Incorrect Shelf Prices at Walmart - Page 4

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Next I went back to the Walmart on Watt Avenue in Sacramento. Upstairs they had automotive products and hardware. Again, the prices on the shelf were sometimes difficult to decipher.

The prices above were labelled PELLET STOP LEAK, COOLING STOP LEAK and POWDER STOP LEAK, but there were four distinct items on the shelf, so I wasn't sure what price belonged to what product.

Here a rogue roll of duct tape found its way onto a shelf in front of a very low price. This was probably a customer reshelving error.

Everything else was marked at the correct price.

Antifreeze $8.97, Oil pan $7.92, Pennzoil 10w30 $15.67, grease $1.87, car battery $84.97, battery cables $16.94, rubbing compound $5.96, squeegee $4.98, Rain X $2.84, auto shade $6.47, tool box $9.97, fan $16.88, plastic sheeting $9.27, Frog tape $5.63, Caulk gun $1.77, Lock $8.37, Chain $8.62, jigsaw $19.88, staples $2.74, sawblade $4.48, heat lamp $4.97, clamp light $10.97.

Finally, I revisited the Walmart in Folsom, CA and scanned some items in the party supply section.

There was one entire aisle of items at 97¢.

I picked up about a dozen items and scanned them. These bags were one thing I was pretty sure were on the wrong peg.

Sure enough, they were BAG GRAND BLACK STAR, priced at just $3.97. The price was incorrect, but no foul because the price was marked higher than the actual scanned price.

Everything else scanned at the same price as shown on the shelf: Barbie bag $3.97, Candy mix $6, pecan candy $7.96, streamer 97¢, princess party pack 97¢, birthday banner $3.75, cup cake bag $2.97, tissue paper $3.97, cake pan $12.50, cookie cutters $2.88, snorkel & mask set $9.97, food processor $29.92, juicer $18.96, electric can opener $9.96, coffee maker $8.96, pressure cooker $79.00.

I complained about the mismarked black gift bags and was given a $3.00 credit. This seemed unethical, because I knew it was mismarked.

The cashier was surprised. Apparently I was the first person to ever complain that the scanned price was lower than the shelf price.

Summary
Based on this long, but limited test, there does not seem to be a systematic attemept to defraud customers with fake, low shelf prices. Besides my own two purchases which inspired this investigation, I found only one item which was definitely had the wrong tag out on the shelf (the drill). It was marked at a higher price, hurting only Walmart.

I encountered about a dozen confusing price tags and misplaced items. This is a problem and I'm sure the shelving errors weren't always attributable to customers.

The customer should not have to hunt down the correct shelf price tags and decode item descriptions such as COLOR ME MINE ASSOR and HDN IMAGE GLOW AST.

Also, working price scanners should be available throughout the store. Walmart's credo is lower prices. Give me the tools to check for myself.

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