Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › RANT – Metropolitan Market Salami Rip-off
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March 21, 2012 at 10:57 pm #602592
shopper-wsMemberRip-off at the Metropolitan Market:
The photo link below shows how dishonest and deceiving the store is with their prices. All Salumi salami is 19.99 p/lb at the Metropolitan Market. The Metropolitan sells what they call “stubs” which are the leftover end cuts of salami sticks. They mark these as 1 LB and price them at $15.99 p/lb. However, they only weigh about ½ pound which bumps the price to roughly $32 a pound. The packaging is marked as “1 lb” (the first and biggest rip-off because it is not 1 lb!!) or even just “lb” for $15.99 (the second rip-off because they are implying it is 1 lb when it is not). If you have them cut the salami for you, you can get the $19.99 price sliced, or in half sticks, just like they sell for $32 a pound in “stubs” to those who don’t know they are being taken. I mentioned this to the store manager who actually argued with me that it was not improper to mark something 1 lb and have it weigh only ½ 1b. I was told they wouldn’t change anything – I couldn’t have been more shocked. I even showed these three salami’s in the photo to the manager and he refused to do anything about it.
Moreover, and this is where they get really slimy…if you ask for a sample of Salumi, they open one of the pre-measured and pre-priced tubs and hand you a slice or two (nice right – this is the third rip-off). Once you leave, they just put the tub back out on the counter without re-weighing it and re-pricing it for the next poor sucker to buy it thinking they get the weight the package was marked. If they are so willing to blatantly lie about the weight of what they sell, then I have a difficult time trusting any of their weighed products and you should too.
See the photo of how they price at http://www.flickr.com/photos/76375414@N03/6858124912/in/photostream
(FYI: Salumi is only $17 a pound if you purchase directly from the Salumi shop downtown or online at http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/). Admiral
March 22, 2012 at 12:55 am #752038
pattileaParticipantI am curious did you weigh it at the store? or have them weigh it, then price it. I hate to say this but I love met market, but I will weigh and check pricing from now on! Thank you for the heads up. Also, why didn’t you return it and/or not buy it? My 5 year old loves their macaroni and cheese!
March 22, 2012 at 1:12 am #752039
GenHillOneParticipantI expected to see the salami on a scale in your photo, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to gain from it. If it played out the way you described, have you contacted the corporate office? They’re right down on Delridge and accessible online too.
March 22, 2012 at 2:05 am #752040
valvashonParticipantYou have a legitimate complaint, to be sure. But what I see is this: you can afford salami that is $20 a pound. You are complaining about being charged almost double for what you are getting. This is not a complaint of the 1%; it is a complaint of the 99%, at least one of who now can afford cured and salted meat that costs $20 a pound.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the economic recovery has begun!
March 22, 2012 at 2:32 am #752041
anonymeParticipantThere used to be a Dept. of Weights and Measures that regulated exactly this kind of thing. I called them on several occasions some years ago to report Larry’s Market for frequent overcharges, items advertised at one price and charged at another, and generally deceptive pricing and advertising. They always sent an investigator right out, and Larry’s was fined for their practices.
March 22, 2012 at 2:34 am #752042
GinaParticipanthttp://www.seattle.gov/consumeraffairs/wmdefault.htm
This is the next step you should take–
March 22, 2012 at 2:39 am #752043
SmittyParticipant“This is not a complaint of the 1%; it is a complaint of the 99%, a”
Is that still going on?
Divider.
March 22, 2012 at 2:47 am #752044
JoBParticipantyes Smitty,
while you have been snoozing in your armchair
the occupy movement has been building steam for a spring offensive…
at least i am sure you will find it offensive :)
and the coffee party is brewing their own spring campaign…
i haven’t checked in on the progressives for a while
but i am sure those who aren’t already occupying
and 99%-ing
and women’s rights-ing
have something entertaining up their collective sleeves for spring
it is going to get interesting around here :)
March 22, 2012 at 3:46 am #752045
HunterGParticipantVal Vashon – there is a larger issue here. Who cares if this person can afford salami that is $20/lb? The bigger issue is if The Met truly is doing such a practice it is absolutely despicable not to mention illegal.
anonyme – There is still such an organization. They visit the TW every year and have strict regulations for how items for sale are signed, if they are signed correctly if scales weigh properly etc… If you fail a test more that three times there are serious consequences.
I find it very surprising that “The Met” (as I call them) would do something like this, of course, I don’t regularly purchase salumi so I wouldn’t know firsthand. I would have taken that salami right to a produce scale – the plastic can only add so much weight, and then you have your answer.
March 22, 2012 at 1:58 pm #752046
SmittyParticipant“at least i am sure you will find it offensive :)”
The only thing I found offensive when I walked past the 10 of them at Westlake last Fall was their smell…ugh.
That said, I will pop out of my armchair every once in awhile to see what’s up with the 99 – although they should have a footnote saying “*not including Smitty and MANY others who are technically part of the 99 but do not agree with them….or something like that :~)
March 22, 2012 at 2:06 pm #752047
JoBParticipantSmitty…
how do you know whether the occupy movement represents you if you don’t stop to talk with them and find out what they actually have to say…
You might be very surprised.
Everything you need to know in life isn’t provided by your television
March 22, 2012 at 4:36 pm #752048
shopper-wsMemberReplies to many questions:
@pattilea: I realized the weight difference when I asked them to slice up the chub. The weight was 1/2 pound for the 1 pound marked item. I realized what just happened and complained.
@GenHillOne: I went to the store manager. I did not complain to the corporate office. If they don’t care at the store level, it is enough for me to write a complaint so the public knows. I already made a trip to the manager which should have been enough. I will use the link Gina provided and see where it takes me in the process.
@valvashon: Wha? Seriously, if the 99% cares anything about saving money, I’d think it obvious they want to get what they are paying for per pound like I do. The 1% probably wouldn’t care that much. Aside from any politics (which this is not about), let’s keep this confined to just the Metropolitan Market and their deception to customers and leave the occupy movement out of it.
@anonyme: I’d love to see them fined.
@Gina: thanks for the link
@Smitty: This is about getting ripped off regardless of which economic class you are in.
@JoB: A little off subject – this is about the Metropolitan Market screwing its customers.
@HunterG: Well said!
Summary:
I wrote this to expose a rip-off and to warn other customers. There was no political bias, no 1% or 99%, and no separate agenda. If a consumer gets ripped off and doesn’t tell anybody, the store keeps doing it. If the public is aware, the store will either lose business, get fined or fix it. This post was here to make people aware. My responses to others are not intended to take this off subject, but to keep it back on subject.
March 22, 2012 at 4:46 pm #752049
shopper-wsMemberUpdate: I just used the link Gina gave me and filed an official a complaint. Thank you Gina for showing me how to make the complaint official! Maybe (I really hope) someone with the necessary authority will speak to the management and fix this problem. I really love that market, but I really hate getting ripped-off too.
March 22, 2012 at 5:30 pm #752050
kootchmanMemberdear Cosmos.., bless the 99%…. but, if you can see your way to it… may i be the thumb on the scale of life?
March 22, 2012 at 7:09 pm #752051
CustomerCareMMMemberDear Shopper-WS,
Thank you very much for bringing this situation to our attention. We take your views, comments and impressions of our store seriously and are in the process of investigating. Please contact the Admiral store director, Glen Hasstedt, at 206-923-5335 so that we may personally address the situation.
Thank you,
Metropolitan Market Customer Care
March 22, 2012 at 7:45 pm #752052
JanSParticipantthere you go…
question…when you asked them to slice the chub for you, is that when they weighed it, and you noticed the discrepancy?
March 22, 2012 at 8:17 pm #752053
shopper-wsMember@JanS: Yes, when I handed them the chub, the one marked 1 lb at $15.99, they sliced it up, put it in a bag and placed a new sticker on it for $19.99 per pound for about 1/2 pound of sliced salami. At first I thought there was some mistake by placing a new, higher priced $19.99 per pound sticker on my 1 lb of salami which should have been $15.99 as the label shows, but nope…that was not the case. The weight was 1/2 pound (like the picture has an example of a 1/2 pound chub marked 1 lb). This is when I started asking questions, started pulling out other chubs from the basket and started getting wise to the game they are playing.
It falls into a two basic categories:
1) They made a mistake, or
2) They are fully aware of the issue.
When you complain to management, show them the problem, and they refuse to fix it, expecially when you hand them something that is clearly marked in a deceptive way, then the answer is clear (they are fully aware).
BTW: I tried calling the store at the above number just now and Glen isn’t in til tomorrow. Perhaps if the store is going to point me to someone in a posting like they left, they should consider actually having someone be there. it’s…you know…just an observation.
March 22, 2012 at 8:54 pm #752054
2 Much WhineParticipantShopper, I agree that you should get what you pay for in the quantity you’re supposed to get for the price it is labeled so I am on your side for that part of the discussion. However, I’m not sure they are aware of your personal schedule and calendar, had no way to know when you might read their post on the blog and had no way to anticipate when you might call. I’m pretty sure Glen doesn’t work 24 hours a day and isn’t expected to be at the store waiting until you find time to call. It is pretty reasonable that they let you know when he will be there to address your concern. . . . just an observation. Now it is starting to sound like you’re just plain mad and nothing they do will make you happy. Hopefully this is just a big misunderstanding and there is no evil/illegal intent. I’m hoping you will give them (another) chance to make it right. The way your original post was written it could be confusing (confused the heck out of me as your first two points were basically the same point repeated twice – it was marked as a pound but wasn’t a pound) and maybe your method of communicating to them was misunderstood and your level of anger influenced their approach at a response. I hope everything is resolved as I have never had an issue with MM, have found them to be honest and customer oriented. Good luck and let us know either way what happens. On another note it appears you were looking to get the discounted end pieces sliced at a discounted price. Seems reasonable to me that they knock a few bucks off the price because they are end pieces that are not as visually appealing and they don’t have to slice so they pass that on to the consumer. If you ask them to slice them it is also reasonable that they charge the full $19.99. Bottom line is that what they sell should weigh what they say it weighs. Period.
.
Oh, and one more thing, taking a sample out of a pre-packaged and weighed plastic tub is inexcusable – shame on them.
March 22, 2012 at 11:17 pm #752055
CustomerCareMMMemberHi again Shopper-WS,
We understand your frustration and would really like to resolve the situation. Please call customer service at the number above and mention that you are the customer from West Seattle Blog. Although Glen is out until tomorrow, they will connect you via his cell phone.
Thank you,
Metropolitan Market Customer Care
March 23, 2012 at 4:47 am #752056
shopper-wsMember@ 2 much whine: If they reply asking for a call and I call within the hour, but Glen isn’t even there the entire day, it isn’t unreasonable to say they should plan that a bit better. Enough said on that subject. No I am not mad, and if the manager I spoke to only would have done something, it would have prevented me from ever writing the blog.
Perhaps this will help – IN THE PHOTO, the salami on the left or top (orientation specific) is correctly priced at $19.99 and shows .325 a pound. The salami in the middle weighs only ½ pound and is clearly marked 1 lb (this is against the law). The salami at the right/bottom is also ½ pound and is marked 1 for $15.99. Moreover, that same label (right/bottom salami) shows “price per lb. $” which says “1 for” $15.99. This is a pricing system that we consumers can easily read as for 1 lb of product for $15.99 when it clearly is not. I took the photo of all three examples to show what I brought to the attention of management. I took the picture right in front of him after he refused to fix it.
If the price is marked lower at $15.99 for 1 lb, it looks like it is discounted to me from the normal $19.99 per lb, but with the way it was incorrectly (and illegally I have since learned) labeled, how would I know?
So, I called back the store after the second store based post, identified myself and they gave me Glen’s cell phone. I called him. Glen said they did not know about this issue until the blog. It provides additional proof the manager I spoke with didn’t care enough even to bring it up to Glen, his superior. The “manager” was a stand-in for Glen while he was not there. The staff identified him to me as a manager and he represented himself as a manager while Glen was not there. If I’m told I have management, the names aren’t really that important to me. He was in charge, it seemed official.
Glen said all salami was pulled from the shelves after they were alerted from the blog (I’m glad this forum worked). He also acknowledged pricing mistakes were found, and that the method his employees use for pricing has been changed to correct the problem. That’s all I needed, and that’s all I wanted when this all started. I told him not to offer me any free coupons, no free products, no special anything, just to fix the problem. I love that store, I love the quality products and selection, and I want to trust them again – but it is difficult after what had to be done to get something so basic (something that never should have happened) fixed. Glen did not indicate the $32 per pound chub pricing would discontinue, only that the label would be clearer. I’m glad they are fixing this. Glen is the one who told me the pricing I photographed was both illegal and betrayed customer trust. My feelings exactly! I’m also glad he was responsive and admitted the issue was real. I will not purchase chubs any more unless the price is the same as the full sticks (or cheaper) for what should be considered a leftover product.
March 23, 2012 at 5:50 am #752057
goodgracesParticipantI really think that @shopper-WS has been beyond reproach in his/her handling of this situation and I appreciate his/her tenacity, level-headedness, and non-snarkiness in getting this resolved.
@shopper-WS: One followup question: What did MM Store Director Glen say in response to the “offer-samples-from-the-pre-cut-salumi-container-and-then-put-the-(now-lighter)-container-right-back-out-for-sale” issue?
March 23, 2012 at 4:21 pm #752058
shopper-wsMember@goodgraces: He said he has spoken to his staff about the practice of removing a sample and selling the rest without re-pricing the remainder. He said his staff has been instructed to discontinue that activity.
I’ve personally witnessed them doing it on two different occasions (different dates and different employees), so I really hope it stops. He says it will.
This is by the way, the reason I was buying a “chub.” After what I had seen in the past, I did NOT trust the weight of the pre-sliced containers were correct. I didn’t know how many other shoppers may have been offered samples from a pre-weighed amount that I still had to pay. I had already decided not buy their salami unless they sliced it and weighed it in front of me.
…and thanks for your comment!
March 23, 2012 at 8:42 pm #752059
2 Much WhineParticipantYour explanation helps paint a much clearer picture of the problem. Thanks for the clarification. I understand how upsetting it can be to get the brush-off when you point out an issue to management. I hope they are going to keep their promises to fix this illegal mischarging practice. I am glad your post on the blog and your tenacity to follow through paid off for all their customers.
March 23, 2012 at 10:10 pm #752060
shopper-wsMemberUpdate: Weights and Measures contacted me from my complaint. I sent them the blog URL. I told them about Glen’s committment to fix the issue. They will follow-up.
I thank all those who posted comments and feedback, especially those who questioned what I wrote so I could more clearly explain the situation and better document the store’s practices.
I also am greatful to hear the City’s W&M Inspectors will be watching in the future now that they too know about the issue. This is the best I could have ever hoped for in writing to this blog.
March 24, 2012 at 12:00 am #752061
johnnyblegsMemberViva la WSB!
I would never buy pre-sliced salami; Salumi cured or not. You never know how long it’s been since it was sliced. Tastes much better freshly sliced.
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