22 Comments »

Manzanillochick said:

We switched from Walmart to Soriana and are saving 1000 pesos a month. After one month of shopping using the Soriana points system we got a free 600 pesos of groceries. That point system is well worth it. Don’t forget you have electronic money (dinero electronico) and puntos (points which can be applied to discounts) Just don’t go on a Saturday or Sunday night. It’s a zoo.
Walmart has a better Asian food section.
Commercial has unique imported stuff too. They just released a line called India, with furniture, decor, jewelry, and most importantly- food. Samosas, packets of indian food, naan bread and more. Awesome! We have a hard time getting them to accept credit cards though. So have back up cash with you.
- 2 November 2008 at 2:58 pm
crazy4manzanillo said:

i think soriana is cheaper in the end, but there are times when walmart offers the same for a lower price in that week.
i shop at both soriana & walmart and get what’s chepest in those 2 stores, so i have nothing againts one store to another. in both soriana and walmart i usually get alot of those exclusive store brand products (’soriana’, great value, etc), so i save a few bucks here and there.
at the comercial i rarely shop there except for buying music cd’s and shaving cream.
personally, i find the comercial and walmart’s supermarket to look alot cleaner vs the soriana, but that’s just my personal opinion.
- 2 November 2008 at 11:45 pm
CeeZee said:

We have tried all 3 and shop mostly at Soriana. Staff more helpful, electronic money, points and overall selection.
However we have found Commercial sometimes has the best sales for wine and housewares.
Personally we appreciate having the choices.
- 3 November 2008 at 11:12 am
Another Sunrise- Belated Photo Friday | Manzanillo Mexico Blog said:
[...] It was a fierce battle, but in the end Oxxo won by a landslide. This months poll is the great Manzanillo Supermarket Smackdown! Be sure to cast your votes and share your [...]
- 3 November 2008 at 11:37 am
Stan said:

Commercial, hands down. Basic prices are lower, better magazine/book section, no messing around with electronic dinero and junk, you can buy newspapers (Correo & El Noticiero) in the mall outside Commercial, plus it is a shorter bus ride. The only reason to go to WalMart is for large containers of clumping cat litter.
- 4 November 2008 at 8:14 am
crazy4manzanillo said:

i would agree to some point to stan’s comment, it’s easier to shop without relying on a card all the time. however, soriana does a great job promoting great discounts with the card.
i also like shopping at walmart cause it contains some promotions and products that no other store in town has to offer and their gv, aurrera lineup is great overall. i’m a little dissapointed that great value doesn’t carry out their 2 lt version of orange juice, especially since la comercial has their golden hills brand, and the soriana with their store brand. it’s no biggie, but i would save a few bucks there.
have any body have ever shop at ley? it’s pretty far all the way to centro manzanillo.
- 4 November 2008 at 2:27 pm
El zorro platiado said:

As other comments have indicated, each store has their features. I prefer Commercial for most items. Before Wal-Mart there were some things that Soriana had and not Commercial, and the opposite. However, consistently I have found the prices at Commercial for cervezas and vinos, and tequilas cheaper. Often by a considerable margin. The annual Julio Regalo (July sale) where Commercial has “3 for 2″ is awesome.
Personally, I don’t like the electronic money. I like the real money. The items to purchase at Soriana with the electronic money are sometimes very low in quality.
Commercial has a better selection of meat, in my opinion. The prices for a rib eye, and the quality of the meat, is very good. The shrimp prices are competitive with the Santiago market prices and of very good quality too.
We have consistently been disappointed with the meat at Wal-Mart and the fruits and veggies. Yes, the signs are in Spanish and English, and they have clumping cat litter, but beyond that no me lo gusta.
- 7 November 2008 at 9:11 am
Vote Soriana- Photo Friday | Manzanillo Mexico Blog said:
[...] This photo was submitted by Mark W. I thought his submission was appropriate due to this months poll about supermarkets. It is turning into a much tighter race than I had imagined. So, as an unbiased [...]
- 7 November 2008 at 9:41 am
crazy4manzanillo said:

thanks mark for the great soriana picture. i’ve save that one on my files!
i too think that some (not all) of the soriana label products are lower in quality vs (walmart) great value and aurrera. aurrera / gv has the lowest priced (full sized, i forgot the exact ‘litros’) starwberrie jelly vs la costeña brand found in wally/soriana/comercial, so i shop at wally to get their gv/aurrera jelly. walmart also carries out their milk brand for $9.90, and i think there are times when they promote 2 x $15 specials. i’ve tried their milk and it’s just as good like the lala label i used to get. walmart seem to have better looking baguettes vs soriana.
la comercial has it’s goods too, with their miercoles de plaza. on wendesday, go striaght to the fruit market section of the supermarket, and they have the lowest price. they had a special on $1 each kilo on a water melon. that’s cheap! i later went to wally to get some stuff there, and even though they did try to lower their regular high prices on fruits, it came no where near the low prices that la comercial offered.
so i guess each store has it’s good & bad. i would say i like to shop at all 3 stores. my top 3 would be:
1. soriana
2. wal-mart
3. comercial mexicana
- 7 November 2008 at 11:19 pm
Manzanillo Blogger (author) said:

Soriana quality does lack in the meat and produce department. It’s hard to beat Walmart’s produce (and they sell sushi too). It’s incredibly frustrating when you see something you like one day, and it could be months until you see the same product again.
Probably not an anomaly specific to Walmart. But it’s still frustrating.
- 8 November 2008 at 12:57 am
crazy4manzanillo said:

i think i’m going to bounce back to walmart. soriana seems to be raising their prices again, even with the card.
walmart is now selling basic products at lower prices (ham, bread, cheese, etc.).
save money. live better.
- 11 November 2008 at 3:18 pm
La Jolla- Photo Friday | Manzanillo Mexico Travel Blog said:
[...] months poll is the Manzanillo Supermarket Smackdown! Be sure to cast your votes and share your [...]
- 14 November 2008 at 11:32 am
Choosing mask for snorkeling and diving in Manzanillo Mexico | Manzanillo Mexico Travel Blog said:
[...] Soriana, Walmart, Comercial Mexicana- Super Market Showdown … [...]
- 17 November 2008 at 12:33 am
Colima Volcano- Photo Friday | Manzanillo Mexico Travel Blog said:
[...] months poll is the Manzanillo Supermarket Smackdown! Be sure to cast your votes and share your [...]
- 21 November 2008 at 9:04 am
Guadalajara- Photo Friday | Manzanillo Mexico Travel Blog said:
[...] This months poll is drawing to a close. Be sure to cast your vote while there still is time for the great Manzanillo Supermarket Smackdown! [...]
- 28 November 2008 at 9:34 am
crazy4manzanillo said:

If there was an upadated poll on this toipc, I’d vote for Walmart ’cause they are NOW REALLY dropping there prices. Go to Walmart every tuesday to get UNBEATABLE DISCOUNTS on FRUITS. It’s even cheaper than the promotions found in local mercados, so get there while the offer lasts!
For X-Mas on the deli section, they have prepared turkey, rice, etc. It’s really nice and not that expensive.
I dunno when these offers will last, but at the time being, i’m not complaining!
p.s. Can you make a topic on Waldo’s? I’ve always liked the kind of products that can be found in a dollar store. I want to see what’s your take on a dollar type store in Manzanillo?
- 16 December 2008 at 4:24 pm
ramon saens said:

para mi y toda mi familia es mucho mejor soriana debido a los puntos y el dinero electronico hay veses en que no pagamos en efectivo por que pagamos ya sea con puntos o bien dinero electronico
todos los articulos de walmart son marca china y luego luego se desconponen y ademas nos hemod podido dar cuenta como maltratan asu empleados con esos salarios tan miserables
comercial mexicana
es una empresa muy pequeña pero por eso los productos cuestan mas
indudablemente prefiero soriana
- 17 January 2009 at 6:47 pm
federica said:

soriana luego comercial mexicana y alultimo walmart
- 17 January 2009 at 6:50 pm
kathia said:

soriana ovio por sus precios puntos dinero electronico por que es una empresa mexicana por que hay en todo el pais pr su servisio por todo
- 17 January 2009 at 6:53 pm
soriana said:

creo que la mejor opcion para comprar es soriana por sus precios mas bajos que walmart, aurrera y la comercial. ademas de que la comercial quiere imitar a soriana en muchos aspectos pero en si nunca lo lograra. los martes de mercado en soriana he comprado sandia 75 centavos kg, piña 75 centavos kg , naranja limon cebolla elote melon papaya a solo 75 centavos el kilo y la fruta es de gran calidad ademas de que me las llevo gratis con 100 puntos o menos todas las frutas y verduras x kg ademas con el dinero electronico me lleve una laptop gratis ademas me regalo 10 000 puntos adicionales. la mejor opcion es soriana mas calidad , limpieza, ahorro. ademas te mejoran el precio de la competencia presentando cualquier publicacion.
1-soriana
2-soriana plus
100% el super mexicano digamos no a los gringos
- 16 February 2009 at 10:02 pm
crazy4manzanillo said:

walmart is having a huge promo on featuring several products for 10 pesos. i bought a 1 lt of oceanspray cranberry juice for 10 pesos. that’s pretty cheap. i also bought a 1 lt aurrera cola for that same price, toilet paper, etc, etc, etc.
i’m starting to like the store cause it offers low prices and great quality at the same time. the soriana offers lower prices most of the time, but the quality isn’t always that great.
some locals may not like walmart cause it’s gringo vs soriana and comercial, and that doesn’t surprise me one bit, but when i’m in a hunt for discount shopping, i choose the store that offers the lowest price and with the best quality possible, i’m not really paying attention if walmart is gringo or if the soriana is very mexican.
the price and quality service is bottom line.
p.s. try out DQ! the price is right and it brings back memories and some brain freeze!
- 17 February 2009 at 2:38 am
Manzanillo Blogger (author) said:

We have recently started to shop at Commercial more. The quality of meat and produce is very high. I think they have the cheapest meat of the three as well. They don’t always have the selection of Walmart, but A+ on quality and the selection and variety for other items is catching up slowly.
- 17 February 2009 at 9:14 am

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