Commissary - Love it or Leave it.

[Pags]

I've managed to score plenty of good deals from the NEX. I always comparison shop with them. Sometimes the lack of sales tax counts for a lot. Also, they tend to have some decent shoe discounts. I just picked up a pair of NB Mimimus for $60 when they retail for $100 in town.

Does the NEX or Commissary always have the best selection? No. Can they sometimes offer a decent discount. Oh yeah. We tend to get most of our bulk consumables from the commissary (milk, baby formula, meat, cereal) and get the more esoteric stuff out in town.

 

[johnnyfive]

I miss the NEX.

 

[Picaroon]

I started going to the commissary because I didn't want to have to change out of my uniform just to go to the store to buy food. Maybe if we didn't have silly rules I'd go somewhere in town more often, but the commissary is cheap and the NEX has booze so it's pretty convenient.

 

[sickboy]

The NEX has some extremely good deals on a few things. I use the Bar Code Scanner app on my phone to check prices before I buy. Got some great deals that way, but not everything in there is cheaper...actually most isn't.

I'm pretty sure the NEX will price match.

 

[Brunes]

We were told there wouldn't be a deli put in at NAS Whiting because , and I quote "It's not what the retirees want."

So much for it being our commissary :-(

I suppose I haven't seen a commissary yet that didn't offer a decent price on most of its products. In general, if you shop around the outside of the commissary, you'll find some of your best deals. That includes meats, dairy, eggs, and sometimes produce. Typically, my wife and I save around $40-50 per month by just shopping on those type of items alone. If you shop the sales throughout the rest of the store, you'll find some pretty decent prices there as well, and has already been mentioned, you're paying generic/store brand prices on the name brand items.

Thus far, the commissary has proven to be a great asset for a family on a tight budget (mine). Do we still shop in town? Occasionally, when the local grocery store has a better sale going on for specific items. The funny thing is, when we go shopping there on the weekends, they have local high school groups bagging there for, you guessed it, tips as a fundraiser. So, don't think that the commissary is the only place around that expects you to tip your baggers. Furthermore, you don't have to tip the bagger if you don't want to. If you tried to bag your own groceries, and they wouldn't let you. . .to hell with them. They just told you that they would rather work for free.

The base command is the final say on a lot of that stuff-If you aren't getting feedback or response from the folks running the place. Route it up thru your command-The XO and/or CMC. The commissary is supposed to be a benefit for everyone-so if they aren't providing the services the AD folks want...The CMC will likely be VERY interested.

The wife and I shop there for lots of normal consumables- Milk,Eggs,Meats,etc-We save a few bucks and I stop at the farmers market on the road home for veggies for that night. Is it perfect...Nope...but it saves us a couple bucks a month.

I know folks, I know. Just commenting on an obvious "uniform shop"/well-run business FAIL.

Don't worry man-Same thing happens over here too. We just got these SWEET new ball caps- and about the time they said "You must have this" was about the same time the central uniform distro was already out of them, and closing for annual inventory. Managed to find about 20 to share around the AirSta...but there are still folks looking for them.

 

[fattestfoot]

So the Navy does its alcohol sales at the NEX? The Army has the "Class Six" stores, which are basically on base liquor stores. I don't really drink, but they have really, really good deals on alcohol.

 

[DanMa1156]

The NEX has some extremely good deals on a few things. I use the Bar Code Scanner app on my phone to check prices before I buy. Got some great deals that way, but not everything in there is cheaper...actually most isn't.

Exactly my point. The only advantage at the NEX is the tax advantage, so if you do your homework, you can come out ahead on some big ticket items, but even still you have to price check because the NEX's are usually higher than big-box retailers that can lower prices from their volume/wholesale, not to mention their likely higher efficiency in logistics since they are completely profit motivated.

 

[DanMa1156]

So the Navy does its alcohol sales at the NEX? The Army has the "Class Six" stores, which are basically on base liquor stores. I don't really drink, but they have really, really good deals on alcohol.

You know, it depends on the base (which I assume depends on the local laws about selling alcohol -which doesn't make sense to me since it's federal property? Can someone confirm that?) I know the NEX/Commissary did not sell it in Annapolis but had a separate "Package Store" and I believe that was the case in Pensacola too. In Corpus, the regular NEX sells some as does the NEX gas station, but a much more limited selection than the Package Stores on the previous two bases.

 

[PropStop]

Exactly my point. The only advantage at the NEX is the tax advantage, so if you do your homework, you can come out ahead on some big ticket items, but even still you have to price check because the NEX's are usually higher than big-box retailers that can lower prices from their volume/wholesale, not to mention their likely higher efficiency in logistics since they are completely profit motivated.

And this uncertainty as to how good a deal you're getting is one of the things that pisses me off the most. You can never assume the NEX is giving you a good deal. Story time....

A few years ago I was browsing the laptop section of the Pear Harbor NEX (if you haven't been there, it's impressive), looking for a christmas gift for the wife. I was specifically looking at Macs and I had been to the Apple store the day before. This was also the time of the year where the new MacBook versions were arriving. At the Apple Store the previous models were marked down 100-300 or so depending on configuration, in order to move the older models out - plus the 6-8% military discount, not available at the NEX. Visually speaking, the old an new models looked identical but the guts were different. Anyhow, I noticed that the NEX did not have the new models but were selling the old models for full price. I assumed this was an oversight so I sought out the electronics manger. After finding him, which took some doing, I discussed my concern - he said the price was the price, even though everywhere else the same product was considerably cheaper, the price was no oversight, it was intentional.

So now I'm angry and I point out to him that the NEX advertises itself as being cheaper than anywhere else, that it can be trusted by sailors. I'm starting to raise my voice by this point as well... His response, "If sailors think they're getting a good deal and they're happy with it, then it's OK." I about lost my shit when he said that. I proceeded to explain how he was doing a huge disservice to sailors, loudly, and it was unconscionable to screw people in this manner. I followed up with a letter to his store manager, to the main NEX headquarters, the BX/AAFES, my congressional delegation (only 3 of them) and Apple. One of my senators and my loan congressman got into the NEX's chili, but I'm not sure any real effect was felt.

To me the bottom line is this: the NEX/BX/AFFES is generally a good system but it's run by people who don't need to make a profit, provide any real customer support and are not skilled in the art of retail management. Many seem to see their position at the store as a right and we, the customers, are simply other people they have to deal with on their daily routine rather than valued customers that ensure the solvency of their employer.

Somewhat of a happy ending note: The next day a mustang ensgin approached me and thanked me for getting in the electronics manager's face because he was screwing sailors, so that was nice.

 

[pourts]

At least they are good about hiring spouses... oh wait, they aren't. Of the 3 buddies wives who have applied, all with retail management experience, none have been hired.

 

[MasterBates]

They lack the Filipina Mafia connection.

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[Recovering LSO]

They lack the Filipina Mafia connection.

How has this been allowed to function for so long? Nobody cares?

I hate the commissary as much as any of you. I refuse go in. I'll sit in the car and read the paper when Mrs Recovering LSO goes inside to shop. The punk-ass undisciplined kids playing demolition derby with the carts and the old people who think its their personal supply system... ugh. I hate it. That being said, some years ago Mrs RLSO challenged me to write down a list of items and go buy them at Safeway and then again at commissary. After excluding the tax advantage, the same cart of groceries came out to be considerably cheaper. So I suppose there are saving to be had, but for me (particularly now that we live 35 minutes from the NEX), its just not worth the irritation.

 

[feddoc]

Do single guys really go to the commissary? ....
Brett

Yea, to meet hot women. No kdding, that is what one of PRs told me.

 

[scoolbubba]

How has this been allowed to function for so long? Nobody cares?

I hate the commissary as much as any of you. I refuse go in. I'll sit in the car and read the paper when Mrs Recovering LSO goes inside to shop. The punk-ass undisciplined kids playing demolition derby with the carts and the old people who think its their personal supply system... ugh. I hate it. That being said, some years ago Mrs RLSO challenged me to write down a list of items and go buy them at Safeway and then again at commissary. After excluding the tax advantage, the same cart of groceries came out to be considerably cheaper. So I suppose there are saving to be had, but for me (particularly now that we live 35 minutes from the NEX), its just not worth the irritation.

I buy lara bars and chobani yogurts there. I buy enough for one month at a time. Nothing else is worth the hassle of hip checking retirees and heisman-ing little kids to get to the foods.

 

[jtmedli]

I'm pretty sure the NEX will price match.

They will price match but it has to be another store with the item in stock. Kind of a pain in the ass to deal on smaller items. It's worth the tax advantage to price match on bigger items like computers, cell phones, tvs, etc... Again, I break out the barcode scanner and see what I can find.