Takin' the Blog for a Walk

glad I didn't have to play the blog card

Posted by Brien Lee on April 21, 2012

It was a weird day. Did the usual Saturday shopping at my favorite grocery store. They know me, probably too well, there. At the checkout Vicky saw me and said, "here comes trouble". Little did she know how much.

Since we've recently become empty-nesters we're no longer fans of purchasing large amounts of the same or similar items for a discount. Sometimes bordering on the ridiculous, who needs 20 boxes of cereal or cookies at one time?

I'm a very careful grocery shopper. Prices the way they are I don't just grab a bag of carrots, potatoes, oranges or lettuce without looking them over real good. If something on sale sounds too good to be true I read the fine print because it often is. When I find a pricing error on the shelf I'll try to point it out so others don't fall victim. What's really irritating is when I point something out and it still hasn't been changed for days. I guess that's why you have to be a careful shopper these days.

I knew the store had been running sales this month on Keebler or Kelloggs... if you bought 8 packages! I wanted one package, and when I saw an end display with the sale price but not the quantity requirement I picked up another ... and one of the two price tags from the display. I borrowed the tag to show the cashier after they naturally would ring up the higher price. I've always understood the shelf price had to match the price you were charged. State law or something.

For some strange reason I thought this little issue, dollar a package, could be resolved simply at the cashier instead of waiting in line at customer service after the sale. Why should I? I had the price tag with me! Vicky gave the tag to the store manager who happened to be in the next line over and do you know what she said?

She took the tag and said, "our ad says you have to buy 8." Forget that we spend thousands of dollars there or that I just pointed out an error that would save many people from being overcharged.

Even though I knew what the sale requirement was, I don't remember the ad and it doesn't matter. You can't have a lower price on the shelf than what you're charging.

Even though I've pointed out errors to this same manager in the past she wouldn't refund my two dollars until after we hiked all the way back to the display where I showed her an additional identical, incorrect tag.

It was finally resolved, but wasn't my proudest moment. Mistakes obviously are bound to happen and corrections should be made promptly. If you think you don't have to charge what's marked on the shelf I'm sure there's other stores who would welcome our business.

I'm glad I didn't have to play the blog card by threatening to write something unfavorable about the way they treat good customers like us. It's still our favorite grocery store. Let's keep it that way.