Adios Playero and Hola Super Pola.

Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
63
Super Pola opened in Sosua this morning. Amazing that they got it up and stocked in such a short time. It was packed today and prices similar to la Serina. Specials (real specials) all over the place. I can happily say it will be a very rare day that I step into Playero again. I will miss the butcher and some of the imported stuff but will not miss for a nano second the poor customer service or overpriced products. Their days of ripping off the public is coming to a grinding halt. If they are going to survive they had better tune up their ship. If not....Adios.

Bob K
 

Bred

Bronze
Aug 13, 2006
851
49
48
Sosua
I just finished shopping a Playero this PM and left empty after paying my usual daily 1000+ Pesos for nothing. Saw a crowd near Super Pola. Stopped by. Impressed. Bananas I just paid at Playero 16 pesos / lb, - 7 Pesos at Super Pola. Meat, milk products - all MUCH cheaper. Presidente jumbo - 99, Budweiser jumbo - 129. Etc., etc.

Now I understand why Playero had "super-sales" for about-to-expire products in the last few days. (Hi Ken!)
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,370
3,150
113
Lets not demonize Playero for charging higher. That's what happens when there isn't much competition. Can't blame business people for doing business according to the business climate in a region. Many of the products that are sold at Player and Super Pola will go down in price at Playero, but how much will depend on other factors such as who supplies them and how much they charge. Also, Super Pola is part of Grupo Ramos which is the largest formal grocery in the country and their size allows them to take advantage of certain economies of scale (purchase in bulk at a lower cost per unit allows for many products to be sold cheaper) that smaller companies don't have.

While there are business people that abuse by overcharging for stuff, every time something is sold at a higher price doesn't necessarily mean that the owner is intentionally gauging his customers.

And no, I don't know the owners of Playero.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
can mods merge those two threads on super pola (living and north forums)?
 

drbcabarete

Member
Oct 21, 2005
58
8
18
Super Pola: Walked through today on their first day. Was disappointed as I was expecting a better organized and presented store. There are 9 checkout counters, I would think they need 15 at least. The aisles are much too close for people, carts and the continual restocking of the counters by their employees. Yes, many specials for today and maybe the first few days or even weeks, similar to La Sirena in POP. Then they jumped up on everything. If you check carefully many of the staples of the market, most items are the same or 1 or 2 pesos less but overall I found the prices to be higher on the various "normal" products we use all the time. The organization of the market is as difficult as is La Sirena in POP. I was looking for a larger operation and though this is better than the "big box" concept that was touted as what it would be, it will difficult to use the market.The parking lot is also poorly programmed. Very difficult to maneuver, both for parking the car, walking through the lot and moving back with a wagon of purchases. I am always looking for bargains, I spend not less than 8000 pesos a week so it is a concern to me dealing with the prices at Playero. But also having too much of a good thing, though, Mae West would have said, is great, selection breeds spending more money. Nice but need to be careful. I will give it a month or more and recheck. At this point, just poorly managed movement through the store, hopefully someone will look at its overall operational process.
 

MpJuly

Member
Apr 30, 2009
467
1
18
Yes, many specials for today and maybe the first few days or even weeks, similar to La Sirena in POP. [...] I will give it a month or more and recheck.

The Super Pola specials are nationwide not just for Sosua, each days there are new special
 

monfongo

Bronze
Feb 10, 2005
1,202
145
63
If you think super pola is not going to try to rip you off you better think again . Keep a close eye on you receipts .
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
If you think super pola is not going to try to rip you off you better think again . Keep a close eye on you receipts .

I would never not think that about any business in the DR. Have not noticed a problem in La Sirena as yet.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Lets not demonize Playero for charging higher. That's what happens when there isn't much competition. Can't blame business people for doing business according to the business climate in a region. Many of the products that are sold at Player and Super Pola will go down in price at Playero, but how much will depend on other factors such as who supplies them and how much they charge. Also, Super Pola is part of Grupo Ramos which is the largest formal grocery in the country and their size allows them to take advantage of certain economies of scale (purchase in bulk at a lower cost per unit allows for many products to be sold cheaper) that smaller companies don't have.

While there are business people that abuse by overcharging for stuff, every time something is sold at a higher price doesn't necessarily mean that the owner is intentionally gauging his customers.

And no, I don't know the owners of Playero.

Pardon us for just feeling like we are getting screwed there.
 

Seamonkey

Bronze
Oct 6, 2009
1,896
755
113
Here is my feedback, as I just returned. I'm not impressed at all, and I never was with La Sirena either.

First the negatvies: this store is extremely small and hard to navigate. Unless the product is on sale, there is are savings compared to Playero. IE: buritto wraps are 89 pesos/pack and only 63 at Playero, romain lettuce is more by 7 pesos, they didn't have the Rica orange juice in stock as per the flyer, no big tubs of margarine, no ice, no sub buns and the Rica heavy cream is 3 pesos more than Playero. Also the variety is poor.

The positives, I saved 100 pesos for 10 limes cause they were on sale, they have cheap italian and ranch dressing, the workers are much more polite and friendly. The Rica milk was also on 43 pesos cause it was on sale. I think this will be a once-a-week place for me to buy on-sale items. I won't be able to do a full order at this store, they are missing just way too much. Playero has nothing to worry about, as their variety is far superior and their prices equal.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,717
7,977
113
Super Pola: Walked through today on their first day. Was disappointed as I was expecting a better organized and presented store. There are 9 checkout counters, I would think they need 15 at least. The aisles are much too close for people, carts and the continual restocking of the counters by their employees. Yes, many specials for today and maybe the first few days or even weeks, similar to La Sirena in POP. Then they jumped up on everything. If you check carefully many of the staples of the market, most items are the same or 1 or 2 pesos less but overall I found the prices to be higher on the various "normal" products we use all the time. The organization of the market is as difficult as is La Sirena in POP. I was looking for a larger operation and though this is better than the "big box" concept that was touted as what it would be, it will difficult to use the market.The parking lot is also poorly programmed. Very difficult to maneuver, both for parking the car, walking through the lot and moving back with a wagon of purchases. I am always looking for bargains, I spend not less than 8000 pesos a week so it is a concern to me dealing with the prices at Playero. But also having too much of a good thing, though, Mae West would have said, is great, selection breeds spending more money. Nice but need to be careful. I will give it a month or more and recheck. At this point, just poorly managed movement through the store, hopefully someone will look at its overall operational process.

My boss took his family over there yesterday on our lunch break. He said the exact same thing. I planned on going there on Saturday but I think I'll pass for now and head over to La Sirena in PP.
 

monfongo

Bronze
Feb 10, 2005
1,202
145
63
I have been ripped off at la sirena in pop on many occasion , I'll give you one example ,the other day I was in there with my son , I was looking for something they didn't have so , as I was leaving I bought my son a pack of tic- tacs ther was no price on the shelf but I figured how the hell much can tic-tacs cost ? I'll tell how much 100 pesos I almost crapped my pants , problem is I already paid so I had to get a voucher for the money ,watch you receipts .
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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I have been ripped off at la sirena in pop on many occasion , I'll give you one example ,the other day I was in there with my son , I was looking for something they didn't have so , as I was leaving I bought my son a pack of tic- tacs ther was no price on the shelf but I figured how the hell much can tic-tacs cost ? I'll tell how much 100 pesos I almost crapped my pants , problem is I already paid so I had to get a voucher for the money ,watch you receipts .
While 100 pesos is a lot to pay for tic-tacs, if that is the normal price and is posted as such, that is not really the kind of rip-off I am talking about with respect to other stores and in particular Playero. I have no idea what the normal price for tic-tacs is.

I do agree that Super Polo needs to learn that shelves should be restocked during off hours.
 

Astucia

Papa de Negrita
Oct 19, 2013
667
345
63
I do agree that Super Polo needs to learn that shelves should be restocked during off hours.

yeah - it was crazy to watch these 3 (not Super Pola employees - but from a supplier company ) guys stocking a rack with their product, in the midst of the opening day chaos. Hundreds of people jammed into aisles that are way too narrow in the first place. And these clowns have cartons, step ladders, and plenty of attitude. But that's no different than PP la sirena
 

Britcouple

New member
Aug 13, 2009
180
0
0
Be careful what you wish for!
If Super Polar were so successful that they put Playero out of business, then they would have no competition and what do you think would happen to their prices then?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Be careful what you wish for!
If Super Polar were so successful that they put Playero out of business, then they would have no competition and what do you think would happen to their prices then?

Then I would do what I did before and drive to La Sirena while continuing to shop at Janets and avoiding Playero as much as possible. One needs to be flexible.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
Be careful what you wish for!
If Super Polar were so successful that they put Playero out of business, then they would have no competition and what do you think would happen to their prices then?

Probably nothing - Super Pola is a chain store, part of La Sirena, I believe their prices are the same in all their stores.
 

Britcouple

New member
Aug 13, 2009
180
0
0
Then I would do what I did before and drive to La Sirena while continuing to shop at Janets and avoiding Playero as much as possible. One needs to be flexible.

That is pretty much what we do now....but not so easy for those locals who for whatever reason do not have their own transport, they end up in the same old boat :-(
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Probably nothing - Super Pola is a chain store, part of La Sirena, I believe their prices are the same in all their stores.

It was pointed out in this thread that some prices were different between La Sirena in POP and the Super Polo in Sosua.