cheaper by the dozen?

sloopskipper says on Feb 24, 2008, 18:58:

I think that happens most everywhere.

Maybe 25 or 30 years ago, when unit pricing began(?) in the U.S., I noticed the price per ounce for 8 o'clock coffee at the A&P was less expensive, by the pound, for the 1# bag than the 3 pounder I had always bought. You can guess what I bought after that. Let the bastards pay to package 3 bags!!

They do that a lot because people still think that the bigger packages are more economical.

I saw it in Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and also here in Panamá. The whores!

Caveat emptor!

Gator says on Feb 24, 2008, 19:14:

"Have you noticed that some stores charge more for a 2.5 Kg bag of (insert fav grocery here) than for the equivalent 2 lbs one?"


Why is that strange since 2.5 kilos is equal to 5.51 pounds? Two lbs is the equivalent .9 kilos. Personaly I would expect to be charged more for the larger amount.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

sloopskipper says on Feb 24, 2008, 19:18:

I think he is talking about by the ounce, pound, or kilo. Unit pricing.

jorgegdiaz says on Feb 24, 2008, 19:24:

Gator, here in Locombia we use the metric puond (500 grams).

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.

Gator says on Feb 24, 2008, 19:44:

Never, NEVER try to short change someone from Bucaramanga. Even though Colombia signed up for the metric system a number of years ago it is not rigorously followed even though it is the official standard. For those of us who live here we buy our gasoline in gallons not liters. At many times you will see a $ per pound prices in a store.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

miamimike says on Feb 24, 2008, 19:46:

In Miami here in the local 7/11 stores they have a "discounted" Table of goods near the Coffee Area with a sign saying everything less then 99 Cents or "Manager's Special". I'm always leary of the Manger's Special. Special for him not for you! LOL Upon a close look at the .99 Table,, one notices many of the items put there have a regular price of .89 to begin with but it pyschs the consumers into thinking they are getting a good deal. The packaging is usually all beat up to get you into that used frame of Mind! LOL You have to really watch those prices and unit Pricing! What did PJ Barnum say years ago "a sucker is born every minute" LOL

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.,

jorgegdiaz says on Feb 25, 2008, 04:49:

Oh I agree Gator. The system here is a weird hybrid. Gas in gallons, distances in Kms, temperature in C, wrenches in inches, A/C units in BTU, etc...

I guess those metric pounds (500 grams) was a compromise so people wouldn`t get confused when changing to Kilos b/c of the long time using pounds (422 grams).

The store I was talking about was EXITO. You`re right, balance at mom&pop stores may not be reliable. As a matter of fact my wife caught one of them a few weeks ago trying to sell them 3kilos of potatoes when in reality was only 2 kilos.

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.

jack_jason says on Feb 25, 2008, 05:47:

If you go to La Piscina, you can get the same bargain.

This is just spanglish, please do not correct me

elk says on Feb 25, 2008, 06:42:

I found in Colombia most people think 2 pounds equals one Kilo. (not 2.2 pounds to the kilo)

In Exito 500 grams is one pound.

I spoke to several Colombian professionals including a school teacher. They all stated that
2 pounds is one kilo...period. Perhaps I'm missing something?

vicshere says on Feb 25, 2008, 07:00:

elk same here ...I have come to accept it but baffles the hell out of me

listo

jorgegdiaz says on Feb 25, 2008, 09:04:

1 pound is 422,5 grams
1 metric pound is 500 grams or half a kilo
What they use at stores is a metric pound.
You ask for the price of brocoli, you get $1600 / lb, the clerk weights your brocoli in the scale and types $3200 /kilo.

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.

vicshere says on Feb 25, 2008, 09:14:

so what happens when Colombia exports 100,000 pounds of bananas??? do they get paid in metric or imperial or how many pounds do they really send...more pounds to make up the difference?

listo

jorgegdiaz says on Feb 25, 2008, 09:27:

you got me there Vic

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.

vicshere says on Feb 25, 2008, 09:55:

or even better when we have imports like fruit from Chile or the US is it bought in imperial then divided into metric pounds...what a mess we really need this system standardized

listo

jorgegdiaz says on Feb 25, 2008, 10:20:

... want to start a metric vs imperial thread again Vic?

Man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day.

vicshere says on Feb 25, 2008, 10:23:

hehehehe

listo

pedro says on Feb 25, 2008, 11:40:

The United States can come join the rest of the world in the 21st century whenever it wants to.

Most of the world went metric a couple of generations ago.

que nota!

adrienne79 says on Feb 25, 2008, 14:09:

but Jorge, remember, it isn't just Exito. We caught other major stores in town (Bucaramanga) doing the same thing, marking bigger quantities as more expensive per "blank". We have learned to always check the per ounce or per kilogram price sticker now.