I usually don’t like to air my personal feelings on my website, but today I’ve finally had it with Kroger.  About six months ago or maybe it was a year, I’m not sure, Kroger bought out our local Decatur Indiana Scott’s grocery store.  At first, I didn’t really care one way or the other. I thought getting a larger grocery retailer in the market would help to lower prices at all the stores. Whether or not that has happened I can’t tell you for sure. Enough of the history lesson back to the real point of this post. 

I went in to buy just a few items to supplement the dinner we were having, some french bread, Parmesan cheese, some extra sauce and a few other staple items for the rest of the week. Not being an overly thrifty shopper I usually don’t pay much attention to the prices, but tonight was different.  I was amazed to find that everything I was buying was actually on sale; at least that’s what I thought.

I don’t know how familiar you are with Kroger or their ” cost savings card program” but evidentially the only way I could get the sale prices on what I bought was by having one of their ” Kroger cards”.  Too my surprise, when I was given the total at the register it was almost $10.00 more than the prices listed on the self.  The clerk kindly pointed out to me that the shelf tags had a little ” Kroger cost cutter logo on them”. This meant that the items were only on sale for “loyal” Kroger shoppers that had one of their customer cards. I was told I could get one by filling out their form and she would re-ring the total.  I’m not a very patient person in the first place and really didn’t have time to fool with it right then.  The clerk was kind enough to let me know if I came back in and got one at a later time, I could get a refund for the difference if I kept my receipt. To this young lady’s credit she was very polite and only following her store’s policies and is not the reason I’ll never shop Kroger again.  I’ll never shop Kroger again because I don’t need some stupid membership card to prove I’m a loyal customer to get sale items.  This wasn’t the first time I’ve ran across this whole cost savings card issue, but it will be my last.  I can easily drive another block down the road to the Wal-Mart Super Center, get better prices, more choices and don’t need to hassle with having a ridiculous card. Like wise the other local grocery store in town doesn’t require such a card unless your writing a check, guess what I’m a cash customer, NO CARD.Most of you out there if not all probably think this is nuts, but as a consumer I’m getting tired off all the gimmicks that retailers are using to advertise lower prices, sale items or special buys.  I don’t want to have to carry any loyalty cards, fill out endless rebates, or take any stinking surveys to get prices advertised on the shelf.  I’d rather they just keep the prices on the shelf at regular retail prices and from time to time surprise me with a discount for being a loyal customer.  Customer service, quality products and convenience are the ways to gain loyal customers not gimmick ads and fancy saving’s cards.

Thank you all for listening to my ranting and raving, you spared my kids having to listen to it.