I just couldn't work somewhere that I had to call my boss "Captain". Well, maybe on a ship ...

[gordonzola]

There’s a certain argument that happens in my store that, honestly, I try to avoid. Mostly because it never goes anywhere except to hard feelings. Still, if someone asks me a direct question, I feel it’s my duty to bring it up.

I don’t have a problem with people shopping at Trader Joe’s. It’s cheap. People need cheap food. It’s usually better quality than most cheap food. I could go off on why it’s generally not a good idea for producers to get hooked into their world, but sometimes a cash infusion is important for a business to survive.

But sometimes people just wanna fight. A woman approached the counter the other day and said, "You’ve really raised your prices on this Dutch Goat Gouda."

"Well," I replies, "all imported cheese prices went up at the beginning of the year due to the dollar doing so badly and added transportation costs."*

"Well, this cheese is $9/lb now. It used to be $7.99."

"Yes, that’s true."

"Trader Joe’s has it for less than you. How come?

"Well, they’re a huge company that can buy big volume, they don’t pay union wages, and they only carry a small amount of products compared to other grocery stores."

"No, their prices are lower because of their volume. They pay their workers a fair amount for the job. Sales clerks get $10/hour at least."**

I love it when they tip their hands. Obviously she already had an answer for the "question" she asked. And the only acceptable answer is the one that TJ’s endlessly markets. My answer enraged the customer because I mentioned that people’s wages are actually tied to the price one pays for goods. Now, there’s not a direct ratio obviously, otherwise Whole Foods would be a lot cheaper than it is, but she didn’t want to hear about it.

And honestly, I didn’t even wanna talk about it because showing any kind of class solidarity among jobs generally provokes a negative reaction. Mostly because it’s fucked up when you have to pay more, especially when you can’t afford it, to show that kind of class solidarity. The Nation actually had a decent article recently. One that discussed unions and Wal Mart where the unions admitted that their workers had no choice but to shop their because it was cheap.

The reason I don’t usually mention things like that in response to unknown customers is that they assume I’m trying to guilt them. Not an off-the-wall response really, since the Left’s most notable achievement from, say, 1981-1999, was creating a we’re-so-defeated-this-is-the-best we-can-come-up-with semi-politics of liberal consumerism and "Green" consumption. Sigh.



*All food products must be certified terrorism free by having a documented direct line of ownership and handling from farm to customs. Producers responded by raising all their prices. Plus there’s the whole price of gas thing.
**I tried looking up job applications online but couldn’t fin anything completely comparable. Their management positions seem to start at about $13/hour based on a "47.5 hour week". Did you know that they have to call their managers "Captains" and assistant managers "First Mates"? It’s like the fucking Salvation Army. Food samplers (Hello elusis!) and part timers seem to start at $8/hour in big cities.

Comments

[dcart.livejournal.com]

The link to the cheese doesn't work for me.

I read the article in The Nation, but I still don't buy that people have to shop at Wal-Mart. Even if you're stuck shopping at other discounters who aren't much better than wal-mart, there are a few options left.

I don't expect my divorced sister who isn't getting child support and who works as a waitress to buy her kids organic milk, but there are times when making a short term sacrifice is necessary to have any hope of a better future. I've never met anyone who wasn't homeless that didn't have some luxury good (even if it's only drinking soda instead of water) that they could cut out and use that money for more socially responsible shopping.

[beowabbit]

Next time, try saying "Well, our prices are a little higher because we skim off about 20% of our profits for Al Qua'eda, and then there are the bribes we pay for the cops to look the other way when we have our competitors kneecapped. These things add up, you know!"

[richmackin.livejournal.com]

Going to a specialty store to ask why they charge more than a grocery store and then arguing about the answer is translated as "I want to get in an argument."

Another person, concerned only about price and happy with Trader Joe's policies would simply GO TO TRADER JOE'S IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Meanwhile, why is the local coffee place's organic fair trade shade grown gormet coffee more expensive than the Folger's brewing at the convenience store?

[nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com]

Someone with the disposable income to spend $8/lb on cheese in the first place no longer gets to haggle or whine about prices.

Not an off-the-wall response really, since the Left’s most notable achievement from, say, 1981-1999, was creating a we’re-so-defeated-this-is-the-best we-can-come-up-with semi-politics of liberal consumerism and "Green" consumption.

Remember the days when radicals had figured out that markets didn't operate the way bourgeois economists said they did? Ah, those were the days...

[mercyorbemoaned.livejournal.com]

I hate that shit so much. I'll just hang out at the store wearing a bag with the cat on it over my head and you send those people to me.

[mercyorbemoaned.livejournal.com]

I mean FUCK how hard is this? I pay more at Rainbow because working at TJ's makes people stupid and there is a surplus of stupid, kthx. Workplaces have to be places that foster citizenship and civilization. Didn't everybody's mother tell them that?

It's like Cool Hand Luke!

[citizenx.livejournal.com]

You better clean out your ears. You call the Captain "Captain", do you understand? And you call the rest of us "Boss".

[msjen.livejournal.com]

I just wanted you to know that every time I am in your store and it comes up that we will be purchasing an item at another grocery store, we whisper this fact, and then look around to make sure we didn't insult anyone.

I did this even before I knew you. I guess that's almost as weird as deliberately arguing with the staff.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

It's really hard not to get snarky when someone says something like "They pay their workers a fair amount for the job. Sales clerks get $10/hour at least." I always want to ask them how much *they're* making an hour.

[ammonoid.livejournal.com]

I'm a little confused. So what did you p-o'ed customer actually want? For you to sell her the cheese for less? An econ 101 lecture on the economy of scale? Another lecture on wages and inflationary pressure?

What a tool. Your customer, not you.

govARRnment cheese

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

Should one be forced to work someplace where one had to address one's boss as Captain, one could amuse oneself by coming to work each day with a monkey, a parrot, and a barrel of rum. And an eyepatch and/or wooden leg, should one be so inclined.

So there is an upside, is what I'm saying.

[reveritas.livejournal.com]

you work at the cheese counter at whole foods, is that what i'm reading here? which one?

i have nothing to add to this argument as i will pay for cheese if i want it; whatever it costs. if i don't have the money, no cheese. Tashanomics.

[madresal.livejournal.com]

Is it OK at your job to ignore stupid customers like this one, or do you have to give rational answers to their constipation-inspired grumpy question of the day?

Just wondering.

[captain-grim.livejournal.com]

captains? first mates? no wonder they always ring that fucking bell. that always used to annoy the shit out of me (before i boycotted TJ and Whole Foods...).

[walktheplank.livejournal.com]

Seriously, I would love to work at an establishment where I was not only encouraged, but required to speak in pirate-lingo. ;)


How is Kmart better than Walmart?

Kmart is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, so that's probably a bad example.

But another major discount chain -- Costco -- is fucking UTOPIAN compared to Walmart (higher wages and better benefits, for one thing!) Target corporation used to be a model for "good corporate citizenship", but this is changing thanks to Walmart

One of more pernicious effects of shopping at Walmart is that not only do they force their suppliers to pursue the lowest wages imaginable overseas, but they've also forced their competitors (such as Target), to adopt a similar corporate strategy. Its a race to the bottom.

Free Terrorism with every purchase!

[jwz.livejournal.com]

* "Certified Terrorism Free!" I love it -- does this mean that Pepsi's going to be spamming the billboards with ads for their new "Low Terrorism" soda? "90% Less Terrorism than Coke in Every Can!"

** Are the First Mates called "cast members" too?

[superchones.livejournal.com]

trader joe's never fails to makes me all homicidal. now i can assign my irrational annoyance of tj's to the captain/first mate construct! ahoy!

[freshwater-pr0n.livejournal.com]

That's when I ask, "Well, what answer would you like to hear?"

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Hi!

I make way more than $8 an hour though by "way more" I hardly mean "a real living wage given the way my benefits (fail to) work, the cost of living in my area, and my life stage."

Which is why vendors want to pay outside demo companies rather than me.

Ugh, must not start thinking abou tstore demo program right now or I'll get grumpy.

[felicks.livejournal.com]

Trader Joe's - Now Hiring Deck Swabbers! (http://www.craigslist.org/sfc/ret/41989748.html)

Marginally related question. I shop at the Bowl (union busting and crowded they may be - I won't try to justify it) and Strauss cheese is like $90 an ounce these days. I assume this isn't just the Bowl's pricing: they tend to be low average as far as I can tell. any idea why Strauss cheese prices have been going up? I'm genuinely curious - not looking to brawl. and I'll keep buying the stuff either way cuz I want to shop local and organic.

[kest]

My god, you bash TJs and your entire comments section jumps on the the bandwagon. I like TJs. Not everyone can shop at Hippie Co-op Store, you know. They have good food (both as in tasty and as in conscious), its cheap and mostly unpretentious (unlike WF), and its spreading. And a good number of people I know work for them and seem to do ok. And I'm pretty sure they don't *actually* call anybody 'captain', anymore than I go around calling my boss 'boss'.

[beelavender.livejournal.com]

You'll have to call me Cap'n if you want a ride on my boat.

[lapsed.livejournal.com]

I realize it's pointless posting to a week old blog post, but I just had to say: At least you don't work for this Captain.