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toomuchglass

Items priced wrong - do you argue ?

toomuchglass
16 years ago

This has happened to all of us at one time or another .... something is mismarked . I'm not talking about sale items ... stores are pretty good at changing the price because something is on sale. I'm talking about a regular product . EX : a shelf full of widgets are marked $3.99 .

One widget has a price tag on of $1.99 . Of course I'd grab the $1.99 one . When it rings up at the register for $3.99 - would you insist that you pay as marked , $1.99 ? -- or have them tell you it's a mistake and let them charge you the $3.99 . I know alot of people on both sides of the fence on this subject. What would you do ?

****** Me ? ..... I'm a wimp - I always get bullied into paying the higher price and I never argue . ( I WANT TO - but I don't ) You ??????

Comments (51)

  • beckyb
    16 years ago

    I would say something- although my husband prefers I don't.
    Our local Walmart used to offer several dollars if an item rang up higher than the stated price. They don't do that anymore & also get really picky about ad matching... excuses like the store is too far away, we don't carry Kroger store brand milk, etc. One clerk went as far as to say I would have to return another day & bring the sales flyer (the same one she had at her station) for an ad match.
    My reponse was "No, I won't return tomorrow. Instead I will shop at your competitor which is on my way home today." Which, come to think of it, is what I should have done in the first place...LOL
    Now it does appear I'm getting off topic here and I didn't mean to rant!!!
    My point is we are the ones with a choice where we will spend our money. We also have the right to speak up politely & respectfully if an item is mismarked etc IMHO.
    Becky

  • Jonesy
    16 years ago

    If it were marked wrong, I would expect them to honor the price on it. I have learned I am the one usually wrong, the item is just in the wrong place or I read the top sign instead of the bottom one.

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  • cynic
    16 years ago

    I guess with me, a lot depends on my mood, timing, the store, how I've been treated and how I am treated at the time. Jonesy brings up good points. With the coded tags at the shelves now, it's more rare that there's a true mis-mark. I thought I got overcharged at BigLots but I went and double checked and they had two pallets side by side and one was $2.99 and the other was $4 and it was marked correctly but I thought they were all the same, saw the price on one side and picked it up when I came back up the aisle. So it was my mistake. I could have returned it, but didn't. I needed it anyway.

    I've run into the following issues just in the past week:

    1) Kmart had a covered litter pan on sale for $9.99. My cousin wanted one and wouldn't buy one for himself so I thought I'd give him one. I looked at them and I assumed the one that was on the endcap was the one on sale. I also decided to buy another item for myself ($90 item at that). When I got there, I asked him to check that it rang in at $9.99, it didn't - $14.99. So I said isn't this on sale, etc, well he wouldn't do anything so I told him to get someone to the pet dept so I could get the right one. A guy came, told me another one was the right one. It was marked $12.99 so I went and asked the "service" desk check - she wouldn't ring it, just insisted it wasn't. Search for the guy again. To shorten a long story I spent between 45 min and an hour to save the $3. Normally I would have walked out, mad, or paid the $3, but this time it was principle. Finally I got it though.

    2) Went to Walgreens to pick up the Naproxin on sale for $4.99 with a coupon. Limit 3. I decided to take 2 of them. Got some other stuff too. Just had a suspicion to check the receipt and I got the coupon for just one of them, not the other. Then the crazy manager was trying it say it was my fault! "It was too late, you can't ring in an item after the coupon!" Well tell your cashier, not me! I wasn't happy, but she credited me the $3 to my credit card, but not the tax. I should have argued with that but didn't.

    There was another item or two, IIRC recently but I can't remember details.

    I was at CUB night before last since they had a sale on Ibuprofen for $1/bottle. Didn't have a lot left (surprised? Me neither!) but I did find some. Well they had the sale tags up for several different kinds since they had the generic versions of Advil, Motrin and another one and a few of each there. I did notice that the caplets were $1.49 so I didn't want to get stung on that so I checked the UPC #s to be sure. They did ring up correctly at the self checkout, which I used to watch it closely that I didn't get overcharged!

  • Adella Bedella
    16 years ago

    If there is a price sticker that says $1.99 and the rest were $3.99, I'd insist on the lower price. I just usually assume there is a reason for the mark down and if I want it, I get it.

    I buy what clothes I can at the end of season clearances. I've been lucky lately to find things are marked down even more than what it says on the tag. Some of the basic shorts and tops have been less than $2. That's even better than the thrift store or garage sales.

  • ninos
    16 years ago

    I would ask for the lower price. That is usually the reason I choose the item. If i read the sign wrong then i know it was my error. Some stores use to give you $3 if they scan something wrong. Not many stores still do that. Other stores that have a sale sign will state on the sign the dates that the sale is for. So if you are a day late on the sale and the sign is still up, they wont honor the sale price.

  • budster
    16 years ago

    Yes, I would argue. Most stores will honor the lower sticker price, I have also requested a manager to come and have discussed the matter with them. I guess I have been fortunate and have had no great problems getting the lower price. I found most people are happy just to keep your custom and will do anything to make you happy. Stick to your guns..and if they absolutely won't give it to you at the sticker price, I walk away and email the company. I usually get a nice response and even some dollar off coupons or some offer. I am not rude to anyone but I will argue with the best of them. Budster

  • lexi7
    16 years ago

    If there is a question in my mind about the price, I ask the clerk to scan the item. I already know how much I am willing to pay for it, so I politely tell the clerk that someone must have put it in the wrong bin. If the price is clearly marked, I firmly but nicely ask for the advertised price. Once I found toilet paper on sale at a fantastic buy. The register rang up twice that much and they pointed to the sign on their side of the sales bin. I told them I got it on the other side, which had a sign for the lower price. It was a big rip off. All the toilet paper was the same brand and same size pack. The only difference was one side of the bin had a sign twice as high as the other side.

    I know people move things in stores and sometimes even change price tags, so I don't try to take advantage of the store, but I do expect the store to be fair with me.

  • Jonesy
    16 years ago

    I haven't had an overpriced item at Walmart in a long time. It is usually under priced. That is a change from when they started out.

  • jtl1596
    16 years ago

    I work in retail for Walgreens, and in the state of Michigan there is a law that shoppers will get 10 times the difference of the price discrepency, with the maximum of 5 dollars...So for example the product rings up for a dollar instead of 80 cents, the customer would get the item for 80 cents and get $2 for free!

  • joyfulguy
    16 years ago

    Remember the good old days when there were little stickers on each item giving the price in Dollars and Cents?

    Back about the time that they were changing to UPC, there was a bunker of fish in an A & P store, with a sign over the bunker stating such a price. When I checked the price on the item (I think that it was pre-priced, so much weight, at XX price per lb., with total price such and such).

    The price per lb. was not as stated on the large card. I looked for a worker, said that I should get it at the price on the large card. He said that was the price according to the flyer, that had ended the day before, if I remember correctly, and that the price today was as on the item.

    I said that he was advertising it on the card as the lower price, and that was the price that I should get. After some back and forth discussion, with him insisting that the price on the card was yesterdays price, he marked it down for me, with slightly less than good grace.

    I walked around the store for about 10 minutes, then returned ... to find that he had not removed the large card advertising the lower price. I think that I sought him out, asking how come he had not removed the card advertising the lower price, but if so, I don't recall his answer.

    In any case, I asked for the manager, or went to seek him/her out, to ask how come I had such a hard time getting the advertised price, and then, having claimed that the advertised price was outdated, the employee had not removed the sign?

    I don't recall his answer, but I went on to say that, since the prices on the UPC were not readable in dollars and cents, that some of us were suspicious that possibly the price listed on the shelf would not be what the UPC said, and which would be rung up at the register.

    Which was precisely the way that I had just been treAted by his store, until I objected ... and I had to object rather strongly (and politely).

    Interesting how we remember things - that must have been over 10 years ago, more likely 15. That store closed quite a few years ago.

    ole joyful

  • craftfetish
    16 years ago

    If there is an actual price listed on the item, you bet I'll argue it. (I used to live in Michigan and learned about the scanning law when I was a cashier)

    If it is a store sign, I'll usually try to check the product code on the sign before I even bring the item to the register if the deal seems to good to be true. (if those match - heck yeah I'm arguing it)

    Several years ago, I wanted to buy a holiday wreath that was stocked next to a sign that listed the brand, size and price but no product codes. The store refused to honor the price (the manager actually refused to come speak to me when I politely asked that he be called and then accused me of moving their signage around so I could get a deal) - it was five years ago, and I assure you that store hasn't gotten a penny of my money since.

    I realize that mistakes happen, items get returned to the wrong place, etc, but if things are mismarked and they say one price and charge another, that is stealing.

  • Dora Vann Snider
    16 years ago

    Bought a bill of groceries and was watching them check them out. All the sudden I saw $71 ring up for a bunch of bananas. Probably had four of them. Told the clerk that I didn't think that was the right price. She was very embarrassed. Another time they charged me $40 for some potatoes. After that, I stand and watch everything that is put into the computer. Didn't used to do that too much, but I could have been out big bucks and maybe not even known it.

    Another store had a big sale on blackberry cobblers for $2.99 I loaded up three of them as they were nice size and we were expecting company. She rang up $8.99 for each. Told her about the sale tag.....well, it went to the ones over to the side of those and looked like a pudding cup. The sign was directly over the large ones. I went ahead and bought 2 as the company was coming that evening, but was not happy about it. Told them, in a nice way, that is was confusing.

    Sometimes it is uncomfortable to bring these things to their attention, but I don't have money to spend on a mistake. Most clerks will be very nice and correct it immediately. You do get those at times that acts like it is such a pain and that you have slowed them down....oh, well!!

    Dora Lou

  • vegangirl
    16 years ago

    One Christmas season, we were in Alabama. I don't remember the name of the store. There were big bins of different kinds of nuts and the price for each kind was $1 per pound. The pistachios were off to themselves. I love them and have never been able to afford to get my fill of them. So I got a couple of pounds and they rang up for $1 per pound. I told the cashier that I thought they were priced wrong, that pistachios are never that cheap. She replied in a very snippy tone that "That's what the computer says and computers are never wrong". I said OK. Then I went right back and got 10 pounds and went through the line again. The next night, I was there again and the price had been changed to $3.99 per pound.

  • mikie_gw
    16 years ago

    Probably the manager bought a deal(and too many nuts) on those and averaged the price per pound until inventory nut stock levels got reasonable.

    After your 10 lb purchase made a dent in that bin he slowed down the sale of them by upping the price to a more normal level & feels like he's getting rich on his purchased deal.

  • loralee_2007
    16 years ago

    My husband and I encountered this situation recently. We bought a desk from Sears and we saved so much money on it that we picked out a new office chair to go with it. It was a nice black leather chair and the tag said it was on sale for $199.99.

    We couldn't get the furniture for about a week, but when we left the store, we didn't notice that the salesperson actually had the wrong product code on the invoice, so when we went to pick up the chair it was the wrong one.

    We returned to the store the following Saturday to return the wrong chair and get the correct chair ordered. I see my chair, but no longer did it have price tags on it, and when the salesperson looked up the product code, it said the price was $399.99.

    We told her we were 'positive' that was the chair we picked but her manager wasn't in so she said she would call us Monday. Sure enough, when she called us, the Manager actually admitted that they had priced that chair incorrectly (hence the missing tags), but would gladly honor the pricing for us!

    I thought that was amazing since we really didn't have any 'proof' that was the chair we picked since our invoice had the wrong chair on it, plus the tags were removed. Their honesty will ensure we do business with them again!!

  • jannie
    16 years ago

    I'll stop the cashier and insist on the price on the sticker. Even if I know it's wrong because all the rest had a different price on the sticker. It's a New York State law, the merchant has to give it to you for the sticker price.

  • joyfulguy
    16 years ago

    Loralee 2007,

    Wouldn't it have been thoughtful if you'd decided to take some flowers or some other token of appreciation to the manager of that store?

    Especially something that could be put out where the staff congregate, so that all could enjoy it ...

    ... and learn of the fact that their manager had received a token of appreciation/compliment for his having treated a customer well.

    Some years ago, en route to the bathroom in the dark of early morning, I'd cracked my head on the (rather unenthusiastic about moving) edge of a door, splitting my lip and opening a split in my forehead.

    Feeling rather woozy, I'd gone back to bed for a while, travelled a number of miles for an appointment, returned to try (unsuccessfully) to get a friend to patch me up ...

    ... and showed up at an emergency ward at about 11 p.m.

    The resident consulted with the supervisor as to whether to use stitches on these old wounds, and was given permission to do so.

    I don't remember how many stitches that she put in, but at the end they gave me a prescription for heavy pain pills, which I didn't fill, having 24-hour pharmacy nearby (and had little discomfort).

    A few weeks later, everything had healed up well, with scarcely any hint of a scar.

    I took a bouquet of flowers in to the emergency room one day to be given to her.

    Some of the staff who were present at the time were rather surprised ... and appreciative.

    Theirs is not an easy task.

    Now, 17 years later, I have a hard time seeing where the cuts were.

    Also, a fraction of an inch to one side ...

    ... and I'd have banged my nose, head-on!!

    That would have been much more painful ... and likely have left more visible long-term aftermath!

    Sometimes, in the midst of a difficulty ... we're, none the less, lucky!

    ole joyful

  • chrisk327
    16 years ago

    In all honesty I'm against the insisiting on a mismarked item.

    I will insist on an advertised price. I will insist when the store has a sign.

    If all of them say 3.99 and there is 1 at 1.99 and it doesn't come up 1.99 at the scan, it should be 3.99.

    too many cheap people take a price off of one item to put on another to take advantage of the store.

    I don't know what the law on something like that is, but I think its sleazy to insist on a price you know is wrong. its different if there is legitamate confusion, but 1 missmarked item, when all else say something different etc etc looks like someone is trying to cheat the system to me.

  • jannie
    16 years ago

    If i'm at a cashier and something rings up the wrong price,I just continue going thru the line, take the receipt to the office and handle it there. I don't want to slow down other shoppers but I also want the right price. Once I handed a cashier a twenty dollar bill but she put it in as $200 so the register showed I was owed change of something like$195.00. I had a good laugh and so did the cashier.

  • pkguy
    16 years ago

    Here in Canada there is a voluntary "Scanning Code of Practice" many stores do subscribe to. A&P being one of them. There's a sign usuall stuck to the glass window or door but not always, Sometimes they're pasted to the cash register etc etc.. no standard and usually they're covered up by other "memos" etc or half ripped off LOL..Anyways the deal is if that they scan something for more than the advertised or shelf price you get the item for free up to a value of $10.
    Well it happens all the time at the A&P, they're terrible. The first time it happened I'd bought a block of Kraft Cheese on sale that rang up at the regular price. I didn't notice till I was walking out after paying so I went to the customer service desk and she handed me the difference. I pointed to the Scanning Code of Practice sign and asked if I didn't get it for free and she begrudgingly gave me the full amount back stating that most people can't be bothered.. Well too bad I can be LOL

  • graywritingdog
    16 years ago

    I bought my son a disney dvd from walmart and it had a "lower price" stating the price was $15.96 and I made sure to check at the register because most of the mischarges I've gotten at walmart is things that were marked down at the display and ring up the original price, Needless to say it rang up full price and I pointed the right price grantee to the girl at the register, I got it for the lower price and -$3. But I get charged the wrong price alot at walmart and usually I have both of my kids with me trying to put gum and other impulse items into the buggy and price checking isn't a proirty.

    Short answer, yes if I catch it I will stick them to their price match promis.

  • dreamgarden
    16 years ago

    I have been known to go get a sale sign and bring it up to the register in cases where a cashier doubts my honesty or doesn't feel like checking the correct price her/himself.

  • jannie
    16 years ago

    I don't argue. I try to avoid stress. Arguing with a salesclerk is stressful for me.

  • dockside_gw
    16 years ago

    Yes, I always insist on the correct price (sometimes I have read the price on the shelf wrong because I wasn't wearing my reading glasses but I'm o.k. with admitting my eyesight isn't what it used to be).

    Not too long ago I bought about $240 worth of stuff at Home Depot. I had a 20% off coupon and it was deducted. Then tax was added and the register had added more than $20 than it should have been. I called the clerk on it and she said the register said the amount was what it should be. She called her manager and he said the same thing. Said the only way they could check would be to void the sale and ring up my many items over again. I said, "Do it". She did and, lo and behold, the amount came out correct that time.

    I called our state weights and measures department and complained (how many people would have paid the extra $20 and not noticed it due to the subtraction of 20% and then addition of tax?). I also told them that, in the past, I had purchased stuff there that was maybe 6 cents more than the shelf sign. Not enough for me take the time to correct, but the volume that they do, 6 cents per a particular item adds up. They (the state) actually went to the store and checked the registers and called me as to what they had found. Evidently, somehow, the coupon fouled up their computer as the computers were working correctly when the state person was there.

    In grocery stores, I mentally add up the items as I put them on the counter, rounding up or down so at least I know approximately what my bill will be. When it's more than a couple of dollars, I check my tape to see what the discrepancy is. Usually, it's my arithmetic, but not always.

  • pkguy
    16 years ago

    I usually do the rounding as I fill my cart or basket and surprisingly because I'm bad at math I usually come pretty close, within a dollar or two many times.
    I don't like the cashier to start ringing in though until I've got my stuff on the belt so I can see what the stuff is scanning at and have a chance to refute something if I'm positive it's wrong.

  • jmzms
    16 years ago

    I will absolutely argue. Depending on where you live, there are laws regarding these types of things (generally fall under false advertising). I've been known to go back to a store with the item and the receipt after I've gotten home.

  • Cheryl Henderson
    8 years ago

    I just had this happen to me. I thought there was a law. I attempted to purchase a hover board online via Amazon.com from BrooklynMark. The price listed was $59.99. I received a confirmation email from the company quoting $59.99. Subsequently, the order was cancelled and I received notification from Amazon that shipper cancelled my order because they had listed the wrong price. Instead of $59.99 they said it should have been $599.99. They offered to let me buy it for $495.99. I declined this offer and am on a campaign to get item at the price I attempted to buy it for. I don't see this as being fair to me the consumer. They acknowledged my order for the item at $59.99.

  • Elmer J Fudd
    8 years ago

    Terms of sale and product disclosures on websites typically have an "E&OE" disclaimer. That's an acronym for Errors and Omissions Excluded. What that means is - no one is perfect. It's inevitable that there are mistakes in all the millions of data fields a site like Amazon contains, and if there's one for an item's price, they reserve the right to fix the mistake and not be bound by it.


    They have automated routines that screen for price mistakes as orders are placed. The confirm you got was in reply to your order but the cancelation came about because of the double-checking. Fair enough, right?


    I'll bet you recognized the pricing mistake before placing the order.


    (PS - Your questions and comments are important, better to start your own thread as to resurrect this one that started 8 years ago)



  • User
    8 years ago

    I usually tell the clerk and they give me the lower price anyways. Once I bought a little statue priced clearance at $24.99 and they charged me $9.99. Didn't realize it until I was home so I called the store. The manager got very snippy as soon as I said "clearance" and told me I couldn't return it. Told her I didn't want to return it, just wanted to pay the difference. She told me no need to do that and told me to come up to the store and she would have a $20 gift card waiting for me for my "honesty."

  • newgardenelf newgardenelf
    8 years ago

    If it's marked and I want it- I insist. If I don't really care- I don't buy it. I don't think this is a big deal and have never had a cashier give me a hard time. I have had managers thank me for bringing it to their attention so they can adjust the price to the correct one.

  • joyfulguy
    8 years ago

    Fairly often I've found one or two items of a different brand are on a shelf with many of the kind that are on sale, as it appears that someone liked the deal better, and jettisoned the ones picked up earlier. Sometimes I take the ones that are in the wrong place back where they belong.

    Pumpkin pie ice cream, which isn't available often, was on sale last week for $1.88 for a 2 litre tub. I picked up two, and as I checked out thought that the price was a little higher than I expected, but I hadn't been careful.

    When I got home and checked the bill, I found that they'd charged me over $3.00, their regular price.

    When visiting the store the other day, I told a cashier of the situation, and she said that if I returned with the receipt and the date was during the week that it was on sale, they'd refund the difference.

    Most food isn't taxed, so no tax issue. Two muffins, a snack, are taxed; a dozen, being food, aren't. Salted peanuts, a snack, are taxed: unsalted, a food, are not taxed. Go figure.

    ole joyful

  • Anne
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I have twice at Macy's purchased small appliances that were mismarked (with a large sale sign). Each time I was "wow, what a great after holiday deal". On one occasion the clerk all but told me I was stupid to think I could get the three pot warmer for 25 dollars (This was when they first came out years and years ago) and it was X amount and if I didn't want it to step aside so she could help those behind me. In that case I said I said I will not step aside, please call a manager and apologized to those in line behind me. They were not upset with me but with the cashier and told the manager how rude she was to me. I got it at the 25 dollar price and an apology. The other little appliance I said to cashier there is a sale sign above it and she said no problem. I asked if we should double check that it wasn't my mistake and she said no, I am sure you are correct. (On the way out I checked it and I was correct about what the sale sign said.)

    Our local grocery does the free ham or turkey for Christmas if you purchase a certain amount over the months. I get the ham to make soup each year. When I went this year they were out of the brand they were giving away and the butcher said to select any other brand and I would just pay for anything over 12lbs. at a reduced price per pound. When checking out the POS system had apparently not been reprogrammed and it was a complicated manual adjustment. It was crazy busy and the poor cashier didn't make it and after she gave me the total of 60 something for what I had (should have been around 12) and I had swiped my card we both realized it was wrong. She was so sweet. She apologized and said she felt awful because she couldn't fix it and I had to go to customer service. Did I want to stand in line for 20 minutes to fix it, no but the poor young lady was trying and we make mistakes. After my pretty long wait because it was so busy the customer service manager gave me the correct refund, an apology and a 20 gift card which I was able to pass on to someone I know who has to count every penny to feed her family. That will keep me loyal to that store.

    Last story...I swear. I had broken several of our soup bowls. One day DH and I walked around Big Lots to kill time between lunch and a doctors appointment. Who knew they have such cute dishes. We bought 8 soup bowls 4 in a solid color and 4 in a coordinated pattern. The patterned bowls were 2 dollars a piece more. (Still a deal). As we were checking out with our bowls, some Rubbermaid storage containers and some other stuff we didn't really need our cashier was an elderly man. I would say in his mid 70's. He was so sweet and funny with everyone as he checked them out that it made my day. When we left the store DH and I looked at each other and were like, "Did you notice that"? Yes, he rang up a patterned bowl for all 8 bowls. We both said we didn't want to go in and possibly embarrass him. We stop in there now and again and make sure we use his line.

  • amandabolan
    8 years ago

    Always do. Our walmart in Canada gives you the item free if you are charged wrong (max $10 though). So many times I have been mischarged, particularly with laundry detergent for some reason. I have received numerous laundry detergents free over the years. It's not about being rude, I am always courteous, but firm. But why should I pay more than the agreed upon (advertised) price? I have stood up for larger ticket items as well. To me, it's just about fair advertising and accountability for the retailers.

  • c t
    7 years ago

    I remember the last time I shopped at Bradlees, a chain department store. Husband and I went in to purchase a bunch of items to work on and repair his car. They were all on sale. When we got home, we realized none of the items were rung up at the sale price. We had made a special trip to go there, and lived some miles away. I called the store to see if we could be issued a credit. I had the receipt, and I could decipher the time stamp, the register number, the cashier's employee number. I just wanted them to send me a check for the difference, so I didn't have to drive over there again. No dice. In fact, the woman at the service desk hung up on me. I don't remember the resolution, I think I got a manager on the phone and straightened it out.

    It goes to show that although those terminals are computerized, people can make mistakes in programming them. I cynically wondered, though, since *all* the sale items had scanned wrong, if they were just adjusting the prices for the people who complained...and hoped most wouldn't notice, or bother to come back.


  • Danielle Crowley
    7 years ago

    Absolutely! If something is prices wrong and you know it's true, I would totally go for it and try to bring this to light.

  • User
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    A few years ago, we purchased a DSL camera with two lenses. Then we got a phone message from the store said they erroneously gave us a wrong model that was more expensive, and asked us to bring the camera back to the store.

    Good thing we put the purchase away and had not opened the camera box yet. We rushed back to the store. It turned out the young clerk gave out 5 cameras wrong in the same week, each was about $400.00 more expensive, and we were the only customer who brought back the purchase.

    The store said nothing they could do if those purchasers ignored their requests. We were glad we brought ours back, we only hoped the young clerk would not get any punishment from the mistakes.

  • dollface121817
    6 years ago

    I always say something like, oh, I thought that said 1.99. And see what they say. You might as well mention it, often, they will check and honor the price. Then I always say something like, I'm sorry, 3.99 is just a little spendy or something like that after they check.

  • Toronto Veterinarian
    6 years ago

    If I know that there's an error made (i.e. I know the right price but someone made a mistake on a single item or by leaving a sale sign up too long) I don't argue. I know what the right price is and I don't want to take advantage of someone's mistake. If I don't know the price and I pick up the item expecting it to be the signed price, then I will ask them to double check, and hope they honour the marked price. If they don't, I don't argue (I might not buy the item, but I don't argue the cost).

  • bleusblue2
    6 years ago

    I'm a criminal. A big outlet sells favourite daily newspaper at a three year old price. The price has risen three times in three years but the cash register price hasn't changed. The store is losing money I suppose. I have told different sales people about this error several times. I decided I am not going to alert the store manager -- they only get two copies a day; that's the loss they sustain. It mounts up. I can't justify it, I know I'm doing wrong. If the STORE MANAGER were at the cash, I would tell him but I don't feel like making a special effort.

  • SaltiDawg
    6 years ago

    Not sure I see the point. You tried to correct a wrong and the store hasn't responded.

    Did you read above and conclude folks here think you should stop reading the paper? lol

  • maifleur01
    6 years ago

    The store receives a percentage of the sale but the price of most newspapers is so small that the percentage is probably just that. Small. People that buy a newspaper seldom buy just a newspaper. Think of it as an loss leader similar to what grocery stores do. They know that the small amount of profit that they loose because an item is underpriced is offset by the things that the person who came into the store for one thing ended up purchasing.

  • bleusblue2
    6 years ago

    Hi Saltidog -- I didn't conclude anything -- I just put in my experience with pricing errors. My statement "I'm a criminal" was a joke and a confession and didn't refer to anything said in the thread. The store won't respond because the cashiers can't be bothered to tell the manager about it. Thanks for lol! lol

    Malfleur -- at times I've told myself that this underpriced paper is a loss leader -- but what kind of loss leader is it with only two copies of the paper? Well, I will continue to enjoy this paper priced 2.36 instead of 3.78 until the day somebody updates that system.

  • SaltiDawg
    6 years ago

    "Well, I will continue to enjoy this paper priced 2.36 instead of 3.78 until the day somebody updates that system."

    Maybe the concept of a 'loss leader" as eluded you.

    The price has succeeded in drawing you into the store every day. lol

  • bleusblue2
    6 years ago

    That is so true! I always check if they have a copy left before I go out and find it at the regular price. But still -- only TWO copies? I just don't think they know about it!

  • User
    6 years ago

    Very little here has price stickers on individual items. The "sticker" is on the shelf in front of the product. Of course, sometimes stockers mdse. in the wrong place on shelves. Of course, the shelf sticker says soup $1.99 and there is the 40 oz. can of soup rather than a 20 oz. can. Of course, you also cannot read the fine print to find out what exactly is $1.99 other than "SOUP" but the size, etc. is very small. If I find mdse. on a shelf in the back of that sticker and it is all the 40 oz. can, to me, it is marked wrong and if it rings up more, I will tell the checker. It's not MY fault that the store put it in the wrong place and it's not MY fault that the print is so miniscule. Often at WM when they go to check, they will give it to me at the lower price because it IS their mistake for putting it in the wrong hole.

    Now if there is ONE big can of soup above the $1.99 price and next to it is $2.99 price with a lot lot of those big cans, someone (a customer) just put it in the wrong place. But if it is a whole row . . . stockers should be more careful.

    And to me putting mdse in the wrong "hole" is the same as putting a wrong sticker on individual cans.

  • User
    6 years ago

    We had a store here that did the reverse. They would have items "on sale" in their flyer and 5 days into the sale they were ringing up at the regular price. And if you mentioned it, the casher would change it but they did not voluntarily do that -- "oops I see the potatoes rang up at $2.99 instead of $1.99" No, you had to point out that the potatoes range up $1.00 more than what stated in their ad. They would fix, often without an "i'm sorry" but 5 days into the sale and the register was STILL wrong, I am wondering how many people paid that extra dollar? And the cashier's never WROTE it down so that they could give to a manager so he could change the register. I always thought that they did it on purpose -- have "sale" prices in the ad but not in the store to make extra money. And if they were caught, they'd "oops" and fix it because you compalined.

  • badabing2
    5 years ago

    In California (and some other states) the law states they must sell the item at the marked price. Check your state's rule:

    https://www.nist.gov/pml/weights-and-measures/us-retail-pricing-laws-and-regulations-state

  • SaltiDawg
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Seems you didn't read the thread. It's about what is moral and correct vs taking advantage of an error.

    I found your link unhelpful - likely my shortcoming! Not sure what you thought you were adding some 6+ months later. lol

  • Lucy Rindara
    5 years ago

    Yes I do argue about this incident because I had a recent experience wherein the price was not right for the earphones that I bought, the price exceeded my budget and I was so shocked about the price when I paid at the counter, well I just accepted the fact that I already bought it and anyways I need it, and just think that it will be handful for me in the future, well I hope it is durable and will last long.

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