Ocean State Job Lot — Local services in New Bedford

Great store, but it was better when I was a kid and they sold REAL "closeouts" - lots from closed down stores, stores shut down bc of fire, bankruptcy, etc. Their prices are higher than they used to be now, even factoring in inflation and such. The staff is mostly friendly, although they are a bit untrained when determining what they think is a "counterfeit" $20 (I took the 3 they told me we're fake back to the bank, which, incidentally is where I had just got them from, and they explained that the way the employee had marked them with the pen and then determined them "counterfeit" was incorrect, and that they should have called the bank- any bank- in the future- bc if they really believed that someone was trying to pass counterfeit bills, it should have been reported and the authorities should have been alerted right away. Instead the cashier, and then the manager, came to the register and made a big issue out of it for everyone in line to see and hear, culminating in the stores refusal to accept the only means of payment I had with me, so I had to leave the store empty-handed, my face burning hot, and with my three young children in tow. Add this kind of thing with that 2% surcharge the company tacked on to everyone's order at the start of the epidemic that you, the consumer, had to request NOT to be tacked onto your bill- and when I did that, it was a repeat of the counterfeit bill incident- the cashier "didn't know how to do that, " so she called across the cashier lanes to ask a fellow cashier the procedure, when she didn't know, they both played a little game of "manager-marco-polo"," calling (yelling) for the manager and yelling out the issue ("I have a customer who doesn't want to pay the 2% corona surcharge to help the employees, how do I take that off?")... embarrassing, of course, but when you're a mom of 3 young kids, 2 of which have severe special needs, you have to save every dollar wherever you can, at whatever cost necessary. But that doesn't mean that the ensuing embarrassment gets any easier. Now we usually stick to going to job lot only for big orders of starter logs (envirologs) during the fall and winter months- job lot has the best deal on them, better than we've found anywhere else. You can't beat $14 for a box of 6 logs as opposed to $16 (at the cheapest-Walmart, if they are in stock) all the way up past and over $30, the average of the most commonly found brands at Walmart and Stop n Shop. But as for anything else, no. It's just not worth the...

Ocean State Job Lot is one of my go-to places to shop. Let me tell you why...

First off, this is a local company that has expanded in New England. It isn't secretly owned by a foreign company that exports the profits to another country. This is very important and we should support local retailers because they invest in local growth; give local people the opportunity to move up within the company without having to pull up stakes and move to some place far away from their family and friends. Job Lot also has demonstrated that when times are tough, the company will help people in need get through them. The company is known for donating trailer loads of needed items to people harmed by disaster. I realize that was a little long but it is important to know.

Second, though the stores don't stock every item, what they do stock is usually high quality and reasonably priced. They also carry a lot of luxury foods at the price of lesser quality items. The variety of ingredients for ethnic foods is outstanding and one can stock a kitchen with herbs and spices for about a buck apiece. It's not low quality stuff either.

Office and school supplies are just as good as an office supply store and sometimes 1/10 the cost. It's like that every day of the year, not just a few weeks for back to school.

Men's and women's clothing; garden supplies; batteries; household goods; hardware; rugs and carpets; bed and bath items; cleaning supplies; small appliances.... All the things a person needs for the home and for themselves. Good stuff and cheap prices. What's not to like?

I needed a pair of reading glasses and had shopped for them at a big drugstore chain. I didn't find anything decent for less than $20. So I stopped at Job Lot and found a huge selection of them for $2-3.

Not every item is a great deal but nothing I bought has been overpriced. Some of the stores have been there long enough to show a lot of wear and tear. There are brand new stores too. It helps keep cost down I guess.

You may not think the same as I do after shopping there; I still think it's worth checking out if you haven't been in one for a while.

One last thing. Nobody told me what to write or promised an incentive for a good review. There aren't as many places like this left, so if the community doesn't support them, they might not be in the community anymore. I'd hate to see...

Since the start of COVID Oceanstate has been doing nothing but ripping people off. I don't really go here and there's a reason for that and that's mostly because they have price gouged everybody over the last 3 years. When you literally can buy things at Walmart, Dollar general right next door for cheaper money and they don't even try to compare forget it.

Hey I wanted to buy some small things. And listen I know it's hard to find good help nowadays but if they mark every single item on the shelf wrong that's the price I expect to pay not to mention that's the law so when your customer service tells me it's not the law perhaps you should train the people tagging the stuff and maybe train the staff on the laws of Massachusetts it's getting ridiculous You're not the only ones but you're definitely...