Can a store charge full price for a item if there are at least 10 of the exact same item on the sales rack?

Question

I went to Petco yesterday and saw that there was a sale for winter pet clothes. Buy one get two free! I made a note of it and went today and, lo and behold, the sale sign was still there. I picked three outfits out from the rack, but when I went to pay they told me that one of the outfits was not on sale. I told them that there was at least 10 more of the same outfits on the same rack and it was the brand that was on the sales sign. They told that it was a different type (the outfit was called pamper pet while the one on sale was called sophisticated pet???) I did not remember seeing such a distinction on the sign (it only said winter outfits on sale), but I went and exchanged the outfit for another one that I did not really want. On top of that when they rang the outfits up again, they said the sale must have expired. I was very frustrated by then ( there was no sale date on the sign) and a manager had to come and ring it up and acted as though he was doing me a favor. Was this fair?

Answer 1

I would definitely take this one step higher and call corporate on the issue. If the sign did not distinguish which outfits were on sale, the sign should be for all of them.

Do you still have your receipt? There should be a 1800 number on the receipt. I would call and complain and they should allow you to buy the outfit you wanted for the sale price if not give it to you for free.

Believe me, I know, I work in retail.

Some stores like to "set up" customers knowing that they will likely buy the more expensive outfits and then charge them full price hoping that they won't notice.

Answer 2

First:  Life is not fair.

If life was fair, we would all be Republicans.

Second, state law applies.   In your state you probably do not have a leg to stand on.  You may wish to contact the Secretary of State's consumer affairs office and mention the situation.  Ask if the store is required (as opposed to requested) to honor a misworded sign.

Good luck.  I hope your state gives you an option to proceed.  

Sounds like you deserve a shot.

If the state has no such law to help you, please consult the county or city to see if there is an ordinance.   If the law of the state is lacking, then the county or city can pick up the slack.

Answer 3

if theey want its there store 0_o

and thats how the cookie crumbles

Answer 4

Here's the problem statement you are making:

You said: I did not remember seeing such a distinction on the sign.

Then you said: It only said winter outfits on sale.

WHICH IS IT?

I think you can't remember and that is what the real problem is and that's ok but own it and go shop somewhere else where they don't mind helping you. There are lots of pet stores to choose from.

Go back and find out what the sign says....EXACTLY? If it is too late to do that then GIVE IT UP. You were probably wrong.

They barcode all items and sale items are picked up at the register. If somebody forgot to mark the sign or put it in the register then you are at the mercy of the Manager who CAN be NICE and give it to you or he can be RUDE and tell you that it was their mistake but THEY ARE NOT ON SALE. Point being, they do not have to sell you what is on the sign but they should and in most cases, the customer is right and the Manager, if he/she is a good one, will allow the customer to win and then go fix the sign. It is not a false advertisement because they did not intend to mislead you and they will tell you they will promptly fix it but the real difference in a good manager and a bad one is when they don't own up to their mistakes and let the customer win.

Sorry but that is the way it goes. Maybe the lesson is to pay close attention to what the signs say and then again, I still make these same mistakes myself. Sometimes it is your attitude that can and will stear others to go in your favor but I don't think those people work at Petco.

Anyway, I like Petco, the store, but not many of the people who work there. If the Manager is acting rude, no wonder the employees are acting just like him....guess who trained them?