Monday, August 29, 2011

Paying attention at the cash register...

Can pay off if you actually are paying attention at the cash register, or really cost you if you aren't. Take today for example--I picked up a package (1.25 lb.) of ground turkey (would have picked up a 3 lb. package, but more on that later) and made my way to the cash register with other purchases. I thought the price on the package was $2.98.

Imagine my surprise, when, as the last product scanned, the turkey rang up at $4.58.

So I asked about it. The poor cashier, who had just put the closed sign on her register, asked me if I wanted her to check it. I did. So off she went. And she was gone quite awhile. When she returned, she said that the turkey at a different fat content level was the one at $2.98, but since there was no sign posted for the package I wanted to purchase, they decided that they would let me have it at the price of the other type. Quite the savings, if the $4.58 was the price it will be when they do find the sign...

I had planned to pick up a 3 lb. package, since I usually brown it and freeze it, and since we had been using our frozen meat, I had not noticed until now that there were no 3 lb. packages available. And no space marked for 3 lb. packages, making me wonder how long this had been going on, and if there were any plans to bring back the more economical package sizes. The turkey available was a different brand. So, I asked someone pulling a stocking shelf out from the back what the deal was--were we ever to see the 3 lb. packages again at this shopping location? The long and short of it was that he didn't know.

And hence, I don't know either. I do have one back up location for buying the 3 lb. packages, so I certainly hope it is stil available, and at a better price than $4.58 for 1.25 lbs...what are prices like where you are at?

And on the first note, makes me wonder how many times I have been overcharged without realizing it--through my own fault (misreading or misattributing signs) or otherwise...

3 comments:

pelenaka said...

It's very common, stores like Walmart are always rearranging isles. I mean it makes no sense to pay employees to move displays almost constantly. And yet they do.
One of the reasons I enjoy shopping @ stores like Aldis. In the 8 years the the sugar & flour have always been in the same spot with a clearly visible sign.

Kristen said...

I hate it when that happens. When you are standing at the checkout with kids all around you trying to touch every bit of candy or new gadget AND trying to watch the register, things get missed.

Prices in Florida have been shockingly high. When we lived in Utah, we loved the low prices. Arizona was slightly higher, but the stores tripled coupons and had great loss leaders. Here in Florida, prices are at least double.

Marie said...

Pelenaka--They recently did a big renovation at our local Walmart, and it has been difficult to find stuff as a result. I read somewhere that one reason to rearrange stuff is that it makes it more likely that shoppers won't notice how much prices have gone up. Don't know how accurate it is, but it makes sense to a degree.
We don't have an Aldis in the area, but I sure would like to see one sometime...

Kristen--Ah, so I'm not the only one that has to say, "Don't touch anything" when we're in the oh-so-tempting cashier lane... :)
I'm sorry about the prices in Florida--I'm experiencing sticker shocker more often here, and Idaho isn't that bad when I hear prices elsewhere. However, at $4.58 for 1.25 lb, we wouldn't be eating turkey too often.

Thanks so much to both of you for your comments--they are greatly appreciated!