Dangit!! Another overcharge!!

[crikkett]

I'm sick of this, seems like I can't spend money w/o being overcharged. Yesterday I was overcharged $10 for something from Ace Hardware. Now, I have to schlep back there to get a refund. Isn't there a California law that says I get something like I get more than the difference, as a penalty?

Thanks
-c

[crikkett]

1. Answering my own question

In CA you don't get a 'bounty' for reporting scanner overcharges. But you do get good karma. :)

The Office of Weights and Measures has jurisdiction over prices and scanner issues.
http://www.dca.ca.gov/r_r/weights1.htm - find your county here.

From https://www.dca.ca.gov/dca/press_releases/2004/1231.htm
New Laws for California Consumers - California Department Of Consumer Affairs:

Prices: Overcharges – AB 1721 (Koretz, D-West Hollywood) – Prohibits any person or store from charging an amount greater than the lowest price posted for a product, even if there is an expiration date posted for that product. This law clarifies that expired sale signs that are not removed must be honored by the merchant. It also clarifies the language of the law to cover scanner overcharges.

This law amends Section 12024.2 of the Business and Professions Code of CA.

A store that overcharges customers at checkout is required to refund the difference between the posted price and the scanned price, and promptly fix the problem. Consumers are encouraged to report overcharges to their county's Office of Weights and Measures, who will then inspect the store. If the inspector is overcharged for the same item, the store is fined $100 or $1000 depending upon the cost of the item.

BTW this means that if a sale sign hasn't been taken down you can ask for, and get, a sale price even after the expy. date.

Homework's done, now I can go play...
C

[troubleinwinter]

2. The WORST of em all was

Payless Drugs in Santa Rosa, CA. I was overcharged EVERY SINGLE time. It got so that I never left the checkout before going over the receipt. Pissed off the checker & people behind me, but 100% of the time, I found an overcharge.

There SHOULD be a law that penalizes them, not just refund the difference. Many stores will give you +10% or the item free. But that is likely the honest ones that don't do it on purpose.

[hvn_nbr_2]

4. Don't be so sure about the ones with good policies being honest.

One of the major supermarket chains has a very good policy (I don't remember the details) but it's because of a court agreement that resulted from them being so bad and dishonest.

I've been checking receipts for about 15 years, and my experience is that drug stores and supermarkets are the worst. At least 95% of the errors are in the store's favor, so it's not honest mistakes. Honest mistakes would balance out. The number of errors rises and falls with the political winds. When the legislature is talking about it, as they do periodically, the errors disappear for awhile. When they think no one is paying attention, the errors come back.

[troubleinwinter]

5. "At least 95% of the errors are in the store's favor..."

Uh-oh. Sonds like they are using DIEBOLD scanners!

[politicat]

3. I always read the receipt on my way out the door.

It's habit, partially formed at costco, where you have to have your receipt in hand to get out the door.

King soopers is my overcharge bugabear, here. About once a week, the manager and I go look at a posted sign, s/he takes the sign down and gives me my money back.

I've gotten free snickers candy (at Halloween), a free iron (rang up 7.99 when posted 5.99), meat...

I think it's store policy to give the item for free or to give the proper price.