New Jewel-Osco opens in Bensenville

[BillyGr]

A&P's self checkouts were mostly older UScan Models. But so what. You just replace them with whatever self checkouts you use. When Save Mart took the NorCal Albertsons over that was part of their conversion, they replaced the old Albertsons self checkouts (the ones that were used Kmart models that is) with new self checkouts. Same provider and software just new models. Supervalu soon followed suit with the same replacement. Most of this equipment is leased anyway.

I too wonder how pricing can possibly be any worse than A&P?

That would be the issue, as Acme had removed self checkouts from many (if not all) of their own stores prior to that, so they don't have a model to use (other than removing them). Something about wanting to provide more personalized service (by having a person rather than a machine).

[storewanderer]

I had transactions with a few Albertsons in Las Vegas over the past week (all self checkouts were removed) and my wait times in line were minimal due to a lack of traffic in the stores and also proper staffing (3-4 lanes open). Compared to the Las Vegas Smiths which were virtually all running with 8 self checkouts and 5-6 regular lanes open with similar short lines, this was good from a service standpoint but not so good from a business standpoint. But SuperValu in those locations would have had 4 self checkouts open with 1-2 regular cashiers and longer lines.

[klkla]

I had transactions with a few Albertsons in Las Vegas over the past week (all self checkouts were removed) and my wait times in line were minimal due to a lack of traffic in the stores and also proper staffing (3-4 lanes open). Compared to the Las Vegas Smiths which were virtually all running with 8 self checkouts and 5-6 regular lanes open with similar short lines, this was good from a service standpoint but not so good from a business standpoint. But SuperValu in those locations would have had 4 self checkouts open with 1-2 regular cashiers and longer lines.

My experience a couple weeks ago in Las Vegas was very similar. I went into a few Smiths and they were all busy and taking care of customers with lots of checkstands open. I also went into a few Albertson's and although there were short lines the stores were not very busy. I went into a few Walmart Neighborhood Markets and they were somewhat busy but store standards were awful. But, the biggest surprise was at the Whole Foods stores I went to. One had Safeway-Esque lines running down the aisles (10-20 customers per line and nothing being done to get more check stands opened). The other store was a mess in the food-service area with empty product bins and generally dirty cases. I've never seen Whole Foods stores this poorly run before.

[pseudo3d]

The biggest problem with the self check-out stand removal is that I think that Albertsons wants to bring back "3's a Crowd" but it's so poorly implemented in so many stores (if at all). The idea of personalized service (like implementing car carry-out service to the entire chain) is a nice one that could be used as leverage against competitors isn't a bad idea...but I feel like they're doing it in the wrong order entirely.

[storewanderer]

I think Whole Foods has problems in Las Vegas and has for a while. Maybe something to do with inheriting too many Wild Oats. I remember a few years ago being sent down there for work and staying at the South Pointe there was a Whole Foods nearby (I think it was a brand new location at the time they had recently opened). We went over there to buy groceries (not my choice), the store was dead, and the produce was poorly rotated and full of many overly ripe products and the rest of the perimeter was pretty poor. I didn't buy much and later found the Food 4 Less nearby and the quality of the produce there was a lot better.

I am not really sure what to expect at this point for Whole Foods. Here in Reno, the NorCal Whole Foods is one of the best volume grocery stores in town (does $700-$800k a week easily) and puts out generally fresh product. I don't care much for their service but many seem to like their employees. Their prices are in line with Trader Joe's on packaged private label goods and private label dairy and a good number of their dry goods such as Yogi Teas and various beverages are priced lower than Raleys, Save Mart, or Safeway. Their produce prices are generally outrageous but they have a better variety of produce than anyone else and any produce I've bought there, has been excellent.

I am kind of expecting to see Whole Foods ax UK and Canada and someone else will buy them. But who?

[pseudo3d]

I think Whole Foods has problems in Las Vegas and has for a while. Maybe something to do with inheriting too many Wild Oats. I remember a few years ago being sent down there for work and staying at the South Pointe there was a Whole Foods nearby (I think it was a brand new location at the time they had recently opened). We went over there to buy groceries (not my choice), the store was dead, and the produce was poorly rotated and full of many overly ripe products and the rest of the perimeter was pretty poor. I didn't buy much and later found the Food 4 Less nearby and the quality of the produce there was a lot better.

I am not really sure what to expect at this point for Whole Foods. Here in Reno, the NorCal Whole Foods is one of the best volume grocery stores in town (does $700-$800k a week easily) and puts out generally fresh product. I don't care much for their service but many seem to like their employees. Their prices are in line with Trader Joe's on packaged private label goods and private label dairy and a good number of their dry goods such as Yogi Teas and various beverages are priced lower than Raleys, Save Mart, or Safeway. Their produce prices are generally outrageous but they have a better variety of produce than anyone else and any produce I've bought there, has been excellent.

I am kind of expecting to see Whole Foods ax UK and Canada and someone else will buy them. But who?

The expansion of Whole Foods out of Austin has been atypical. Most of their "starting points" in other urban areas were like-minded organic retailers they bought out and ultimately renamed. Whole Foods is in a tight spot because their organics schtick has been copied by so many other retailers at a lower cost, a reputation for high cost, and closing stores is never good for stock.