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Civilians call them grocery stores. To those of us in the military, they are commissaries. I remember our first duty station and my first introduction to DeCA (Defense Commissary Agency). What a change from what I was used to. It may seem somewhat odd, but there is a code of etiquette that goes with the commissary.

First things first, you must be an authorized shopper. Commissary personnel cannot allow you to shop unless you have Department of Defense ID that authorizes commissary privileges. So you cannot forget your I.D. card or there you will be, with a large cart of groceries you won't be able to purchase.

When you experience shopping at the commissary the first thing you'll notice is that the prices are cheaper than they are at a grocery store. DeCA proudly boasts a 30% annual savings over shopping your local grocery store. But wait; there is even bigger savings in store for you. Did you know that the commissary also accepts coupons? Commissaries accept most types of coupons as part of purchase transactions in accordance with the terms and conditions stated on a coupon. Customers who wish to use coupons as part of a purchase transaction must buy the item(s) indicated on a coupon prior to the expiration date. Commissaries located in foreign overseas areas accept coupons up to six months after the expiration date stated on a coupon. Commissaries also accept Internet or home-printed coupons provided they meet the following requirements - the coupons must have "dot-scan” bars below expiration dates or barcodes with Product Identification Numbers (PINs), and they can't be for free products. Better yet, each commissary hosts a "coupon board” or stand when you enter the building, where they will offer coupons that you can use immediately.

While inside the commissary you will notice very simple organization. You won't see grand displays or flashy signs. Commissaries are non-profit organizations. By law, commissaries are required to sell goods at prices that are set at a level to recover the cost of goods, with no profit built into these prices. This explains why they sometimes might seem "boring” when it comes to display. Or, for instance, why commissaries cannot "double" (or otherwise increase) the face value of coupons, why they cannot sell goods below cost to create a low price "image," or why they are unable to pay a "rebate" to patrons who return bags for reuse or ones whom use non-disposable bags. Commissaries also cannot donate money or products to an individual or organization.

Commissaries quite frequently have events where you can purchase goods at an even greater discount. In May and October of each year DeCA will run a truckload or case lot sale commissary wide. The other ten months of the year it is up to the manager's discretion as to whether or not to hold an event. If you're curious you can visit their website www.commissaries.com or call your local commissary.

DeCA is committed to customer satisfaction. Just recently, I was at my local commissary and noticed that they didn't carry something I usually buy in my local grocery store. I didn't want to make another trip so I thought I'd ask if they would ever get it in. Turns out they take special orders. During your next commissary visit, contact a member of management and request a certain item be carried in the commissary. There is a catch; they will need a UPC code. If you're not sure of the UPC code, bring the empty box with you. They can tell you instantly if the item is on the authorized list. They had my product in the store within two weeks.

Speaking of customer service, you might wonder the story behind the bagging of your groceries. Commissary baggers are not government or commissary employees, and are paid solely by the tips that commissary patrons offer in exchange for bagging/carryout services. Baggers are self-employed, and work under a license agreement with an installation commander. Each commissary has

a "head bagger" who coordinates and oversees bagger activities. Baggers work for tips only, however, you may choose not to use bagger/carryout services at all, or you may choose to use the services of a bagger but not provide a tip. The rule of thumb for tips is .25 per bag. A popular question is; when two baggers take on the same order, which do you tip? The answer is to tip the one that takes the bags to your car. The other bagger quickly steps in and continues with the next customer.

Commissaries accept cash, personal checks, travelers checks, money orders, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and VISA credit cards, AFFN, Bankmate, Cash Station, Explore, Honor, Instant Teller, Interlink, MAC, Maestro, NYCE, Pulse, and TYME debit cards, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) payment instruments, Food Stamps, either as coupons or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) payment instruments (issued as checks, drafts, vouchers, warrants, or EBT by different states), American Red Cross Disbursing Orders and Commissary Gift Certificates.

The commissary does charge a surcharge on your total purchase. There is much debate as to what this surcharge is for, and some feel they are being taxed. That is not the case. A surcharge is applied to the total value of each commissary purchase because the Congress has mandated collection of surcharge (currently 5 percent) to pay for commissary construction, equipment and maintenance. All surcharge dollars collected are returned to commissary customers in the form of continually improved commissary facilities. The amount of surcharge applied to a commissary sale transaction is shown as "SCG" on your sales receipt. Surcharge is applied to the total value of your order BEFORE coupon values are deducted.

Here are some tips to help ease your commissary experience: * Do not shop on the day before, the day of, or the day after payday * Do not shop on Mondays - the commissary is closed (unless there are two in which case one will be closed Monday, the other Tuesday or Wednesday) * Shop on Wednesdays (that's the least busiest day of most commissaries) * Take your coupons (from the newspaper, online, or even in store) * Commissaries restock every night but Sunday * Make sure you have about $5.00 cash on you to tip your bagger * Do not forget your I.D. card * Organize your shopping list with the flow of the store, your time spent in the store will be less * Shop mid day - not early morning, and not after 5pm - these are the busiest times

For more information regarding your commissary visit the DeCA website at www.commissaries.com. Many commissaries now have a Focus Group, which is made up of commissary customers, and which generally meet annually to discuss issues associated with commissary operations and service, and to provide input to commissary management about needs and desires of the customers. To find out about the Focus Group at your commissary visit the website above.

© 2006 Army Wife Talk Radio

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