S. is living the dream. My dream, at least. The dream of using one’s grown-up status and money to buy an awesome toy that our parents wouldn’t buy us in our childhood. In S.’s case, it was even better, since a strange pricing system error meant that he got a $6 remote control helicopter.

I wanted an RC Helicopter for no reason other than not having been allowed to have one as a kid. I went to WalMart and ended up choosing the $59.95 Air Hogs model. When it came time to check out, the cashier scanned it and it rang up $59.95 AND $5.88 1-year protection plan. I told her I didn’t want the protection plan, just the helicopter. She tries to void the $5.88 charge but the system will only let her void the $59.95. She canceled out the entire transaction and tried again. It still rang up both items and would only allow her to void one.

She called the Customer Service Manager over. The manager tried it as well and it kept forcing the protection plan when the helicopter was rung up and absolutely would not allow the $5.88 charge to be removed – even with a manager’s override. They also tried ringing up a second Air Hogs that was priced the same and it also rang up with the protection plan. I told them not to worry about it as there was a Radio Shack across the street that had the same model at (amazingly) the same price.

The customer service manager told me to wait, rang up the helicopter (which rang up with the protection plan of course) then voided it (the system would ONLY allow the helicopter to be voided and not the protection plan) and asked how I was paying. I looked at the total…. She charged me only the $5.88 protection plan and voided off the $59.95 for the helicopter. I told her she didn’t have to but she said it was fine. This is perhaps the best $5.88 I’ve spent in a long time. Thanks, WalMart!

Most excellent. Now, make sure that you have a lot of fun with that helicopter!

(Photo: Locutis)

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