SANDY, Utah, Feb. 10, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Walmart Super Center store at Quarry Bend in Sandy failed the state price scanner test after I told Utah State officials about the price scanner problems I encountered at the store.
Back on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, I shared the story of how I was overcharged at the checkout scanner for the purchase of a product at Walmart at Quarry Bend. The price I was charged was more than the price on the shelf.
But worse, while my price charged was instantly corrected, when I asked to have the scanned price corrected on the store computer so other customers would not be overcharged, I was met with a certain amount of resistance. In fact, after a store employee directed me to the manager’s office, rather than being concerned about the overcharge, the manager, “Philip” announced I was to be escorted out of the store.
Before being fully escorted from the store, manager “decided to ask me precisely which product I was purchasing was being overcharged. We went to the check-out area, where I explained to “PHILIP” I was attempting to purchase a 27 gallon “tote” box with a lid for $15 dollars. However, at self checkout, it rang up $18.98. I pointed out the error to the very nice cashier who immediately changed the price to $15 dollars, without looking anything up since he had done this previously.
I told the Utah State Department of Agriculture and Food, Division of Weights and Measures about the situation the very next day, Monday, Feb. 6. (I ask all consumers who discover they are overcharged by scanners to report the situation to the agency.)
That Wednesday, Feb. 8, the department reported to me that they inspected the Quarry Bend Walmart, and the store failed. The spokesperson told me for large stores like that, the inspector checks 100 items on the shelf, and the scanned price must match the shelf price 98 times or the store fails.
As a result of that inspection, the spokesperson told me that store will be inspected several more times in the coming weeks until it comes into compliance with Utah state law.
I asked Walmart for a comment, and while the spokesperson at Walmart corporate headquarters in Arkansas said he would have a corporate statement by Thursday, instead he told me he is still trying to reach the people at the Quarry Bend store in Sandy, but would have a comment then. As of the close of business today, Friday, Feb. 10, the spokesperson has not sent a comment.
As always, I urge all customers who detect a discrepancy in their receipt at any store to do three things: 1) Ask the cashier for an immediate correction of the price you are charged. 2) Ask that the cashier to fix the price in the computer or on the store shelf so that the price charged matches. And 3) report the discrepancy to your state’s weights and measures people. In Utah, it’s under the Department of Agriculture and Food Regulatory Services Division: 801-982-2250.
That Walmart is the worst I’ve ever been in, your experience doesn’t surprise me at all. Thanks for reporting on it, I sometimes think that store is an experiment to see just how poorly a store can run. Pretty sad.
I’ve encountered that issue in this store SEVERAL times. They always fix it right away. I will follow that process in future times
Great article. Years ago, I was at IBM when we invented, developed and began to sell bar code scanning systems. A big issue was whether customers could trust a business not to overcharge. We lobbied to pass compliance laws. I routinely check posted prices vs the cash register charge. Most times it is correct, but I agree that some stores need to be called out.
Thank you very much really help full
The state should close the store until they comply and pass inspection.
I’ve had SO much trouble at this store. I have bought the same produce from a bin with a big sign and the price scanned is higher. This happened for the same product, 3 times. They said they would change the sign but never did.