The Unacceptable Price Thread

[rane008]

Are you sick of the markups that some stores are putting on trendy items? Have you found yourself muttering, "How much?!!"

This is the tread to call out those outrageous prices:

I'll start.

A certain local market here in Lafayette, CA is charging $6/lb for heirloom tomatoes AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON. Don't get me started on what they want for scallops.

Mods: If this is in the wrong forum, let me know and I'll move/remove it.

[dcarch]

With Tax, that's almost $80.00 a lb. (NYC)

dcarch

[SobaAddict70]

Are you sick of the markups that some stores are putting on trendy items? Have you found yourself muttering, "How much?!!"

This is the tread to call out those outrageous prices:

I'll start.

A certain local market here in Lafayette, CA is charging $6/lb for heirloom tomatoes AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON. Don't get me started on what they want for scallops.

Mods: If this is in the wrong forum, let me know and I'll move/remove it.

$5 to $6/pint is about what gets charged at USGM here in NYC, however, that's a lot of heirloom tomatoes for one person.

I don't think those are outrageous prices. Farmers have to make a living somehow, especially since the cost of living in New York isn't exactly cheap.

[SobaAddict70]

Are you sick of the markups that some stores are putting on trendy items? Have you found yourself muttering, "How much?!!"

This is the tread to call out those outrageous prices:

I'll start.

A certain local market here in Lafayette, CA is charging $6/lb for heirloom tomatoes AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON. Don't get me started on what they want for scallops.

Mods: If this is in the wrong forum, let me know and I'll move/remove it.

$5 to $6/pint is about what gets charged at USGM here in NYC, however, that's a lot of heirloom tomatoes for one person.

I don't think those are outrageous prices. Farmers have to make a living somehow, especially since the cost of living in New York isn't exactly cheap.

and I guarantee you that after Hurricane Irene a couple of years ago, most farms in the tri-state area weren't doing so hot. some had the majority of their cropland DESTROYED by the torrential rains and winds. those who escaped the storm's wrath still had a good percentage of their autumn harvest ruined, at precisely the worst possible moment. for many in this part of the world, the autumn harvest is THE principal money-making season, during which if everything comes out okay, most farms will end up in the black, with enough to tide them over until next year.

they can't charge too much or else they'll drive customers away. they can't charge too little or else they won't make a profit -- and that's after you factor in all the incidentals like: paying back any loans that were taken out from the bank (guess who props up farmers when we're not looking), paying their workers and hired help, overhead, the cost of transporting goods to the market, the cost of renting space at the market for the day and vehicle insurance.

the price dance is a delicate balance that farmers are all too aware of, so please keep that in mind the next time you're carping about so-called outrageous prices at your markets.

Edited July 16, 2012 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[patrickamory]

dcarch, that looks like the produce place in Grand Central Market. Is it?

[mgaretz]

Was in Williams-Sonoma today. Cherry pie filling for $19.95. Says it's enough for two 9" pies but I doubt it would do two, more like one.

[Shalmanese]

Some company sells fancy cocktail mixers for $7 a bottle. It's a little bit overpriced but whatever, except they sell simple syrup for the same price. Now that's outrageous!

[pastrygirl]

With Tax, that's almost $80.00 a lb. (NYC)

dcarch

For that price, they should at least spell chanterelle correctly

[Broken English]

Can I add immersion circulators to the list?

[Panaderia Canadiense]

$3.95 for a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese with nothing at all special about it.

[dcarch]

dcarch, that looks like the produce place in Grand Central Market. Is it?

Yes.

I am surprised how many people actually shop there.

dcarch

[liuzhou]

For that price, they should at least spell chanterelle correctly

And USA!

[liuzhou]

My local Radisson hotel has a small shop selling what they imagine to be otherwise unavailable product here in this smallish Chinese city. Only problem is that everything is available elsewhere in the city at around half the price.

Except for the Maldon sea salt which the Radisson sells for ¥120, but I can buy nearby for ¥25.

http://liuzhou.co.uk...elusional-deli/

Edited July 17, 2012 by liuzhou (log)

[budrichard]

It's known as a 'Free Market' in Econ 101

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_market

If you don't like the price, you don't purchase. If you don't purchase and the price is above the producers actual cost, then the theory is, if enough people don't purchase the seller will be forced to reduce the price.

Seems to work for the most part.-Dick

[Toliver]

I do a lot of my shopping at a discount grocers (a chain ironically owned by a big name more expensive grocery chain). In the cheaper grocery store, they will sell rotisserie chickens for $5.99. But if I go to the big name more expensive grocery chain, they sell the same chicken for 2 bucks more. WTF?

Or I can just go to Costco and get their freakishly large rotisserie chickens for the same price as the discount grocery chain (which offers a much smaller bird).

It's as if the stores don't realize that we comparison shop these days so they think they can charge whatever they want. Well, I ain't buyin' it in more ways than one.

[pastrygirl]

It's as if the stores don't realize that we comparison shop these days so they think they can charge whatever they want. Well, I ain't buyin' it in more ways than one.

Yeah, but comparison shopping takes time. Reading the ads and making a list and going to three different stores on shopping day takes time and effort. I, for one, don't really want to spend that time. I go to the closest store and if it looks good and the price doesn't seem insane, I buy it. Sure, I do check prices and sometimes will opt for a certain cheese or fish or whatever based on price relative to each other at that store and i do look for the items on special, but I'm not going to make an extra trip to save a couple bucks on a chicken, I'd rather have the extra half hour.

Edited July 17, 2012 by pastrygirl (log)

[mkayahara]

Besides which, not everyone takes price as their only - or even primary - decision-making factor.

[Darienne]

Yeah, but comparison shopping takes time. Reading the ads and making a list and going to three different stores on shopping day takes time and effort. I, for one, don't really want to spend that time. I go to the closest store and if it looks good and the price doesn't seem insane, I buy it. Sure, I do check prices and sometimes will opt for a certain cheese or fish or whatever based on price relative to each other at that store and i do look for the items on special, but I'm not going to make an extra trip to save a couple bucks on a chicken, I'd rather have the extra half hour.

The same goes for me. I feel if I am reasonably careful and frugal...which I am...it will all equal out in the end. OTOH, DH is a comparison shopper. Drives me crazy. I just leave him to it. He's happy. I'm happy. What more could a human ask for?

[rotuts]

I do it this way: If its not on sale, then why pay the more expensive price? it true from time to time you need to pay full retail, but its not hard to look at the 'weekly ads' and see what's on sale and use that as the basis of what you will (mostly) cook.

It does not work well when making a specific recipe, that's OK but most of the time I use sales and go from there.

Not really fanatic about it. And the stores i use are the ones i always use.

Frugal is not the same as Cheap. I have Friends that might be Seasoned and Weighty that get this confused.

After all, in so many years, this allows you to get the "Japanese Knife" when you already have more knives that you need!

[rotuts]

Above, I should have added 'routine day to day stuff'

that does include Meat Veg Wine

[mgaretz]

that does include Meat Veg Wine

I've seen wine made from all kinds of things, but meat and vegetables?

;-) (can't do a graphic smiley on my iPad!)

[CaliPoutine]

Was in Williams-Sonoma today. Cherry pie filling for $19.95. Says it's enough for two 9" pies but I doubt it would do two, more like one.

All of that pre-made ingredients at Williams Sonoma is so expensive. But ya know what, people buy it. Today, I bought some Jam there, I paid 3.74( on clearance). regular price was 14.95. The only igredients are blueberries( not even the wild ones), cane sugar and lemon juice. Its good jam, but no way worth 15 bucks. I shake my head when I see Sloppy Joe starter or Chili Starter for 15.00 a jar. Their bundt cake mixes are 19.95( and you still need to add 3 sticks of butter and eggs). Ridiculous.

[CaliPoutine]

I do a lot of my shopping at a discount grocers (a chain ironically owned by a big name more expensive grocery chain). In the cheaper grocery store, they will sell rotisserie chickens for $5.99. But if I go to the big name more expensive grocery chain, they sell the same chicken for 2 bucks more. WTF?

Or I can just go to Costco and get their freakishly large rotisserie chickens for the same price as the discount grocery chain (which offers a much smaller bird).

It's as if the stores don't realize that we comparison shop these days so they think they can charge whatever they want. Well, I ain't buyin' it in more ways than one.

Is it Food for Less vs. Ralphs? If so, you're paying for atmosphere too.

[mkayahara]

Was in Williams-Sonoma today. Cherry pie filling for $19.95. Says it's enough for two 9" pies but I doubt it would do two, more like one.

All of that pre-made ingredients at Williams Sonoma is so expensive. But ya know what, people buy it. Today, I bought some Jam there, I paid 3.74( on clearance). regular price was 14.95. The only igredients are blueberries( not even the wild ones), cane sugar and lemon juice. Its good jam, but no way worth 15 bucks. I shake my head when I see Sloppy Joe starter or Chili Starter for 15.00 a jar. Their bundt cake mixes are 19.95( and you still need to add 3 sticks of butter and eggs). Ridiculous.

It is ridiculous. Fortunately, you often can get items on sale. On a whim, I bought some mulling spices there a few years ago (on sale), and even though it was nothing but a bunch of cinnamon, allspice, dried orange peel and cloves, they were very tasty mulling spices. Plus they came in a nice little tin that I've been able to reuse!

[annabelle]

Williams-Sonoma has fantastic sales. I've bought gorgeous table linens for less than $10, generally after the holidays before they do inventory for taxes.