Customers who were overcharged at Nova Scotia liquor stores on Saturday aren’t exactly beating down the NSLC’s doors for refunds.
A computer glitch triggered a price increase two days before it was scheduled, but it seems most people didn’t notice.
So far, the NSLC is reporting they made 200 adjustments at cash on Saturday and as of Wednesday, had only received 35 requests from customers to review their receipts.
"It’s just one bottle, so for me it’s 60 or 70 cents, so it’s not worth the trip back," says Don MacKinnon, president and CEO of the Atlantic Canada Better Business Bureau.
MacKinnon also says there is little that can be done without a receipt.
"Buyer beware; unless you can prove you paid the wrong price with your receipt, you're out," says MacKinnon.
The Better Business Bureau says overall, consumers are pretty savvy. They report more customers are doing their homework before they buy and they’re seeing fewer formal complaints filed against businesses.
The Retail Council of Canada says, thanks to stiff competition, businesses have to work hard to keep customers coming back and sometimes technology which is meant to get customers through faster, can fail.
"Technology is something that is great to use to help encourage the customer to have a better experience, but retailers have to be vigilant," says Jim Cormier, director of the Atlantic Canada Retail Council of Canada.
The council has started a voluntary scanning price accuracy code to protect customers and businesses,
It sets out how to handle pricing problems at the checkout and how to resolve any discrepancies.
"It’s a nice extra way to show customers, you know, retailers are willing to deal with potential discrepancies that there might be," says Cormier.
He says customers should note the listed price and watch as their cashier rings through the items, to make sure they don’t leave the store paying more than they should.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Marie Adsett
