It’S Official, Carrefour Converted To Big-C

[BB1950]

In the context of a store which claims to be servicing the needs of foreigners it is quite ridiculous to eliminate English text.

Where is it that BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners?

Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?

It's in the "X".

If I recall the "X" is for "Extra". In no way does it imply "Serving the needs of Foreigners".

'Extra" means:

1. beyond or more than what is usual, expected, or necessary
2. additional
3. larger or better than what is usual

If I recall, the claim was it was going to be "Larger and better than the usual Big C".

Since Big C is targeted towards the Thai market, it seems to be appropriate.

Why not debate that?

Of course some Foreigners seem have forgotten, this is Thailand. The majority of people are Thai.They expect the Thais and retailers to cater to them.

I suspect these same individuals would be upset if foreigners to their home countries were catered to.

Get a life. Go home if you don't like it.

Edited August 12, 2011 by BB1950

[Phil Conners]

Chill pills please. Please don't force us to close the thread.

[JSixpack]

In the context of a store which claims to be servicing the needs of foreigners it is quite ridiculous to eliminate English text.

Where is it that BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners?

I guess this press release should read in that direction since Pattaya looks like a locale with a considerable population of foreigners.

Source : http://demo.newswit....0cd90e9fb4d574/

The first wave of "Big C Extra" to be launched on 25 May 2011 are Ladphrao, Ramintra, On-Nuch, Sukapiban 3, Chonburi, and Petchkasem. More "Big C Extra" stores, including Rama 4, Ratchadapisek, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and many more, will be strategically rolled out in the next few months.

With wider ranges of products and services tailored to each specific locale,

Trouble is, Pattaya is a locale in which the foreigners are still vastly outnumbered by the Thais or hadn't you noticed.

And your view then relies on a racist assumption that all Thais are alike and therefore any "tailoring" must mean "tailoring" to farang, most notably Mr. janverbeem himself.

But no. The website you cite makes it even clearer, ironically, that Big C management really means to target the needs of THAIS in specific locales:

Mr. Kudatara further reveals that “Starting 25 May 2011, Big C will unfold its “Big C Extra” stores in strategic areas nationwide. “Big C Extra” is the new & exciting result of months-long deliberation and planning since the start of Carrefour acquisition that harvests Big C’s extensive research and knowledge on what the

Thai shoppers

in every category and locale really want."

That is, Big C perceives a range of consumer tastes among Thais partly based on their locale--whereas you cannot--and in BCX they intend to go after that market primarily.

Thai thinking, very ethnocentric. So it's really the wishful and frustrated farangs such as yourself who read into "shoppers of all preferences and lifestyles" as including themselves. There's never been any mention of FOREIGN shoppers. Though BCX obviously does give some consideration to the farangs, as I said, BCX is a Thai institution aimed primarily at Thais, no use expecting it to be Carrefour.

And it's going to do well in that location anyway, and lots of farangs will shop there.

Deal with it.

[BB1950]

In the context of a store which claims to be servicing the needs of foreigners it is quite ridiculous to eliminate English text.

Where is it that BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners?

I guess this press release should read in that direction since Pattaya looks like a locale with a considerable population of foreigners.

Source : http://demo.newswit....0cd90e9fb4d574/

The first wave of "Big C Extra" to be launched on 25 May 2011 are Ladphrao, Ramintra, On-Nuch, Sukapiban 3, Chonburi, and Petchkasem. More "Big C Extra" stores, including Rama 4, Ratchadapisek, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and many more, will be strategically rolled out in the next few months.

With wider ranges of products and services tailored to each specific locale,

I still don't see foreigners mentioned.

For your information, there are considerably more Thais in Pattaya than foreigners. "Big C Extra" do seem to be offering a wider range of products and services tailored towards Thais. They also seem to be offering more products and services to foreigners than in a typical Big C.

In case you didn't notice, all those locales are in Thailand. Yes some of those locales may have more foreigners than other locales in Thailand, but in In all those locales there are far more Thais than foreigners.

Don't read something into something that isn't there.

Your argument does not have a leg to stand on.

Edited August 12, 2011 by BB1950

[JSixpack]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

That must be a first then,never seen FRESH meat and veggies in the history of big c,or do you conider contaminated meat in those grab boxes in the middle of the store as FRESH?

You don't have evidence that ANY meat sold at Big C is contaminated. Basically you're just trolling against Big C: you hate Big C, you don't want anyone else to shop at Big C, and you'll say anything--which is why all this "discussion" is a waste of time.

To say on a public forum that Big C is selling contaminated meat is unquestionably libelous and deserves prosecution. I foresee at minimum a little rap on the knuckles coming your way . . . .

[tropo]

Where is it that BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners?

Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?

It's in the "X".

If I recall the "X" is for "Extra". In no way does it imply "Serving the needs of Foreigners".

'Extra" means:

1. beyond or more than what is usual, expected, or necessary
2. additional
3. larger or better than what is usual

It's not THE "X", it's IN the "X".... as in PART of the EXTRA.

Can you grasp that?

Although they are doing a lousy job catering to foreigners, I'm sure any owner of a store in a major tourist/expat city would grasp the importance of "serving the needs of foreigners" as you so eloquently stated.

The rest of your reply was unnecessary venom. I have other places where I now prefer to shop, so I still like it here, so if it's ok with you I'll stay.:lol:

[janverbeem]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

That must be a first then,never seen FRESH meat and veggies in the history of big c,or do you conider contaminated meat in those grab boxes in the middle of the store as FRESH?

You don't have evidence that ANY meat sold at Big C is contaminated. Basically you're just trolling against Big C: you hate Big C, you don't want anyone else to shop at Big C, and you'll say anything--which is why all this "discussion" is a waste of time.

To say on a public forum that Big C is selling contaminated meat is unquestionably libelous and deserves prosecution. I foresee at minimum a little rap on the knuckles coming your way . . . .

Are you saying that meat that lays for a whole day and probably several days uncovered in the middle of the passway of a shop,which all people are continiously stirring and breathing and sneezing and whatever more on will not be contaminated?Or are you just looking for an argument.

[FarangBuddha]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

That must be a first then,never seen FRESH meat and veggies in the history of big c,or do you conider contaminated meat in those grab boxes in the middle of the store as FRESH?

You don't have evidence that ANY meat sold at Big C is contaminated. Basically you're just trolling against Big C: you hate Big C, you don't want anyone else to shop at Big C, and you'll say anything--which is why all this "discussion" is a waste of time.

To say on a public forum that Big C is selling contaminated meat is unquestionably libelous and deserves prosecution. I foresee at minimum a little rap on the knuckles coming your way . . . .

Are you saying that meat that lays for a whole day and probably several days uncovered in the middle of the passway of a shop,which all people are continiously stirring and breathing and sneezing and whatever more on will not be contaminated?Or are you just looking for an argument.

Most "fresh" meats/seafood is "contaminated" with something or another...that's why it's not recommended to eat it raw and there are minimum internal cooking temps that should be obtained in order to kill these pathogens.

[BB1950]

Where is it that BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners?

Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?

It's in the "X".

If I recall the "X" is for "Extra". In no way does it imply "Serving the needs of Foreigners".

'Extra" means:

1. beyond or more than what is usual, expected, or necessary
2. additional
3. larger or better than what is usual

It's not THE "X", it's IN the "X".... as in PART of the EXTRA.

Can you grasp that?

Although they are doing a lousy job catering to foreigners, I'm sure any owner of a store in a major tourist/expat city would grasp the importance of "serving the needs of foreigners" as you so eloquently stated.

The rest of your reply was unnecessary venom. I have other places where I now prefer to shop, so I still like it here, so if it's ok with you I'll stay.:lol:

That is not part of the "X" or "Extra" to "cater to foreigners", even in a tourist/expat city. You missed the point as you typically do. I grasp that you have your own dictionary.

The venom portion was directed to all those that come to live here and have a hissy fit!

Edited August 13, 2011 by BB1950

[JSixpack]

Are you saying that meat that lays for a whole day and probably several days uncovered in the middle of the passway of a shop,which all people are continiously stirring and breathing and sneezing and whatever more on will not be contaminated?Or are you just looking for an argument.

I'm saying you're just making up stuff on a public forum libelous to Big C simply to damage Big C's reputation and business. In Thailand, that is a prosecutable offense.

Since you hate Big C, you certainly haven't spent all of a day in there, or came in the morning and returned in the afternoon, to see a specific piece of meat lying there all day. Nor have you seen it lying there for several days. Nor have you scientifically tested any meat for contamination no matter how long it has lain somewhere--contamination that is, as you imply, harmful and cannot be removed by routine, normal, expected washing and/or cooking. Nor have you given any evidence of anyone getting sick from contaminated meat bought from BCX--because you don't know of anyone. Even if you did, that is merely one instance and what you're doing is still libelous as you imply it is common for Big C to sell contaminated meat harmful to public health.

The meat and veggies I bought there were fresh enough, I washed, cooked, and ate 'em with no ill effects whatsoever. They were tasty enough, as such products purchased most anywhere may not be 100% fresh, even in Thai fresh markets. Tesco is comparable. All meat and veggies must be washed before eaten, and the washing can be more or less thorough and anti-bacterial. (It appears you don't wash your food, however, and that is likely the reason for your alarm.) Note that salad bars sit out in the middle of aisles, too.

As for labels, farangs here constantly accuse the stores of faking the labels anyway.

Now, as evidence, said meat and veggies have already been excreted; and you are cordially invited to examine the excretion--take samples if you wish--in my septic tank as evidence of no ill effects, though if you want to do that, it should be soon.

I'll be shopping at BCX again, specially after stopping by Home Pro, though I do prefer Tesco.

Edited August 13, 2011 by JSixpack

[tropo]

Are you saying that meat that lays for a whole day and probably several days uncovered in the middle of the passway of a shop,which all people are continiously stirring and breathing and sneezing and whatever more on will not be contaminated?Or are you just looking for an argument.

I'm saying you're just making up stuff on a public forum libelous to Big C simply to damage Big C's reputation and business. In Thailand, that is a prosecutable offense.

He's got a good point. Uncovered meat served in bin in the middle of a store will have a very high risk of contamination. A lot of this chicken is thawing so I suspect they put it in there frozen.

They don't serve meat this way in developed country supermarkets do they? Ask yourself why?

Recently I've seen past expiry date smoked salmon in BCX. Not one packet, but all the packets on a hook all marked at over 200 baht each. I checked about 10 packets, but there were probably hundreds in there which were past expiry date. I have actually purchased off chicken from a Big C store in the past. I'm not the first as it has been reported in here a number of times.

Edited August 13, 2011 by tropo

[tropo]

That is not part of the "X" or "Extra" to "cater to foreigners", even in a tourist/expat city. You missed the point as you typically do. I grasp that you have your own dictionary.

The venom portion was directed to all those that come to live here and have a hissy fit!

Your comment, quote: "Get a life. Go home if you don't like it." certainly came across as quite personal.

The only "hissy fit" I see in this thread is yours. All others are merely discussing the pros and cons of the new BCX.

[BB1950]

The venom portion was directed to all those that come to live here and have a hissy fit!

Your comment was, quote: "Get a life. Go home if you don't like it"

Clearly directed at me.

Why would YOU "have a hissy fit" when someone says something negative about your favourite store?

I suggest if you want to debate a subject in a reasonable manner you should cease with the infantile, schoolyard-type responses.

I said:

Of course some Foreigners seem have forgotten, this is Thailand. The majority of people are Thai.They expect the Thais and retailers to cater to them.

I suspect these same individuals would be upset if foreigners to their home countries were catered to.

Get a life. Go home if you don't like it.

It's clearly directed to some Foreigners. Not directly towards you. Thanks for taking it out of context. However, if the shoe fits, wear it.

I don't think I'm having a hissy fit and "Big C", "Big C Extra" and CarreFour aren't/weren't any of my favorite stores. I rarely shop at them. Again your are reading something into my response. I'm not the one providing "infantile, schoolyard-type" responses. On the other hand you have moved the debate away from what the original purpose. I'm not going to discuss your misunderstanding of my comment anymore. It's clearly not worth my time.

On the other hand, you still haven't substantiated your own initial statement about "BCX claimed to be serving the needs of the foreigners", other than your own interpretation of the word "extra". So essentially there is no debate.

You are entitled to your opinion. I'm entitled to mine.

The fact is CarreFour doesn't exist anymore. It's history. "Big C Extra" is mainly targeting Thais, not necessarily foreigners. No mater how the facts may be twisted.

Times change

As far as I'm concerned, this thread should be closed. It serves no constructive purpose.

Edited August 13, 2011 by BB1950

[tropo]

"Off" may have been off or not. Yet if something seems off to you, then it's off and it must be discarded. But again, that would not be unique to Big C and in fact happens in developed countries as well.

Sorry, I should have elaborated. "Off" in this case meant the chicken stunk. It's pretty obvious when chicken has started to decompose.

[Rimmer]

A post has been removed as the reply to the quoted post was made within the quoted post. To reply to certain parts of a post, learn to use the Insert quotation feature.

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[Rimmer]

Inflammatory post removed from view, this topic is just a few microns away from getting itself closed and the poster responsible for its closer earning a posting holiday to read the rules.

[luckyluke]

According to me, it's plain simple, if you like some products in a particular shopping centre, buy them, the ones you don't like, don't buy them, if you like nothing don't go any more.

As mention before, we are very lucky in Pattaya to have an all range of possibilities.

[janverbeem]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

That must be a first then,never seen FRESH meat and veggies in the history of big c,or do you conider contaminated meat in those grab boxes in the middle of the store as FRESH?

You don't have evidence that ANY meat sold at Big C is contaminated. Basically you're just trolling against Big C: you hate Big C, you don't want anyone else to shop at Big C, and you'll say anything--which is why all this "discussion" is a waste of time.

To say on a public forum that Big C is selling contaminated meat is unquestionably libelous and deserves prosecution. I foresee at minimum a little rap on the knuckles coming your way . . . .

Yes I admit,I probably hate big c and it's pretty obvious from the posts in this thread and previous ones that I'm not the only one.You think there might be a reason for?

Oh and please don't tell them because I'm so scared now.

[tropo]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

I'll have to agree with you on this. The checkout and weighing is much quicker than it used to be in Carrefour. Could this possibly be because it is quieter in there these days? I think yes.

It probably won't last, because the other Big-C stores in the area have the slowest checkouts in town. I'm sure they'll soon pull it into line with the checkout service in the other stores and close down or remove at least half of the checkout counters.

[luckyluke]

"Yes I admit,I probably hate big c and it's pretty obvious from the posts in this thread and previous ones that I'm not the only one.You think there might be a reason for?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone is entitled to his opinion, and the haters can still complain to the BigC management or simply avoid the place.

Maybe some should do as I did : there is no

Carrefour mayonnaise any more, a huge dilemma for me : should I leave Thailand now, after a lot of sleepiness nights, I decided to stay and to live without Carrefour.

[FarangBuddha]

In BCX, I got my fresh meat and veggies weighed quickly and checked out quickly too. That part, I liked. All 11 of the checkout lines were moving steadily; Tesco would have had 3 lines. May it last!

That must be a first then,never seen FRESH meat and veggies in the history of big c,or do you conider contaminated meat in those grab boxes in the middle of the store as FRESH?

Compared to meat lying around all day in the sun and covered with flies at Thai wet-markets it is fresh maak maak.

[CatCage]

I would be interested to know if Homepro gets more business because of the change or less. Or it just stays the same.

[janverbeem]

Gave extra big crap another try today,as I have to buy food daily and since carrefour is gonne there is not much of a choice anymore.The ready cooked meals are completely wasted by now.The mussaman Khai which used to have a decent piece of chicken inside,during the carrefour times,is now some curry sauce with roadkill mixed in.The other meals are seeing red from the chili peppers,I wonder why that would be.Khao mok khai,another decent meal under carrefour management,is gonne together with anything else that looked managable to eat..The grilled chickens look like pigeons but are not priced accordingly.

But I would like to add just another warning,and that is that you have to watch out for the cheating in volumes.

A few weeks ago already I experienced with 2 packs of barbecued chicken breast that they were of exactly the same weight,and obviously marked above their real weight,so I put them on the weighting scale only to have my suspicions confirmed.I pointed it out to the staff and they corrected the label.An honest mistake I thought so.

But today I stumbled again on some fried cut chicken at 120 baht a kilo a an acceptable price.I noticed that they were ALL,about 10 packs, 1,084 Kg so they were sold at 130 Baht each.I picked up one pack and sure it wasn't even half the weight.The next one same.I called one of the staff and pointed it out to her and while some more staff got involved I finally got the answer that it must be the correct weight.

As I didn't give up yet on my argument,at that point the farang butcher took notice and asked what the problem was.He picked one pack and said that it was approx one kilogram,so I invited him to put it on the scale which showed that it was 563 gram .He started weighing the all and they ranged between 342 gram and 658 gram being the heaviest.Nice upmark isn't it?

He then decided to instruct the staff to have them weighted agan and relabeled,but till now I'm still waiting to hear an excuse or anything to that extend from him,even not a word of sorry.So I assume that I caught them in the act of cheating this time.

I can also give you more examples from this practice as I experienced a few times already with the steamed octopus fillet that seemed to have lost over 25% of it's weight on the label between the shop and my home,but I think it is already clear enough how they try to compensate the loss of customers since they took over.

[JSixpack]

it is already clear enough how they try to compensate the loss of customers since they took over.

No. They had no customers at all in that location before they took over, so your conclusion makes no sense.

You are still confusing two different companies and two different stores.

[janverbeem]

it is already clear enough how they try to compensate the loss of customers since they took over.

No. They had no customers at all in that location before they took over, so your conclusion makes no sense.

You are still confusing two different companies and two different stores.

No,they paid money to take over a established customer base from which they are losing customers every single day.

Edited August 18, 2011 by janverbeem

[a99az]

We stopped using it, as I could not cash in my discount card. Now we buy in bulk from Makro.

[JSixpack]

it is already clear enough how they try to compensate the loss of customers since they took over.

No. They had no customers at all in that location before they took over, so your conclusion makes no sense.

You are still confusing two different companies and two different stores.

No,they paid money to take over a established customer base from which they are losing customers every single day.

That, you just made up from your imagination.

Sorry you hate BCX, but please confine yourself to facts rather than nonsense. All of your major assertions have already been refuted.

And BCX is already doing good business anyway.

[janverbeem]

it is already clear enough how they try to compensate the loss of customers since they took over.

No. They had no customers at all in that location before they took over, so your conclusion makes no sense.

You are still confusing two different companies and two different stores.

No,they paid money to take over a established customer base from which they are losing customers every single day.

That, you just made up from your imagination.

Sorry you hate BCX, but please confine yourself to facts rather than nonsense. All of your major assertions have already been refuted.

And BCX is already doing good business anyway.

Strange,147 posts with lots and lots of negative comments,must be that only the unsatisfied customers also happen to be member of Thaivisa.

[BB1950]

Strange,147 posts with lots and lots of negative comments,must be that only the unsatisfied customers also happen to be member of Thaivisa.

Or, the same few TV members beating a dead horse!

Get over it, it's no longer is Carrefour, it's BCX. Show your dissatisfaction with your feet. If you don't like it. Don't shop there. For some reason, you continue to go there and complain on TV. Do you really think the management of Big C read posts on TV? Do you think they care?

Like I said before, this is a dead end thread.

Edited August 18, 2011 by BB1950

[janverbeem]

Strange,147 posts with lots and lots of negative comments,must be that only the unsatisfied customers also happen to be member of Thaivisa.

Or, the same few TV members beating a dead horse!

Get over it, it's no longer is Carrefour, it's BCX. Show your dissatisfaction with your feet. If you don't like it. Don't shop there. For some reason, you continue to go there and complain on TV. Do you really think the management of Big C read posts on TV? Do you think they care?

Like I said before, this is a dead end thread.

Indeed I continue to go there in some way because I don't have much other choice.When it was still Carrefour you would not see me ever buy food at Big C or Tesco,because they have a different understanding about what they call food.I'm a single man with a 7 year old boy to take care for.I'm not a cook,so I depend on ready cooked meals.Carrefour,which of course also had minor points,had a good selection in these kind of meals.

When they had sold it to Central there was a big board outside the super market that said something in the line of,however we have sold up we will keep our commitments to our customers in the future.There were also reports that Big C with their Xtra branch would focus on a broader clientele e.g. foreigners as they focus on only Thais already with regular Big C.Their assortiment would be expanded with a broad range of western foods.

I agree that they have a bigger choice of western foods then the regular Big C but their overall food quality has taken a nose dive compared with the early days after the take over and it seems to degenerate on a continious base.

So if I choose with my feet then I have the choice between 2 other big C's with the same crap food quality or 2 Tesco's which are not much better in quality.Foodland , which I have always found one of the better supermarkets that cater to foreigners at reasonable prices,don't offer ready cooked meals and also not at the overpriced Villa market.

So yes the exit of Carrefour is a great loss and Big C xtra a similar dissapointment for the farang community,which counts for a big part of the Pattaya population,so lets hope Big C reads this topic and sees the light at the end of the farang tunnel..