Scan Right Guarantee at Krogers! Get Free Products!

Happy New Year everyone! It has been a while since I have added any new articles to the website, and I hope to begin my weekly articles up again!

I have many new and exciting saving stories to share, but I thought I would start small and build up. So, as I earn or save weekly, I will update you all on the method I used.

So, let's begin this year out with the importance of checking your receipts!!! Although this article title mentions Kroger and their scan right guarantee, I cannot stress enough the importance of checking all receipts before you leave the parking lot of a store ( preferably before you actually leave the establishment itself ).

I will give an example. On one of my recent Mystery Shopping adventures, I had to return some products after the fact at the store. I went in, returned a top and a dress. I kept one top for myself ( paid for by my Mystery Shopping ) :-) So, I was only returning 2 of the 3 items. Both tops were $19.99 on sale and the dress was $29.99 on sale. Anyway, I got back out to the car, and as I always do, checked my receipt before I drove away. And, thank goodness I did. Sure enough, they had refunded me for 2 tops instead of a top and a dress. So, they shorted me $10! I walked back in, and ( as I always stress ) was very polite and explained the mishap. Of course, they apologized and fixed it right away. BUT, had I driven away and never looked, the store would have got $10 of my money! Or, if I had checked when I got home, how would I have proven the mistake if I went back? I had returned the merchandise!! So, always, always, always check receipts.

At the grocery store, I am lucky enough to deal with Kroger and their wonderful scan right guarantee. Simply put, if something rings up wrong....I get it FREE!!! Yes, it is true, FREE!! And, if I used a coupon, I get paid to take it out of the store. And, this happens more than you would think. I bet I get a free item at least every other week. Sometimes it is something small for a couple bucks. But, once I got a $10 pack of diapers free!!!! ( they have since changed the policy to a total of $5 free, I believe. Check your local store for your current policy. )

Also, if a tag is expired and it rings up wrong, you still get the item free. So, while I am shopping, I will pay attention to items I purchased on sale in previous weeks through the grocery game, and if the tag is still there and it has a past expiration date, I put it in the cart. I then know, before I even check out, that the item is going to ring up wrong and I can get it free.

Updated 1/30/08: I was checking out today and had an expired item, and they were refunding the money to me, but they were not fixing on the register or going back to pull the tag. I immediately asked them if they were going to update the register or pull the tag. She said it was OK, they would just refund me. But, that was not my point. Part of the reason I check my receipts is to make sure I am getting the price the store has listed, that is true, but on the flip side, I don't want other shoppers getting taken for a ride. By not fixing the problem, the store is potentially going to make much more money dishonestly from trusting patrons. My suggestion when you do your scan rights ( at any store ) is to ask them to please update their register or pull the tag immediately. Moving on back to the article.....

So as not to hold up lines with incorrectly priced items, I let the cashier ring everything through. I then push my cart to the exit while reading over my whole list. Since I used the grocery game and I am buying everything on sale, it is easy to quickly scan my receipt and see what rang up wrong. I then push my cart up to the customer service desk, pull out the items that were incorrect and show them the receipt. They will often times go to the aisle and pull the tags if expired. Then, they usually hand me the refunded FULL price in cash!

Needless to say, once again, check those receipts! Not only is it important to save yourself money, but I also feel like it keeps the store honest. If they have old or incorrect tags hanging, other patrons will often buy those products under the assumption that they are getting the sale price. Many, and most, people do not check their receipts. The store is then selling more products due to the sale but getting the full price!! The customers are getting no deal at all!! By bringing the items to their attention, they either fix the registers to ring up correctly or pull the tag so others won't mistakenly buy the product and think they are getting a sale price.

So, as we begin 2008, look over all those receipts and have a happy shopping and saving day!!!