"Retail Math" at Blockbuster
 

Here's an interesting little experience I had blockbuster yesterday. I want to purchase a few items on their 3 for 2 sale. I get 3 items one being 28 days later dvd marked $9.99. I notice that on the other shelves it is $14.99 but this copy was on the shelf with the trade in dvd's that are all $9.99. So I go to check out and as the girl is scanning the items she noticed that the dvd scans for a higher price, I know this not because she says anything but because she continues to look at the screen and at the dvd to make sure everything is ok. Well, I usually calculate totals in my head to make sure I don't get overcharged, everything should be $50 plus 8.25% tax in Ca(important later). So a total of about $54. Well she tells me the total is $55.17, a little higher than expected but not that much of a difference, so I pay it and as I'm getting my things she shows me the reciept and explains to me what happened. This is where it gets amusing. The dvd rang up for $14.99, so she subtracted $4 to make up for the difference. Apparently $14.99 -$4.00 = $9.99. After explaining to her that $14.99-$9.99=$5.00, and that she should have deducted $5 instead of $4 she understands that she owes me $1. I'm offered the difference in store credit, but I decline and request the money back on my debit card, so the store manager takes over to do the refund. So I'm owed $1 plus the tax which should be $1.08, but the store manager tells me the refund is $1.07. The worst part is that on the refund receipt it clearly showed -$1.00 and then -$.08 in tax but he still did an override to $1.07. Just really strange, of course when I point it out to him it seems like I'm just some penny pincher PITA, but I was just flabbergasted at the strange math.

I could tell that the store manager was really annoyed with me, because he said, "You have a nice day, sir." in a real condescending voice. Now I'll be regarding as a crappy customer and I used my membership card to buy those items so now I bet my profile has a nice little note. Anyone else have some interesting tales of "retail math"?

Was the seven cents worth the frustration?

I'm not agreeing with the BB idiots, but you need to pick your fights. Some just aren’t worth the frustration.

I'm not sure where you're getting the seven cents from, they overcharged me a dollar. If I had made it home and looked at the receipt I wouldn't have gone back to get my dollar, but since she pointed her "math skills" out to me I simply corrected her. I'm not angry or frustrated at blockbuster nor did I have to fight to get my money. I was just bewildered at the consecutive errors made by the staff. I felt this was more of a funny anecdote to pass along to others.

I just want to clarify that I didn't argue over a penny. Had he just given me the $1.07 I would be done, but he made me sign a receipt that had a different amount. I was just baffled by the fact that even though the refund reciept showed -$1.08 he overrode it on the reciept to give me $1.07. Consider that this was after the first girl couldn't subtract $9.99 from $14.99 it was a laughable situation. I'm not complaining about blockbuster just sharing a stupid story.

Here's another one. I go to Taco Bell to get the grande combo(10 tacos or burritos). I tell the girl I want 3 burritos and the rest tacos. She holds up both hands and puts down 3 fingers and says, " that's seven right?". Yikes!

I went to Bruger's Bagels (a chain in the northeast... don't know if they are national) and ordered a dozen bagels.

I swear to God, the girl (who spoke perfect English, so it wasn't a translation issue) did not know what a dozen meant. She works in a freaking bagel store, and didn't know that dozen=12.

This is further complicated by the fact that this chain gives you a free bagel when you order a dozen. ;)

I work at BB, the way our credit system works is that we input manually the price of a refund/credit, it is a PITA to do either of these and a penny isn't going to break your bank nor make BB millions of dollars. What I assume the manager did was use a over-ring credit which asks wether it was sales or rental item, he then chose sales item and refunded 99 cents, which the computer calculates as a 1.07 refund.

I really wish people would be more understanding of our employees, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are uber busy, even with 5-6 people staffing the store there is still tons of people to take care of who are frustrated and just want to rent their movies. The most popular titles are NEVER in stock, so everyone asks for the same movie, your store has no control over ordering more. You ring them up they have a 25 dollar late fee which you have to tell them about and 9/10 customers get angry over, plus there's the issue of theft and the pressure of audits/store visits/mystery shops which seem to happen mostly on the weekeds. You then are required to push rewards or extra sales items and must sell at least a few every night or else you'll get written up. This whole process is summed up in 9 steps which must be followed *in order* per BB corporate. It can get pretty stressful.

Employees get 1 raise per year of the max I think 10% of their pay, in AZ starting pay is 6.00 an hour, I've been here a year and now only make 6.20, I can't get a better job because my prents decided to sell my car so I have no transportation, and can only work weekends (the crappiest hours from 5-1)because I'm in college. My boss also loves me and decides it's good to volunteer me without my consent for inventory which happens from 1am-5am on top of my crappy hours and crappy pay.

Sorry for the rant, but being a BB CSR isn't easy street.

Re: "Retail Math" at Blockbuster
 

That is where I got the seven cents from and the other poster got the penny.

I agree it is funny in a sad way. I find it hard to believe they have individuals like that on the register. Anyway I'm glad you got your money that was due you.

To complicate it even further, many bagel shops give you what's known as a "baker's dozen," which is actually 13 items. Sounds like that's what this chain does...

I hate blockbuster.

Mistakes happen. People have brain farts and mis-add or subtract all the time, so i dont really blame the girl. Personally, i wouldn't have even argued about the 1.08 and 1.07 difference. I'd just leave and chuckle.