My husband and I went crazy at the DIY Handyman shop over the weekend to buy stuff for the house, so we had quite a stack of things to pay for at the cashier. I knew we probably overspent, but the bill still surprised me when it reached P9,000 plus.
I paid for the bill and then asked for the tape receipt. Rugs, check. Two different sizes of hooks, check. Car cleaning stuff, check.
“What’s this item that costs P4,200?” I thought my voice sounded really calm.
The cashier and her bagger checked each item and found that it really cost P99 but the scanner somehow made P4,200 appear on-screen. Great.
They voided the charge to my credit card and counted everything all over again, while my son complained of a missed meal and general tiredness at the things that adults worry about. I paid P5,121.23 instead of P9,291.48.
I was lucky it was a big item, that I spotted it and double-checked the tape receipt before I left the store. But what if these automatic scanners have been taking money from us without us knowing it? What if these are in increments of P50, or P100? Would we notice? What if they are already taking over the world?!! (kidding)
I once scoffed at my brother-in-law who checked each item in the tape receipt every time they went to the grocery. He may have a point after all. I just hate having to feel like I can’t trust something as simple as a scanner or barcode.
29 Responses to “Do you trust the bar code?”
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Pages: « 6 5 [4] 3 2 1 » Show All
November 12th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
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.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Computers and POS software are not perfect. Errors may occur and shoppers must be vigilant and be unhesitating to complain.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
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.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
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.
November 12th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
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.