Walmart customers are pissed; numerous shoppers have claimed that they're either being overcharged or are getting slapped with fees for "nothing." Some speculate that the retail giant is probably processing a myriad of these transactions in the hopes that they will fly under the radar and unsuspecting customers will unknowingly give their money away.
One woman said that after scanning a box of Rice Chex cereal at self-checkout, the price that showed up on the screen differed from its in-store advertised cost. Another customer said that after purchasing some groceries, they thought the total was a little high. After checking their receipt, they noticed a $46 for "nothing" was appended to their bill. Another shopper at the chain has stated that they too, received a "nothing" charge, this time for $200.
Now, another Walmart patron has turned to social media to air a pricing grievance of their own: a TikToker named Malinda (@malindasauce) says that they were overcharged for Great Value butter, and they're not happy with the error. In fact, Malinda intones that the difference in cost may have been intentional as she accuses Walmart of trying to "get" her upon discovering the butter register charge.
"Walmart trying to get me again, watch. Look at this. This is the butter. This is the butter. Great Value. $2.26," Malinda says in the clip, showing off the charge on her receipt as she walks through the aisle of a Walmart store.
Indeed, the paper receipt indicates she was hit with a $2.26 charge for one unit of Great Value Butter, however, when she pans her camera lens away from the bill of sale and points it towards a refrigerated shelf holding other sticks of Great Value butter, a price tag reads $1.97.
"This is the butter," she says as she holds her camera steady for a few seconds, leaving it on the price tag before the clip ultimately cuts out.
Commenters who replied to Malinda's video seemed to share in her outrage.
One person penned: "man I gotta start watching my receipt closer. thk u."
Someone else shared how they're going to combat these pricing differences: "Bro, I’m about to start taking pictures of the prices of everything I have in my cart so then when I get up there and they tell me it’s not that price I’m make them change it."
Other folks claimed to have already engaged in this practice, committing themselves to catching retailers misrepresenting their pricing and confronting staff about it once they get to the register.
One customer offered up an explanation for the 27-cent difference in item cost. "It's most likely the label wasn't changed after the price changes," they wrote. Since dairy prices rise and fall in a similar peripatetic fashion to the stock market (according to NPR), it could make sense why store associates may have not been able to list these price differences in time.
However, another user on the application was convinced that this was a larger problem with Walmart that needed to be addressed: "Walmart always does those things! They need to be sued!!!" Walmart is currently settling a class-action lawsuit out of court over price discrepancies of weighted goods.
One user said that in their country, if a customer finds out a retailer is lying about its pricing or mistakenly charging a customer a different price than advertised, it costs them money: "In Canada that’s an extra $10 in your pocket for charging you incorrectly." According to CTV News Toronto while this is a voluntary practice, it seems like there are several retailers who do indeed partake in it.
Another person wrote that they were grateful for the information and wondered how many times they've unknowingly forked over money that they shouldn't have, simply due to a pricing discrepancy or error: "TBH I never really look at my receipts like that, but it makes you wonder what else and how many times it’s been done."
@malisauce @Walmart what is the extra 29 cents for? #fyp #walmart #iykyk ♬ original sound - Malinda
Walmart isn't the only retailer that has been called out for its inconsistent pricing. NBC San Diego reported that Target was "penalized $5 million for overcharging customers on [its mobile] app." The outlet wrote that the retailer settled on the amount in a lawsuit after it was accused of "overcharging customers for some items" and for also misleading "customers regarding prices featured on its app. Seven California District Attorney's offices filed the complaint, which went on to allege that Target would alter the prices of items based on a customer's geographic location.
The result of the judgment in the lawsuit culminated in changes to Target's app pricing practices: "The judgment in the case includes an injunction prohibiting Target from charging an amount greater than the lowest price posted for an item, and prohibits it from changing prices on its app based on the user's geographic location. When online and store prices differ, Target must disclose where the item can be obtained for the price advertised on the app, according to the judgment."
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart via email and Malinda via TikTok comment for further information.
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