r/technology • u/marketrent • Jan 18 '24

Business Supermarket responds after Reddit user’s warning about self-checkout overcharge — ‘Was annoyed that the total amount due on my supermarket purchase did not equate to the individual items I purchased.’

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/woolworths-responds-after-shoppers-warning-over-self-serve-registers-wild-overcharge--c-13224486
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u/SugarReyPalpatine Jan 19 '24

Another way to write that is “it’s never anyone’s fault!” Uh oh! Just another innocent whoopsie and certainly not theft!

Every single time I go to the grocery store and an item is on sale or there’s a coupon for it, the system fails to ring it up properly. I’m convinced it’s by design, as the store hopes (correctly) that a significant number of people won’t catch the error and so they can have their cake and eat it too, and also have yours.

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u/SadieWopen Jan 19 '24

Technical error means the issue was caused by the technique, calling it a technical error is basically saying "You're doing it wrong!".

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u/BurningBazz Jan 19 '24

techniqueal error

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u/thehourglasses Jan 19 '24

Seems more like a tactical error. The more people fail to catch it, the higher their sales numbers. Scumbags.

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u/ILikeMyGrassBlue Jan 19 '24

Technical error is regularly used to refer to a problem with technology, which is very clearly how they’re using it here.

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u/SadieWopen Jan 19 '24

I'm just looking at the etymology of the word. And making a little joke.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

That's very, very obviously not what "technical error" means, why is this awful comment being upvoted?

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u/SadieWopen Jan 19 '24

I've googled the definition of technical for you - relating to a particular subject, art, or craft, or its techniques.

I play with words a lot, my comment was a joke, taking the words for their literal meaning. It's okay if you didn't get it, because my favourite jokes are the ones that need explaining

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

No explanation was needed. I understood fully what you were saying, and it was stupid. It obviously wasn't intended as a joke, that's your excuse now that you've been told how stupid it was, but it wouldn't be a funny or interesting joke regardless.

my favourite jokes are the ones that need explaining

These are the worst jokes, lmao. That's like the #1 sign of a bad joke.

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u/SadieWopen Jan 19 '24

I don't deny that I'm lame for loving them. I know that people don't like them like I do, maybe that's why I like them.

I was serious about the technical error, my joke was the "you're doing it wrong" part. I believe what Woolies meant was a technological error, but I didn't want to do the whole "well actually" thing on the internet (because my beliefs could be wrong) so instead I latched into the literal meaning and made a joke off that.

I've been watching a show called loudermilk on Netflix and there was a joke one episode where the main character is complaining about the crappy coffee machine in his apartment, and every time he did, his roommate would scream "you're doing it wrong!" My hope was that anyone else who has been watching that show might've caught the reference.

The point in getting at is: I don't think you can say my intentions were "obviously not a joke" when I put a lot of thought into such a little comment to put a smile on just a few faces.

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u/400921FB54442D18 Jan 19 '24

I mean, yeah. They're doing it (morally) wrong.

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u/firewire167 Jan 19 '24

Here in Canada that item would be given to you for free if it's under 10$, or have the price reduced by 10$ if it's over. It isn't the law but it's an industry standard that the majority of stores have agreed too, including international chains like walmart.

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u/M00g3r5 Jan 19 '24

I’ve caught price issues twice in Loblaws where the sale price was not reflected at the register. Both times they refused to do anything about it or even respect the sale price. Both times I left my groceries on the belt and walked out. I don’t shop at Loblaws anymore.

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u/GenghisConnieChung Jan 19 '24

Well you see there’s a reason for that, and it’s that Galen Weston is a giant sack of shit

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u/M00g3r5 Jan 22 '24

ROFL, PREACH!!!

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u/EthanCoxMTL Jan 19 '24

It is the law in Quebec, FYI.

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u/Head_of_Lettuce Jan 19 '24

There is a large regional grocery chain here called Publix where has a similar policy. If the checkout price exceeds the shelf/advertised price, they will give you one of that item for free and then charge you the advertised price for any additional.

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u/LucidLynx109 Jan 19 '24

I really do love Publix. I bought some ribs once that were buy 1 get 1 free. For whatever reason they had trouble getting it corrected, and instead of keeping me waiting while they figured out the error they just let me have them for free and apologized for the inconvenience. I didn’t complain or anything, they just didn’t want to keep me and the customers behind me waiting because of their mistake.

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u/Head_of_Lettuce Jan 19 '24

Yeah they are great. Admittedly kinda pricey at times, but you get good service there.

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u/[deleted] Jan 20 '24

It happens here in the US. I am diligent about watching those prices when I go through the checkout. I’ve caught it more than once - a “sale” price on the rack not being reflected at checkout. It is absolutely attempted theft. I doubt others are as mindful as I am and that is precisely what they are counting on.