Aldi not giving change

L1011 · 04-09-2015 7:32pm

I once hit something like 40.12 just by that being what my tank took and a very grumpy clerk asked for 40 after glaring at me. And actually charged that even though I was paying by card. Must happen a bit too much.

Mattie500 · 04-09-2015 8:02pm

When the price of petrol/diesel went up it became more difficult to stop exactly on the amount you wanted. I normally fill and pay by card so never much of an issue. I think the rounding is a brilliant idea. Mostly 1 to 2 cent up or down which is very acceptable. Once my bill came to €10.01 and I had €50, the shop assistant counted out €39.99 which she was entitled to do... i was outraged and never went back (not exactly but it is still a negative from a customer perspective)

L1011 · 04-09-2015 9:11pm

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I can't quote you instances in most shops, but I do know that the Pound Shops suddenly became €2 Shops overnight, and they still sold the same products!

One brand of them did. Most of them are still multiples of 1.50 or 1.49. Anyway, specific discount tat retailers are not indicative of the overall retail market. Inflation figures show there was very little in the way of price rises and there has been paltry retail inflation since - a decade and a half nearly.

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

If 1,000 people leave a cent behind in every Aldi branch, every day.........how much will Aldi be making? Simple sums.

They round down .1/.2/.6/.7, so realistically nothing.

If each branch gets 1000 customers a day I'd be surprised, they have ~120 or so (https://www.businessworld.ie/news-from-ireland/Aldi-open-new-store-creating-20-new-jobs-28515.html) and not every customer will be rounded. Realistically, even if they come out on top one in five times on the rounding (which would be statistically unlikely) they'll be making, oh, about a few hundred euro a year on it.

delahuntv · 04-09-2015 10:17pm

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Just saw this thread.

Maybe read it too!

Mick Murdock · 05-09-2015 9:33am

€2 shops simply aren't buying large enough quantities to sell for €1.49. Poundland/Dealz is owned by the largest discount chain in the US.

The quality of items can vary greatly in China for an extra 20/30c too so it's not necessarily like for like.

Poundland in the UK dropped the prices in some of its stores to 97p to try and kill the competion from the much smaller Poundworld. Poundworld would go out of business to if they dropped their prices by 3p.

That's a business were cents certainly do matter but if anything they drive supermarket prices down by opening up beside them.

MarkAnthony · 05-09-2015 6:23pm

TallGlass wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking what experience do you have in retail? I have over 8 years experience in one of Ireland biggest retailers. This is a perfect opportunity for a price rise.

The reason it will jump to €1.10 is because if every price in the shop is changed then chances are people won't notice and will be already stunned trying to figure out how its going to work without 1 and 2c, then in a few weeks the shop will be have 'price cuts' left right and center.

If its such a big problem for retailers they can easily make sure there prices are automatically rounded per SEL.

And if you and the people that thanked your post think I am joking have a look at the thread on boards about the outrageous price hikes if you don't think products jump that much on a regular basis. They may not hike everything up as much, but you would be very naive to think that they will drop prices here, a retailer is not going to take something on board that is going to cost them money, the customer will lose out on this. Be it a cent or two.

Sorry if this has been answered, honestly I got bored of this thread very quickly and didn't read on any further. But just to pick up on this point. The removal of 1 and 2 cent coins will force a reduction in prices not an increase. Retailers will always use the lack of basic maths to their advantage. People always have associated 1.99 with a Euro rather than 2 euros, that's why they do it. €1.99 items will go to €1.95.

As for .97 and .98 prices these were generally used to mark out lines for specific reasons. They'll maybe remain and possibly be rounded up, yes they might go to .05 but I doubt it as the practice has been dying out for years.

As for experience I'm afraid I've worked in retail over 3 decades (90s 00s and 10s).

StonyIron · 05-09-2015 6:27pm

If enough people just abandon their groceries, given how extremely tight staffed hard discounters are, they'll soon rethink this policy.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 05-09-2015 6:40pm

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Sorry if this has been answered, honestly I got bored of this thread very quickly and didn't read on any further. But just to pick up on this point. The removal of 1 and 2 cent coins will force a reduction in prices not an increase. Retailers will always use the lack of basic maths to their advantage. People always have associated 1.99 with a Euro rather than 2 euros, that's why they do it. €1.99 items will go to €1.95.

As for .97 and .98 prices these were generally used to mark out lines for specific reasons. They'll maybe remain and possibly be rounded up, yes they might go to .05 but I doubt it as the practice has been dying out for years.

As for experience I'm afraid I've worked in retail over 3 decades (90s 00s and 10s).

I think you are missing the point that it is the total shop that will be rounded and not individual items.

MarkAnthony · 05-09-2015 8:20pm

Jade Moldy Thanksgiving wrote: »

I think you are missing the point that it is the total shop that will be rounded and not individual items.

The eventual idea is that individual items will be rounded and the need for 1 and 2 cents will be completely removed.

Annasopra · 05-09-2015 8:25pm

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

if you read my post above you will see it works the other way too.

So if a product in Aldi is €1.02 you just say - "I've no two cent heres €1"?

MarkAnthony · 05-09-2015 8:28pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

So if a product in Aldi is €1.02 you just say - "I've no two cent heres €1"?

How many items in Aldi are €1.02? How many times do you pop in to Aldi for one cheap item?

I may stand corrected on the item rather than shop idea but I thought the idea was to follow Aus/NZ and I thought they'd gone to x.95.

L1011 · 05-09-2015 8:38pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

So if a product in Aldi is €1.02 you just say - "I've no two cent heres €1"?

Yes.

StonyIron wrote: »

If enough people just abandon their groceries, given how extremely tight staffed hard discounters are, they'll soon rethink this policy.

If you value your time that lowly, you really need to re-evaluate your entire life.

MarkAnthony wrote: »

The eventual idea is that individual items will be rounded and the need for 1 and 2 cents will be completely removed.

No, it isn't. At all. You don't understand this concept at all.

Items are not changed in price at all. Final shop is rounded only for cash transactions.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 05-09-2015 8:42pm

MarkAnthony wrote: »

The eventual idea is that individual items will be rounded and the need for 1 and 2 cents will be completely removed.

No it's not. Source please.

Fuzzy Clam · 05-09-2015 9:08pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

So if a product in Aldi is €1.02 you just say - "I've no two cent heres €1"?

?????

No, you hand them 2 or 5 Euro or whatever.
If you only have one Euro, then why are you trying to buy something costing 1.02?

Annasopra · 05-09-2015 9:12pm

L1011 wrote: »

Yes.

My point was can you do this now? - before the central bank withdraws the coins? If Aldi are doing this to their customers by rounding at the moment then why can't customers round?

MarkAnthony · 05-09-2015 9:33pm

L1011 wrote: »

Yes.

If you value your time that lowly, you really need to re-evaluate your entire life.

No, it isn't. At all. You don't understand this concept at all.

Items are not changed in price at all. Final shop is rounded only for cash transactions.

Jade Moldy Thanksgiving wrote: »

No it's not. Source please.

Apologies, obviously wrongly explained to me years ago, or the passage of time has removed some of the detail of when Auz and NZ did this in the early 90s.

So this actually makes sod all difference then.

L1011 · 05-09-2015 9:53pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

My point was can you do this now? - before the central bank withdraws the coins? If Aldi are doing this to their customers by rounding at the moment then why can't customers round?

In Aldi stores that don't have 1c and 2c coins, they would only look for €1 cash in your scenario already, and you'll get change to that amount also.

Card transactions are still exact amounts but they won't let you use one for €1.02 anyway.

syklops · 05-09-2015 9:57pm

This thread is making my head hurt.

rubadub · 05-09-2015 10:42pm

Shelflife wrote: »

Pretty much 90% of the petrol filled will over shoot and not pay, most people take the 1c 2c change and put it in the charity box on the counter.

it doesnt take long to add over the day esp in a busy place.

If there is so much money lost I wonder why don't petrol stations don't get pump systems in where you can dial in the amount you want so it automatically stops.

TallGlass wrote: »

if you and the people that thanked your post think I am joking have a look at the thread on boards about the outrageous price hikes if you don't think products jump that much on a regular basis.

I would also urge people to look at that thread, it's comical, I don't think I have seen a remotely "outrageous" price hike in it.

L1011 wrote: »

One brand of them did. Most of them are still multiples of 1.50 or 1.49. Anyway, specific discount tat retailers are not indicative of the overall retail market.

which brand did this?
I do not recall any pound shop where all £1 items jumped to €2. Most were not pound shops anymore, they were charging £1, £1.50 £2 already. Many of these shops selling tat went to the exact euro conversion.

L1011 · 05-09-2015 10:44pm

rubadub wrote: »

which brand did this?
I do not recall any pound shop where all £1 items jumped to €2. Most were not pound shops anymore, they were charging £1, £1.50 £2 already. Many of these shops selling tat went to the exact euro conversion.

Whatever Euro2 were called before 2002. Now they're Eurogiant and have multiple price points. Their product line did, however, change at the time (mainly going from 3x an item for £1 to 5x that item for €2 and so on)

KidMeNotA1 · 07-09-2015 8:19am

delahuntv wrote: »

Legally they are not obliged to give you change at all - even if you purchased a €2 item and offered a €50 note - it would be bad business practice, but not ilegal.

Thanfully those pesky 1c and 2c are going.

Legally All stores are required to give change if the note presented is 'normal' legal note. If it is €2oo/500 there is a good excuse, otherwise they can only charge the item price.

delahuntv · 07-09-2015 8:53am

KidMeNotA1 wrote: »

Legally All stores are required to give change if the note presented is 'normal' legal note. If it is €2oo/500 there is a good excuse, otherwise they can only charge the item price.

Can you lease show me the law that says that?

And please please don't say "a store must accept a legal tender note" - that is totally incorrect. A store in a retail transaction may refuse any form of payment if it so wishes. If they have a sign saying the don't take €50 notes, that is perfectly fine. They don't even need a sign.

And before you try arguing - legal tender must only be accept where a debt has occurred. In a retail transaction a debt has not occurred.

What does come into play is "reasonableness" - it is reasonable to expect change, however, if you read the thread and also read the articles about the taking out of circlation of the 1c & 2 c coins and if you understood the round-up, round-down policy as set out by the Central Bank of Ireland, then you'd understand what was originally being discussed.

The rounding system was tried and tested in Wexford during 2014 and worked very well with no issues. With the success of the trial, it is now being rolled out and we join the many other countries who have also withdrawn 1c & 2c from circulation.

rubadub · 07-09-2015 9:19am

KidMeNotA1 wrote: »

Legally All stores are required to give change if the note presented is 'normal' legal note. If it is €2oo/500 there is a good excuse

What does this mean? it's the law but a judge is going to let you off if it's a €500? Is there a mention of €200 and €500 notes in this law you read?

If it's the law it's the law. The €500 example should make it obvious that there is no such law.

It reminds me of the allegeded law saying people must sell stuff at the price displayed, if this was the case lads would have mates sticking price tags on 10x 60" TVs in powercity and their mates would buy them all up.

L1011 · 07-09-2015 10:12am

KidMeNotA1 wrote: »

Legally All stores are required to give change if the note presented is 'normal' legal note. If it is €2oo/500 there is a good excuse, otherwise they can only charge the item price.

Legislation, please.

Lux23 · 07-09-2015 10:20am

L1011 wrote: »

Legislation, please.

I already showed you the legislation that meant retailers couldn't do this and you ignored it.

wardides · 07-09-2015 10:57am

Why are people talking about this leading to price hikes? That's not how it works. The "rounding up/down" only applies to your final total amount if you're paying by cash. Retailers are not going to spend hours rounding up every single product within a store to the closest 5c!

L1011 · 07-09-2015 11:04am

Lux23 wrote: »

I already showed you the legislation that meant retailers couldn't do this and you ignored it.

No, you were mistaken and posted irrelevant legislation, which I explained - nothing was ignored.

delahuntv · 07-09-2015 11:06am

Lux23 wrote: »

I already showed you the legislation that meant retailers couldn't do this and you ignored it.

no you didn't. You quoted some consumer law saying a retailer is compeeled to sell at a displayed price (arguable).

But even if that is accepted (excludes errors and "invitation to buy") It still does not say that a retailer must offer change.

A consumer may offer the exact amount and the retailer can still refuse if they so wish (though they'd be out of business if they did this). But if the consumer offer up more than the price, then there is no onus (or law) that says the retailer must give chnage. Though, as above, in normal retail business change is provided as if it wasn't the retailer would go out of business.

BTW - how about "exact fare only" on busses? Offer €5 and you won't be getting change, just a voucher.

sconhome · 07-09-2015 4:57pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

So if a product in Aldi is €1.02 you just say - "I've no two cent heres €1"?

No, you hand them €2 at the till for your €1.02 and they will hand you back change of €1 as they will round the price at the till, not at the shelf.

Let's say you wanted 2 of this item 2x€1.02 = €2.04 and you hand them a €5 note. You will get €2.95 back in change instead of €2.96 or €3.00.

I have to say this thread makes the process seem very complicated! As already expained (probably around page 2) there will be no price changes, everything stays the same, it is a decision made at the till that rounds the numbers up or down.

Though judging by the sounds of it, Aldi will need to round every subtotal down to the nearest 5c to keep people happy. :rolleyes:

BTW I ditched 1 & 2c over a year ago and it's the best thing ever. People are happier not having to take them or give them as change (and I round down not up) Most useless coins ever!!

Nichard Dixon · 07-09-2015 5:51pm

wardides wrote: »

Why are people talking about this leading to price hikes? That's not how it works. The "rounding up/down" only applies to your final total amount if you're paying by cash. Retailers are not going to spend hours rounding up every single product within a store to the closest 5c!

Why shouldn't they? Why price products at 99c and then deny the customer their change, leading to threads such as this?

Aldi not giving change

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