Retail store billing - Trustworthy?

[msdivy]

Last Sunday I had been to a retail store to buy Horlicks and a pack of biscuits. While picking up the stuff I added the amount and it came to Rs. 128 (118 + 10). When the billing person scanned the items, the total amount was Rs. 133

When I verified, Horlicks was billed at Rs 123, instead of Rs 118 as printed on the bottle cover. The billing guy sheepishly said that they haven't updated the system. He contacted his manager, modified the amount and entered the correct amount.

I wouldn't have noticed the discrepancy if I had bought more items. Their billing system may be correct most of the times. But its could be wrong also. Anyway its better to verify the bill. For me this saved 5.9% on the item.

[benbsb29]

If your shopping at Big Bazaar, make it a point to check the bill, and double check. They will ALWAYS have some issue or the other. Faced it thrice already.

[appuchan]

I had faced this a few times at MKA stores. Most of the time its a lapse form their part for not updating the system. Sometimes it has happened the other way also, with bill amount lower than MRP.

[Jomz]

And what about the guys at fabmall putting the quantity 2 times or three times what we purchased. Faced this issue with them atleast 4 times. that too from threir shop at forum

[hondadude]

I have been burnt by this in almost all the big grocery stores and like Ben pointed out Big Bazaar is notorious in this. These days, I double check my bills before I pay.

[rkg]

Hi!
my experience with BIG Bazaar
1. billed for 1 kg horlicks when i bought 1/2 kg( this can not be a problem updating as the product was bar coded and billed after scanned. how the scanner reads 1/2 kg as 1 kg is a mystery
2. wanted to buy prestige tawa. there were two stickers on the product . one by prestige ( Rs 699) one by BB (Rs 730/- odd) when i have pointed this out they said company revised the rates. then i showed them that the product is a recent one. actually the current month batch number is there. then sales guy told he do not know and it is the price of BB. they are offering 10%
i came out went to neighboring small store bought it at Mrp 699 with 10% discount . i stopped going to BB. they store mostly unbranded or self branded products which can not be verified with prices outside BB. they claim they are the cheapest. how one can compare when that product is not available outside?
all the big store do this in one way or the other.
after these experiences i stopped going to big stores and buy from neighborhood store. he knows what quality i want and take order by phone and deliver at home
esp don't buy fruits and vegetables form big stores as they buy in large quantities and transport to different stores. so they require more time and hence they buy even before the fruits are ripened and use chemicals

[amitoj]

I am actually amazed how you guys manage to shop in Big Bazaar. I have been there a couple of times and each time came out more resolved than ever not to step in there again. Its a total waste of time unless you want to buy stuff by the truckloads!!
Last time i was there, i bought around 10 or 12 items... and their billing machine took 5 minutes to add up the prices!!
That was after an agonizing 45 minute wait to get to the counter.

[DCEite]

How is Subhiksha.
Recently they have opened outlets in North India.

[HKP]

I have bad experienced with Fabmall in bangalore. You need to verify the bill after coming out at least. I have almost stopped going to big bazaar for any serious purchases. Never go for steel appliances, electronic items etc in Big Bazaar. They are the worst.

I am kind of satisfied with Nilgiri's though. Pretty decent for groceries.

Its better to choose the less crowded Spencers and Small supermarkets for the packaged things as the price and offer will be same almost everywhere.

//Hkp

[esteem_lover]

I bought a couple of Nylon ropes in Nilgiris today. They were priced at 17/- a piece. I overlooked another thicker rope which was 25/- a piece. After i was billed & i paid the amount, by chance i looked at the bill & see that they have billed for 25. When i bring this to the attention of the manager, he checks & double checks & at last agrees & says i can pick up something else for Rs.16/-. I said i dont want anything else, then he gives me a credit note. pooh. Wonder how much they cheat everyday, maybe 10% of their sales would be like this.

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by DCEite

How is Subhiksha.
Recently they have opened outlets in North India.

Very spartan and price focused. If you are looking for a good experience while shopping, avoid it but if you are looking to buy your stuff cheapest, go for it.

Originally Posted by HKP

Its better to choose the less crowded Spencers and Small supermarkets for the packaged things as the price and offer will be same almost everywhere.

Agreed. Spencers is way better these days except that vegetables there suck! A combo of Spencers and Namdhari is good.

Originally Posted by Amitoj

I am actually amazed how you guys manage to shop in Big Bazaar. I have been there a couple of times and each time came out more resolved than ever

Try the big bazaar on double road on Saturday afternoon. Lots of parking and very less crowd. For the sake of your sanity, you should be out of Big bazaar before 4:00 pm.

[khaadu75]

Guys, Come on .. STOP CRIBBING -- after all they too have to earn some money somehow , so what if its by fooling the customer who usually walks out thinking hes smart and that hes saved money .

Just calculate how many ppl they cheat like this ... add up teh figures and Im sure they will add up to some real juicy looking figures . Simple funda they have -- make the customer think hes saving money by putting fancy ads , ppl come in like blind fools , overcharge a bit here and there , if caught SAY SORRY -- MISHTAKE HO GAYEE , else balle balle ....

Cheers

[rkg]

subhiksha gives 8-10% discount on all branded groceries like soaps, shampoos,even medicines(10% with bill).No AC, no showbazee.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Guys, Come on .. STOP CRIBBING -- after all they too have to earn some money somehow , so what if its by fooling the customer who usually walks out thinking hes smart and that hes saved money .

Just calculate how many ppl they cheat like this ... add up teh figures and Im sure they will add up to some real juicy looking figures . Simple funda they have -- make the customer think hes saving money by putting fancy ads , ppl come in like blind fools , overcharge a bit here and there , if caught SAY SORRY -- MISHTAKE HO GAYEE , else balle balle ....

Cheers

very much true.stock markets recognized this long back. that is why shares of Trent( TATA), pantaloon retail are hitting the roof. Even reliance due to its foray into retail

[speedzak]

It is a normal thing at BigBazar to make your bills as wrong as possible in a way that it will take atleast 15 mins or so to completely understand the bill. Then we need to verify what is what and what is wrong. By this time either we will reach home or will be in some huge traffic block. Then we wont take the trouble of going all the way back to point out this.

I have innumerous experiences of erratic billing at BB and FabMart (My family is very fond of these fancy places and I have to do all the bill checking and haggling at the counters . I have decided to stick to local grocery stores and locally run supermarket chains.

I have experienced a very bad billing MISHTAKE at Shoppers' stop in Bangalore which turned out to be very obvious of being intentional. When we took up the issue with a senior manager there, he changed the responsible staff from that counter. But I am sure he would be back doing the same thing as soon as I was out from the store.

These computer generated/bar coded bills are causing a lot of trouble and I think somebody should take up this issue to the courts and make these chors give us proper understandable bills.