Kroger Marketplace — Local services in Perrysburg

The good news, is I haven't felt directly threatened here. That should be a low bar to clear, but I've had so many bad experiences at the local Meijer, that I can tell you that at this point, I consider each Meijer employee a potential suspect. The other good news, is that with only one very notable exception, the service has been pretty good. Today, I went into Kroger for a couple of things, and I did something I rarely do: I made an impulse buy. I bought a bag of Kroger-branded jelly candy. "Life is Sweet," is the slogan printed on the front and back of the package. Things might have been sweeter if I knew how much the thing cost, but I guessed right. The packages were unlabeled, and the displayer hooked to the end cap had no price label at all. And Kroger hasn't a single self-price checking device for months. You'd be surprised how useful those devices are. I know from both experience as a toy collector, and as former employee of a big-box store, long ago. Knowing the price of an item helps in everyday decision-making, as with today's situation where I didn't know the price of a given unlabeled item. But I've also noted that there's often a fair amount of slack in employee behavior. If an item is stickered as "clearance," often whoever is in charge of checking whether the price is really right simply skips the clearance items completely--so I've found it very useful to doublecheck prices for any non-essential good--yes, like toys. And, often enough to justify the practice, I've found plenty of errors, even in items not labeled as "clearance." I've even noted situations where items that were previously on "clearance" end up no longer being on clearance. A fair amount lately, actually; example: I bought one figure at half price one day, when a week later, I noted it was full-price again! Since I was going to buy the figure to break it up for customization parts, I passed it up. It'll be on clearance again, I'm sure. Which now brings me to the conversation. I really want to use a certain word to accurately describe certain things, but I probably shouldn't here. Instead, I will use the Yiddish word, "kvetch," which as a verb means, "to complain," and as a noun, means "one who complains." Not only is the word accurate, it looks a lot like the word I really want to use. Wanna take a guess?! I'd noticed the disappearance of the price-checkers seemed to take a month or three. The checker by the toy section disappeared one day, but I figured it was simply broken, and I knew where others were, and walked to them, and checked the prices, and I'd decide yay or nay. Then one day they all were gone. Then I talked to her. I asked an older female employee what happened to the self-scanners. She began to kvetch. She kvetched she didn't have the time. She kvetched that she was glad the scanners were gone. She may have even kvetched about me personally, but the kvetching was getting monotonous. She kvetched that she didn't have the time to return the items left on the counter below the scanners to their proper place. Here, I admit guilt. If I have to walk across the store to be sure that the price of a given item is right, I'm not inclined to return it. Kvetch if you want. That particular kvetch in her kvetching reminded me of all the angry kvetches that I had to deal growing up in that kvetch-infested town--I will not call it my hometown; "home" suggests a place of security--and she kvetched with an absolute kvetch-y conviction that I was bound for Hell if I didn't join their kvetching organization and kvetch in the exact same way they kvetched in their kvetching cult! I hope I made my point. That woman was blissfully toxic. I hope also that I don't encounter her or anyone like her at Kroger again. I've stopped shopping at stores for that kind...

Help! I'm in Kroger's and I can't find anything or my way out! Luckily, there are a lot of employees well trained in customer service. As a long time Kroger shopper, I am glad they are so much more helpful than the experience I received the last few months before the old Kroger closed. During the interim I found several other stores new by that have good service so I found I don't need to shop at Kroger unless I choose to pay higher prices and just because its more convenient. Well not really convenient, if I just want to buy milk and maybe a few other items. As for the new store, well, it's big. Kroger is trying to be everything for everyone. But as they say, big is not always better. Let's start with the parking lot, if you can find a place to park. There are no signs identifying the row you parked in so good luck finding your car when you come out. And if you parked beyond the median you may have to go all the way down another row and go around to get to your car. Oh, and if you are so lucky to park close up, it doesn't matter because the cart caddies are still a ways back so you have to walk back further anyway. You enter the giant store. The carts a ways away, but you have a cart and venture in. First you are hit with the overwhelming strong scents from the giant floral shop, along with the higher prices. Ah, a salad bar, pizza, sandwiches, etc. Nice. But oh, they close at 7 p.m. and its just 7 now. Or maybe you made it in time. Then everything like pizza is cold by the time you get out of the store after walking to the far end just to get say, some milk, then head to the registers. Bakery bread is nice, but donuts as not so good. Cheese shop is nice, but do we need it? It took quite a while to find the roast chickens. And the fruits and veggies are impressive. The seafood and meat is nice, too. Oh, now for canned and dried goods. Not anything great and the prices are higher. Oh, the dairy, wow, the eggs are a major jump in price compared to other area stores. Milk, if you are there on the right day is a good price. Oh, but they changed the packaging for the Kroger cottage cheese, sour cream, and dips. The coupons in the mail have the old package designs. I searched for the cottage cheese I wanted, but they don't have the large curd low fat anymore. Only small curd low fat or large curd no fat. And low fat onion dip doesn't exist anymore either. Only no fat onion dip. The frozen foods are not much different than they were. Oh, the candy aisle, was way at the other end. Oh, and the pharmacy was way, way, away. And it was so big it lost the personal touch. Not that the pharmacists are not nice, but it is like going to a cattle call. I never did find the bank teller, which charges for a transaction. I never found a few products I wanted, either. I don't want to buy my clothes and furniture at Kroger. Is that beer I smell as I'm shopping? Oh yes. There they serve beer and wine now. Hmm, how does that work as far as liability of someone drinking then driving? Oh, I was on empty and was going to get gas and use my 60 cents off I acquired before it runs out--like it did when I have 75 cents off a gallon but missed the deadline--even though a cashier said it was still good. I called about it, but they would rather lose a customer than give them a few dollars credit. Back to the gas, since I was on empty, I had a choice of going to a shell station on Wales Rd. in Rossford or over to Rt. 25 during traffic hour to one located there. I went to Meijer's instead. As a result of the experiences I have gone out of my way to shop at other stores. Sure I'll still shop at Kroger, but the bulk of my shopping will be elsewhere until I can see it is worth it to spend a journey through Kroger. Is this good customer...

It appears Covid has become the excuse for poor service here. I went online and scheduled my appointment for Covid shot. The site indicated I could not schedule my second shot. I thought ok they will schedule this why I am there. I show up wait in one line to be told wait in the other line. Waited there and the ask about my confirmation email. Never read this on the website. Then was told my appointment was never confirmed because they did not have available doses for second shot. When I asked where is this indicated on the website they indicated it wasn't, they needed to fix this. So I went on the call list for cancellation.

I now go into the store figured I am here pick up what I needed. Stop a clerk to ask where something was. He said give me a minute and walk away. At least 5 minutes later he finds me shopping and asked what I needed. I laughed and said I found it. He apologize with I am sorry we are really busy d/t Covid.

Then I got a call and returned it promptly and was immediately placed on hold. Then when they answered I tried to explain my situation and was told they are really busy d/t Covid and placed on hold again. When they answered again I explained my situation and they said you need the Pharmacist and was again put on hold. I waited patiently and every so often it would ring and someone would pick up and without saying a word slap it on hold, After 20 minutes I gave up and returned to work. I tried again later and received the same treatment and when I finally reached someone was told they have no more doses. When I explained what happened they said we are really busy d/t Covid. Has anyone thought about hiring more people. No, why should we when Covid provides the perfect excuse for poor service and treating customers poorly.

Signed Sorry I am really...