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Consumer Affairs


C-Town Supermarket

New York


Consumer Complaints & Reviews

My wife and I had a coupon for Fresh Step cat litter with a dollar off the regular price, of a 14-pound bag. When we tried to give it to the cashier, she asked us were we found it, and if it was from the store itself. When we told her that it didn't matter where we got it from, C-Town must honor the coupon, like any other store who carries Fresh Step kitty litter products. She said no, that's not store policy. We couldn't bring outside coupons to redeem them at this C-Town supermarket,at anytime. When I asked her where this policy was posted in the store, she replied, "that's by order of management".

At that point we walked out, leaving the goods at the counter. This is not the first time we had a run-in with this C-Town. They also wont give your deposit on bottles that you buy directly from them. C-Town charges bottle deposit, but wont give your money back, when you return them back. Can they do this? Are they breaking any laws,or C-Town just made up these rules as they go along? It seemed that way. I bet the C-Town in Manhattan doesn't do business like BX? I will report them directly to C-Town chain stores district manager, and Consumer Affairs, to seek action and not shop there anymore!

I am a once in a while customer to the supermarket. However, my tenant asked for a ride to the supermarket. We picked up our items and put them into the same cart. At the register, he took out his stuff from the cart and was cashing while I was running back and forth getting my stuff. He was about to pay and he realized his bill was so high. So, he asked the cashier how much for the olive oil. She said, "$19.99. This is the extra virgin olive oil. The one on sale is the regular olive oil." So, he told her it's $9.99 and it's exactly under the sign where it said $9.99. She said they put out the wrong one that's not on sale. So, she called someone requesting to bring the olive oil that's on sale. And then, I said I needed the one on sale too. She said to both of us one per customer and I told her I am a customer.

The manager came up from the front into customer's isle and blocked our exit telling us that he would only give us one item because I am his wife. I told him, "No, I am not this guy's wife, and my mother and I are shopping here." He said no. I said, "You are crazy." And I stopped taking my stuff out of the cart and was about to leave when he blocked us from leaving. My tenant came in front of me and said he would like to explain the relationship. He refused to listen to him and he refused to let us out of the supermarket, telling us to use the next isle to get out. However, we left through the next isle, because we would have had to push him to get out and I didn't want to get into a fight.

I bought a can of 360g of Instant Dry Whole Milk (called Nestle Klim) for $5.99 at C-Town by Market Street in Paterson, NJ. Although its date of expiration is 2-2013, its taste is unusual, horrible! I went back to the supermarket to talk to anyone in charge to get my money back. The in charge told me: "We don't make that milk. We just sell it. I can't do anything." The guy didn't even tell me who I could call to. Wow! That's unspeakable!

I went to buy a small bag of brown rice. The price tag on the bag is $1.49 but the register scanned it at $1.59. This is not about the ten cents difference. This supermarket is purposefully labeling lower, then purposely charging more. My understanding is, the supermarket is to pay customer three times the inflated price of each item. Manager Ray seemed to be fully aware of the scam. He quickly offered the ten cents difference. I don't want ten cents. I want the community to be free of thieves masked as businessmen. What about the hundreds of customers daily and the thousands of willfully inflated items?

The C-town address is: 5311 Church Ave. Brooklyn NY 11203

Telephone: 718-346-4375

I go to my local C-Town. Their prices are never updated. When you approach the register, the sale price seems to not come up for some items. I have to constantly check my receipt, and the cashier has to call for a manager for a price adjustment. I check, but I am wondering about all the other customers that may not be paying attention, and they are over charging. They know items are on sale, but it's not updated in the register. I just don't understand. Please be careful. Check your receipt before you leave the store or while you are on line to check out.

You have to investigate this supermarket because they have everything too expensive and that's no good. This is located in *** *** in *** NY 11231. So please do something.

On August 14, 2010, I was at the C-Town at 2358 University Ave. my purse was stolen. My complaint is against the mangers from that store. When I told them what had happen I did not get any type of help from management. One person indicated to me if I was sure I came in with my purse. The other person told me that it was strange that happen, it's never happen here before. When I asked to please call police, the person at the cashier register told the person in charge, "Her purse was stolen." Call the police, he said, "Let her call the police, it was her purse that was stolen." Let her make the report.

I received no assistance from management; they wouldn't even give me the address of the C-Town to report to 911. I had to get the address from a young man who was bagging the grocery. When I asked management about the video, he said we do not record, it is not working. What kind of a supermarket it that, big Television and no video to back up events? It was bad enough to have my purse stolen, but to receive that type of treatment, the managers are not professional, they did not care about my situation at all. They do not value their customers. I would never step in a C-Town supermarket

On 4/13/2010, I was advised that I could not longer come to the store because there is a tape of me stealing from the store last year. It was also said that I had an argument or fight with someone in the store. When I asked for a copy of the tape I was advised that the tape was not available.

Bait and Switch, rotten produces, expired food products and terrible service.

This complaint is against the C-Town Supermarket located on 134-16 Liberty Avenue, Richmond, New York 11419.

I have been shopping at the C-Town for two plus years and every time, I enter, there is always a problem. It ranges from false advertisement( i.e. a ice cream is advertise for $1.99 but when I get to the checkout, I am told that I need to purchase $10 worth of items in order to get it) When, I mention that this was not stated in the poster size advertisement on their window, they say it is there. Sometimes, I get home and find that I paid full price for an item that was supposed to be on sale. When I return to the store, they mention the invisible caveat.

In addition, some of the can goods, are expired and fruits are rotten, yet they sell it for full price. When this is brougth to their attention, they refuse to change the price.

Most annoying is that the owners, Asian men are rude, some of them do not speak English. When I ask for assistance, they nod their head or ignore us. One time, one of them turned around and started yelling at my aunt in his native language. All she was doing was, calling him for assistance on one of their vegetable. She didn't understand the price. However, he didn't know because, he didn't take the time to come over.

I am very upset with the service and more upset with the fact that I have to travel on two buses to go to the Pathmark on Atlantic Avenue.

Legal Action to put a stop to their Bait and Switch, terrible customer service and sale of rotten and expired products. They should be punished for this behavior.

I should be compensated for having to travel out of my way to get my groceries.

To begin with, it must be known that I have shopped at this particular C-Town since I moved to Kew Gardens in 1995. It has never been an efficiently run store, however, it has gotten increasingly worse in recent years.

While I understand that these establishments are run as franchises, it is no excuse to not have products that are advertised in the circular or to consistently, on a weekly basis, have rotting produce. Being that I need to be in this store sometimes 4 or more times a week, it is completely an unpleasant shopping experience when you have to see rotting food every time you go. Tomatoes on the vine are rotting and flies are sitting on several of the bunches. Garlic is peeled and put in styrofoam packages with saran wrap, but is packaged weeks before and left to sit and rot. Numerous times, I have needed fresh mushrooms for a recipe, and it constantly is presented as rotting.

Just yesterday morning, I planned to go in to the store to do a full shopping (my term for not just stopping in). I immediately went over to the mushrooms, but was so repulsed, I turned around and walked an extra 5 blocks to go to the Associated Supermarket in another part of Kew Gardens. The shoppping experience there is great, and not once have I encountered rotting fruit and vegetables like I do all the time at C-Town.

It is not all about rotting food. C-Town does not clearly post signs for pricing of items, and recently put a sign up for mushrooms on sale for $1.99 per box. This was very misleading, as they are always $1.99 a box, so I assumed the price had gone up. After yesterday's visit, and not being able to get a clear answer from the very nice manager on the day of the supposed sale, I know there was never a sale on mushrooms. I went in one time with an internet coupon sent to me from Pledge for their pet-hair remover product. I brought my items to check-out, and when I presented the coupon, I was told that they do not accept internet coupons. I found this to be also misleading, as they have a clear sign that says they do not accept "free" coupons, but no sign about the internet ones.

I talked to manager about it; this was about six months ago, and no sign has been put up to let people know - I cannot be the only person going in there with internet coupons. In this economy, it is very unfair to the consumer to tell us that they do not accept things. If you want to keep your customers, you need to oblige them in some way. If the manager had listened to complaints, he would actually be making the changes suggested, and I can tell you this is just not happening. There are several better supermarkets in the area; C-Town just happens to be the most convenient. I made a very conscious decision yesterday to limit my visits to this store, as I realize it is not realistic to say I will never go in again. I can, however, state, that the business I do give them in the future will be severely diminished, because I, like I am sure many of my neighborhood friends, are disgusted with the state of the store. Unless something is doent to improve the store and its services, I can see it closing down very quickly.

The supermarket's shelves are very empty. This has been going on for the last 6-8 months at least. I asked once if they were going out of business because the shelves were so empty and they said no, they were expecting a delivery. They did stock up somewhat but that didn't last too long. The shelves are consistently empty. I went in there today for aluminum foil and they didn't have any. The shelves were 95% empty...no exaggeration. They have sale papers and flyers pasted to the window but they have no products in the store. When they do have products they are sometimes not fresh (e.g. frozen vegetables, ice cream).

I visited the C Town supermarket located at 560 W 125th Street NY to purchase hellmans light mayonaisse that was on sale for $2.99 on 9/4/09. I presented a $1.00 off manufacturers coupon to the cashier and was told that the coupone could not be used because the merchandise was on sale. The cashier was polite ans stated that that was the policy of the store. I do not live very close to the store and actually went out of my way to go there because of the sale and fact that I had a coupon.

About a year ago I ran into the same problem with regard to honoring coupons but on that occassion I insisted on speaking with a manager. After about tweny minutes of waiting I was given a cash dollar.

In these economic times I find it offensive that a neighborhood store would resort to such trickery. And the advertisment showing the sale invites one to visit the web site "for special coupon savings" while the store picks and chooses what items will be affored a coupon discount. I had been waitng a while to find a sale on the mayonaisse since the regular price is $5.99. If I had been able to use the coupon I could have saved $4.00

Unfortunately the reason C-town (in particular the 3320 Broadway on 135th st) is able to offer such low prices to their customers is because the items they have in stock and on sale are mostly overdue, expired, and rotten. I wish I can say that the items were mistakenly placed on the shelves.

It seems, however, C-Town knowingly placed the sticker price over the expiration date in order to cover up the fact that the product has gone bad. Customers need to be protected against this kind of deception. Although this incident was discovered before the food was ingested, it is obvious that the expiration date of food items is serves an important role in food safety.

To tamper and mislead consumers into buying an expired item is simply wrong and action needs to be taken, especially in accordance to existing laws (Food Quality and Protection Act 1996) implemented to protect consumers in situations much like this one.

I just left the CTown Supermarket in Brooklyn NY. I live about 2 blocks away and go there from time to time (there is a key Food about 3 blocks in the other direction).

The Store Manager or Floor Manager at that branch on Broadway is very uncouth and always seems to have an attitude when a customer makes a query. A few minutes ago (I have not even unpacked my shopping cart and I am sending this) I was there and tried to purchase a jar of mayonnaise which I picked up for 1.99 on the white tag stuck to it.

Before I got to the cash register I noticed the same jar I had in the back stating that they were 3.99 on sale (I checked amt. label etc - same jar), I went to the cash register and the cashier swiped it for $7+, I told her 1.99 was on it and showed her the label, she called the guy over (Spanish, tall, somewhat thin, low cut hairstyle). He told her it was $7 and thats that - I said to him that jar says 1.99 - he snatched the label off and said well it doesn't anymore, I said you have to honor that price on the item it's not my mistake besides you have it for 3.99 at the back - he said he didn't care he won't give it to me unless I'm paying $7 for it. I have my receipt with it scanned then voided. If you see him through the aisles he's the worst one to have to ask a question and once I went to return soda bottles and when he counted them he took a deep sigh and then told me to go to the back and I'll get the money at the register.

I've come upon pepper mispriced and toilet paper mispriced in supermarkets and one thing I know is that they have to honor the price on the item and then make any changes to the others forthwith. He was very rude and pompus snatching the price label off and telling me he didn't care it no longer said 1.99.

They need to be told the rules when they make floor mistakes with pricing and that they are supposed to honor that pricing be it correct or not because that may have been what compelled that customer to pick it up in the first place.

SOMETHING IS WRONG.
How could this be.
On sale regular .99 cents Doles Pinapple Chunks for .79 cent. After sale they are priced l.99 cents How could this be .

Does anyone check the prices in stores anymore. I wonder how many other items are priced like this. Times are hard enough with being overcharged.

I'm complaining about the sale items C Town have in the circular for the week starting May 8th to May 14th. They are not honoring the full items thats on sale. They have 3 96oz bottle of Clorox 3 for $5.00 he only let us have 96oz. Whats in the sale paper you should be able to get all of the items.


COMPANY MOTTO:

C-Town supermarkets are individually owned and operated neighborhood food stores dedicated to serving the needs of the community.

We pride ourselves on providing the personal service and quality food that only an independent store owner can provide.

We offer the finest quality fresh foods and competitive grocery pricing.

THIS MOTTO IS FALSE AND LIABLE.

MY EXPERIENCE IS THE SAME AS THE SEVERAL I HAVE READ.

I PRESENTED A COUPON TO THIS STORE IN QUESTION, WHICH WAS IN THE SUNDAY MORNING NEWSPAPER FOR TIDE TOTAL CARE ONE DETERGENT, WHICH WAS ONLY FOR A DOLLAR OFF FROM THE REGULAR PRICE.

THE MANAGER A MIDDLE EASTERN GENTLEMAN,WAS VERY NASTY WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO WHY HIS ESTABLISHMENT DID NOT ACCEPT MANUFACTUERS COUPONS.

HIS REPLY WE JUST DON'T - END OF STORY.

I AM AN ELDERLY MAN ON A FIXED INCOME,

AND THIS ESTABLISHMENT DOES NOT FIND FAVOR IN THIS TIME OF HEAVY RECESSION.

THEY DO NOT CARE BUT FOR PROFIT,AND GREED.

I purchased a 6 Pack Diet Pepsi at this location which I reside in this area. When I brought it home I noticed that it was stale or old. I tried returning it with my purchasing receipt however I was told that it was not possible at all. In fact I was rudely spoken to or rather yelled at by a male manager located in a top office and told that the product was not stale or old without actually coming down in fact he chastised me by saying he did not like soda and to take it up with consumer affairs hence my complaint.

Also, in this location they do not take coupons of any kind from anywhere every other location however does. I think this location and management need to be looked into as I'm not the only local having problems or issues with this C-Town where they do not honor their specials, policies and treat their customers with respect. Thank you kindly,

I had took some bottle and can of soda to return for the refund 0.05 cents; the manager Alex didn't want to take them becuase he didn't had employed to take the bottle and can of soda. In other word he didn't want to accept the bottle and can of soda. Someone need to investigated this matter A.S.A.P This happened to me and my son on 02/15/2009 at 2:45PM

refused a customer from the supermarket store. Why are they doing this to the customer? With out the customer they won't have a business going!


on their online site they say that they double your manufatures coupons when i went to pay they said no that was something they did many years ago to draw customers in, so i said they should update their web site he just walked away.

they did absolutely nothing


I went to C-Town on Mon. 1/5/08. I went to purchase salt, I saw that Domino Organic sugar had a sticker on it that said $.99. At the registered the sugar rang $2.89 I told the cashier that it was $.99 she saw the sticker and called over an older gentlemen. We went to the sugar isle he called an employee nickname Chino and told him that the sugar was marked $.99. He looked throught the other bags of sugar and showed the other glentlemen that it was $2.89 and said I had change the ticket. He said this like I wasn't there, I told him where would I get a ticket and I removed a sticker from another sugar and showed him and that the sticker ripped. He said it could be done and walked away.

The older gentlemen didn't even asked if I still wanted the product he just put the item back on the shelf and also walked away. I told him that I didn't change the price and that I was just going to get the salt. When we got to the registered he announces loudly to the cashier and everyone else that I had change the ticket. At this point I told him that I did not and that I was never returning to the store because they have horrible customer service. When I got home I called the store and asked to speak to the manager. After a minute of trying to get hin to give me his name I proceeded to tell him what was going on to learn that he did not understand anything I was saying. He didn' t understand English well enough.

I didn't like feeling like a was a thief. It was one thing when it was between the elder man and Chino but for the elder man to announce to the cashier and the rest of the form of the store including other shoppers that I had change the ticket was embaraasing and humilating. He was slandering me.

This supermarket packages raw meat and freezes it. They put it out for sale, frozen, to thaw, with the packaged on date as the current date that they put it out, not when it was frozen. I have bought this meat and tasted the freezer burn. Are they allowed to sell meat that has been frozen as if it were fresh and then put an inaccurate packaged on? date on the package? If a consumer takes this meat home and freezes it they can get very sick. It is dangerous to freeze, thaw, and then refreeze meat.

When I did buy the meat, it tasted freezer burned. I no longer buy any meat from this supermarket.

C-Town Supermarket is not honoring a manufacturers coupon from Unilever for Breyers brand ice cream. I presented them with the coupon and they would not accept it. The sales supervisor pointed to a sign that said they do not accept free coupons. Is this allowed? This is the worst supermarket! What can be done about this?

I had to pay full price for my ice cream.

I am a regular customer to the CTown Supermarket located at Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. My most recent visit to this particular market was not a happy one (and was not the only one, but was the last straw). In attempt to purchase Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix and Syrup, on sale for 1.99 each, and Quaker Instant Oatmeal, also on sale for 2.69 each, as per the circular, I thought I would be able to use my coupons for my purchases at the sale prices, BUT was told that I would be charged regular price if I used my coupon. This rule was not noted in the circular, nor was it posted anywhere in the store.

Out of the only 3 supermarkets in the immediate area, I found this one to be at least half decent. After this experience, however, I have decided to never shop at this supermarket again. Not only was this experience embarrassing, it was a total inconvenience, and loyal customers should not be treated this way. Thank you

As a single parent, I ambitiously look for discounts and sales to save money. I was totally outraged, as a regular consumer, that my consumer rights were not acknowledged. I had to go to two other stores, further away from home.


Ok. I'm complaining about ctown supermarket 1781 broadway brooklyn ny. I used to work here and want to open everyones eyes about what really goes down in a supermarket!!! 75% of the items are all pass due or rotten. They put old eggs in new cartons with new expiration date on them. For the sodas they have a special machine that can actually erase the expiration date and put a new one! They used to sell the childrens lunchables all expired and would scratch of the date.

Well I went to the Store to purchase a Gallon of Milk and on the Door of the Fridge the price says $4.89. I have seen a gallon of milk for $3.98 or $4.00. I would like to know the reason for such an increase in their milk?


the complant that i have with this store is their are times when one enters this stor is their is a bad oder they tend to let some products lay around too long the store is not as clean as it shoud be as i see it i just thank they could or shoud do better.


I purchased my grocery at 4:26 p.m. on 2/17/06 and was told that it would take 1/2 hour for my groceries to be delivered. Two hours later at 6:29 I contact the supermarket to find out what was holding up my delivery. A women answered the phone and did not even ask me what my address was and stated that my delivery would get to me in another five minutes, I stated to her that how would she know that if she never inquired what my address was, she tried to rush me off the phone and I told her that I wanted to speak to the manager.

The manager gets on the phone and I ask him if he spoke english and he stated a little so I then put my husband Mark on the phone because he is better fluent in spanish then I. The manager was very nasty and told my husband that he speaks better english then me and that made my husband upset and he inquired about our groceries and the manager stated that out groceries should be on its way and my husbands reponse was how do you know that they are on their way if you have not ask me my name or address and he claims because there is no deliveries in the store so my husband told him that we spend alot of money in the store and we were under the impression that we were gointg to be provided with a service that we have not been given so my husband ask him his name and he said why you want to know so my huband stated because you are the manager and I want to know. After several attempts the manager claims his name was Tony.

I am not satisfied with this service and would like the district manager to look into who they are hiring to manager their stores and what type of customer service is being given to their customers because today was the last day I ever shop at Ctown.



On sunday 2-13-05, my husband & I where about to check out when the cashier said there was a problem with our credit card. Apparently, the machine gave her an error message which she didnot understand. Well aware of our account balance, we asked to talk the manager. The manager sits in some office that is on an upper level with a window & she sits there & yells down to us that there is nothing she can do. At no time did she come down, investigate the problem, and try to serve us. We asked her several times to come down & talk to us and not only did she refuse, she began to ignore us. Finally shegave us her name & said we would have to talk to Rafael who is her boss and that he would be in tomorrow.


We refuse to shop at these markets anymore & plan to tell our freinds about the deplorable treatment we received. Beyond logging a complaint here, we will also be writing to ther corporate offices.


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