I’m guilty. Happened to me several times especially on sale items and when I do grocery shopping. Sometimes, you don’t notice because it’s small amount compared to the total bill.

For sale items, sometimes, the system is not updated so that regular price is registered when the bar code is scanned.

I always do my grocery shopping alone and it’s really difficult to monitor the prices being punched while you are transferring your goods from the cart to the counter or packing your goods.

I wouldnt worry much. Either the barcode is linked to the wrong price, or the wrong sticker was placed on the product. In the factory, when operators run the machine, we trust the barcode - rather than having an employee key in numbers manually. Human error is much harder to control - a sleepy employee can key in the wrong numbers (mad employee, sick employee, daydreaming employee - lots of possible causes). So I’d say, I’ll take my chances with the barcode than with a cashier manually keying in numbers, who’s chitchatting with another worker…

It’s Christmas time! Everybody is busy. Everybody is rushing. A strategy to earn extra revenue? I wonder how it’s shown on their financial statements. Ahh let’s see… “Oopps Revenue” hahahaha! You did good though!

I always check the monitor with every beep of the scanner. It’s not uncommon for items be incorrectly priced, and it’s always in the store’s favor, not mine. I was recently out of country for several weeks and I just received my latest electric bill, which shows the previous reading and the latest reading as identical, as it should be. The next box says “Difference” and then the digit zero., also correct. Then the next box is under the heading “KWH consumed” and they have 124! And then the rest of the bill appears with all the usual extra stuff and a substantial total. I doubt this was an error, but instead an attempt to increase somebody’s revenue at my expense.

How about the little things? Like what happened to us one time we were at Shopwise. There was huge sign saying that a dozen eggs was only 35 pesos, so we bought several dozens because my wife bakes a lot and we plan to give some to my in-laws. When we got home, my wife scanned the receipt and found that the eggs really cost 55 pesos.

P4,200 for P99! shucks! better check my receipts na din!

that is a good catch…
i somehow would like to think that sometimes the stores make adjustment on online POS pricing but not the barcode tag or price that reflects on the shelf.

it is very likely that a human error also can make things worse by encoding the wrong price info on the system.

i normally check the items and price as it beeps on the monitor of the cashier. even the counting. especially those who has a speed in hands movement.

at least when i shop, we already know how much since we’re using the calculator of our cellphones. SM used to have calculators in their large pushcarts.

some stores like watson also have a policy that in case of discrepancy between the tag and the scanner, the lower price is used.

note also that in using bar codes, the first three digits indicate the country who issued the code and not necessarily where the product was made. there’s an email circulating in the Internet about this but the information is partly true for products made from the giant of asia

Just like your brod-in-law, I scan the receipt for any errors, usually for items that cost P100 and above. Latest experience is at Walter Mart, when a diaper I regularly buy has higher price in the receipt than in the tag price. Price difference is only P10 or P12, but its still a saving.

Bar code prices are encoded by supermarket staff, and with a lot of stuff they encode every now and then, these encoders could also commit human errors.

Check padding in restaurants/bars are more prevalent than errors in bar code pricing.

I have do have encountered it once at SM supermarket where in i bought something worth 100 a piece but when the cashier pass it to the scanner its now worth like a box of it.

Actually the problem there isnt the scanner or the barcode. Its those sales attendants, for rushing or not able to double check what they stick on the products.

Hi Salve,

Would you still buy at DIY shop Salve?

This is bad. I doubt that this is a practice among retailers but it is good that you posted it.

I suggest that everyone keep away ( as far as you can) from DIY Handyman shop. If this is a practice of their store, then the DTI and BIR should crack down on all their stores. Pronto.

If it was a mistake, then how many more mistakes are there in their coding (inventory system). I suspect that they would have tens of thousands of items. Shucks! How many loyal clients have been victimized by this a.) practice or b.) mistake. Wow! Inexcusable.

Every code assigned to the items in their inventory is now suspect. So, why take the chance. I am sure their competitors will be more than willing to accommodate all of us.

Here is how bad this is:

1 customer x (4200-99=4101) = 4101
10 customers x 4101= 41010
100 customers x 4101= 410,100
1000 customers x 4101 = 4,101,000

and this is just for one item. It would be a bit obvious to customers who are diligent enough to review their tape receipt (like Salve).

What if they a.) sneeked in or b.) accidentally encoded other mistakes that costs P10 for 1000 customers a day, that would mean P10k a day.

How many thousands of customers do they have a day?

wow that is really quite a shocking revelation. from now on i would definitely double-check my receipt everytime i make these purchases. thank you salve.

Wow! I have to double check the prices then when they scan it. Thanks for the heads up Salve! I’m learning new things every time I read your articles here.

wow..thanx for informing us!

another problem for me is that most of the supermarkets & groceries do not put individual pricetag for each item.they usually just put a price in the shelves beneath the items. the problem is manytimes, the goods are mixed in the shelves. & you will spend more time checking what is its real price. Time is gold, so i feel bad about this.

because of this, sometimes, its very hard to compare prices. also a few times, you are misled of its true price

To answer your question, I don’t.

I even check bills, like from restaurants. Sometimes, you can be billed for something you have not ordered. But I believe that’s just human error.

Kudos to you for reminding people.

Modern gadgets can become traps if we fall too complacent with their use. This is a good reminder to always do a manual check, just to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

I love that sudden switch: “What if they are already taking over the world?!!”

Interesting story. I might need to counter check my bills next time coz I don’t usually do that. They are not humans but prone to commit mistakes too.

Computers and POS software are not perfect. Errors may occur and shoppers must be vigilant and be unhesitating to complain.

Well, machines (such as a barcode reader), however efficient, do sometimes fail - they are after all only made by men. But it really pays to check your receipt before leaving a POS counter, as most of the times, errors are not caused by the scanning machines but by the cashiers themselves. Cashiers sometimes (unwittingly or not) make double entries for single items bought. Happened to me quite a number of times, that’s why (like your brod-in-law) it has become a habit for me to check the tape receipt whenever I go shopping.

“What if they are already taking over the world?!!”

Watching too much of “Matrix” and “I, Robot”, eh? But you really made me smile at that comment of yours. And I initially thought (mistakenly, it seems) that economists and/or financial managers have a dry sense of humour!

I don’t think the problem lies on the bar code scanner.

There are 3 probable causes of pricing errors.

1. The bar code sticker was placed on the wrong item. To prevent mix up, an item description is usually printed together with the bar code. You should always check this when you shop, as some merchandizers are so reckless, and irresponsible.

2. Wrong bar code information was printed. This is rare, since the data on bar code stickers are normally printed by getting information directly from the POS/Server database. However, it could happen, if a supplier skimpped on getting a good system.

3. Wrong pricing information in the POS/Server database. Pricing information are still manually encoded, at least once. When it’s wrong, it goes all the way down.

Bar code scanners are extremely accurate. However, it still has to be used properly to get accurate results. It’s a garbage-in, garbage-out thing.

I understand the point here.
What I usually do, that is if it possible is to still look at the teller’s screen for the items being scanned. Sometimes this is not possible if there are no screen to look into, though highly unlikely.
I look at the prices anyway when i get the items from the shelf (except of course things like coffee, milk, the usuals) so I would have an idea when an item was priced way off. An item that normally cost P99 and show P4,200 in the screen can be corrected early. Although I admit if the difference is like 5% or 10% off would be highly un-noticed.

You also made me laugh with your phrase ‘What if they are already taking over the world?!!’

Nice One! Anyway, I’ll better check my receipts from now on. I don’t usually check it as I put my trust on the bar code scanner.

Thanks for this post.

This just happened to me last Sunday at Powerbooks Megamall. I bought 5 books. I was looking at the cash register everytime the cashier scanned an item. One showed a higher price than that indicated at the back of the book. In her rush, the cashier didn’t notice it, so I called her attention right away, before she even rung the total amount. So it was corrected asap. Yeah, watch that register like a hawk.

It’s troublesome to check ever piece of grocery item price but it’s better than being ripped off.

hi.
i experienced this many times in 7-11 outlets. either the barcode was on a wrong item, or the cashier was new..things like that..
so, better check the receipts while still on the store premises, as well as the items you bought for your peace of mind.

Something is still wrong there. Here’s the reconciliation of the computation:
Previous wrong bill - P9,291.48
Deduct: wrong amount (4,200.00)
Add : right amount 99.00
Theoretical right amount P5,190.48
vs. final bill 5,121.23
Unlocated difference P 69.25

There is more than one error in the scanning!

My wife and I usually check our receipts to see if the prices are really what they are ! Bar coded or not ! And at least once a month I catch a price on items that are 30- 50 % reduced but not reduced on the tape receipt. I go at once to the information table and claim my excess payment ! Or give back the item !

That is always the way at discounter stores ! They try to take a cent from you without your permission !!

So, people, WATCH OUT, it is your money !!!

[...] Do you trust the bar code? [...]