Yes, the price scanned is the same as the shelf price. If there is operator error, either by the customer or the checkout assistant (such as scanning the original product barcode rather than the marked down sticker barcode), then this is outside the resolution process outlined in clause 4 of the code.
A store would then be entitled to cancel the item at full price and then rescan using the marked down price once realised by the operator/customer. This is consistent with the code and its intent/objective.
It is worth noting that the purpose of the code is to ensure that the stores computer system pricing used at the checkout is the same as that displayed on the shelves. In cases where the scanned price differs from the shelf price, the product may be given free if it has a value of less than $20 or $20 off when the price is more than $20.
We used to find scan errors every couplenof months but have noticed in the past few years they have been a lot more reliable. I see that Woolworths uses a hand scanner and printer for repricing shelf items/making new shelf labels. I suspect this removes the potential for errors as the store computer system appears to be updated the same time the new shelf pricing label is created.
Maybe someone who works at Woollies can confirm thisā¦I suspect Coles uses similar teechnologies.
I have relied upon Colesā Promise on Price Scanning (near the bottom of this page) many times, and have reached the point where I keep it open on one of my phoneās browser tabs. I have also encountered problems when scanning something with two overlapping price tags, a while ago. Unfortunately, Colesā Promise, which presumably is something like what Woolworths use, states that the promise does not cover (among other things):
When the wrong PLU (Price Look Up) number is entered.
This is what has happened when you accidentally scan the wrong barcode. It is not considered a āscanning errorā.
I now scan anything that has been marked down in this manner with fingers covering the āoldā barcode.
If I have entered the wrong code, I have asked for it to be corrected - and consider anyone who does otherwise as effectively stealing (like people who eat the grapes as they walk past). If the price at checkout is lower than the price on the shelf, then that is adequately covered by the guarantee on scanning and the lower price stands. (I have several boxes of electric toothbrush brushes, that were crazily priced on the day I decided to by a similarly-discounted electric toothbrush.)
Of course, once Amazon opens its grocery stores world-wide, we will be reliant upon the mighty company to ādo the right thingā - and presumably will pay whatever price is displayed as we pick up the product. (I wonder whether they are able to change the displayed price per customer?)
I was told by a store manager this was referencing a checkout operator who manually entered the PLU on a keypad, not by scanning a barcode - but Iād not bet my life on what a store manager told me either, the caveats were written by the legal department
Same now. What irked me was that in the vast majority of cases, the store puts a diagonal texta over the old barcode, or covers the old barcode with a new label. In this case there were numerous items where neither had occurred, so its either just negligence on their part or a deliberate ploy to gamble on hitting the wrong barcode - I doubt the latter, but it still gives them a chance to sell at the original price. In this case the new label was on the top, the old on the side - being a meat product I didnāt flip it 180 to scan on the horizontal scanner, just 90 to hit the vertical scanner - the horizontal scanner got the original code first. Quite simply, if they are marking a product down, it should not be possible to scan the original barcode and/or automatically be charged the original price - period. Iāve noticed after I counselled them on markdowns they seem to be more diligent
Even with the texta - the finger trick avoids unhappiness Maybe I should take my own texta?
I have never had a problem with Coles refunding the purchase price of any item which scanned incorrectly, including markdowns, or was higher than the shelf price, even when the shelf price was for an expired special.
I have regularly seen the markdown items scan at full price as the staff have failed to cover the original barcode.
I then simply proceed to the service desk and get the item for free.
Why worry about trying to cover the old barcode when you can get a 100% discount instead?
swapping, removing or altering price tags to get a lower price for an item
If one intentionally scans the wrong barcode to gain a āfreeā item (for a lower price), it could be potentially be seen as stealing. If it isnāt stealing, then it would be definitely his:
I mentioned ensuring the original barcode (that wasnāt covered or rendered inoperative by store employees, as it clearly should be) was not scanned or āscannableā giving preference to (for the avoidance of doubt) a mark-down barcode label placed on the item by store employees. This is clearly not fraudulent nor āstealingā - a completely different thing to anything referenced on the web site quoted. The only time I mentioned getting an item for free is when the original price scanned in error - I simply got a markdown on it - a point we agree to differ on.
Perhaps the best way to manage bar code price scan errrors is to not use self serve and keep a few more Aussies in a job?
And you can keep an eye on the scanned prices as it goes thru.
I find the self check outs too cramped for a big shop, the shelves to low
And after you fill one bag the only place to put it is on the floor. May be if I took two trolleys in to the area?
And it always takes three times as long plus the two times items go wrong and you need the staff to fix. Perhaps it is all a cunning plan to have us shop from home on the internet.
I always place the bags back in the trolley as soon as there is room - being woolies is so close (everything here is either 5 minutes away or 18 hours drive) and being Iām from the lower echelon of planners I tend to sporadically shop, forget what list I had, and do it at times when they have no checkouts open ā¦ or maybe 1 checkout with 8 people waiting. Iād much rather use a staffed checkout for anything more than a basket of items, and even then ā¦ but often they are not open.
You are right - scanning errors are so much easier to manage at staffed checkouts and anecdotally the staff seem to be quite aware of markdowns labels.
Coles seem to have something in-between they call (from memory, Iāve never used them) āassisted checkoutsā - not as cramped.
Yes, if it was the store employee who inadvertently scanned the wrong barcode, then it wouldnāt be fraud/stealingā¦unless one tampered with the barcode to cause the wrong scanning.
Likewise, if one intentionally scanned the wrong barcode in an attempt to profit from the misadventured scan, then this would be a different matter.
I can see the mark-down label is crumpled, clearly not a good label fitment, and not good placement either - but to my eyesight without my specs and without this magnification it wasnāt apparent.
Maybe the Woolies staffer was as blind as me
Still, I got a bargain and the pressure cooker is saying hello to the emerging chicken stock that my throat is telling me I might need if the vit-c doesnāt kill the bug
I paid the higher price that was over the original barcode, but still on special - didnāt even notice the bacon/egg label - checked later and they were all like that.
I do wonder whether this is just the result of untrained staff, or a deliberate ploy. Iāll run with untrained staff for the moment, but seriously, its surely not that hard to get it right ā¦
OJ was delicious by the way - couldnāt taste bacon or egg though ā¦
I bought a twin pack of National Pies from our local Woollies which had been marked down from $7.50 to $3.75.
When I checked my receipt, I had been charged $3.83 so I proceeded to the customer dis-service counter and the employee tried to claim I was only entitled to a refund of 8 cents as I had used the self-service checkout so it was an operator error, ie, my fault.
I made it very clear that I was not going to cop that so she begrudgingly refunded my $3.83.
Here are the pics of the top and the bottom of the pack.
I scanned the QR symbol on the bottom of the pack, and as the previous QR sticker had not been completely masked out, the system must have somehow combined bits of both stickers to come up with an incorrect price.
Operator error? No. Just Woolies incompetent employees.
When I visited our local Woollies today, they had further marked down the over-priced price of their National Pies 6 packs of small sausage rolls.
The second QR markdown sticker on the base of all the packs dated Best Before 10.10.20 had been placed so as to completely cover the first QR markdown stickers on each pack in stark contrast to my previous post.
Whether it was to do with my āfree pack of piesā or multipile customer problems. they appear to have had a wake-up call.
Whoever said that you canāt teach an old dog to learn new tricks?
