Sampling the merchandise
 

Would you stand in the packaged/weighed/priced produce aisle and demand a sample of the cut fruit already weighed and priced in clear plastic, sealed boxes?

I'm shocked. Where I come from the response would be, "that takes a lot of unmitigated gall", to make the store personnel get a fork, open the box, give a sample, (listen to the customer proclaim for all to hear how TERRIBLE it is), and then take the box to the back room to either discard the contents, or re-package, weigh and price it.

I think it's disrespectful to the merchant. But I'm from the midwest. Haven't seen that before.

Probably one of the folks who complain about grocery prices being so high and fill their pockets and purses with sugar, salt and pepper packs from restaurants, claiming they are free..

I've never demanded it but have been offered samples before. Once because I mentioned I was curious about a fruit I'd seen but never tasted. Another time because the last time I had purchased that fruit it was inedible. Bought the strange fruit, refused the yucky stuff. I see nothing wrong in asking even though it is not something I've ever done but to demand is just rude.

do not sample the fruit of the Ki-Ki bird!

Well, you might want to go to Marion Markets and see how they work to get customers Then you go to Sams and Publics and they have taste stations. All of the supermarkets now seem to offer lunch meat samples. I might not expect a supermarket to cut up an orange for me but their practices are encouraging this type of thing. And I would suggest that many people might just sample a grape before paying $2.99/Lb.

Well, I think sampling a grape is very different from having them open a weighed and sealed package of fruit. I still can't get over those that have the bakery open a package of rolls or similar because they only want one or two. Would never fly where I'm from up North, but seems the norm here.

A sample tray of orange or grapefruit wedges or other food OFFERED by the vendor at Markets of Marion or Sams or Publix is completely different from a customer demanding Publix to open a sealed, weighed and priced package of sliced melon to sample and make it then unsellable as is.

Would you have them open a box of cereal, bag of potato chips, bottle of wine, beer or soda, or carton of ice cream to sample that, too?

Some people just totally amaze me.

Don't give those people any ideas, sunny!

Well I think the stores need to say "no" to such rudeness and disrespect for the merchant's inventory costs and losses.

I didn't completely believe it when a bartender told me it's commonplace for some cheapskate Villagers to return open jars/bottles of ketchup, mayo, mustard etc. to Publix for refund, when they leave for the summer and clean out the fridge.

But now, I can believe it.

My daughter had a neighbor who bought flowering plants from Home Depot each year and then returned them when he got ready to go back to Quebec. This was in Florida but not in The Villages.

Some people living in the Villages think they are privileged in all things. I have seen it many times since I've lived here.

Appallingly arrogant and disgusting. But Publix needs to put a stop to it.

I too was totally surprised by folks asking to repackage rolls or bread and certainly shocked by someone asking to taste packaged, sealed, fresh fruits.

Perhaps they moved from an area where they had shopped at small locally owned bakers or businesses who gave them a sample of things. I know when I buy deli meat Publix always, ALWAYS, offers a sample, which is very different than any place I have ever shopped, even my dear old Krogers from Cincinnati, Ohio. I just love Publix.

I could not, would not ever ask. But I have sampled a grape. I always have. I thought that is why they leave the grape bags open.