Supermarket Chain Discount Rip Off

fitzgers

fitzgers wrote: »

Agree. So they are doing this wholesale across the company in all countries?

Maybe not as dramatic but selling an empty box for 9 euros with out process to check the validity? I'm sorry this is a systematic failure. Call me a 'i don't believe it' conspiracy theorist if you want. But it looks exactly like this. And t tell me they will update the process to ensure it wont happen again. I will def check when going to basketball... just to be pedantic

Yes I have a bee in my bonnet. But these kind of things that people let slide just drive me nuts.

witchgirl26

mloc123 wrote: »

I am guessing that all returns are priced down by default... how they picked the 9e figure, no idea.

fitzgers wrote: »

Agree. So they are doing this wholesale across the company in all countries?

Oh come on. The €9 is probably picked based on how much the product cost them, how much it would cost to return etc etc. It'll all have been done at head office and applies to all returned unopened (apparently) boxes. The idea being that all stores are price aligned on everything.

An empty box slipped through the net one this but was priced according to process and procedure. So while yeah, someone should have picked up that it was empty and contents stolen, it doesn't mean they're ripping people off with the €9 on all marked down boxes.

fitzgers

witchgirl26 wrote: »

But you haven't given a clear reason why you think that it was the business that resealed it and are doing this to rip off people continuously and therefore showing that internal processes are a complete failure.

I work in internal audit and control. Let me tell you straight - processes fail on some things. It happens. What matters is the level of failure. One empty box of condoms was repriced and put back on the shelf. Yes it's a failure of the process but 1 box does not indicate an endemic problem across that store let alone the whole company. It's not material enough in terms of the quantity of product (ignoring the financial side).

As said before - there could be standard pricing for re-shelving products. It might not be a judgement call. In fact for large businesses it definitely isn't. There's a listing that is followed.

Correct. One box. Maybe its nothing. But I do not believe the explanation I was given. I was already told they had followed the CCTV to identify what happened and so it was not some random condom thief. It was internal.

And if so how was it resealed to look like it was never opened and who or what process valued this empty box at 9 euro?

fitzgers

witchgirl26 wrote: »

Oh come on. The €9 is probably picked based on how much the product cost them, how much it would cost to return etc etc. It'll all have been done at head office and applies to all returned unopened (apparently) boxes. The idea being that all stores are price aligned on everything.

An empty box slipped through the net one this but was priced according to process and procedure. So while yeah, someone should have picked up that it was empty and contents stolen, it doesn't mean they're ripping people off with the €9 on all marked down boxes.

Ok. But selotape is not a automated process. Its a manual process that takes a judgment call. It was resealed manually. then priced at 9 euro for an empty box.

Quazzie

I wish I had as much time to waste as the OP clearly has.

witchgirl26

fitzgers wrote: »

Correct. One box. Maybe its nothing. But I do not believe the explanation I was given. I was already told they had followed the CCTV to identify what happened and so it was not some random condom thief. It was internal.

And if so how was it resealed to look like it was never opened and who or what process valued this empty box at 9 euro?

You don't have to believe the explanation. They don't even owe you one. They owe you your money and apology. That's all. It's up to them internally to figure out what happened and they have to tell you diddly squat about that.

They followed CCTV which means it wasn't done in store. Big whoop. Doesn't link to some mad internal condom-stealing, customer swindling conspiracy. It means some did it in the carpark or at home.

The process might be that all of a particular SKU returned with apparently unopened packing is priced at €X. You said yourself that the packaging appeared intact, so that's happened. Returns pile was being repriced for sale, and the box of condoms got the pre-determined price slapped on it. Now should somebody have noticed it was empty? Yes that a failing. But it's one box. Again it does not indicate a systemic failure of process.

You can't determine if the shop or the person who returned the product resealed it. I'd be amazed if a shop accepted a return of an open box of condoms so money is on the thief resealing before returning.

fitzgers

:D:D

Quazzie wrote: »

I wish I had as much time to waste as the OP clearly has.

irelandrover

fitzgers wrote: »

Ok. But selotape is not a automated process. Its a manual process that takes a judgment call. It was resealed manually. then priced at 9 euro for an empty box.

What do you actually think happened? Some store worker took back an empty box, put the receipt in it, resealed it and then put it back for sale?

Or do you think this is a company wide scam to sell empty condom boxes?

witchgirl26

fitzgers wrote: »

Ok. But selotape is not a automated process. Its a manual process that takes a judgment call. It was resealed manually. then priced at 9 euro for an empty box.

But was it the shop that resealed it? How do you know if it was them?

Cushie Butterfield

fitzgers

On a day off. But still..... Even if the day of rip off ireland has ended because everybody has jobs now.. some of us still give a damn about the small things. Cos the small things lead to us to the bigger attitude of 'oh sure' still being one of the most in debt countries of the world.

We are tiny. But 9th.

https://moneyinc.com/20-countries-currently-debt/

Anyway I digress.....

fitzgers

irelandrover wrote: »

What do you actually think happened? Some store worker took back an empty box, put the receipt in it, resealed it and then put it back for sale?

Or do you think this is a company wide scam to sell empty condom boxes?

Absolutely not. I do not believe the company is involved in some company wide scam. I am simply questioning the process. If something can be returned, resealed manually to look like new, priced at a value of 9 euro for an empty box.

So what? this is normal?

witchgirl26

fitzgers wrote: »

On a day off. But still..... Even if the day of rip off ireland has ended because everybody has jobs now.. some of us still give a damn about the small things. Cos the small things lead to us to the bigger attitude of 'oh sure' still being one of the most in debt countries of the world.

We are tiny. But 9th.

https://moneyinc.com/20-countries-currently-debt/

Anyway I digress.....

That has exactly what to do with the question in hand?! Did they refuse to give you back your money? Or claim that you'd stolen them?

Or did they refund your money and are probably looking internally how it happened?

Being in debt as a country has nothing to do with this but much more to do with the over borrowing of the country as a whole during the boom.

fitzgers

witchgirl26 wrote: »

But was it the shop that resealed it? How do you know if it was them?

They reviewed the CCTV Cameras and saw who took it and put it there. So there is no question about that.

witchgirl26

fitzgers wrote: »

Absolutely not. I do not believe the company is involved in some company wide scam. I am simply questioning the process. If something can be returned, resealed manually to look like new, priced at a value of 9 euro for an empty box.

So what? this is normal?

But who said the business resealed it?

The mistake is that a stolen product was put back on the shelf but to look at it, it looked intact. That's it.

wardides

Has it been answered yet as to whether it was just this one box that was marked down or whether the entire range was marked down?

Actually either way this is the most tin foil hat post I have ever seen.

If the whole range - It's called a promotion.
If one box - It's a damage boxed which was returned. Sales Assistant probably just marked it down due to an unsealed product without checking contents and threw it into reduced section.

It's all pretty simple.

witchgirl26

fitzgers wrote: »

They reviewed the CCTV Cameras and saw who took it and put it there. So there is no question about that.

I don't get that. They saw who took it and put it where? On the shelf? Did they see an employee reseal the returned box? Or did they see an employee accept in an apparently unopened box, reprice and put on the shelf?

irelandrover

witchgirl26 wrote: »

But who said the business resealed it?

The mistake is that a stolen product was put back on the shelf but to look at it, it looked intact. That's it.

It would have to be the stupidest thief in the world to steal something, and then return it with the exact time and date they stole it wriiten on a piece of paper they put in the box.

I still dont know what the OP thinks happened. why would they bother resealing it to look like new if they were going to put it in the reduced section because it was a return.

fitzgers

witchgirl26 wrote: »

That has exactly what to do with the question in hand?! Did they refuse to give you back your money? Or claim that you'd stolen them?

Or did they refund your money and are probably looking internally how it happened?

Being in debt as a country has nothing to do with this but much more to do with the over borrowing of the country as a whole during the boom.

No. They refunded the money. It was a matter of formality to buy / refund of course they will. But simple buy / refund is not the issue. It is how they by manual process took back resealed and then how did they quantify an empty box at 9 euro? Was this manual like the selotape job? Or automated? In which case is this flawed automated system working across the entire company?

fitzgers

wardides wrote: »

Has it been answered yet as to whether it was just this one box that was marked down or whether the entire range was marked down?

Actually either way this is the most tin foil hat post I have ever seen.

If the whole range - It's called a promotion.
If one box - It's a damage boxed which was returned. Sales Assistant probably just marked it down due to an unsealed product without checking contents and threw it into reduced section.

It's all pretty simple.

Its not that simple.

fitzgers

fitzgers wrote: »

Its not that simple.

It was a single box. But this calls into question the entire returns / resale process then their is obvious human decession makers involved.

And if this then applies to the company as a whole or just one petty incident. Does this branch follow the company policy or is it branch decision?

Sterling Archer

Misleading title eh..

So someone bought a box of condoms, emptied the box, resealed it, returned it and (as the box was sealed) a staff member put them back on the shelf. Where's the fault of the store there?

And you bought it to bring it to a managers attention, you know you could have just gone up to a manger hold that box and lets say another one, and said "hey these are vasty different weights, looks like something fishy is going on".

I think you're looking for way more out of this that is in it,
Have you ever worked in retail, do you know home much stuff gets returned on a daily basis? Most store have a policy for returns, such as perishables/ cosmetics etc when returned they go back on sale at a reduced rate - that's it nothing fancy.

Maybe they were put back by someone who unlike yourself doesn't know the weight of the box off the top of there head, or maybe they were doing the rounds of returns and putting products back from a trolly/cart, (seriously it would take less than 2 seconds to put it on the shelf) and if you're doing that at the end of your shift you will give zero f**ks if the boxes weight feels funny to you.

fitzgers

fitzgers wrote: »

Its not that simple.

tin foil hat post :D True. But the principles remain. They are allowing people to be sold an empty box for 9 euro. I work in the BPO area so I know how people play the pass the blame game. Thats why I hate when I see it. Luckily Im not directly involved and we have good managers - but this case you can see how its not managed properly and will end up in the end with people out of pocket. That is not fair.

fitzgers

Shane_ef wrote: »

Misleading title eh..

So someone bought a box of condoms, emptied the box, resealed it, returned it and (as the box was sealed) a staff member put them back on the shelf. Where's the fault of the store there?

And you bought it to bring it to a managers attention, you know you could have just gone up to a manger hold that box and lets say another one, and said "hey these are vasty different weights, looks like something fishy is going on".

I think you're looking for way more out of this that is in it,
Have you ever worked in retail, do you know home much stuff gets returned on a daily basis? Most store have a policy for returns, such as perishables/ cosmetics etc when returned they go back on sale at a reduced rate - that's it nothing fancy.

Maybe they were put back by someone who unlike yourself doesn't know the weight of the box off the top of there head, or maybe they were doing the rounds of returns and putting products back from a trolly/cart, (seriously it would take less than 2 seconds to put it on the shelf) and if you're doing that at the end of your shift you will give zero f**ks if the boxes weight feels funny to you.

Agree. So its a human or system that repriced an empty box at 9 euro. I still dont have clarity from (***) on that or if its company policy.

BeepBeep67

Daylight rubbery

wardides

fitzgers wrote: »

It was a single box. But this calls into question the entire returns / resale process then their is obvious human decession makers involved.

And if this then applies to the company as a whole or just one petty incident. Does this branch follow the company policy or is it branch decision?

OK so a chancer bought it. They took all the condoms out. Resealed it so it looked like it wasn't opened and returned it. Cashier probably looked at the box and said grand, refunded and placed box into a returns basket.

At the end of the day, somebody working there would take the basket and reprice said items (either using a company pricing policy, or more than likely scan into a system where there would be a standard mark down price for each product - based off a number of factors). They then, should, put it into a clearance section, where it will be re-shopped. Is this where you purchased it from? Or did you pick it up from shelf amongst the rest of condoms, and this was actually individually priced on the product as mark down, probably put here by mistake from a staff member on minimum wage who didn't give a stitch.

Either way it's still just a mistake, and I'm not sure why I've sent 3 minutes writing out this reply.

wardides

fitzgers wrote: »

tin foil hat post :D True. But the principles remain. They are allowing people to be sold an empty box for 9 euro. I work in the BPO area so I know how people play the pass the blame game. Thats why I hate when I see it. Luckily Im not directly involved and we have good managers - but this case you can see how its not managed properly and will end up in the end with people out of pocket. That is not fair.

They haven't allowed you to do anything. They have priced a product and put it on shelf for you to shop. You have made the decision to purchase it at this price. You have made them the offer of purchase.

Assume you work outside of the FMCG industry - totally different ballgame when it comes to managing processes etc.

gobo99

The person who taped and stickered the box was most likely faced with a big box of damaged crap, not enough time to do it and doesn't get paid enough to give a sh1t.
I would be amazed if anyone wasted their time looking at cctv footage of this. If this is the worst thing that happened in the store that day then it was a pretty good day.

Sterling Archer

fitzgers wrote: »

Agree. So its a human or system that repriced an empty box at 9 euro. I still dont have clarity from (***) on that or if its company policy.

Yes but your tone now doesn't match that of your original post.. also don't see why this even needed a post tbh..

No company is going to give you that and I really don't get why you are chasing it so much.. they'll say it is policy and may have been human error and hope you'll go away (I would too)

Someone F**ked up - end of, next you'll be calling for someone Job, protests, boycotts that's how this kinda thing starts... I know a fella with a Digger if you want to go that way

JohnC.

Someone made a mistake reducing a box which had been emptied and resealed by persons unknown. It was probably in the middle of a load of other stuff being reduced and wasn't noticed. It was apparently a single item someone made a mistake with and missed. People make mistakes. I'm sure even you do. Awful lot of drama over a human being human.