Consumerist: checkout

Massachusetts Supermarkets Want To Remove Price Tags From Items

Chris Walters — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:57:30 EDT

A bill is advancing through the Massachusetts legislature that will allow supermarkets to leave off item price tags and instead force customers to rely on electronic scanners spaced throughout the store. Although prices will still need to be displayed on store shelves for most items, you'll have to rely on your memory and your faith in the store's scanner system at checkout. John Hurst, the president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, "said consumers will benefit in the form of lower prices and shortened lines once stores no longer need to devote resources to item-by-item pricing." But kjd aa- [thump]

—sorry, we just fell out of our chairs laughing at the idea of a supermarket out there that will heroically pass the savings downstream to consumers instead of profiting directly from it.

The bill’s critics, which include the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group and the ConsumerWorld.org Web site, say consumers will suffer because they may be forced to wander as far away as 5,000 feet in a particular store to scan an item and check its price. If a retailer opts for the scanning system alternative, prices would still need to be displayed on store shelves for most items.

The critics say it will be harder to catch overcharges at the cash register, and the scanning machines may not pick up on sale prices or special prices for customers with loyalty cards.

"Consumer groups worry that item pricing could go away at supermarkets" *warning! obnoxious ads* [Enterprisenews.com] (Thanks to Linus!)
(Photo: Getty)

Iowa Best Buy Won't Sell To You Unless You Sign Up For Rewards Card?

Chris Walters — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:25:07 EDT

Frank says he wasn't allowed to complete his purchase at a Best Buy in Des Moines, Iowa unless he signed up for their Rewards card: "He called over his supervisor. In a rather harsh manner, she told him that everyone purchasing items is now required to sign up for a rewards card." Sounds like somebody had a quota to meet!

You may have heard about this already, but I thought it was rather odd.

I was at Best Buy the other day here in West Des Moines, Iowa. It was the store at the Jordan Creek mall. I went to purchase my items and the young kid working at the register asked to see my rewards card. I told him that I don't have one. I avoid that card because I don't like the junk mail coming into my mailbox. I prefer to purchase my items and leave.

Well, he looked confused and called over his supervisor. In a rather harsh manner, she told him that everyone purchasing items is now required to sign up for a rewards card. She said that they cannot let buy things without having one of those cards. I was rather anxious to get back and finish homework for my college courses, so I got the rewards card and left.

Maybe this is normal, but I wasn't very happy about it. Granted they'll send me coupons, but I know it's going to benefit them more than it will me - otherwise they wouldn't do it.

(Photo: qnr)

Signing Card Slip At Home Depot Consents To Mysterious, Hidden Agreement

Ben Popken — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:00:49 EST

When Mark signed his receipt at Home Depot, doing so declared he, "HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ AND ACCEPTS THE TERMS..." of customer agreement #156326.

This agreement was nowhere to be seen, natch. — BEN POPKEN

Home Depot receipt and "customer agreement" [This Is Broken via BoingBoing]

UPDATE: A BoingBoing reader says that this happens for items purchased at the Special Services desk, and the salesperson should've shown Mark the actual agreement.