39 replies to this topic

[Sheldon]

I picked up one of those yogurt drinks at El Torito yesterday and the sign below the drink said 5.49 pesos. I got to the register and it rang up 6.1 pesos, so I told the clerk that the sign said 5.49. She followed me to where I found the drink, peeled off the sign and took it to the on-duty manager who spoke no English. After several minutes of scrutinizing both the drink and the sign with the price, they found it--the number of grams on the sign differed from the number on the drink, so this sign did NOT apply to this drink. Next to the drink I picked up was a different yogurt drink, also at 5.49 pesos or so the sign said, but THAT sign didn't refer to THAT drink either because the gram weight again, was different.

I can't count the number of times I've been to Soriana, Walmart OR El Torito when there is NO price any where near the item, or when, after scrutinizing the sign and the product I realize that the price tag does NOT refer to the item above it. I guess they figure that you won't notice the price difference, or on items without a price, you will simply take the item because it's too much hassle to Not take it.

I am sick to death of being cheated out of my money by unscrupulous business practices and I think it's time for everyone who feels as I do to band together and form a Consumer Union and DO something about being cheated! Since I do not speak Spanish, I could not be the liason with the businesses, but I will lend my voice and my time to working toward, at the very least, minimizing these dishonest practices.

Comments?

We are too old and too tired to help you to change the paradise! go ahead by yourself! good luck!
We came here just to enjoy sunny days (or warm rainy days), enjoy meals and watch tv!

[jeznel]

Thank you to ALL of you who think because we live in mexico it's OK to be cheated, after all we're all rich Gringo's

[Sierra Casa]

I want to share a story and get your thoughts. Last tiangius my girlfiriend and I wanted some blueberries. We asked in spanish and they answered 80 pesos. For a quart size. A pint was 40 pesos. We thought a little high (80 pesos) so we walked and when we came back noticed all the blueberries were gone. There was a mexican man that just bought the last, I assume, of the blueberries. I asked him (in spanish) How much he paid for them?? Before he had a chance to answer the mexican women said 50 pesos and the other boy that works there recognized us and hurried and said no! 80 pesos. So we did not understand Why? there was a price difference ?? I think there is 2 different prices and in the long run does make a difference...JMO

[Animalover]

even if he had just a bit of reason....most of the readers arr pissed off because he claim about that in this forum! Instead of that, maybe He or She should start to write a book with all the mishapes that happen to hem/her in this inferno, and explain the reason he/she left his/her paradise and came to live in the hell.......

You are right Sierra Casa, my friend sends his mexican wife to the market and tianguis to do the shopping, because everybody knows or should know that most of the time, there is a regular price for locals and a higher price for the well off foreigners....not only here, in every "tourist trap" the same situation happens, and this is not a "ripp off" it is just....surviving techniques.....

That is why I only go to big stores like walmart, home depot or so.....

aaaaaaaaanyway.....

[PV Kids]

even if he had just a bit of reason....most of the readers arr pissed off because he claim about that in this forum! Instead of that, maybe He or She should start to write a book with all the mishapes that happen to hem/her in this inferno, and explain the reason he/she left his/her paradise and came to live in the hell.......

You are right Sierra Casa, my friend sends his mexican wife to the market and tianguis to do the shopping, because everybody knows or should know that there is a regular price for locals and a higher price for the well off foreigners....

aaaaaaaaanyway.....

A point well taken.

[Yo1]

I want to share a story and get your thoughts. Last tiangius my girlfiriend and I wanted some blueberries. We asked in spanish and they answered 80 pesos. For a quart size. A pint was 40 pesos. We thought a little high (80 pesos) so we walked and when we came back noticed all the blueberries were gone. There was a mexican man that just bought the last, I assume, of the blueberries. I asked him (in spanish) How much he paid for them?? Before he had a chance to answer the mexican women said 50 pesos and the other boy that works there recognized us and hurried and said no! 80 pesos. So we did not understand Why? there was a price difference ?? I think there is 2 different prices and in the long run does make a difference...JMO

I don't know how long you have lived here, but where the prices are not marked, like many vendors in the tianguis, the gringo price is different from the Mexican price. If you can bargain them down, fine, if not move on to some other vendor. It's the way of the Mexican world.

[DVD123]

Wow, seems everybody is grumpy....

Just because someone feels they are being repeatedly ripped off by all businesses here does not mean this person does not belong here! "This is Mexico" Does not Make it an acceptable business practice either.

Why all the personal attacks?

Cripes, I don't like a lot of things about Canada or the USA, or Italy, etc. does that mean I don't belong there? Not everything in paradise is good to everyone...let someone have their rant without jumping on that someone, will ya.

Wow, grumpy is right.

If all if these people were really in paradise you would think they would have welcomed him to the forum first and said something like I'm sorry you got upset. Then tell him or her they do things a little different here in Mexico, maybe a lot different.
I'll bet he'll never come back in this forum again, I know I wouldn't.

So much for paradise

[gimpychimp]

I want to share a story and get your thoughts. Last tiangius my girlfiriend and I wanted some blueberries. We asked in spanish and they answered 80 pesos. For a quart size. A pint was 40 pesos. We thought a little high (80 pesos) so we walked and when we came back noticed all the blueberries were gone. There was a mexican man that just bought the last, I assume, of the blueberries. I asked him (in spanish) How much he paid for them?? Before he had a chance to answer the mexican women said 50 pesos and the other boy that works there recognized us and hurried and said no! 80 pesos. So we did not understand Why? there was a price difference ?? I think there is 2 different prices and in the long run does make a difference...JMO

This is absolutely true of many of the vendors at the tianguis and I don't shop there because of it. It is also well known that the same vendors charge less when they are selling at the tianguis in Chapala or Joco. It bothers me that they take advantage of the gringo market in Ajijic so I decided a long time ago to " vote with my feet ". I would rather go to a grocery store where the prices are posted and I pay the same price the locals do. I agree with you that you were treated badly in this case. When I owned stores I didn't charge different prices based on nationality and it really bothers me when people want to do that to me.

As for the OP, however, its a far different story. 4 cents difference! And it was nothing to do with charging gringos more, it was just a mistake. Wow!

[donandjim]

Some of the most amusing comments I have read on this web board in a long time. Pity the yuks came as a result of the original posting.

[johanson]

MY QUESTION is:

Could it be some younger kid just making fun of us and laughing at how many of us (myself included) he could get to respond.

The original poster can't be for real.

[PV Kids]

MY QUESTION is:

Could it be some younger kid just making fun of us and laughing at how many of us (myself included) he could get to respond.

The original poster can't be for real.

Agreed, the OP cannot possibly be for real nor any of the others agreeing with him/her. Someone is laughing loudly at us for falling for it.

[MtnMama]

That is why I only go to big stores like walmart, home depot or so.....

aaaaaaaaanyway.....

Unusual perspective. I myself would rather put money back into the community and get fresher meat and produce - and perhaps spend a bit more. Especially now when so many small locally owned businesses are hurting, I vote to help my neighbors.

[Natasha]

I can't believe I spent time reading thru' all this either, but since I'm here, have to toss my thoughts into the fray.

Where does it say, Jeznel, that somebody else is responsible for you making the effort to be sure that what you are picking up off a grocery shelf is what is sitting above the label?
This is not a case of El Torito cheating gringos. This is a case of someone who's too lazy or irresponsible to pay attention to what they are doing, and not taking those few seconds
to note that the size/product on the label is the same as the item you have in your hand.

Grow up! And then get busy with some Spanish lessons.

[sundown]

This type of "differences" happen to me often at OXXO

[Puddles]

Looks like that Consumer's Union will have a membership of one! Plus, given the fact that you speak no Spanish it's probably best to disband the Union now.

[jaykay]

I read this whole thread with disbelief. Then I went back and read the original post again. All this for 21 centavos? OK, someone is pulling our chain. The jokes on all of us for not spotting it more quickly. Then the OP checked in again upset with her/his lack of community support. Now I'm thinking "Lord, maybe the poster was serious." Well, it doesn't take much to send me off to fantasy land. I imagine this poster waking up one morning and on the spur of the moment, decides to move to the lake, and is on their way by noon. No effort to learn about the culture. No effort to learn the language. Then they discover the awful truth. It's not like back home. Even worse, these pushy locals, Mexican and American, are not showing the proper respect. OK, we'll get a movement going to fix this. 21 centavos here, 21 centavos there, and pretty soon it's up to a dollar. Where will it stop? As I said, fantasy land. I could vote for troll too.

[Griffin]

Wow, grumpy is right.

If all if these people were really in paradise you would think they would have welcomed him to the forum first and said something like I'm sorry you got upset. Then tell him or her they do things a little different here in Mexico, maybe a lot different.
I'll bet he'll never come back in this forum again, I know I wouldn't.

So much for paradise

I think "Paradise" refers to the climate, not all of the people and the lifestyle here. The climate hasn't changed because someone doesn't bother to check the price at a grocery store or hasn't changed because paying a few extra cents is a fortune to that person. If spending a few pennies more causes a meltdown, then no place on Earth can be Paradise for that person.

[nopalesflower]

When shopping the tianguis. If they say 80 pesos and you think it is too high offer them less. Almost always they will agree. Use your common sense. And by offering a lesser amount, I mean reasonable....not so cheap you offend.

[rod.collins]

Overcharging foreigners has allways been an issue, I have been living here for over 35 years and learned a lot from my father, as we use to travel down in his old chevy truck bringing the many things down that we could not get here, inluding mayonaise and peanut butter. The price thing has never changed and no matter where you are in Mexico bartering on price will allways be in the culture. I guess this is why I love it here.

My wife being Mexican allways gets the cheqper price. And when I shop I always ask with a smile is this the gringo price or the normal price if they tell me the gringo price. I allways ask for my descuento. The bottom line its all about the attitude.

As far as shopping at wallmart, which I have literally only been in that store 5 times, every time I have been in the store there has always been one item that is priced one way and at the register its a higher price.

[Sailor]

Looks like that Consumer's Union will have a membership of one! Plus, given the fact that you speak no Spanish it's probably best to disband the Union now.

ROFLMAO! Best quote yet.