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Publix is way over-priced

 
Publix
3972 Town Center Blvd
Orlando, FL 32837
US

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.

From: Message Author (click here to email author)
Date: Sunday, 07-Oct-07 07:10:46 CDT

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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!

From: Message Author (click here to email author)
Date: Wednesday, 02-Sep-09 16:45:09 CDT

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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.

From: Message Author (click here to email author) (has asked not to receive email)
Date: Tuesday, 27-Jan-09 11:15:03 CST

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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!

From: Message Author (click here to email author) (has asked not to receive email)
Date: Tuesday, 14-Oct-08 10:46:48 CDT

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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.

From: Message Author (click here to email author)
Date: Sunday, 25-Nov-07 14:26:18 CST

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grocery store
publix
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