99 Cents Only

[storewanderer]

99 Only had a promotion on that "living butter lettuce" in the plastic clamshell this week for only .99. Great deal if you could find it. A bit short dated. Comes from the same place as the Signature or Private Selection one. Good sub for romaine.

The shelves have really filled up at 99 Only on general merchandise in my area. None of the stores have been re-configured and the Reno one is severely undersized. So they have a couple aisles that have literally exploding shelves, boxes in front of the shelves, etc., then other aisles that are as much as half empty. Food shelves, drug shelves, and cleaning supply shelves look rather empty.

I notice many of their prices are going to 1.49. Still some .99 items though... if you look... still some items that are a bargain.

I am frustrated with the amount of unpriced merchandise. The basic pricing policy of all items .99 unless otherwise marked seems to be gone. It was also pointed out to me that policy was problematic because people could just peel price stickers off items then claim they are unmarked. I still do not see how their "price is whatever it scans" policy is legal, especially for a chain that operates in California. But California is very weak on consumer protections now, after being such a leader on it in the 90's. So I suppose they have no reason to care, or bother to fix their unclear or nonexistent price labeling. I do notice a lot of customers are asking for items voided once they see how much the items are... I hope the cashiers aren't getting disciplined over excessive voids.

[veteran+]

According to National Consumer Law Center, out of 19 measured criteria California was rated "strong" in 15 of them (regarding Consumer Protection Laws).

[BillyGr]

I am frustrated with the amount of unpriced merchandise. The basic pricing policy of all items .99 unless otherwise marked seems to be gone. It was also pointed out to me that policy was problematic because people could just peel price stickers off items then claim they are unmarked. I still do not see how their "price is whatever it scans" policy is legal, especially for a chain that operates in California. But California is very weak on consumer protections now, after being such a leader on it in the 90's. So I suppose they have no reason to care, or bother to fix their unclear or nonexistent price labeling. I do notice a lot of customers are asking for items voided once they see how much the items are... I hope the cashiers aren't getting disciplined over excessive voids.

Perhaps since they don't mark any price on the items, there is no issue of charging more than what the shelf/item/sign says it was supposed to be?

That way, whatever it scans is the only actual price shown, and of course people have the option (as you saw) not to take it if that price is not suitable for them.

[storewanderer]

According to National Consumer Law Center, out of 19 measured criteria California was rated "strong" in 15 of them (regarding Consumer Protection Laws).

And back in the 90's or 00's they would have been rated Strong+ in all 19 such criteria...

I'm not saying other states are any better (they largely aren't) but California used to have very strong laws to protect the consumer against things like scan errors and other sloppy tactics in stores. The way 99 Only is currently handling its price labeling and scanning policies would never have been tolerated in CA before.

Also your rating may analyze they are "strong" on 15 of 19 measures based on the laws on the books, but what good is it if they don't bother to firmly and consistently enforce said laws (which seems to be the case now). This is why you are not seeing scan guarantee honored in any grocers in SoCal. They are supposed to be honoring scan guarantee in Ralphs, Vons/Albertsons- they have legal settlements forever. Why aren't they doing it? They aren't following the law. The state should be all over them. Why is Rite Aid still honoring scan guarantee per their legal settlement (signs posted in every CA store including new Rite Aid logo)? Why is Safeway NorCal still honoring price scan guarantee per their legal settlement (again signs posted in every store and Vons was party to that same litigation)? State of CA should be all over this, but isn't.

Also what happened with scan error issues that CA found with Walgreens and Wal Mart, where they had to honor a scan guarantee for a stated time period (like 3-5 years) then it would be re-visited. Did scan accuracy actually improve in these stores (we know the answer)- yet there is no scan guarantee in those stores anymore...

And I won't even get started about their "fines" for stores selling expired goods in CA. Slap on the wrist for the stores, few changes to what the stores actually do in the real world, and zero consumer benefit in the event the consumer is sold expired goods.

[veteran+]

Well, it's not my rating, it's the NCLC's rating.

And there is no Strong+ category.

And I agree, California should be #1 in all laws pertaining to consumer protections AND #1 in actual enforcement and punishment.

BTW, all shops I visit from Palm Springs to San Diego to Los Angeles have honored scan guarantees, etc.

Unfortunately one may have to press the issue as I always do (cuz I know better, lol).

[storewanderer]

Well, it's not my rating, it's the NCLC's rating.

And there is no Strong+ category.

And I agree, California should be #1 in all laws pertaining to consumer protections AND #1 in actual enforcement and punishment.

BTW, all shops I visit from Palm Springs to San Diego to Los Angeles have honored scan guarantees, etc.

Unfortunately one may have to press the issue as I always do (cuz I know better, lol).

I pressed the issue at FoodsCo in Sacramento last year (a sign was posted about true scan guarantee or some such language) and when I went back a few months later a new sign had been posted which had the wording about receiving the item free in the event of a scan error was removed and just said they'd fix the price. No overcharges at Ralphs on recent trips to SoCal but saw no signs posted about scan policy. I did see some signs in Vons/Albertsons in SoCal but they were not displayed as obvious as NorCal displays the signs...

[veteran+]

Yeah, I do NOT see any signs down here at all.

Perhaps there are some but in a place that is not obvious (or sign may be very small).

I had a situation at a very nice Ralphs Fresh fare in Mission Valley about this and had to speak with the Store Director. He honored the guarantee (free for 1) and said he was sorry that his staff was clueless.

Weird.....................

[storewanderer]

Yeah, I do NOT see any signs down here at all.

Perhaps there are some but in a place that is not obvious (or sign may be very small).

I had a situation at a very nice Ralphs Fresh fare in Mission Valley about this and had to speak with the Store Director. He honored the guarantee (free for 1) and said he was sorry that his staff was clueless.

Weird.....................

Thing is you know the employees know the policy (unless they were hired yesterday)... any long term employee knows it.

Save Mart has this policy too, nobody knows it. There are no signs in the store anymore (used to be some leftover Albertsons signs in some stores, but recent remodels seem to have been the end of those signs). They have a register code to process it as well. They print the policy on the back page of their ad for reference, it is very convenient. Many employees deny it exists so rather than converse further, I walk away and get an ad from the rack next to the exit and walk back and show it to them.

[norcalriteaidclerk]

https://news.yahoo.com/sacramento-area- ... 44930.html

This location has lasted roughly two decades in a 1973-era former Lucky that was replaced by a new location at Arden/Eastern(now whole paycheck whole foods)a year or two before the Albertsons merger only to be closed by the latter a few years later.Nextdoor users speculate high shrink had been a problem.

[storewanderer]

99 Only also closed a store in Orangevale or maybe Folsom, right near the line of the two, some years ago. That store seemed pretty low traffic. This Carmichael location seemed to have higher traffic.

99 Only runs a high quality operation in Sacramento with clean well stocked stores. Real contrast from what they are doing in Reno.