so long we found ourselves in need a few emergency items to tide us over until our pilgrimage to Walmart the next day, shopping at Walmart is no different then shopping anywhere else..only people who sticks their noses up in the air seem to believe Walmart isn't good enough for them!! The way I look at it is if it was good enough for Selena then it's good enough for me!..When we visited Publix we bought maybe four items and spent close to $12..I told my Partner Publix is too expensive and she agreed then said, but "we are in a pinch right now..I promise tomorrow we go to Walmart"..btw did you know you pay money at Walmart and Publix for mos', but you can get them free at Amscot..we use to pay close to $5 every month in mo fees now we get them free!

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Savings cards are a hassle to keep track of and remember to use. Why make people use a card? Why not simply give the sale price to the customer right then and there? Hey, guess what? Publix does that. As for the high prices, I agree that Publix prices are indeed on the expensive side, but you are paying for more than the product. Publix offers many money services that would normally require a bank (i.e. money orders, check cashing, Western Union). Also, Publix is almost always willing to go to extreme lengths to please the customer. These things do cost money.

One big problem is customer returns. Sometimes, people return things for stupid reasons that are their own fault. For example, if someone bought non-dairy coffee creamer instead of regular half-and-half, they should not bring it back because Publix is required to throw out the one bought by mistake. This costs Publix money and guess who these costs must be passed on to? The consumer.

Places like Wal-Mart offer little to no customer service and are god-awful to shop in. It does surprise me that none of the sale items appeal to you, though. What are you buying?

I guess I just think its easy to complain about price, but unless you know whats going on, it's hard to bring it into perspective.