S. Juan Mall Gringo Ripoff Attempt

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
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I took my cook to the S.Juan Mall, as she wanted to buy some clothes for herself. We go into the last store on the top level right. A large store. She picks out what she wants and goes to the cashier. They come up with a price of 7,200 rd. She complains about the price. The saleslady says she thought I was paying. The Dominican lady I brought says no, she is paying.

They reduce the price to 4,015 rd.

I would say unbelievable, but I have been here a long time and expect this crap. AVOID.
 

Jaime809

Bronze
Aug 23, 2012
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36
And it's not just San Juan, the only way to avoid is not shopping at all.

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SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
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The day that I buy ANY clothes here is the day I no longer can walk. I buy what I need in the US or Europe.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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Sounds like a tourist trap… would say they will soon be going out of business. Word of mouth won't help them.

The situation you mention is not the usual at all. As rubio_higuey says: make sure the item has a price sticker (or at least check with the price teller machine) before you pay for it -- or at least check at the register box.
Actually, while I live in Santo Domingo, have shopped in Punta Cana and found some good prices -- especially during sales. These prices were readily advertised on the merchandise for anyone to see.

[Had to manually remove the asterisks]
 

Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
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So this Mall doesn't have pricing on their goods? you have to get a Duminican to check each item? Or worse there is a tag but if a suspected gringo is withing 5 feet of the cashier, the price jumps 50%?
I understand this at small beach stores etc. but a large Mall! Does the Super Pola do the same?
 

Jaime809

Bronze
Aug 23, 2012
1,152
0
36
So this Mall doesn't have pricing on their goods? you have to get a Duminican to check each item? Or worse there is a tag but if a suspected gringo is withing 5 feet of the cashier, the price jumps 50%?
I understand this at small beach stores etc. but a large Mall! Does the Super Pola do the same?

There's a code that gets punched in for the "locals" pricing. Even Lama and Pola do it; it's how the costs get reduced for scanned items. I had one young lady at Lama punch the code for me all the time, so I would always use her lane.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Very strange… from what I have seen, to change the item price, a supervisor has to come with her key to the cash register. Could you go the extra mile to get the same item with the gringo price and the local price. Then it would be a matter of taking the issue to ProConsumidor and even getting an investigative journalist to do a story on the scam.*
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
So this Mall doesn't have pricing on their goods? you have to get a Duminican to check each item? Or worse there is a tag but if a suspected gringo is withing 5 feet of the cashier, the price jumps 50%?
I understand this at small beach stores etc. but a large Mall! Does the Super Pola do the same?

There was a price. It came to a total of 4,015 rd. The price was in Dollars, but the saleslady converted it to Pesos. It was only when she went to pay and I walked over did another girl come over and give the price as 7,200 rd.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
842
113
One of the most maddening aspects of living in the DR is having to fight over nearly everything you buy. I have given up. What is even worse is facing the wife after the buy. "You paid how much?" Solution for me is I just have the wife do the buying. Its mail order I do it. Fix the car its her haggling the price. Its a cultural thing that will not change no matter how much I complain. Its their country and they will run it any way they like. The only thing I have control over is my attitude.
 

Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
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There was a price. It came to a total of 4,015 rd. The price was in Dollars, but the saleslady converted it to Pesos. It was only when she went to pay and I walked over did another girl come over and give the price as 7,200 rd.

So they almost doubled the displayed price at the register? How could they ever expect to get away with that! That's very discriminating. I get the discount off of displayed price for locals who are regulars, they deserve it, but this is criminal1
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
I will tell you the nerve of these people. After it was determined that she would pay the right price the manager said that she is sorry because she thought that I was paying.

Another words, it is fine to rob any Gringo that walks in the store. Complete garbage..............
 

Salsafan

Bronze
Aug 17, 2011
924
15
38
Last monday on SDQ waiting for departure I bought some sweeties for 1.5$. I gave the young man 2$ with "keep the rest". He answered "We are not allowed to take propina". Is this the new generation of dominicans or his first day in work or his boss watching over his shoulder?
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
Last monday on SDQ waiting for departure I bought some sweeties for 1.5$. I gave the young man 2$ with "keep the rest". He answered "We are not allowed to take propina". Is this the new generation of dominicans or his first day in work or his boss watching over his shoulder?

If you gave him $5 instead of $2 you would have had a different response.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
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I would have said wait a minute, go pick up a bunch more items, let them ring them up and then walk out.