PriceSmart Foods — Local services in Richmond

Recent Review: When I weighed the broccoli at the self check-out machine, the screen of the weight and the price showed up so I put the broccoli into the bagging area. Then the screen returned to the 'list of items purchased' page without the broccoli that I just scanned. I waited for a few seconds but the price of the broccoli still did not show up under 'purchased item'. So I needed to pick up the broccoli from the bagging area that I just scanned and weighed it again. PriceSmart made customers look bad due to the error of their self check-out machine and they did not bother to fix it.

Review: They had a big table with a tent and the spinning prize wheel for the points event at the entrance area. If they wanted to use that space for event, then they should not put the produce in the big cases that were in front of the entrance doors because it was pointless - customers could not access the produce due to the queue for the event. Also, they should not put products behind the table as well because the customers could not get those products since they were behind the employees at the table. We could not walk to the produce area after we entered the store because of the people at the entrance area for the event so we needed to go the other way.

After we scanned the broccoli and put the broccoli in the bagging area at the self check-out station, the 'Please return the item to the bagging area' box popped up on the screen. We did not know what happened so we were looking for the employee at that area. The employee looked away while she was walking towards us. That was impolite of her not to make eye contact. She looked at the broccoli in the bagging area and then she fixed the screen. This was not the first time that the self check-out machine caused frustration for customers.

Review: When I scanned the box of mooncake at the self check-out, I heard the sound of scanning. Then, the box of 'Please remove the item in the bagging area' popped up on the screen. The employee there came to us and picked up the box of mooncake from the bagging area to scan it again. It appeared that the box of mooncake that I just scanned did not show up in the system. This made customers look bad.

When we were bagging our purchases after we paid, that employee came to stand beside us and told the customers in the queue to go to the self check-out station beside us. She stood so close to us with her back facing us which made us uncomfortable. She did not need to stand right by the customers; she should stand closer to the self check-out machine beside us instead and direct the customers from the queue to go there. Was she trying to pressure us to leave while we were still bagging?

Review: The employee at the customer service counter chatted with her coworker and ignored us as we tried to tell her about using our points to redeem a gift card. Also, the employee spoke so softly that we could not hear her behind her mask. The employees need to speak loud enough for customers to hear them because the store is noisy.

Review: We were at the self check-out and we could not scan the barcode of the slippers so we asked the employee. She told us to key in the barcode. Usually, the staff would do it for customers. That just meant she did not want to help customers.

Review: The cashier held on to the divider when I tried to put it on the belt for the next customer. She looked away when I looked at her. Then, she loosened her hand to let me grab the divider. Why would the cashier do that? Also, she ignored me when I handed her my points card. Usually, the cashier would scan the points card for customers when the customers hand them their points card. That just means she did not want to serve - she wanted the customers to wait. Moreover, she told me the wrong total amount (the total before I used the gift card) after I used my gift card. That was confusing. She looked away when she handed me the receipt and she looked disturbed. Her service was...

Pricesmart is not just a store to me; it's a seamless extension of our pantry, situated conveniently just behind our residence. This versatile establishment houses both a supermarket and a pharmacy.

Now, let's delve into the supermarket experience. To be candid, it may not consistently offer the lowest prices in town, but it truly excels in various other dimensions:

1. Unbeatable Convenience: Living a mere two-minute walk away, Pricesmart becomes an indispensable part of our daily life.

2. Unique Asian Culinary Selection: It boasts an exceptional variety of Asian cooking ingredients that are hard to find elsewhere.

3. Pastry Paradise: If you have a sweet tooth, brace yourself for an array of delectable pastries that are second to none.

4. Parking Bliss: The abundant parking space erases any worries about finding a spot for your vehicle.

5. Dining Diversity: With numerous dining options in the vicinity, it's a food lover's paradise.

6. Surprise Sales: Keep an eye out for occasional deals, such as their attractively priced corn.

I must commend Chris, the supermarket manager, who embodies exceptional customer service. On one occasion, I sought a baster, and he went above and beyond, personally assisting me in locating it despite his busy schedule. His leadership radiates through the entire Pricesmart team. They don't just provide directions; they accompany you to your desired item. Although I usually prefer to navigate the aisles myself, whenever I've sought assistance, they've consistently guided me to the exact product I needed. While it's crucial not to set this as an expectation, it's worth emphasizing that courtesy towards the employees goes a long way, as they are unfailingly friendly.

The store's staff members are a beaming, friendly, and ever-helpful bunch. I cannot recall a single instance of encountering an employee with a frown, a testament to top-notch management.

Pricesmart's operating hours are exceptionally accommodating, starting as early as 7 AM and closing late. This flexibility has rescued me during those last-minute snack runs or when picking up essential medications.

Don't overlook the recycling area, where you receive ten cents for every beverage container you've purchased from them. This not only constitutes a fair deal but also contributes to a more sustainable environment.

Now, turning our gaze towards the pharmacy, Shelley deserves special recognition. She went the extra mile in searching for my new insurance carrier number, sparing me an additional trip back home. Notably, she exhibited patience and dedication, even when there was someone queued up behind me.

The supermarket also offers a delightful selection of hot, ready-made meals for purchase. This proves to be an immense convenience on those days when cooking feels like a daunting task.

One particular area in the supermarket that continues to pique my interest is where they sell ingredients by weight, spanning from candies to herbs to spices.

Lastly, the pastry section at Pricesmart deserves a special mention. It's where you'll find the undisputed champion of Tuxedo Cakes in town. Whenever we host parties at home, it's an absolute must.

I'd love to name the outstanding employees I've crossed paths with, but their numbers are simply too vast. Nevertheless, each of them deserves our heartfelt appreciation for consistently delivering exceptional service.

One noteworthy area for improvement in the pharmacy is the implementation of a system to contact customers or patients once their prescription is received from the doctor. I've noticed that another pharmacy in Richmond offers this valuable service, and I sincerely hope Pricesmart can invest in a similar system.

Should they adopt such a system, I would not hesitate to award them a remarkable 6-star rating. However, for now, I can confidently bestow upon them the highest possible rating of 5 stars for their unwavering commitment...

This is June Wong using my husband's account. I tried to do an on-line survey to recognize the good service I received today, but the system said the survey link no longer works. It required me to either create an account (which I don't like to do) to go further or scan the QR code (which I don't do either) on the receipt. Since it made it so difficult for me to do an on-line survey, I've decided to come here and write a review instead. I hope the IT department of PriceSmart who reads this message will resurrect the on-line survey to make it accessible for low-tech citizens like me.

Me and my daughter went grocery shopping at PriceSmart today and received very good service from a cashier by the name of Tiger. He first impressed me with his language abilities. He spoke Mandarin to the customer ahead of me, answered me in English, and when he noticed I speak Cantonese with my daughter, he switched to speaking Cantonese to me. He was courteous and thorough when serving me and my daughter. When he heard that the stuffies he checked out for us was for my daughter's birthday, he smiled at her and wished her happy birthday. Next, he noticed that I did not put my apples in a plastic bag, he excused himself and quickly grabbed one from the veggie section and put my apples into a bag. I explained to my daughter what Tiger did for us and my daughter had a big smile on her face. Even though I had intentionally left out the bag for my apples to save a plastic bag, I was moved by Tiger's thoughtfulness and I think what he did was good modelling for my 7 year old daughter - act of service. What's more, he even offered to bag my groceries. I do not remember the last time I was offered this service. I remember I've been multitasking to pay and bag my groceries at the same time for as long as I can remember, so I was very thankful to him and accepted his offer. I visited the PriceSmart store near Ackryod road today (on Oct 8) at 12:19pm. I hope this message somehow gets through to Tiger and his manager. He deserves to know his good service is being...