Sick n tired of verdulero cheats...

[Celia]

I tend to ask the price but they get mighty pissed off, assuming I'm treating them badly, particularly when I am so damn rich!!!!
Then they trick by cheating the weight or the final total.....3 ways to cheat and some use all at once. Yes I speak English (and castellano) and I am the only milk white woman in the barrio so wear a hat but my blood is red and my son has an Argentinean passport so I will continue to fight for my rights.

 

[rihornos]

Hello Celia
As Iam in the same neighborhood there is one greengrocer on Santiago del Estero and Carlos Calvo the boy is really very very nice to me and always tells me how much is every vegetable I buy, there is also a butcher in the same place but I always buy to the greengrocer I don`t know if you know who Iam talking about he seems to be honest, this man is around 40 years old or less - Santiago del Estero and Carlos Calvo his prices are not the cheapest but neither the most expensives....

 

[Celia]

Yes I know who you mean, he's good....there's always a long line there which is probs whyI don't go too often. May try the butcher too.

 

[JHB1216]

......the ones who try to charge me 25 a kilo for lemon or morron when it's 8 or 10, or 25 pesos for 3 lettuces, a few onions and a banana. Yes I know I have a "cara de plata" but I'm tired of having to boycot so many places where they think I won't notice a 100% mark up!!!!.

I know it sucks, there are few places in the city that you can let your guard down when money is changing hands. For what it is worth they do the same thing with my Argentine wife so I don't think that it has to be just because you are not from here that this is happening.

I have had luck the vegetable stands that are the busiest with the most locals as I can see what others are paying. Most Argentines are most going to frequent someone that over charges them. When someone tries to overcharge me, I just say gracias no and walk away.

 

[Still.Ida]

I can relate to the frustration of paying the ''idiot tax'' as my friend likes to call it (i.e. when you move into a new place and you don't know the ropes yet so you get charged ridiculous prices). I recently moved to Palermo after living in Monserrat, and yes I paid a super high price in Palermo on my first fruit and vegetable go around. So I just stick to the place I was buying my vegetables in Monserrat. It is on Belgrano at Entre Rios, if you are walking up Entre Rios going towards Congreso take a left at Belgrano and you will see it there right on your left hand side. It is great, the prices are so reasonable and you get to pick your own fruits and vegetables. When they ring you up the scale is right in front of you and the price is right there, they give you a receipt and it is great. I am in the neighborhood a few times a week and if you are close it is worth it. I am not close but I really like Monserrat and it has a lot of good qualities to it, that place being one of them. No one is cheating you there, it is simply the prices are up, you pick what you like, they ring it up and that is that.

I wish you well and sorry about the initial frustration. For me if I have the time, I much prefer to travel to the places that I know are good and fair.

Suerte,
Ida

 

[fifs2]

I tend to ask the price but they get mighty pissed off, assuming I'm treating them badly, particularly when I am so damn rich!!!!
Then they trick by cheating the weight or the final total.....3 ways to cheat and some use all at once. Yes I speak English (and castellano) and I am the only milk white woman in the barrio so wear a hat but my blood is red and my son has an Argentinean passport so I will continue to fight for my rights.

Sorry to hear of your troubles but thanks for making me feel good about my neighbourhood. I have often knocked Cabaillito for being so staid but the plus side is the friendly local shops where we are known by name (they call our kids morochos for a laugh) and will always mark down the total in our favor and never expect down-payments on any large orders as they know we can be trusted. To be fair to the locals I know tradesmen in Ireland who would up the price based on how large your house and car were so opportunists exist everywhere, which means yoo/we have to be extra price savvy and not throw our cash around lest it look like all foreigners are loaded and market ignorant. I say go draw up a list of recent vegetable prices and go into the shop, check the scales on every purchase, tot it all up on the calculator and give them a run for their money..if they dont take it in good humor then go find another place that will as they surely do exist in every area...

 

[nikad]

Also, you should know that it is illegal to not display prices for items being sold. If they are jerks, I would report them

 

[TomAtAlki]

We are very lucky I guess. We live in Palermo viajo and there is a family run veggie stand on the corner. All prices are displayed and they alway treat us great. it's on the corner of Guatemala and juilan Alvarez. I think they also have a big truck that delivers veggies to other places.

 

[zork]

I tend to ask the price but they get mighty pissed off, assuming I'm treating them badly

It's not bad at all to ask the price of things before you buy, especially since by law they are supposed to display the price. You'll hear locals all the time asking how much and complaining how the prices are too high.

I've lived in many barrios across the city and the best verdulería by far is the one I go to now in Palermo Hollywood, on Paraguay in between Carranza and Ravignani - it's owned by an older Argentine couple and they are as nice as can be with the lowest prices I've seen, and if something is expensive or not great quality, they will let you know before you buy.

 

[rihornos]

I like to buy to him because some others I have the feeling they laugh at me cheating on the weight, if you go early in the afternoon the place is empty but in the evenings people who work are standing on line, besides he has everything even cranberries and he has good quality and fresh vegetables and is also very kind I feel better spending my money there.