Computer says no

[Paulbot]

In general I can be a pretty impatient guy and I hate waiting in queues. So when I get to the register with a TF and it doesn't scan in I get really annoyed.

There seems to be three outcomes

1. One item doesn't scan but you have another one of similar type (another deluxe for instance) and the cashier will put both through for the same price.

2. They insist on doing a price check so you wait and wait while a staff member comes to the register picks up the item, goes wandering off and eventually comes back with a price.

And 3. then sometimes they refuse to sell it to (which happened to me yesterday).

The first instance is always the easiest and less time-consuming and if that happens I don't mind as much, but it relys on you buying two toys.

The second is annoying but there's a chance you'll pick up a bargain if they come back with the wrong price (as several people have found out in the last couple of days).

In the third they are just wasting your time.

IMO it's very poor customer service to put items on the shelf and not into the computer. As I've noted many times Big W seems to be the worst for this and usually with new items in an existing line (eg later Movie toys or the latest Universe figures).

So is this just my pet peeve or do others get frustrated as me?

[Kyle]

[blackie]

whenever we havent had stuff in the computer, it ends up being given away for free, but since im not a checkout chick i dont know the scanning polocy, but i know there is one and im sure things like that are included.....

[jacksplatt11]

Haha Kyle you stole my idea

[Pulse]

And 3. then sometimes they refuse to sell it to (which happened to me yesterday).

I've never experienced that before?

It's like they don't want our money or something... (A big retailer not wanting our money? Who'd a thunk it? )

[jaydisc]

1. One item doesn't scan but you have another one of similar type (another deluxe for instance) and the cashier will put both through for the same price.

This is what happened the only time I faced this with Movie Landmine. She scanned in Dreadwing instead and after an argument, I made her annotate the proper UPC for Landmine on the receipt too

Which was good, as I returned it later after finding a better deal.

[Paulbot]

I've never experienced that before?

It's like they don't want our money or something... (A big retailer not wanting our money? Who'd a thunk it? )

Yes I think that's a rare one, but I was miffed when it happened to me.

Most often I get the first instance where they just scan in the similar product twice.

[fatbot]

it depends on the retailer, i spent 6 years working for coles myer ( in three different companies) and the sytsem was different for all them. for example, and remember kids this was almost 10 years ago, kmart would scan the 2nd similar item twice, target would make you wait for a price check and coles would make the price up on the spot, well i made the price up on the spot, i had the authority and if they couldn't be bothered to put the prices into the computer then bugger 'em.

however as i understand it, the woolworths group do an automatic order, that is the computers have a program that connects to the checkouts and registers what has sold and compares it what's in the system and makes corrections and automatic orders when it gets to the cut off point, this kind of system doesn't allow for the prices to be made up on the spot or for a 2nd item to be scanned in it's place, at least not without a valid reason and no, you wanting to but the item is considered a valid reason.


the next time that it happens, and trust me, it will happen again, demend to see the store manager and put in a very vocal complaint and always tell them you'll put the complaint in writing for their area/sector/region manager.