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Supermarket Fined For Pattern Of Overcharges
from the if-it-was-accidental,-wouldn't-there-be-undercharges? dept
Albertsons, the large supermarket chain, has been ordered to pay $1.85 million for a pattern of scanner overcharges at the checkout line. Of course, it sounds like some of this "fine" is being used to improve their stores to make sure that these overcharges stop. Shouldn't that be separate from the fine? Also, none of the fine actually goes back to the customers who were overcharged, though Albertsons will now be required to give the customer any future overcharged items for free. Albertsons says that the problem had to do with their technology, and it was never done with the intent of scamming customers. If that were true, though, wouldn't you expect there to be just as many "undercharges" as there were overcharges?
Reader Comments
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No Subject Given
Generally the problem isn't the technology -- it's that employees don't update information about sale prices on time. And various studies show that there are many more overcharges than undercharges.
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Re: No Subject Given
Store Number 4417
Perferred customer # 42537470156
Dec 30 22:16:33
co136 #3412
s04417 r004
A repeated good experience gives me confidence that I will be treated
fairly. A repeated bad experience leads me to believe that I will be
cheated, deceived and over charged. I must conclude from far to many bad
expericences where signage and buy one get one preferred card prices fail
to be honored at the register. Case in point. Purdue split breast
chicken $2.79/lb buy one get one rung up not buy one get one. Reference
number two pattie beef tender loin filets $5.99 rung up $6.99. In line I
told Carmen it was buy one get one. She said it usually has a sticker on
it so she would not honor the price. the line was long and she would not
check the sign in back of the store. She told me I would have to wait for
her manager to come and check that sign. She didn't take action to
correct this problem as I have experienced the same incompetacy far to
many times. I told her to keep the chicken. Dealing with lazy people at
your store has left me no other choice then to shop else where. I am
writing today because I am very upset. You, as head of this corporation,
need to know about this. I am so sick of this happening. When in the past
I have seen this on my receipts I am forced to wait in the customer
service line only to deal with managers who treat me like it is my
problem. Am I to assume that it is the intention of Albertsons to look to
deceive me in hopes I won't find out or just accept it as, "This is not
worth driving back to the store for" or "Its only a buck" While I have
taken that position before. I will take it no more. I intend to register
a complaints to the BBB and any government agency dealing with consumer
fraud. This happens far to often to be unintentional and I will not take
it anymore.
You will be accountable
David Alexander
3420 Gulf Shore Blvd N #72
Naples, Florida 34103
239-777-4878
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Safeway
I think Safeway had this problem also. Sorry I can't find anything online supporting this. Those with greater sluething prowess may have more success.
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Overcharges
It makes sense that there are more overcharges because it is the sale prices that don't get into the system. It stinks that you need to memorize the price of everything in your shopping cart and watch each item go through the scanner, but last week I received a free case of pop because the system didn't give me the advertised sale price. I wonder how many cases they had to sell at the incorrect high price to make up for the cost of one free case?
It's a copout to blame it on the technology because the problem is clearly with the process/people. If you scan an item 1 million times the system will come back with the exact same price 1 million times.
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No Subject Given
When designing any system like that I am sure the programmers would design it by default to pick a higher price when "unsure" about correct price. This would result in more overcharges than undercharges.
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Sorry ... Had to do it.
www.nocards.org
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Over vs. Under charges
I would expect more overcharges for the simple reason that stores are going to be much more likely to correct overcharges than undercharges.
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No Subject Given
But when you factor in all the other little glitches that result in overcharges, it quickly begins to look like theres as method behind it.
Products shelved over the wrong price stickers, some products without price labels at all, "BIG SAVINGS, $2 OFF! (for club members only)".
Sure, it's probably underpaid staff who just don't give a shit, but I suspect the stores are quite willing to take advantage of it while it lasts.
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