A Gripe Re Makro, Lotus, Carrefour

[Gonzo the Face]

Can anyone give me a logical, or at least a reasonably believable, answer as to why

the local Makro, Lotus, and the others of this ilk, cannot do their shelf stocking at night after store hours?

Just returned from Makro and its not only like running an obstacle course to go up and down the isles with all the pallets of goods on the floor, but there is also the hazard of getting run over by a retarded fork lift driver. I am sure that the drivers of these lifts get probably as much as 20 or 30 minutes training before being turned loose to hunt down a customer.

There is the very real possiblilty of one of these fork lifts, who sometimes have a pallet of heavy merchandise elevated 4 - 5 metres of more, just dropping the entire thing on the heads of customers.

Why will not management have this stocking done at night? I sure it would or could be done quicker and much more saftely. Probably at a lower cost too, as they wouldn't need as much help.

Comments appreciated.

gonzo

[meadish_sweetball]

I guess you'll have to ask them, it's always difficult to second-guess other people's rationale. Perhaps it's a ghost thing.

[CalicoConsulting]

If you can survive in the streets, you can dodge a forklift or two.

No, seriously, maybe they think having people work after store hours means the expense of keeping the electrical appliances running. I dunno. But I do know that Makro, which is known in China as Metro, does the same thing in China as they do in Chiang Mai. I don't recall the Chinese Carrefour doing it, however.

Michael

[jackr]

I've said it before; all those generic places are good for is nappies and bin liners. The worst thing about Carrefour is the 5 tills open out of 38! Have a look at Rim Ping on the inner ringroad for some hassle-free grocery shopping.

[chanchao]

Shop at Kasem grocery then. Up to you.

[CalicoConsulting]

I think I forgot to say it before. I go to Rimping for food. Usually the one on Chang Phuak, since I live so close to it, but once in a while out to Meechok Plaza just for the heck of it. They're ordering my special cat food, too. In between the two, from the starting point of where I live, is Tesco Lotus, where I buy non foods. They also make a fine cat tuna and their dry food makes her gorge herself.

I've been to Carrefour and Makro, but they're farther and no different. The last thing I bought at Carrefour was my bicycle. Rode it home and haven't been back. They do sell better bicycles than Tesco Lotus. Man, I got bicycle lust when I saw it. Makro is especially unpleasant. I went one time and didn't buy anything. I caught a tuk tuk to Rimping at Meechok Plaza and shopped there instead.

Almost post #100 for me. What happens then?

[CalicoConsulting]

Kasem is also great, and this is post #100 for me.

Whoopee!

[jackr]

Almost post #100 for me. What happens then?

You have to buy beers all night for everyone on the next piss up!

[CalicoConsulting]

Yikes! How about Vegemite sandwiches for everybody instead? They have the 455g jars at Kasem, and no place else.

[jackr]

Yikes! How about Vegemite sandwiches for everybody instead? They have the 455g jars at Kasem, and no place else.

Aussie eh!? Make it marmite and you've got a deal.

[Niloc]

I have been searching for Vegemite in Chiang Mai for two years! I actually have had two jars sent all the way from Launceston and they are almost finished.

Where is 'Kasem', is it a supermarket or a place?

[CalicoConsulting]

Kasem is a supermarket. If I begin my bike ride at the northwest corner of town, I travel along Huay Kaew, past Kad Suan Kaew, until I reach Nimmanheiman. Then I turn left, and it's on my right, just past Mike's and before a Siam Commercial Bank.

Chiang Mai has another Kasem, but I don't know where it is.

You can also find Vegemite at the Chang Phuak Rimping and the Meechok Rimping, but it's in the 235g jars that I stocked up on before finding Kasem. I've got loads of Vegemite.

And hey, I lived in mainland China for almost 5 years, after picking up the Vegemite addiction in Hong Kong. I had an Indonesian expat bring me some, and my wife's father sent us some from Australia. I'm American, so I couldn't hit up my friends and family for it. I don't think they sell Vegemite in the USA.

Cheers!

Edited September 7, 2006 by CalicoConsulting

[Niloc]

I am afraid I don't know where any of those places are, my limit is Tha Pae Gate but I am sure my wife will either know or be able to find it if I beat her enough...

Thank you for your advice!!

[CalicoConsulting]

From Thapae Gate, travel north to Sri Phum Road and then west to the northwest corner of town, then navigate our lovely system of one-way streets until you are travelling west of the inner city along Huay Kaew Road. Then follow my previous directions.

Alternately, travel along Sri Phum Road as mentioned above until you reach Chang Phuak, which is about halfway to the end of the moat, and turn right. On your left, you'll soon see Rimping, which is a supermarket every expat should visit. They have Vegemite too.

[OlRedEyes]

They don't seem to care about keeping the aisles open either. The stock being packed is plonked down in the middle of the aisle, and the staff push in in front of the customers to pack.

Some service training required urgently.

[Ricardo]

To be fair to Makro, they are supposed to be bulk-suppliers, to trade rather than retail, like the big supermarkets.

Which explains the bulk-packs, and the generally-lower prices, but more-limited range.

[Gonzo the Face]

To be fair to Makro, they are supposed to be bulk-suppliers, to trade rather than retail, like the big supermarkets.

Which explains the bulk-packs, and the generally-lower prices, but more-limited range.

I have no difficulty with the store's 'Bulk' concept. The products are generally great and satisfactory, and I think the range is much better than found elsewhere. My gripe is with the management of the stores, who allow the staff to take over the asylum. The stocking staff seem to think that the store is there for their convenience and to hel_l with the customers. I am talking about the hazards of the fork lifts, the random dropping of pallets of stock in each aisle all the time.

As is done in comparable stores in the west, this shelf stocking in such a massive level is done at night while the store is closed. Yes I can see if you have a run on a particular item it needs to be stocked at that time for the customer, but not all the time and every day as is done now.

The problem is with the management in their training and direction of staff. The Management thinks they are saving money by not doing this at night, but they are not.

I can tell you, many times when I see that an aisle is blocked by pallets and/or fork lifts , I simply don't buy what was on my list from that aisle. I may end up paying more for it but it gets bought somewhere else.

The gripe is with the non service thinking culture. They are generally Thai Managers, and so a product of the Thai Culture. Thats fine, we are in Thailand, but they want to run and operate a Western type of operation, but still cut corners.

Gonzo

[CalicoConsulting]

I just got back from the Tesco Lotus near the airport. I was already in the neighborhood and, as one might expect, it's not worth a special trip. Oh well. They have good cat food. Or so the cat tells me. I haven't eaten any myself.

[footfall]

Rimping, which is a supermarket every expat should visit. They have Vegemite too.

Must agree. A well-run place with many goodies. And they recycle their plastic bags.

[CalicoConsulting]

Did I really call Kasem a supermarket? Pretend I said grocery store. Thank you.