Computer says NOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Long Onion

I was in Tesco the other day and picked up a packet of garlic bread (amongst other things) when I got to the checkout, it seems that the Garlic Bread hadn't been listed on their computer system and so, it wouldn't scan. The guy on the checkout told me that he couldn't sell it to me. I told him that there was a price on the fridge for it and he could go and check it but he said that it didn't matter - he couldn't sell it to me. The bread was left sitting at the end of the till and will probably defrost and go in the bin - I just laughed and went to super value.

But this got me thinking - I know that barcodes are a wonderful invention and have changed stock taking and suchlike but it amazes me now to see the abject panic that appears on shop assistants faces everything something doesn't scan. If you're in a rush you can't just leave the money on the counter anymore because "I have to scan it ..."

Have we noe become too reliant on technology, should we go back to analogue shopping - back to the old days when there were no customer reference numbers, where food didn't have to beep before you could buy it, where you could just ask for a 'coffee' and not be quizzed over which of the 4,315 types you wanted.

I am I a complete luddite because i just want 'a coffee' and want to leave my money on the counter???

anniehoo

Are they not meant to give it to you for free if that happens?

Kintarō Hattori

Choice is always good and barcodes (technology) make the shopping experience quicker. Self serve checkouts are an excellent invention.

Vinta81

anniehoo wrote: »

Are they not meant to give it to you for free if that happens?

seriously?

Long Onion

Only if it's priced incorrectly - i.e. if it scans at a different price than it is displayed at. They call it their "no quibble guarantee" - but when you bring it to their attention, the always make you wait while the page a duty manager and then make you bring the to the aisle and show them where the item is - sound like a frickin' quibble to me ...

Theta

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Choice is always good and barcodes (technology) make the shopping experience quicker. Self serve checkouts are an excellent invention.

Do you not find that the Tesco ones are so slow that they must be powered by a hamster! They are useless I think

GrayD

Why must people always moan.

Ok there is a system in place that the store has chosen to use. In a huge shop with so many products coming and going like Tesco although its an inconvenience do you not think there could be ONE temporary mistake made just occasionally, we're all still human.

No, you are NOT entitled to it for free. I love how people use any exact use to claims its their right to get thigns for free when i don't know of any rule or law in retail which entitles anyone to anything free like this in all my years service.

Thirdly, give the guy on the tills a break, he's probably only a young fella or something and he's doing his best, he can't help if the system fecks up. He could easily get the sack if he doesn't do it right and he has no way of putting the item through the till.

I used never let anyone just take an item and "leave the change". Now you're on camera making a transaction on the tills on your own. 1 cent over or under on the counts and your arse is on a plate! I've seen too many people come and go for such things and a few bad egg customers who'll return swearing blindly they just gave you a twenty to your manager and that you pocketed the change. No thanks!

Biggins

anniehoo wrote: »

Are they not meant to give it to you for free if that happens?

Vinta81 wrote: »

seriously?

Some stores have a policy that if they make a mistake or forget about pricing something, when its noticed at the check-out you get it for free.
Not sure of they still do it but Tescos's did at one stage.

Your not entitled to it free by the way generally.

Although the items are laid out before you in the shop, its whats known in legal terms as "an invitation to treat" and as such you must pay the subsequent related costs should you wish to do so.

ScumLord

Long Onion wrote: »

I am I a complete luddite because i just want 'a coffee' and want to leave my money on the counter???

Go to a small local shop, what do you expect from a big soulless international corporation?

Long Onion

GrayD wrote: »

Why must people always moan.

Ok there is a system in place that the store has chosen to use. In a huge shop with so many products coming and going like Tesco although its an inconvenience do you not think there could be ONE temporary mistake made just occasionally, we're all still human.

No, you are NOT entitled to it for free. I love how people use any exact use to claims its their right to get thigns for free when i don't know of any rule or law in retail which entitles anyone to anything free like this in all my years service.

Thirdly, give the guy on the tills a break, he's probably only a young fella or something and he's doing his best, he can't help if the system fecks up. He could easily get the sack if he doesn't do it right and he has no way of putting the item through the till.

I used never let anyone just take an item and "leave the change". Now you're on camera making a transaction on the tills on your own. 1 cent over or under on the counts and your arse is on a plate! I've seen too many people come and go for such things and a few bad egg customers who'll return swearing blindly they just gave you a twenty to your manager and that you pocketed the change. No thanks!

It's Teso policy - check it up and feel free to post an apology anytime.
P.S. Do you realise that you're moaning?

Turd Ferguson

You should have just taken it and walked out. If they wont sell it because its "not on the system" then they can't charge you with shoplifting

Kintarō Hattori

irlmarc wrote: »

Do you not find that the Tesco ones are so slow that they must be powered by a hamster! They are useless I think

I haven't found them slow but I usually just shop in the one Tesco branch and don't have experience of other stores. I find them great, the only annoying thing being some slow ass customers ahead of you!

petes

It's a taste sensation!

Theta

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I haven't found them slow but I usually just shop in the one Tesco branch and don't have experience of other stores. I find them great, the only annoying thing being some slow ass customers ahead of you!

Oh yeah you get them alot. Was behind a fella for ages one time cause he was swiping his club card over and over and over and over and over again instead of scanning the barcode on the back of it.

Cookie_Monster

Long Onion wrote: »

Only if it's priced incorrectly - i.e. if it scans at a different price than it is displayed at. They call it their "no quibble guarantee" - but when you bring it to their attention, the always make you wait while the page a duty manager and then make you bring the to the aisle and show them where the item is - sound like a frickin' quibble to me ...

No, never point it out before hand as they will just manually enter the price. Pay for it and then go back to the customer service desk and point it out, then you get it free.

oneweb

You should've told the manager. As a matter of fact, the staff member should've gotten a manager to find out what to do.

There's nearly always a 'department' to put something in as - I know managers don't like that 'cos they lose accurate count of stock, but during my time in a Department store we ALWAYS had to make a note of whatever didn't scan for the EPOS (till system) people to fix up.

It's like, 'eh, that's not in the training manual. I need to go now.'

eightyfish

anniehoo wrote: »

Are they not meant to give it to you for free if that happens?

Only in Superquinn.

Euro_Kraut

eightyfish wrote: »

Only in Superquinn.

I got a packet of Vegetable soup free in Dunnes last year for the same reason. One of the best days of my life that was.

G_R

i used ta work part time in a shop (not tesco mind) and if somethin didnt scan we just went to the computer in the customer service desk, typed in the barcode, then it finds a price and puts it on the till. I dno why they couldnt do that, i presume most shops would have a similar system.

But everything has to be scaned through the till cos otherwise it wouldnt show up on the order forms as having been sold

deebee08

Same thing happened to me recently too....strangely enough also in Tesco. Went to buy a flower pot that had a price on the shelf for it and when I went to the til it wouldnt scan. Cashier said to go to a supervisor at customer service so I proceeded over and they told me it wasnt in the system and shouldnt even have been on the shelf!!! Dont understand it at all, they could have gotten €25 off me for it!!

mehfesto2

dannym08 wrote: »

i used ta work part time in a shop (not tesco mind) and if somethin didnt scan we just went to the computer in the customer service desk, typed in the barcode, then it finds a price and puts it on the till. I dno why they couldnt do that, i presume most shops would have a similar system.

But everything has to be scaned through the till cos otherwise it wouldnt show up on the order forms as having been sold

Exactly. Couldn't agree more.
Back in 'the old days' there wasn't half as much stuff on sale in shops, let alone shops as big as Tescos. I work in a bookshop and have to check up books which aren't priced occassionally - it's no big deal.

It pisses me off when people assume I should know the prices of all the books in the shop.If I had a memory like that love, I wouldn't be working behind a till now would I?! :pac:

stovelid

ScumLord wrote: »

Go to a small local shop, what do you expect from a big soulless international corporation?

Choice, parking and cheaper prices?

Wompa1

Long Onion wrote: »

It's Teso policy - check it up and feel free to post an apology anytime.
P.S. Do you realise that you're moaning?

Isn't it if 70% or more of the item is marked incorrectly?

This happened to me once in Super Valu, they just asked me to wait for about 5 minutes while they entered it into the system. All apologies about it too but I didn't really mind, stuff happens.

RossFixxxed

Karsini wrote: »

This happened to me once in Super Valu, they just asked me to wait for about 5 minutes while they entered it into the system. All apologies about it too but I didn't really mind, stuff happens.

+1 for that. If the system screws up it's not the till guys fault. Bit odd they coudn't manually add it, but this stuff happens from time to time. It's not personal like.

Maybe if you spent less time moaning you could get your garlic bread. You're not entitled if it's not listed no, you are entitled to pay for your bread and go away and that's about it. Or in this case just go away it seems!

Long Onion

Wompa1 wrote: »

Isn't it if 70% or more of the item is marked incorrectly?

Nope - it's the whole shebang if you pay even one cent more at the till than the advertised price. I know there is no legal basis but it's a store policy.

I know the benefits of new scanning systems, but i just feel that we are losing the human element in so many different aspects of life

Long Onion

RossFixxxed wrote: »

+1 for that. If the system screws up it's not the till guys fault. Bit odd they coudn't manually add it, but this stuff happens from time to time. It's not personal like.

Like, i never said that it was the guys fault, and I also never said it was personal like.

RossFixxxed wrote: »

Maybe if you spent less time moaning you could get your garlic bread. You're not entitled if it's not listed no, you are entitled to pay for your bread and go away and that's about it. Or in this case just go away it seems!

How could i get the garlic bread when he refused to sell it to me? I never said i was entitled to it either, I just thought that it was a bit ridiculous when we get to the stage that we are so reliant on a computer system that when it goes wrong, shops are no longer able to sell things. like.