Although stores often claim they employ receipt checkers to make sure you got everything you paid for, you still might get ripped off. This past weekend, three stores tried to sell us items that did not match their price tag or description. Each time, we politely pointed out the difference to a manager, and each time, we were rewarded for doing so, either with a reduced price or a better item than the original one we wanted. Let us tell you about our exciting weekend, inside.
At Ikea, we were interested in a $20, natural wood step stool, until we found a bright blue floor model for $15. We couldn’t find anything but the natural finish in the warehouse, so we spoke to a manager, who told us that the blue one must have been from last year (it was kicking around in one of those “Look at how much Ikea furniture I can fit in my 200 square foot apartment!” displays) and the price had gone up. She happily wrote us out a price override, which allowed us to buy the step stool for $15 instead of $20.
We tried to buy a cheap drill at Home Depot, but when we brought home the drill that was advertised as coming with 26 bits, we were surprised to find only Phillips and flathead bits. We went back to Home Depot and returned the item, thinking we had grabbed the wrong one off the shelf. Then we noticed that they were advertising one model but stocking and selling a different one that only came with two bits. We pointed this out to a manager and suggested he give us a separate bit package for free, and he ended up giving us a package with more bits and lowering the price of the drill. Unfortunately, he didn’t seem very interested in removing the misleading sign.
The next day, we went to Bed Bath and Beyond to look at towels, and picked some nice towels that rang up at twice the price. It turned out that all of the bath towels that were advertised were actually extra large bath sheets, which cost twice as much. The employee we talked to suggested coming back the next day and seeing if they had any towels, but we instead went to a manager, who rang up the sheets at the same price as the towels.
At the end of it all, we got a drill for a reduced price and a better bit package, a 25% discount on a stool we were going to buy anyway, and two bigger towels for the same price as the smaller ones. We did this by speaking with someone who has the authority to change the price of an item—each time the corrected price rang up, the cashier selected an option called “customer satisfaction.” That such a menu item exists shows this is not an uncommon procedure; we didn’t have to argue with any of the managers, and they all seemed happy to oblige, but if we hadn’t sought them out and complained, we would have been stuck with overpriced, mislabeled items. We have friends who wouldn’t bother complaining; they’d either keep an item they’re not satisfied with, or return it and buy something more expensive. We doubt we have to tell our readers this, but just in case: don’t be afraid to complain.
(Photo: Getty)
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@fjordtjie: They were possibly in the process of taking down the sales signs. It is a little bit more complicated than most people think and takes a good bit of time because of the scanning,etc that must be done. (I have done the job.) Also, what did the sign say exactly? Was the sale only on colors as some colors are seasonal while others aren’t? Was there merchandise above the sign that it could have applied to? There are a myriad of possibilities besides “they were being sneaky”.
My least favorite customers were the ones who assumed we “were out to get them”. They would bring an item, and see a different price than what they said they saw on the sign. When we would go check, they didn’t read the sign. All they saw was 50% off or whatnot and didn’t actually read what it applied to.
Oh, and the ones who would see me scanning down signs and would run to grab an item with an outdated sales sign above it (as in beating me to the punch). When asked, I would tell the cashier that the price in the register was correct (I did look at it to make sure it was correct for that time period). I was working on the signs at the time and the sales sign had expired. Then I would alert the supervisor to what happened just in case the customer wanted to make a stink. But if I didn’t see you look at me and then get a wild look in your eye as if the world was ending, I would probably say give the old price.
@Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity: Hiding crap? Paranoid much? Seriously, where are all of you guys shopping. I have never had a problem getting a price changed in a store if it rang up wrong. Of course, I also don’t treat the cashier or SA like crap and an idiot either.
Kroger gives the item to you if it rings up wrong. It happens once in awhile and I have never had a problem there.
Walgreens in notorious for this. Every item in their store seems to be off in some way. The last time I went in there to buy asprin it was labeled as $2.00 for the walgreens brand. When I got to the register with a bunch of other items, i paid and left the store. In the parking lot I noticed the receipt said $3.99 for the asprin. I went back in there and the cashier seemed genuinely pissed off that she has to refund $1.99 plus .16 cents in tax. Too bad… It was definately a matter of principle at that point. If this didn’t happen everytime I go there I would have probably overlooked the two bucks.
As much as many folks seem to scowl at the new fangled carry around hand scanners that my local Stop and shop has and feel like they are doing the ‘stores job’ by baging their own groceries. I love the fact that I can pick something up off the shelf and when I scan it I know that the price I am being charged is what is on the tag/shelf card because I can compare the prices as each item is scanned to the ringup and the shelf card. I dont have to carry around abunch of numbers of what things ‘should ring up as’ in my head
plus I have a running total in my hand, and if something is not marked it is a quick ‘bloop’ to get the price. since you are bagging things as you take them off the shelf it takes all of 30 seconds to ‘checkout’
Always, always check your receipts! At the store I work at, even the best cashiers will accidentally ring you up for multiples of one item. And, our pricing department makes mistakes all the time, so make sure you’re getting the price you were expecting to get.
@Grabraham: And it’s S&S policy to give you the item free if it over-rings. I’ve had some fun just finding price mistakes.
Oh, and yes, I don’t have a life, thank you for asking.
@RandomHookups
It’s not a big corporation. It’s a medical bookshop. We sell medical books and equipment. Usually the price is only 3-4$ off. I know it’s cold but I was told that I’d lose my job if I wasn’t consistent to the “tagged price is right” policy. I don’t want to but I have to. ;_; But we’re not so cold — we give sometimes a discount if a book is slightly bent or worn. 10% may not sound like much but if the book costs 300$…
With the Erie County scanner law it’s amount of error x 10 or 10.00, which ever is lower…however if you bring up the error st the register you only get the price adjusted. You have to wait to be cashed out and go to customer service to get a super-refund. The store gets fined too – that’s why they have incentive to switch signs on a “price check for discrepancy” (explained in full detail to checker).
It’s not paranoid to notice that your stale sale item sign has been removed, if escalating penalties are involved, but I don’t think any store does it on purpose…although a disgruntled employee might.
@thelushie: As an ex cashier, CSR, Line Server, ETC…. I never treat people who deal with the public bad. I know that they have only limited power sometimes. But I have had them call for a price check, and the display “changed” between when I got it and when “someone” went to check the price. They have either removed the sign, or moved product around. So no, I’m not paranoid. Also, it’s easier to show someone why you were confused about a price when the shelf is as it was when you picked up the item.
@majin_chichi:
That is NOT a law in Canada…it is a voluntary Scanning Code of Practice that some stores participate in. If the store has the SCoP posted on their front door and/or the cash they HAVE to honour it as part of their agreement…If a store doesn’t post the SCoP they do NOT have to follow its guidelines.
Learn more: [www.retailcouncil.org]
[www.retailcouncil.org]
In Quebec there is a law rather than voluntary guidelines.
As a general rule…carry a copy of the rules in your wallet as many participating stores don’t train their staff about it!
Went to payless today… they had a buy one, get one half off anything in the store. My 3 y/o wanted a high school musical purse and it was in a section that said $4… there were four others. I paid, not thinking anything of the price. My wife asked for the price and said it had to be wrong… she went back and the manager tried to refuse to give us the proper price and she insisted that it “must be in the wrong place”, but that’s not our problem… especially when there are four in the same rack in the same spot at the $4 sign…
Fix your signage Payless!!!
I agree with you on this “don’t be afraid to complain.”
To many people would just say o well, and lose out on the deal, its important that we take a stand and get what we pay for.
I had a friend buy a computer at a box store, they manager matched the price from another competitor, after my fiend paid for the computer, the manager realizing he made a mistake, tried to block his exit from the store.
Demanding my friend hand over the computer or he would call the cops, my friend stood firm, and knowing his rights, that since he paid for it , he owns it.
He walked out and he kept the computer.
Stand for what you believe in
I was buying shoes at Sports Authority the other day and they rang up $15 more than what they should have. I talked to a manager, and luckily, she corrected it for me.
target seems to be paticularly inept at charging the correct price, including an inability to count multiples…and they don’t fix at the register, you must go to customer service. However, they can err in your favor as often as not. The pasta tube works for straight noodle pastas, I find them for a dollar or so a piece at thrift stores, and yes, they make great bug proof storage. Kinoki? My grandma was a huge fan of foot washing, to the tune of several times a day. I adopted the habit and find it quite refreshing. And nothing to put in the landfill. Foot diapers-what a racket. What else you got?
I think this is most important at places like Ikea where you have to bag your own stuff and can’t stand around and watch each item scan.
I had a semi-frustrating experience with Ikea… I had 5 items that cost $3 each, and the cashier rang up $15 x 5! Instead of just $15. I didn’t see this because I was bagging my stuff. When I got home, I was sure I was screwed bc I thought I would have had to present this to a manager while I was still in the store, and there was no way I was going back to NJ from NYC until the next weekend.
I called their Customer Service and they took a claim. The rep seemed overly cheery and was sure my claim would be granted and apologized for the inconvenience. They sent my claim to the Elizabeth, NJ store and I was contacted by the store asking for my original receipt! Even tho they had a digital copy of it, I had to send mine in. So I sent it in and called back multiple times to check on it. No word. Then my claim was closed with the note that they were waiting for my receipt. Eventually, I was able to speak with the woman who I sent my receipt to.. she was off, on vacation, away from her desk..etc every other time. I told her I sent it, when I sent it.. and she was like: “oh, let me look in my desk…” “oh! there it is!”.. like WTF, you don’t know what’s in your desk? Anyway, they took care of it right away, although the whole process took a month to get my $60 back.
Now, I will never leave Ikea w/o checking my receipt!
@brian25 Unless there is a picture or description of the item at the rack with the discounted price, most stores will deny you the cheaper price. A lot of times, things are in the wrong place.