Learned 2 months back that I was being overcharged for 3 pack/ gallon of distilled water at local WalMart.
For years they have listed price of 3 pack carton on shelves at one price for the carton, but when rung up at the registers, they were unable to scan barcode or enter code for the 3 pack carton--so they would ring the gallons up individually, AT INDIVIDUAL PER GALLON PRICE ($.83), which came in at $2.49 when I went to purchase some cartons last Tuesday evening, 10/6/09. I was surprised they still hadn't corrected this issue within their system, as it was called to their management's attention the last 2 visits I had made to buy water. This time, I was now being directed to pay for it at the higher price and await their manager to take me over to their Customer Service/Returns counter to resolve it, refused and told them they could just put it back, I would file a complaint since they seem to be incapable of correcting this, or unwilling.
This is the third time I had to inform cashier that opening up the cartons and ringing up the gallons individually was charging more than the carton price listed on the shelf sticker. The two (2) times I bought water before, the cashier had the cashier supervisor/manager come over and they acknowledged the overcharge and corrected it; both times before it was the same manager who took care of it. This would require standing there for a bit more time for them to correct the price--after standing in line and waiting to begin with, and call attention to the purchase.
Now for the last 2 years the local WalMarts here have been unable to enter a price for 3 pack cartons at the registers, so they opened the cartons, scanned one and charged for three individually. I purchase distilled water for a chronic medical condition; have been buying 3-4 cartons (one carton lasts me almost a week for coffee, drinking, etc.) at a time and store it for use. Their having to open the cartons was irksome, as then the cartons wouldn't be stable when stacked on top of another for storage. Having recently found they have been overcharging for this water for at least 2 years (the time they have been unable to scan and ring up the carton), each gallon being $.07-.08 additional each this way than if the carton price was charged.
Can only imagine how much extra consumers are being charged in this manner, as both local stores in Martinsburg WV have this issue and it seems it is a wider problem than that.