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510 points bookofjoe | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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avsteele ◴[] No.46191718[source]
Article Context-free raw #'s, no comparisons to traditional grocery stores AFAIK. Dad journalism.

You should not update on this article unless you have some outside knowledge of the industry.

I had AI look into it, it found a national report found that dollar stores had pricing errors at about twice (3.5%) the rate of traditional supermarkets (1.7%) but lower than convenience stores (4.9%).

https://cdn.ncwm.com/userfiles/files/Resources/Price%20Verif...

replies(1): >>46191925 #
latexr ◴[] No.46191925[source]
I’m having a hard time parsing your comment.

> Article Context-free raw #'s

What does this mean?

> no comparisons to traditional grocery stores AFAIK.

So? The article is very specific from the beginning it was an investigation on two specific chains. That different stores may also do it does not invalidate the point.

> Dad journalism

Did you mean “bad journalism”, or is “dad journalism” a term with meaning (like “armchair psychologist”)? B and D aren’t that close on a typical QWERTY, but maybe it was a wrong autocorrect?

> You should not update on this article

Also here. I’m guessing “update” was meant to be a different word? I don’t understand what you mean.

> (…) a national report found that (…)

Which is useful information, but (again) does nothing for the article’s point. Because other stores do it, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth reporting that these ones do too. The article isn’t saying these are the only chains engaging the the practice. Furthermore, the point matters because the people who need to frequent dollar stores are the ones who are already cash strapped.

The article goes deeper than just presenting some numbers, it argues for why exactly this matters, why it happens, and why it isn’t being fixed.

replies(1): >>46194212 #
avsteele ◴[] No.46194212[source]
> Article Context-free raw #'s

"Dollar General stores have failed more than 4,300 government price-accuracy inspections in 23 states since January 2022" Is this a lot or a little? There no context for national chain

> Dad journalism

"Bad" Typo, sorry

> You should not update on this article

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_inference

> (…) a national report found that (…)

The article's thesis is that these stores are uniquely bad. Whether or not this is correct necessarily depends on a comparison with other stores.

replies(1): >>46194597 #
1. latexr ◴[] No.46194597[source]
> Is this a lot or a little?

Seems to me that failing any inspection is bad. 4300 in three years and in half the country is clearly a lot. That’s almost four failed inspections per day, double the number of mass shootings (which is also too high and even one is bad).

Also, the paragraphs immediately following what you quoted provide more context. Over 50% error rate is obviously a lot, as is failing 28 inspections in a row.

> The article's thesis is that these stores are uniquely bad.

Is it? Seems to me the thesis of the article is how this broken system is punishing poor people even further: “As the cost of living soars across America, the customers bearing the burden are those who can least afford it”. Which parts specifically make you believe that the thesis of the article is that these stores are uniquely bad?