Check Your Grocery Receipts!

[threeonesix]

Our local Kroger stores have scanners you can carry with you while you shop. As you add items to your cart you scan them and it shows the pricing on the screen. As you have already scanned your shopper's card or Kroger app QR code prior to beginning to shop, it calculates prices and discounts as you go. I rarely see anyone but myself using these things. People are dumb; they think "why should I do the job that cashier's are paid to do". Well, because it's so much easier to "checkout" as you add items to your cart ensuring the prices are correct. When the prices are not correct, I simply stop by Customer Service and point out the incorrect prices before I press the Pay button. They fix the prices, then I pay.

I have watched grocery prices like a hawk for 25 years at least. I used to keep track of incorrect prices on a spreadsheet. Annually it averaged $681 in incorrect prices stores tried to charge me. That's two months of food in my budget. Yes, you have to watch prices closely, particularly now that computers handle all of these register updates in nightly batches. You would think the problem would get better over time; I assure you, it has gotten much worse.

 

[threeonesix]

At our Jewel-Osco , it now shows the regular price when self scanning, but I learned a trick from the manager.
Just hit pay and it will show all the discounts and discounted price. Then I click "Continue Scanning" and go back to scanning my stuff. Then pay at the end.

I do this right at the beginning to see that it is actually using my Just4U membership as I'd hate to scan 20 things and then have to redo it all.

You can do this at Kroger stores, but only if you are NOT using the Kroger Pay option to pay. If you are, once you hit Pay, it runs the charge immediately, it does not allow you to back out of the transaction and continue scanning. I pointed this out to the local store manager. As you might imagine, nothing was done about it. Frustrating that even store managers have been rendered useless by Corporate. They don't even do their own inventory counting or ordering anymore. That part really infuriates me; closest local store used to carry Starbucks Pike Place Roast in the whole bean variety; now they only carry pre-ground, so I have to drive 20 miles round trip to get whole bean. Pointed this out to the manager (who is also a friend of mine) and he said he can't do anything about it because "the computer does all of the inventory orders".

 

[Turbo29]

We went grocery shopping a few days ago. With the high cost of food these days I've been watching for items that are on sale, applying digital coupons, etc. But I never really paid much attention to the receipt when we got back home.

I just happened to look at our receipt and noticed we were charged full price for a bag of chips that was supposed to be on sale. I took a closer look and found over a dozen items that were charged full price instead of the sale price. There may have been more, but I didn't recall the posted prices on many items from the store.

Anyway, I contacted customer support at our local Safeway store, listed the items we were overcharged for, and they credited $15 to our account for our next trip.

Unfortunately, I don't know how many times this has happened before, but I will for sure be examining our grocery receipts in detail after every shopping trip now. If I discover we are being overcharged again, I guarantee we will be shopping elsewhere (even though other stores are much further away).

Check those receipts!

That happened to me at Fry's (a Kroger company) a few weeks ago.

 

[mpeirce]

Not sure which one you're talking about, but Kroger stores around here have had Apple Pay available for over a year.

Kroger here in Ohio (Central and Northern) doesn't have it yet. Good to hear its available other places - we should get it one of these days...

 

[braumeister]

Kroger here in Ohio (Central and Northern) doesn't have it yet. Good to hear its available other places - we should get it one of these days...

My local store is just a few miles from Kroger HQ, which probably has something to do with it. But I've used it in other parts of the country as well, at least in the last few months.

 

[badatmath]

I have read some complaints online about Fry's (owned by Kroger) having mis-priced items or not honoring app coupons in AZ recently. Some people were saying they would switch stores rather than deal with it.

I don't have their app so I can't say. Doing self checkout and small quantities I can usually (I think) spot errors but it irritates me the person standing at self-checkout won't fix them. You have to finish and go to customer service or cancel the item.

I'm not really interested in playing games to buy food. I have not ever had an issue at Walmart unlike the poster above. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened but it makes me more comfortable to go where I think it won't. (They seem to have quit sending me surveys to review items so cautiously optimistic).

When I moved into this house there were grocers everywhere but so many have closed in the last 10 years or so it can be a hike to go to a "preferred" place now.

 

[Turbo29]

I have read some complaints online about Fry's (owned by Kroger) having mis-priced items or not honoring app coupons in AZ recently. Some people were saying they would switch stores rather than deal with it.

I don't have their app so I can't say. Doing self checkout and small quantities I can usually (I think) spot errors but it irritates me the person standing at self-checkout won't fix them. You have to finish and go to customer service or cancel the item.

I'm not really interested in playing games to buy food. I have not ever had an issue at Walmart unlike the poster above. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened but it makes me more comfortable to go where I think it won't. (They seem to have quit sending me surveys to review items so cautiously optimistic).

When I moved into this house there were grocers everywhere but so many have closed in the last 10 years or so it can be a hike to go to a "preferred" place now.

Fry's sent me a little pack of coupons to my home address. I used the ones I wanted at ~6pm the day they were to expire. None of the discounts were given. I assume they may have closed out that day's business early in their computers. It was ~$5 worth so I didn't go back and complain, not worth the time to me.


Edit: I should have paid better attention at the register. My fault for assuming they would do their job correctly.

 

[jollystomper]

Same here, but the decision about whether to call for help can be tricky. Is it really worth an extra 3-5 minutes of my time to wait for the one (usually busy) attendant to come over, explain the pricing error, scroll through the display, call for someone to go check on the sale price, wait for that to happen, and then do a manual override of the price in the system? I tend to let any pricing/coupon errors under $1/item slide unless I feel like making a stand for some reason that day.

It is worth it for us. 90% of the time, the attendant will just ask me "what price did it have on the shelf?" and just enter that in. I must have a trustworthy face .

With all of the potential for theft these days, stores are staffing up their self-checkout areas, at least in our area. Finding staff is not a problem.

 

[Aerides]

Same here, but the decision about whether to call for help can be tricky. Is it really worth an extra 3-5 minutes of my time to wait for the one (usually busy) attendant to come over, explain the pricing error, scroll through the display, call for someone to go check on the sale price, wait for that to happen, and then do a manual override of the price in the system? I tend to let any pricing/coupon errors under $1/item slide unless I feel like making a stand for some reason that day.

I usually just check the screen as they scan stuff, and know to be on the look out for the better deals in my cart. So when it happens, it's usually for something more than a buck.

At Publix, it means you get the thing for free, so there's that. At Fresh Market, it's often a BOGO that rings up full price, so...not letting that one go either.

Anytime I've had it happen I usually turn to the person behind me and apologize for holding things up, and they are almost always super supportive, almost to the point of cheering me on.

 

[Plantman]

I used to have a Finast grocery store near us that overcharged every time I went there. The location closed after a few years.

 

[HGTVFanatic]

Did you use your Safeway card? If no card, you don’t get the sales price.

 

[Dean56]

In the southeast we have a grocery store called Publix. If your item rings up at the wrong price, you will get that item for free.

Here's their store policy:

Our Publix Promise guarantees that if during checkout, the scanned price of an item (excluding alcohol and tobacco products) exceeds the shelf price or advertised price, we will give the customer one of that item free. We will charge the lower price for the remaining items.

 

[orbops]

Anyway, I contacted customer support at our local Safeway store, listed the items we were overcharged for, and they credited $15 to our account for our next trip.

Washington state has a Consumer Protection Act. Contact the the Consumer Protection division of the Washington State Attorney General's Office and report Safeway.

 

[mpeirce]

Kroger here in Ohio (Central and Northern) doesn't have it yet. Good to hear its available other places - we should get it one of these days...

Well, well, well. New terminals were installed this week at my local Kroger.

They have tap to pay - which handles Apple Pay.

Nice.

 

[Badger]

I don't have their app so I can't say. Doing self checkout and small quantities I can usually (I think) spot errors but it irritates me the person standing at self-checkout won't fix them. You have to finish and go to customer service or cancel the item.

At that time if I haven't already paid then I would either insist they make the correction at checkout or I leave all the groceries and walk out. I may even tell management on my way out but the groceries will be left there regardless. They made the policy so they can deal with the consequences. I don't play their games when I am put to an inconvenience to fix their mistakes. It may only be a few cents but if I have been over charged it would mean they have over charged other customers with that item and most likely other items. Most people would either not notice the over charge or don't want to take the time to get a reimbursement for just a few cents.

Cheers!

 

[Big Jim]

It is strange that all the “errors, oversights, etc” are always in the store or restaurant favor. Makes me wonder is it so accidental?

 

[OddGuy]

In my view this is one of the advantages of using self-checkout, where it is available. You know what the price should be, so you instantly see what price was scanned. It is at your own pace, and easier to catch than if a cashier is scanning.

I love self-checkout, for all the reasons you mention, plus I don't have someone handling my stuff and forcing small talk.

 

[Koolau]

My wife loads the conveyor belt and I check the price on the screen. She also double checks the receipt on the way out. If we go through self check then we catch it during the scan and the attendant corrects it. Something we got used to years ago when we shopped at a Super Target as some prices were never correct on a routine basis. Even a sales tag you have to look to ensure they don’t have it under the wrong item. We shop on Wednesday and the stores change the sales on those days. If we get in early the clerks are going down the aisles changing sale tags. We’ve even run into the ones we’re the computer isn’t updated on the Wednesday. You have to be extra vigilant.

Part of our LBYM life was being a hawk at checkout counters to ensure the price matched what we thought was posted. Neither DW nor I were hesitant to question a price.

In my view this is one of the advantages of using self-checkout, where it is available. You know what the price should be, so you instantly see what price was scanned. It is at your own pace, and easier to catch than if a cashier is scanning.

Yes! Two people are better than one. And using the self-checkout slows things down to the point you can check carefully. It's worth the extra time and effort.



Oh, and oddly, it's been a long time since I had something ring up LOWER than the advertised price. What's up with that?

 

[GenXguy]

I've had to go to the service desk due to overcharges so many times, it's ridiculous. In some cases, they give me a full refund and let me keep the item for free.

I like the self checkout for reasons people have mentioned, but it's gross thinking about all the people touching and contaminating those screens.

 

[1242Vintage]

Glad we are not the only ones who have noticed full price charged @ Safeway on advertised sale price items. Was just there today and thought lovely wife was going to go postal on the “senior clerk” at checkout who charged full price on sale items!

 

[youbet]

I've been finding curb-side pickup useful for being sure I'm getting the the sale prices I expect. After jumping all the hurdles on the website to get the special sale prices (click this, click that, blaaah, blaaah, blaaah.......) I go to checkout and, sitting in comfort at my computer at home, check each item carefully. If all is correct, I enter the order and drive over where they load it all into my trunk. If I did not get the sale price on some item, I attempt to correct it online and if I can't, I just delete that item from my basket. The charge to my CC has always been what I expect.

It might just be my local stores, but I've had excellent results using curb-side pickup, which I've been doing since early in the Covid era.

 

[MC Rider]

I try to watch in the store, but mostly check receipts at home. Maybe I am not looking close enough there are not usually errors that I see. Once in a while there is, and sometimes it is in my favor, sometimes theirs. It is never much money so I let it go. Not worth the trouble.

 

[karen1972]

It is good to understand each stores scan guarantees. It is one way to get a lot of stuff free if you are diligent .

Most places, including I believe Safeway has a policy that if the price rings up incorrectly, the first item of that product is free, Like I know Harris Teeter does the first item free, up to 5 free items, rest are adjusted. I've gotten a lot of free groceries.

You have to find the written policy which should be posted at the service desk and you may have to argue a bit as not all managers want to honor their posted policy, but don't let them just "fix it. Its suppose to be absolutely free. Grocery stores are notorious for overcharging, you can just google any grocery store and likely find news articles about them being fined for overcharging...ie why they are required to have these types of policies.

 

[Koolau]

It is good to understand each stores scan guarantees. It is one way to get a lot of stuff free if you are diligent .

Most places, including I believe Safeway has a policy that if the price rings up incorrectly, the first item of that product is free, Like I know Harris Teeter does the first item free, up to 5 free items, rest are adjusted. I've gotten a lot of free groceries.

You have to find the written policy which should be posted at the service desk and you may have to argue a bit as not all managers want to honor their posted policy, but don't let them just "fix it. Its suppose to be absolutely free. Grocery stores are notorious for overcharging, you can just google any grocery store and likely find news articles about them being fined for overcharging...ie why they are required to have these types of policies.

DW checks things very carefully. When she was a little girl, her mom would send her to the store (on foot, of course) to buy groceries - essentially all she could carry. When she got home, her mom would check the prices charged vs the store flier and send DW back to the store if they made even a 1 cent error. You had to know my "dear" MIL.

 

[gromit]

I bought a few groceries from Walmart today. One item I bought was a pre-made sandwich that usually sells for $5.50, but because it was close to the best by date it had been marked down to $3.59. They put a new marked down bar code over the old one, but sometimes it doesn't cover the old barcode completely. I pay attention to make sure the charge for a marked down item is correct.
When I scanned the sandwich in the self checkout I was amazed. Did it charge $3.59? No. Did it charge the old $5.50 price? No. It rang it up as a "BBQ Chicken sandwich" and charged $62.80! The clerk watching the self checkout area fixed it by just deleting the $62.80 entry and then scanning the sandwich again. It scanned correctly. Its not very reassuring to know that the checkout can make an error like that.