Several years ago, when Jen and I were roommies, we made a fortune off of Kroger. Kroger's policy was that if the price of an item scanned incorrectly you could take it to the customer service desk and they would refund the full price of the item, so that you got it for free. For example, one week they had pizza rolls on sale 3 for $5, but when we checked out they rang up regular price. We took them back and got a full refund on all 3 boxes, nearly $10 worth.
This happened all the time. Every couple of trips we'd end up with five or ten bucks refunded. I haven't been very good at that since she moved out, mostly because I can't ever remember what things were supposed to cost. Until last night.
Kroger had certain pork loins on sale for $5.99, regular price is $8.99. I knew this one because it's one of the items that I've checked prices on all over town, and $5.99 for the Hormel flavored pork loins was a darn good deal. I bought one. When we got in the car I was looking at the receipt trying to figure out exactly how the cashier had gyped me out of a nickle in my change when I saw it. They charged me $8.99. No way. I made Greg go back so I could get a refund, but it appears the policy has changed.
I didn't get the pork loin for free. They did refund the difference in the price I was charged and the sale price, but instead of giving me a full refund they gave me a $5 Kroger gift card "for it ringing up wrong." It all came out to $8.21, which is close enough that I wasn't outraged or anything, but I certainly didn't realize that they'd changed the policy. I didn't ask the lady about it (she wasn't exactly Miss Personality) since it was already close to 8pm and I just wanted to go home. I tried looking it up on their website this morning, but the policy isn't posted anywhere. Any Kroger experts out there know exactly how this is working now? Is it always a $5 gift card regardless of the price of the item? In the past I wouldn't worry much if the total price of the item was less than $5 or so, but if they're giving out the $5 gift card on a $2 or $3 item, plus the difference in price, I might start paying more attention!
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11 comments:
I didn't know Kroger ever had a policy like that. Wow ... It's a shame they did away with it. My stuff rings up incorrectly all the time.
Let us know when you find out.
I must admit...I don't check them much anymore either. And usually if I do find something I don't go back.
I think that says something about how far we've come! Ah, the good old days. I can remember having those conversations, "$6.82?? We could go get Mexican at The Hat and BOTH eat for $6.82!" It was like winning the chips and salsa lottery.
Sandi - depending on how much it was on sale, it may still be worth it. They still refund the difference, and the $5 gift card was acceptable for me. I knew I wouldn't have bought the pork loin at regular price last night, so I was darn sure getting my money back out of them.
I have an answer for you. Kroger a few years ago bought Fred Meyer out west and started moving their Marketplace stores east. Since Marketplaces carry more than just groceries (i.e. non-food, higher markup items) they decided to limit losses up to $5.00 over the price difference. This also became policy at regular Kroger stores as many have been recently remodeled. Here's how the policy works now, at least in Ohio.
You will get the difference back on each item that rang wrong. Then for one item you will get up to $5.00 back, less if the remaining cost of an item is under $5.00. Does that make sense?
Basically since Kroger started carrying more than just groceries it was decided to limit how much you get back from a price mistake. And in some states if alcohol rings the wrong price we are not allowed by law to refund any money.
Brent
There is a Kroger expert out there! Awesome. I knew Kroger had expanded but I didn't know anything about the stores they bought. Thanks for the info! That will help me decide if going back is worth the wait!
it was good meeting you & jen today! It is now coming a monsoon...there are 4 storms sitting on top of our house, according to radar. EEK!
~:o
I just wish I could have brought the pup! He would have loved to meet you, too. Except for the interrupting his afternoon nap part.
Not monsooning here yet, but we're hunkered down waiting. At the first sign of thunder I may immediately go take a nap.
Let me know if I can be any more help. My take on the reason prices go badly are the more complicated sales we have. Sometimes you have to buy ten of a certain selection of items, others you have to get four of the item, not three or five.
I'm not really sure where the pressure for these deals are coming from, Kroger or the manufacturer. Generally we get things corrected by the end of the week, only to have a new sale ad on Monday.
wanna be really floored? Walmart used to have a scanning policy too. Refund of the difference plus $3.00 was posted right at the registers, but I had to fight for it every time. Now the signs are all gone, and no policy. and do you think a single cashier is going to believe you when things scan wrong? nope. So you have to sit around and wait for a price check, which makes it not worth it at all.
which is why I no longer shop at walmart..
well for the most part.
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