Computer Overcharged Me

[Bekeart]

Today I bought several hams to donate to Soup Kitchen.
The signage and the price labels stated 99 cents per pond.

Later at home I wondered about the average weight per ham.
Divide Total Cost by Number of Hams = 19.1 pound
Obviously INCORRECT.
Average near 12 pound per ham was my estimate.

Checked the Receipt - Prices charged DID NOT MATCH labels on any of the hams.

Called store - told Customer Service that computer was overcharging for hams.
My credibility was questioned.

Just grab three hams from the meat case and scan them for price.

I am sure that the scanned price will NOT match label price.

Later I went back with the hams.
A different Customer Service person examined the hams and the receipt.
He verified the problem.

After long and tedious calculations the Customer Service person arrived at a number
for the OVERCHARGE and credited my charge card.

I had seen the hams marked as 99 cents per pound early Saturday morning.

I wonder how many shoppers (Saturday / Sunday / Monday morning) paid too much without realizing it.

Bekeart

 

[Bajadoc]

That order was full of pork. They went hog-wild when they charged you. Sounds like a bunch of hogwash. Good thing you were able to trim the fat from the bill. Now you can celebrate with a glass of swine. I know, I'm such a ham.

 

[Rudi]

A good reason to take your receipt and read it. Few people do this it seems. I got charged $43 for a small chunk of cheese, I thought the total was too high, but paid. Got home and read the receipt and found it. Called back and spoke with the owner. It should have been $4.30, so I got my money back.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have seen this at our local stores about twice a year The old philosophy was called "A loss leader" To get you into the store, by selling at or below cost. Now it's "Hope we don't get caught!"

G.I.G.O. means Garbage In, Garbage Out. Computers only do what they are programed to do! (At least until AI takes over!)

Ivan

 

[H Richard]

Whenever we buy a large order to Donate to a local charity, (Women's shelter usually) the store gives us close to dealer price. This is the HyVee grocery chain. Discuss this with your store. You're donating it, hopefully the store will reciprocate.

 

[swsig]

That order was full of pork. They went hog-wild when they charged you. Sounds like a bunch of hogwash. Good thing you were able to trim the fat from the bill. Now you can celebrate with a glass of swine. I know, I'm such a ham.

Yeah, Bekeart's ham buying experience definitely wasn't Kosher.

 

[bgrafsr]

Yeah, Bekeart's ham buying experience definitely wasn't Kosher.

Ba Da Boom.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I found out the hard way that getting the "Special" discount is not so easy.

In one store, "My" phone number will not work if used with my wifes card.
I need "Her" phone number, for the extra low prices to show up on the receipt.

The sysyem works if you dot all the "I's" and cross all the "T's" and play by their rules.

Then check the receipt, befor you leave the store, on the "Big" charges.
Been there done that.

 

[StrawHat]

I found out the hard way that getting the "Special" discount is not so easy.

In one store, "My" phone number will not work if used with my wifes card.
I need "Her" phone number, for the extra low prices to show up on the receipt.
…

So, have both of your cards linked to both numbers. Not that hard to do.

Kevin

 

[s&wchad]

Walmart was pulling that stunt and got hammered last year.
Their checkout computers were increasing the package weight of sale meats, so their customers ended up paying the non-sale price.

Pay attention at checkout. If you buy a 10# ham that's on sale for $0.99/lb, it better ring up under $10.

Walmart to fork out up to $45m after settling overcharging lawsuit

 

[dockmurgw]

"Walmart was pulling that stunt and got HAM-mered last year".

 

[Bekeart]

Doing my best to Do Good

Whenever we buy a large order to Donate to a local charity, (Women's shelter usually) the store gives us close to dealer price. This is the HyVee grocery chain. Discuss this with your store. You're donating it, hopefully the store will reciprocate.

I do not receive any "special" pricing.
I have told my favorite check-out person -"The cheapest thing in the store is me."

I only buy:
1) Clearance Mark Down items - e.g. $6.99 jug of Tide for $3.27 this morning.
- Same situation for Short Date items - i.e. approaching their SELL BY DATE
2) Very Good Sale priced items - e.g. Smithfield Butt Portion Ham $.99/pound yesterday.
Extreme Mark Down from $2.99/pound last week.

Check-out person bends any limit rules into pretzels for me.
e.g. Limit Five - Several transactions of five items each.

Three employees, who work store wide and do some shelving, tell me about clearance and mark downs.
Yesterday GIANT boxes of General Mills cereals $2.37 down from $5.99 shelf price.

I get banana boxes from the produce manager.
I arrive at check out with items already boxed - no bagging required.
Food pantry really appreciates the quick and easy handing of the boxed items.
(Thinking about how many plastic bags I would have to mess with for my donation - I need a drink.)

It is easier to be generous when I find BARGAINS.
If I gave food pantry $$$ they would not be present to buy the BARGAINS.

Bekeart

 

[Doug M.]

You are doing something that you value to help others less fortunate. The manner in which you do it works for you. Good. We do some donating to our local food bank and some other programs. Now that our joint income is up to where it is, I like to donate accordingly to help those others.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Walmart was pulling that stunt and got hammered last year.
Their checkout computers were increasing the package weight of sale meats, so their customers ended up paying the non-sale price.

Pay attention at checkout. If you buy a 10# ham that's on sale for $0.99/lb, it better ring up under $10.

Walmart to fork out up to $45m after settling overcharging lawsuit

Most people these days can't do quick math in their head. They count on that.

 

[Bekeart]

AMEN

Most people these days can't do quick math in their head. They count on that.

AMEN.

Even those that can do the quick math, may not always do it.

I did not do my "quick math" when buying the $.99 hams.
(Number of Hams) * (12 - apx average weight) = Approximate Check Out Price

I would have seen that the Register/Computer price was 50 per cent over my estimate.


Most shoppers can not / do not / will not compare cost per ounce even when it is shown on shelf tag.

Did comparison for bags of potato chips.
Amazing - almost exact same price per ounce.
Bought small bags. Easy to stop eating at end of bag.

Bekeart

 

[Krogen]

"Trust but verify" said some famous dude. The "dude" will remain uncredited to hopefully keep the thread on topic. Barcode scanners make it tough to keep up with the checker as they ring up products. When I was a pup, checkers operated off memory and were slower than they are now. Mom watched them like a hawk to spot errors. I will say that scanners are more accurate than checkers' memories and hand entry, but if the scanner database has incorrect information it's tougher to catch. Things happen quickly and many of us aren't watching. Review the receipt as others have already said.

As for bargains, coupon-clipping and "special deals" at Freddy's i.e. Kroger have gotten tiresome. Too much hassle. WinCo now gets the household grocery bucks. They're employee-owned and less beholden to shareholders. Prices are significantly lower than Freddy's, quality is high, selection is good and there are few sales or coupons. You get low prices without the hassle.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I always check the sell-by dates marked on the packages. If something is marked "Mgr. Special" half price today, I stay away from it. I always check the case temperatures, too. I quit buying meat from my regular grocer across the river from me; got burnt too many times. But, the manager is a gun guy and they seem to attract the prettiest cashiers!

 

[Bekeart]

Expiration Dates are NOT Absolute

I always check the sell-by dates marked on the packages. If something is marked "Mgr. Special" half price today, I stay away from it. I always check the case temperatures, too. I quit buying meat from my regular grocer across the river from me; got burnt too many times. But, the manager is a gun guy and they seem to attract the prettiest cashiers!

Expiration / Use by / Sell by / Best by - Dates are NOT Absolute

Dr. Gott: Looking past the expiration date

Dr. Gott: Looking past the expiration date | News | reflector.com

Dear Dr. Gott: Can a person hurt himself by eating canned fruit or food after the expiration date listed?

Dear Reader: The only canned items required to actually carry an expiration date on labeling are infant formula and some baby foods.
Listing expiration dates is voluntary, and those voluntary guidelines vary from state to state.
Some packaging might provide a “sell by,” “born on,” “guaranteed fresh,” “use by,” “best if used by” or “pack” date — the latter indicating when a product was canned or packaged.

And now, on to canned goods. Canned vegetables and low-acid foods have been tested and found risk-free for up to five years, as long as they have been stored in cool temperatures. Humidity can speed deterioration.
Spaghetti sauce and other foods with a higher acid content can be kept a year and a half, perhaps longer.

If a can is bulging, it should be discarded, because that is an indication that bacteria are likely to be present.
Become a savvy shopper. Check dates, rotate your canned goods, and when in doubt, throw it out.
Common sense must prevail.

One food pantry will not accept donations past their
Expiration / Use by / Sell by / Best by - Dates

A different food pantry accepts "expired date items" and gives clients a printed copy of Dr. Gott's article.

As for canned food safe life - ask any veteran about C and K rations.

Bekeart

 

[JcMack]

Bent cans are often discounted by the store. The problem is that is that the cans are still probably air tight and remain secure, but the can has been treated with something on inside surfaces before the product is loaded. A dent in the can breaks up the "something" and adds it to the product.
It took me a while to understand how "the online clip the coupons" works but I save a few bucks here and there using them.
I ran across this coupons by store list the other day.

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