Pricing errors at the grocery store, how often for you?

[Vette73]

So which Giant is this, Springfield Plaza, Cardinal Forest, Saratoga, or Kings Park?

Yesterday was the Annandale one in the little strip mall with Advance Auto and a bank and McDonalds in the lot. Only went there as I needed to get some parts from Advance.

But I usually shop at the Springfield one and thats the one with the Asian woman that seems to have remembered me after proving her wrong a couple times.

 

[Linflas]

Yesterday was the Annandale one in the little strip mall with Advance Auto and a bank and McDonalds in the lot.

But I usually shop at the Springfield one and thats the one with the Asian woman that seems to have remembered me.

Back in the day the one in Springfield Plaza was a good store. Lots of people that had worked there forever, very helpful and involved in the local community (not to mention patient with the obnoxious teenaged version of me). Like I said further back, Giant has really changed for the worst over the past 10 years. We have one about a mile from our house and my wife drives out to Gainesville to do our grocery shopping at the Wegmans there. All we use the Giant for is incidentals.

 

[CountZero]

One of my responsibilities when I worked at Whole Foods was pricing accuracy. Had two people that spent 20 hours a week each scanning every item in the store to check for accuracy plus I'd do some as well. So 44 hours a week scanning to get to < 1% errors (both for or against the customer). Major pain. The newer stores now just have electronic tags that tie directly into the price database so the only place to watch out are the sale tags.

We used to get audited by the state occasionally and they'd spot check items. Never failed and don't remember what the penalties were if we had.

As to the free item for an overprice as law thing that sounds crazy. Forcing them to charge posted price is one thing but free is something else entirely. I can't imagine a $100 bottle of wine that rings up for $105 being free, let alone say a Best Buy with AV stuff.

 

[Vette73]

Back in the day the one in Springfield Plaza was a good store. Lots of people that had worked there forever, very helpful and involved in the local community (not to mention patient with the obnoxious teenaged version of me). Like I said further back, Giant has really changed for the worst over the past 10 years. We have one about a mile from our house and my wife drives out to Gainesville to do our grocery shopping at the Wegmans there. All we use the Giant for is incidentals.

Yea after having so many pricing errors I get 99% of my meat, milk, eggs, etc... from costco. I hate going to costco for just 1 item as it can be heck to get in and out. But I have never had anything scan wrong at the costco. Even the coupons/sales work.

But I still uses giant kinda like you describe. But I may go more often now that someone pointed out they do have the "scan wrong its free..." deal.

 

[MadScientist]

Walmart is the worst. The pricing mistake is always in their favor. I have to watch everything they scan. The cashier will correct it if it's a small difference but on large differences they call back to the department to check it.

I hate shopping there but it's the only supermarket within 25 miles. They have driven the other 2 supermarkets in town out of business.

 

[kami333]

As to the free item for an overprice as law thing that sounds crazy. Forcing them to charge posted price is one thing but free is something else entirely. I can't imagine a $100 bottle of wine that rings up for $105 being free, let alone say a Best Buy with AV stuff.

There is usually a dollar limit, for instance MI's price scanning law requires the business to refund 10times the overcharged amount, but it's capped at $5 (but no less than $1). Most stores I know have a policy of it's free if below X dollars, if it's over you get the correct price minus a few dollars.

 

[DrPizza]

I almost never have any price errors at my local grocery store. Occasionally, I notice that the unit pricing on the shelves is screwed up, but that doesn't affect the price you pay.

At WalMart, they used to have a sign up that said it was free if under $3, else you got $3 off, if the price rang up wrong. I purchased some pie tins. They were supposed to be $1.19. They rang up for $1.09. I pointed this out to the cashier. "Well, it worked out in your favor then!" "Well, according to your policy, it's free." I recall giving up on that one due to a long line behind me and a very confused cashier wondering why 10 cents off didn't make me as happy as $1.19 off for their error.

 

[dbailey]

My favorite thing is the dumbasses in the Deli.

Can I get a third pound of virginia baked ham? Yes sir. The bitch puts a few slices of ham on the scale and it registers .32 then stops on .33. She looks at me to see if that is good. I stare blankly. She reaches for more ham and begins to put it on the scale...

Hello.. it is not that hard.

 

[Kev]

when I go grocery shopping I dont even look at the prices of the stuff I buy, I just pick what I need and pay whatever it ends up costing

 

[TridenT]

when I go grocery shopping I dont even look at the prices of the stuff I buy, I just pick what I need and pay whatever it ends up costing

Pretty much this... Only time that is excluded is when I am running really low on money. Generally I can look at the price per ounce of an item or just the total and say whether it's worth or not in my head, then I just pay whatever the fuck it is at the thing.

I've never had issues with people double-charging, etc.

 

[kranky]

I can't remember the prices so I don't know if they are scanning at the right price or not. But last week I had to run into the supermarket for a carton of milk. At the checkout I grabbed a tin of Altoids. The Altoids scanned at $2.49 and the shelf tag, right in front of me at the checkout, was $2.19. So I got that free. The only reason I caught it was it was right in front of my face.

 

[wiredspider]

hehe I like them, usually means I get the item for free.
One store had a giant sign for tortillas for .50 lower than their actual price. I got a pack for free every time I went for a while.

 

[kinev]

hehe I like them, usually means I get the item for free.
One store had a giant sign for tortillas for .50 lower than their actual price. I got a pack for free every time I went for a while.

And people wonder why some stores have changed their policies...

:thumbsdown: