I am sure that most Ozbargainers are already well aware of this but it really does pay to keep an eye on those checkout scanners when you buy your groceries.
I just got myself some free cookies from Woolworths because they scanned at the incorrect price. When I pointed out the error the girl changed the price, but I then insisted on getting the item for free as per their policy. So, they caved and refunded my $2.50.
Nothing tastes sweeter than free cookies - I can tell you.
Has anyone else gotten any great freebies because of scanning errors?
Scanning Code of Practice - Major Supermarkets
Comments
To be honest, if they had a ticket on the fanta and a ticket on the lift, then no ticket/price on the coke, that's your fault not theirs. But a perfect world is never realistic.
They had a pile of cartons including what i said above. I saw the ticket that said half price, assumed it meant to whole pile. Yes it's my fault for not reading it correctly but then it's on them for having it that way in the first place.
Not sure why you went back a year to comment on this though?
Wow. I'm a newb, sorry.
Where can we confirm that this in fact their policy? I've never seen it clearly stated that you receive the item for free if it scans incorrectly.
http://www.retailcouncil.com.au/scanning/scanning-code
If the price displayed at the checkout or on the customer receipts is higher than the shelf price, the customer is entitled to receive that item free of charge.
Thanks for the link, that's really interesting to read.
But I did notice that this policy only applies to Woolworths.
Coles, IGA, and ALDI have not signed up for this agreement. You would need to make a formal complaint according to that website.They may not be signatories, but that doesn't say they won't comply with it. IGA do (or at least, my local IGA's do), I've had Coles comply with it too.
EDIT: it appears each have their own:
This is the link I used to double-check myself
http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolwor…
I used to go to a Coles that opened at midnight, I'd be in there around 12:30—1am and often, on the day of special change overs (this is going back a few of years ago), I'd get an item scan above shelf price… When I pointed it out, they just credit it and go and pull the ticket down.
I hate shopping on a Tuesday night because they're pulling the tickets down before closing time :/ If it wasn't for the trusty 50% off lists on here, I'd buy something full-price Gasp
My local Coles will only give you the item for free, if you've already completed shopping, ie, paid for your goods. Otherwise they just credit back the item and put it through at the sale price.
Last Christmas I got a large frozen turkey for free at Coles after it scanned up $5 more expensive. I went back the next day and they hadn't changed the shelf talker and still scanned the same price so free turkey for the neighbours as well. Didn't push my luck a 3rd time!
A few times we had gotten dog biscuits for free, they're usually on special for $20 but scan at the normal price. Yay for free biscuits
I actually got into an argument at Woolworths last weekend over this.
I was going through the check-out and the lady in front of me had her bananas scan at the wrong price.
She told them straight away and they just changed the price. I told her and them that she was entitled to get the item for free.
They refused and insisted that she only got it for free if she had paid for the item.
I brought up the web-page I linked to above and tried to show them their own policy but they refused to listen.
So after I had finished my shopping I went and got the manager and showed him.
He promised he would give staff updated training on the scanning policy - chances of this happening… fractionally better than zero, but at least I did my part.
"They refused and insisted that she only got it for free if she had paid for the item."
Exactly the same thing happened to me. When I brought up the Scanning Code she huffed off to the shelf to check the price. Can't back and basically threw the item at me without saying a word. Couldn't complain as this was the store manager.
Got $7 free packet of Coles hamburgers last week. It's actually the first time in a couple of months that I've had a pricing error on my docket. I always wait until after I've finished the transaction to get the money back in cash. It makes it easier to qualify for flybuys offers that way. I usually get somewhere between $20 and $50 worth of groceries a year just by keeping track of the prices and checking my docket.
Got a great one last night. Was browsing my local Woolies and saw that the porterhouse steaks were on special, nice. However, I got suss when there were no special markings on the steak packs themselves. On closer inspection it seems that the promo finished on 30/8, 2 days ago.
I grab the biggest pack they had, 1kg, and finish my shop. Sure enough the steaks scan at full price, I politely say that there was a sign saying a different price, the manager and I walk to the sign, he takes the sign down, walk back and he tells the checkout chick to "just give the steaks for free".
1kg of porterhouse for free, tasted amazing that night with some salt and pepper!Dang - nice one!
Nothing tastes quite so good as a free steak.
Went to woolies Friday, and had to go back again today… ..grrr
Did my usual shop on Friday and just as was almist at checkout, saw that the yoghurt was on special, different flavour to what's normally on special.
Usually the jalna fat free is always full price and just the common ones are reduced on special.(I'm on diet, so trying to be good)
Grabbed a kilo tub just at the fridge end nearest the checkout.
Scanned at the usual full price, pointed across and showed them the ones in the 'special' section of the fridge.
After much backwards and forwards, I finally got the yoghurt free.
Happy to get a score and considered its fat free, wasn't going to pay full price.
Went to open it this morning for breakfast and heeeeeey, its dated best before 18 Aug.!!!
Justice and karma on one hit.Does anyone have any experience with online prices compared to store prices?
E.g. if Coles Online has an item on sale and I go into store and it's full price, what's the deal?
The Coles Online help site say that instore discounts do not need to be reflected online but does not state their position vice versa.I used to get heaps of stuff for free years ago. But the supermarkets have got better at making sure their prices are correct. Occasionally you will find an old tag from the previous week's specials, as the guy above wrote, then you can get that for free.
Yesterday at Coles, I noticed their own brand 2L icecream had increased from $2.19 to $2.20 according to the small white tag on the shelf. However, there was still the massive "$2.19 EVERY DAY" sticker right in front of it. So I took a photo and some icecream and told the guy who scanned it the price was wrong.
He said 4 times it's just ONE cent. I told him it doesn't matter because the price is wrong. Your policy gives it to me now.
He was angry and called the boss who also said it's just one cent, no difference. I said there is a massive sticker that shows a different price and you have the scanning policy. Then he yelled at his worker " Give it to him". I said mate it is your policy. They are the rules and I didn't make them. He said he would take the sticker down in a minute. It's still there now.
They have to sell 220 tubs of icecream to make up for their ONE cent increase now.Besides the fact that this thread is nearly a year old, that was a jerk move there.
Yep - agree with you there.
well if it wasn't resurrected I would never have know about this policy.
Free carton of coke because the store has put a pile of coke with the Fanta, Sprite and lift which were half price but not the coke. I didn't read the ticket so just assumed the coke was on special too.