Case of Beer Scanned at Higher Price than Shown on Shelf at BWS. What Were My Options?

Blue Cat on 17/03/2019 - 16:48
Last edited 18/03/2019 - 09:43 by 1 other user

tl;dr Shelf price of beer case was $54, but scanned at $56. Cashier was reluctant to do anything about it. Got the $2 difference back in the end but shouldn't there be some kind of scanning code of practice that would have given me the beer for free or for a bigger discount?

So I was buying a case of beer at BWS, shelf price label said it was $54. Went to the cashier, paid for it with an eWISH gift card and a few seconds later I check the receipt and find that it scanned at $56. I was a bit in a rush so I didn't want to bother for $2 but decided to ask the cashier about this anyway, as I heard if this happens in Woolies you can get that item for free, and I can't turn down the chance for free beer.
He went to check the price and said "Oh yeah sorry there is some system mistake" and just looked at me moving his shoulders, expecting me to just walk away presumably??? 10 seconds later he looked annoyed and finally mumbled out "Come to cash register I will give you the $2 difference".
When we went to the cash register he seemed confused on what to do next, claiming he doesn't know how to do a refund when I bought it by gift card, pushed some buttons, kept looking at my receipt and so on.
Then (as I understand) his manager came and they started speaking in indian and a few seconds later the manager got all angry with him. He opened the cash register and just gave me $2 coin and said "Sorry about that". Since I was tight on time I didn't want to bother anymore so I just thanked him and left the shop.

I gave BWS a call, said what is their policy if this happens and all I got was "Well it depends on the store". So I asked them if I buy a bottle of vodka with advertised shelf price of $30 but it scans at $60, the store can do whatever they want? All I got again was "Not really but it depends on the store, you need to solve it at the cash register."
So from my understanding, they don't have a universal policy that applies to all stores and they can just do whatever they want?
Is this not against any Australian laws?

Should I have gotten that case for free or at a big discount? What should I do when this happens next time?

Food & Grocery Beer

Related Stores

BWS - Beer Wine Spirits
BWS - Beer Wine Spirits

Comments

      • DiscoJango on 19/03/2019 - 14:52

        You missed my point completely

        Let me explain for your simple mind: the shop see's no problem overcharging a customer (the $2 is irrelevant here, its the principle)

        Yet if the customer were to underpay the shop, it would be unnacceptable

        Like you ok for the shop to call the police on op, but op cant do anything about the shop ripping him off

        If this shop "accidently" charged every sale $2 extra, they would be making a killing

        Let me know if you need an ms paint drawing with pretty colors to help you

        • berry580 on 19/03/2019 - 17:36

          If you buy from a shop, you're legally obligated to pay for the good in full. If you don't pay in full and take the good, it is theft.

          The shop however, is not legally obligated to sell anything to you, let alone adding $2 to 'rip' you off.

          No more viligante shop lifting moving forward now please. ;)

  • dansblackcat on 19/03/2019 - 12:23
    +1

    What if you'd checked the receipt and found that it was scanned at only $52?

    What steps would you have taken to make sure they got their $2 back?

    • smartazz104 on 19/03/2019 - 18:24

      None; this is Ozbargain, where every pricing error is pounced on.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 19/03/2019 - 13:28

    not in BWS in woolworths if you are over charged for an item due to scanning error they give you the item free

  • DemocracyManifest on 19/03/2019 - 15:27

    Must have been a new staff member they just sell you the product at the listed ticket price.

  • Cave Fire on 19/03/2019 - 17:20

    What about dodgy liquor staff that try to charge you extra? $35 for a $20 bottle of bourbon and no receipt? If they skip the receipt part either asking or printing as a default, you know something is up. Also got charged double for a bag of ice cubes once.

  • Herbse on 19/03/2019 - 19:11

    We're talking to ourselves. OP has ghosted
    No replies

  • nikey2k27 on 19/03/2019 - 20:04

    Go to Dan I love my boy he so relaxes you know cheaper at first choice he just up it down now

  • mezje on 19/03/2019 - 21:15

    Sadly point of sales systems are not as simple as they should be. The kid was probably just confused and frustrated knowing you are right but anything he does involving just removing $2 from the till and giving it to you will result in the manager asking why and probably blaming them…

  • Blue Cat on 19/03/2019 - 21:32

    Okay since I saw that my thread is now on frontpage and blew up so much I should clarify some things, as I was expecting a maximum of 7 replies and not a 100+ reply discussion!

    • The $2 "refund" was good enough for me as I decided not to waste anyone's (including mine) time anymore and I did not want to start demanding for free beer because I did not know what were their policies (or, as it turns out, a lack of policies)
      BUT
    • I was not happy with BWS' employee acting like it is absolutely not his problem and shrugging his shoulders with a "I don't give a single **** mate" attitude. The shop didn't have any other customers anyway.

    If he had explained "sorry about that, the best I can do is refund the $2 difference" or "we can't give you the case for free but we can give you the $2 difference" maybe I wouldn't even bother for $2 but his attitude made me want to just to annoy him.

    Also, this is probably my first "wrong scanned price" happening for me ever, and listening to everyone else brag how they got free stuff because of incorrect scanned prices and having read the signs at Woolies about getting free items, I was excited that this was finally my chance at free stuff! And I use the same eWISH gift card for both Woolies and BWS so I thought they would have same policies or something. And lucky me, it's beer! Who would turn down or not try their chances for free beer? I am sure being late an extra 10 minutes to the party would justify getting free beer!

    I guess my "entitlement" comes from a lack of information and just the gossip I keep hearing "if item scans wrong, it's FREE BRO!!!!!111"… and fear of missing out on free beer.

    I hope this clears some things up as I don't want get attributed to "high investment car" bloke (I drive a year 2000 Corolla ffs) and avo loving millennial (I actually dislike the taste of them, don't know what's the fuss about).

  • Kamsi on 19/03/2019 - 21:56
    +1

    My goodness, it hard to run a business nowadays giving away free beer just for a simple system error. Gees what this world become to.

  • Munki on 20/03/2019 - 00:09

    Mate you definitely deserves compensation. Like perhaps 1 year's worth of salary. That's ridiculous. The gall on those slimy bastards.

  • MelbBargainChaser77 on 20/03/2019 - 02:25

    Scanning policy does not apply to certain items, one being tobacco, also does not apply to items over $50, also doesnt apply at BWS, just woolworths supermarket.

  • Morphio25 on 20/03/2019 - 07:02

    The scanning code of practice applies only to groceries, not liquor or tobacco products. Basically if it scans at a price higher than what is shown on the shelf you get the first item free of charge and the rest at the lower price.

    In liquor stores they simply reduce the price down to what is shown on the shelf. I.e. you get your beer for $54 not $56.

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