Big C shrinking?

Post by **saint** » October 4, 2018, 1:20 pm

Basically , Thais have a lot more disposable income, for various reasons , mainly higher incomes , than they did when i moved here over a decade ago.
Farang on the other hand have a lot less .
So , if i owned , or ran a food chain of any description , do i cater for the locals who do not scrimp on food , or do i cater for the aging farang who moans about the price of a biscuit , yet is happy to spend their meager pension on numb juice?
Mmmm tricky one!

Post by **vincemunday** » October 4, 2018, 1:36 pm

Was in Big C an hour ago, they still have the same lines (for now) but they're relocated as Tamada says. Sorry but the Thais were definitely queuing with trollies of shopping and the farang weren't, I'd have taken photos but they'd think I was odd, still had the old men looking glum while their young wives and babies were getting what they needed.

Post by **RLTrader** » October 4, 2018, 5:04 pm

What, "farang food" at Tesco or Big C, since when? One would have to guess at, What exactly IS “Farang food”?

On another subject, WATER!
Just had the Fire Dept fill up my water tank! Wife saw them in the neighborhood and said WTF, free water!

Been off for a couple of days. Maybe back sometime tommorow.

Post by **dragonz** » October 6, 2018, 5:48 pm

tamada wrote: ↑
October 4, 2018, 12:40 pm

dragonz wrote: ↑
October 3, 2018, 2:00 pm
It seems like not many expats went shopping in supermarkets before they came to thailand and therefore have no idea what they are talking about . Thais with full shopping trollies ??? Never seen one in 11 yrs shopping at big c and tesco except the odd business bulk buy which is not allowed in europe . Max 6 - 10 of any one item (selected items ).
Stopped going to tesco nadee a few weeks ago because of the prices but popped in a few days ago at 2pm as i was passing . Empty , 2 full checkouts open with no customers . rented shops mostly closed . Big new t shirt shop on the left closed and never saw 1 customer in there in about 9 months. Big c is going the same way . To expensive for most thais earning 8 pound ($11)a day .
Went to big c on the nong bua lamphu road a while ago . Had 1 customer , ME !
Real supermakrkets ! i went to pembroke dock tesco in wales for years (small population) . On fri ,sat sunday 20 checkouts with 2 girls on each still queues at each checkout , trollies overloaded , some with 2 trollies . Sainsburys 200 metres away the same
Tesco at my sons in hemel hemstead in london , used to go 5.30 am or 10pm to avoid the queues in a huge supermarket.
HH shopping mall people walking out with armfulls of bags .Robinsons or big c see the odd person with a bag. The amount sold in supermarkets and malls in thailand is miniscule to most countries .
Wages are 10 times less here so logically should be 10 times cheaper but is more expensive than uk so will never see thais with full trollies
Higher volume weekend shopping at supermarkets isn't unique to the UK. As for your observational skills.... don't give up your day job.

I guess you've never shopped at Big C Phosri (flyover) on a weekend? There's not enough parking spaces, even the 'fire lanes' are packed and there's plenty locals with a loaded cart or 2 at the check outs. The myth that the locals can't afford it is maybe a distortion of the reality by the fact that you can't afford afford it? There's more locals making credit/debit card payments at the checkouts too and my observations from FREQUENT shopping at the above Big C is the locals can afford it.

The Big C and Tesco Nadee are by no means indicative of the footfall and cart filling by locals at the original two branches. I agree that their weekly footfall beggars the question how they stay open but there's a reason the southern ringroad and points beyond aren't busy. No bugger lives out there in sufficient numbers... for now. Even Tesco (north) floor space reduction and reorganization hasn't fazed the locals as much as it has the whining farangs. Maybe only the buggered up access due to the highway construction is a mutually agreed gripe.

As for you claims that, "The amount sold in supermarkets and malls in thailand is miniscule to most countries" a citation badly needed. And that means facts and not just your 'observations'.

Pity there's no Specsavers at the local malls eh? I reckon you need new glasses.

Why do you fell the need to slag me off over an innocent post ?
Dont give up my day job
I cannot afford to shop in big c
I need glasses
Whining farang
my post WAS about my observations and not wikileaks
It has fazed the locals as i was in there a few days ago about 10 people in the shop 2 checkouts open with no customers.
You are telling lies as in 11 yrs going to tesco i have never once seen a thai doing a weekly shop with a full trolley and never seen any thai with 2 trollies except businesses buying . My local market and shop prob have more customers than tesco . I was in big c today. Car park full shops downstairs and outside busy , food court very busy . Inside big c empty

Post by **tamada** » October 7, 2018, 3:44 pm

dragonz wrote: ↑
October 6, 2018, 5:48 pm

Why do you fell the need to slag me off over an innocent post ?
Dont give up my day job
I cannot afford to shop in big c
I need glasses
Whining farang
my post WAS about my observations and not wikileaks
It has fazed the locals as i was in there a few days ago about 10 people in the shop 2 checkouts open with no customers.
You are telling lies as in 11 yrs going to tesco i have never once seen a thai doing a weekly shop with a full trolley and never seen any thai with 2 trollies except businesses buying . My local market and shop prob have more customers than tesco . I was in big c today. Car park full shops downstairs and outside busy , food court very busy . Inside big c empty

'cos you're posting nonsense.

I haven't time to take pictures of Thai's doing the family shopping either but last Friday, I got stuck behind a 2-carter at Tops under Central and they wandered off and got some more stuff while it was being rung up... and then they used a gold card to pay.

Look, you've confessed that your blind and broke but then say you go to Tesco and Big C... which is it?

PS. Don't answer that. I don't care.

Post by **Drunk Monkey** » October 7, 2018, 4:16 pm

Big C defo shrinking .... im seeing lots of MINI Big Cs around now .

Post by **dragonz** » October 7, 2018, 5:23 pm

tamada wrote: ↑
October 7, 2018, 3:44 pm

dragonz wrote: ↑
October 6, 2018, 5:48 pm

Why do you fell the need to slag me off over an innocent post ?
Dont give up my day job
I cannot afford to shop in big c
I need glasses
Whining farang
my post WAS about my observations and not wikileaks
It has fazed the locals as i was in there a few days ago about 10 people in the shop 2 checkouts open with no customers.
You are telling lies as in 11 yrs going to tesco i have never once seen a thai doing a weekly shop with a full trolley and never seen any thai with 2 trollies except businesses buying . My local market and shop prob have more customers than tesco . I was in big c today. Car park full shops downstairs and outside busy , food court very busy . Inside big c empty
'cos you're posting nonsense.

I haven't time to take pictures of Thai's doing the family shopping either but last Friday, I got stuck behind a 2-carter at Tops under Central and they wandered off and got some more stuff while it was being rung up... and then they used a gold card to pay.

Look, you've confessed that your blind and broke but then say you go to Tesco and Big C... which is it?

PS. Don't answer that. I don't care.

Hi mr snowflake . what you mean is i am posting something you disagree with so rather than debate you have to use the leftie system of slag off anyone who does not agree with you I was also stuck behind someone in tesco who had 2 trollies a few weeks ago and also paid with a gold card . 2 trollies full of carrots and none left in the shop to buy. I actually took some off her trolley to buy and she got upset .Also somebody with about 300 packets of red mountain coffee and somebody with about 200 bottles of coca cola . They are not families doing a weekly shop .
I have been shopping in supermarkets since about 21 so i estimate 2,000+ visits in uk and 11 yrs in thai about a 1000 , In a 1000 visits i have never seen a thai without a farang fill a trolly with a weekly shop.
Do not call peopl;e names you would not call them to their face as if you called me them names to my face a glasgow kiss would be very quickly forthcoming

Post by **tamada** » October 7, 2018, 8:43 pm

dragonz wrote: ↑
October 7, 2018, 5:23 pm

Hi mr snowflake . what you mean is i am posting something you disagree with so rather than debate you have to use the leftie system of slag off anyone who does not agree with you I was also stuck behind someone in tesco who had 2 trollies a few weeks ago and also paid with a gold card . 2 trollies full of carrots and none left in the shop to buy. I actually took some off her trolley to buy and she got upset .Also somebody with about 300 packets of red mountain coffee and somebody with about 200 bottles of coca cola . They are not families doing a weekly shop .
I have been shopping in supermarkets since about 21 so i estimate 2,000+ visits in uk and 11 yrs in thai about a 1000 , In a 1000 visits i have never seen a thai without a farang fill a trolly with a weekly shop.
Do not call peopl;e names you would not call them to their face as if you called me them names to my face a glasgow kiss would be very quickly forthcoming

Leftie what now?

What's to debate? Your'e the self-proclaimed expert on the total irrelevancy of shoppers in Tesco's in bits of Wales and England but you are simply clueless in Udon with the possible exception of a penchant to get pissed-off at Tesco-Lotus (again and again).

Here's a clue... try another bloody supermarket.

Otherwise, awa an' bile yer heid ye bletherin' skyte. Glesgie kiss ma ersh. If you even tried to touch my carrots at the check out, I'd get my Dad on you.

Post by **tamada** » October 7, 2018, 8:47 pm

Drunk Monkey wrote: ↑
October 7, 2018, 4:16 pm
Big C defo shrinking .... im seeing lots of MINI Big Cs around now .

Them and Tesco-Lotus Express as well. Saves the trek into town but you cannot beat the weekends for the THAI FAMILY shoppers schlepp-schlepping around Big C and Tesco with their elbows on their carts and sucking up all that cool air.

Post by **Khun Paul** » October 9, 2018, 7:43 pm

Years ago there was not a surfeit of western Food available, the only place was Tops upstairs in the Old Complex, then lo and behold, Tescos came and Big C expanded it offerings. We also had a couple of other Superstores open and then closed or were took over. Nowadays there is far more western Food type food available for even Thai shoppers, who I gather are slowly changing their food habits. So the requirement to have large Aisles with just Western /Imported food stuffs in is no longer viable. Most of which to my mind is speciality foods which I am sure about 90% of us never buy .

Big C is not shrinking just moving items around to suit their clientele.

Post by **kopkei** » October 10, 2018, 6:37 am

strangely i do not really care about western food ,as in imported goods , my western food i can cook myself without any needs of special imported ingredients , i also do not miss them ,so i have no idea if the western food areas in shops are shrinking ,as i rarely visit them ,villa market , tops ? not interested..,even big c ,lotus ? 2 time a year? i am not willing throwing my money away on these exuberant priced products in these shops ,and i am also not here to support the thai government (abnormal taxes)

,the only exception on this are sometimes some foreign beers.... we mostly shop in makro and many local markets for fresh products ...this is all off course according to our own preferences what will be different for every person , not everyone is able to change or adapt to other things that he is not used too , my preferences and needs have changed a lot after staying here almost 18 years , even my way of thinking ...
and again about taste our preferences we can not argue and i surely not condemn someone because he is thinking different than me....but i accept it is his way not mine ....we are all different ....enjoy your food ...

(and i eat every week ,paanin pow ,somtam with paadeik/palaa, without it is bo seib...

)

Post by **rick** » October 10, 2018, 4:22 pm

Pop into BigC on the eastern ring road about once a week, but usually to just buy a few discount items or sugar and oil for the shop as usually cheaper there. At weekends, really busy after 11 am. Weekdays not so much but still probably a 100 customers in store. About 50% of customers have more than half a trolley full, we not so much because most shopping done at Makro (wife's business and family). Tesco went downhill as a shopping location about 2 years ago, only the special offers are worthwhile. About the only things i buy regularly there are one type of bread and tesco finest teabags....

Although some farang foods have declined in stock, others have increased - particularly cheese. The price of some imported foods are ridiculous, farang getting more savvy and you can find Thai alternatives. No alternative to cheese!

Post by **macca46** » November 22, 2018, 3:29 pm

I really need to retract my initial statement about "shrinking" as each week goes by I believe their product range is increasing with a much better lay out maybe given a couple of more weeks of searching at times will be a better place to shop than before.

Post by **tamada** » November 22, 2018, 4:08 pm

It does sound like what started with the 'disappearance' of the imports aisle (eventually rediscovered at a new location), this branch does seem to be having a major makeover which includes the improved layout. Obviously they didn't retain the same clown circus that did the (north) Tesco-Lotus remake-remodel last year. Looking forward to checking it out when I get back from work.

Actually, I'm looking forward to a shag and a cold beer first. Big C can wait a wee bit.

Post by **saint** » November 23, 2018, 3:16 pm

tamada wrote: ↑
November 22, 2018, 4:08 pm

Actually, I'm looking forward to a shag and a cold beer first. Big C can wait a wee bit.

Nice , but i wouldnt let the Mrs find out if i was you . Luckily im not .

Post by **dragonz** » November 25, 2018, 5:39 pm

tamada wrote: ↑
November 22, 2018, 4:08 pm
It does sound like what started with the 'disappearance' of the imports aisle (eventually rediscovered at a new location), this branch does seem to be having a major makeover which includes the improved layout. Obviously they didn't retain the same clown circus that did the (north) Tesco-Lotus remake-remodel last year. Looking forward to checking it out when I get back from work.

Actually, I'm looking forward to a shag and a cold beer first. Big C can wait a wee bit.

not really understand why i get so much stick . do not see the same as the rest of you /. Went to tesco , empty , went to gnee soon on the nog bua road , full went to big c on the bua road on the way back this week . only me in there . Where are these thai shoppers with full trollies except for businesses . I SEE NONE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Post by **tamada** » November 25, 2018, 7:25 pm

dragonz wrote: ↑
November 25, 2018, 5:39 pm

tamada wrote: ↑
November 22, 2018, 4:08 pm
It does sound like what started with the 'disappearance' of the imports aisle (eventually rediscovered at a new location), this branch does seem to be having a major makeover which includes the improved layout. Obviously they didn't retain the same clown circus that did the (north) Tesco-Lotus remake-remodel last year. Looking forward to checking it out when I get back from work.

Actually, I'm looking forward to a shag and a cold beer first. Big C can wait a wee bit.
not really understand why i get so much stick . do not see the same as the rest of you /. Went to tesco , empty , went to gnee soon on the nog bua road , full went to big c on the bua road on the way back this week . only me in there . Where are these thai shoppers with full trollies except for businesses . I SEE NONE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh hi. You're back.

Well, if you want to continue this debate and really want to understand whats happening, you are the only one here calling other people liars because they have a different opinion or don't 'see the same' as you... whatever that is. But I digress.

As for posting pictures of an empty supermarket as evidence of some fanciful claim that they are like this 24/7, if you insist on stalking the aisles of Tesco and Big C over in that edge-of-the-known-universe backwater called Nadee, if only for the sake of accuracy and relevance, at least tell us what time of the morning or night that was as well as the day of the week. Ngee Soon is a totally different bulk retail style of business BTW, a bit like Makro across on the much busier, cosmopolitan side of town where the nearby Big C is nearly always rammed, sometimes with double-trolley locals. Mind you they're all pretty dead at 9 AM.

With your penchant to frequently travel the 'nog bua' road, you're not one of those odd-balls that lives out NWS or NBL way are you?

Post by **dunroaming** » November 25, 2018, 9:25 pm

Tam

not worth the effort Dragonz seems to have a problem with everything especially ads. I have never seen big c or tesco this empty but then again not going to wait hours to take the perfect picture! I have seen many thais fill their trolleys up full and been stuck behind them in them at the tills! but each to their own

Post by **Doodoo** » November 25, 2018, 9:42 pm

A number of reasons for People to NOT SHOW UP

1) Its the end of the month and no cash available
2) La Katong just finished and no cash available
3) Recession (I believe) is started loads of factors

Post by **mech_401** » November 26, 2018, 12:27 am

also , perhaps a related factor , there has been an
absolute " explosion" of minibigC outlets lotus mini
shops and 7-11s in udon city. must be near (100)

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