Shocking Woolies pricing blunder leaves customer in disbelief - 'new level of inflation'
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It's no secret that the cost of everyday essentials in Australia is skyrocketing - from necessities such as bread, yoghurt, and cheese, as well as less common items like kangaroo meat, it's getting harder and harder for a lot of Australians to make ends meet.
However, you would never expect to be charged hundreds of dollars for things like dishwashing gloves, scourers and muffin trays – right?
Well, that’s exactly what surprised one Woolworths shopper after she spotted some ‘wild pricing’ on basic home items while browsing her local store.
The customer took to TikTok to express her astonishment upon discovering the shockingly high prices of everyday household items.
She showcased how some of the items were being displayed on shelves with price tags indicating that they are being sold for hundreds of dollars.
'You for real Woolies?' the caption reads.
Among the items showcased in the video are dishwashing gloves, being sold for a staggering $389, scourers priced at $285 and $438, muffin trays listed at $240, cookie trays for $120, dishcloths for $236, and dishwashing brushes priced at a whopping $600.
These prices are far beyond what consumers would expect to pay for such basic household necessities.
While several viewers thought that the tags were simply missing a decimal point, a number of viewers who claimed to be Woolworths employees said there could be another explanation for the prices.
One employee commented: 'They have scanned the box, not the individual item. That's the price of the whole box.'
Another Woolies team member shared that theory, explaining that the initials 'SRT' seen on the ticket stands for ‘shelf-ready tray’.
'The price is for the whole carton. Someone scanned the wrong barcode when printing tickets,' he said.
Meanwhile, some customers used the crazy pricing as an opportunity to make light of the issue, with many joking about the current cost-of-living situation in Australia today.
One person said: ‘Inflation reaching new levels daily.’
‘That's just ready for next week's price increases,’ another wrote.
A third chimed in: ‘Need to take out a loan for a scrubbing brush.’
‘Never seen a better excuse to give up cleaning,’ another exclaimed.
A representative from Woolworths confirmed that the prices were mistakenly printed on the items and said that they have already been corrected.
The spokesperson said: 'Customers are encouraged to raise in-store issues with our store teams in-person to ensure they're fixed as soon as possible.'
This is not the first time a pricing fail made the headlines. We previously shared about how social media mocked a pricing blunder at an IGA store. Now, this raises the question on whether retailers should start using digital price tags to prevent these mistakes from happening.
In fact, ALDI trialled the use of digital tags in their stores. You can read more information about it here.
And speaking of groceries prices, Woolworths announced a huge discount on essential products as part of their autumn ‘Prices Dropped’ program.
Woolies have slashed the cost of over 400 products, including muesli, frozen veggies, and yoghurt. The reduced prices will remain in place throughout the autumn months.
'We understand that cost-of-living pressures are being felt by our customers and our team, particularly as the school year kicks into gear and families plan for the Easter holidays,' said Woolworths Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Harker.
More information about this can be read here.
There you have it, folks! What are your thoughts on this pricing mistake? Better yet, have you ever experienced a pricing mix-up while shopping? Share your stories below!
However, you would never expect to be charged hundreds of dollars for things like dishwashing gloves, scourers and muffin trays – right?
Well, that’s exactly what surprised one Woolworths shopper after she spotted some ‘wild pricing’ on basic home items while browsing her local store.
The customer took to TikTok to express her astonishment upon discovering the shockingly high prices of everyday household items.
She showcased how some of the items were being displayed on shelves with price tags indicating that they are being sold for hundreds of dollars.
'You for real Woolies?' the caption reads.
Among the items showcased in the video are dishwashing gloves, being sold for a staggering $389, scourers priced at $285 and $438, muffin trays listed at $240, cookie trays for $120, dishcloths for $236, and dishwashing brushes priced at a whopping $600.
These prices are far beyond what consumers would expect to pay for such basic household necessities.
While several viewers thought that the tags were simply missing a decimal point, a number of viewers who claimed to be Woolworths employees said there could be another explanation for the prices.
One employee commented: 'They have scanned the box, not the individual item. That's the price of the whole box.'
Another Woolies team member shared that theory, explaining that the initials 'SRT' seen on the ticket stands for ‘shelf-ready tray’.
'The price is for the whole carton. Someone scanned the wrong barcode when printing tickets,' he said.
Meanwhile, some customers used the crazy pricing as an opportunity to make light of the issue, with many joking about the current cost-of-living situation in Australia today.
One person said: ‘Inflation reaching new levels daily.’
‘That's just ready for next week's price increases,’ another wrote.
A third chimed in: ‘Need to take out a loan for a scrubbing brush.’
‘Never seen a better excuse to give up cleaning,’ another exclaimed.
A representative from Woolworths confirmed that the prices were mistakenly printed on the items and said that they have already been corrected.
The spokesperson said: 'Customers are encouraged to raise in-store issues with our store teams in-person to ensure they're fixed as soon as possible.'
This is not the first time a pricing fail made the headlines. We previously shared about how social media mocked a pricing blunder at an IGA store. Now, this raises the question on whether retailers should start using digital price tags to prevent these mistakes from happening.
In fact, ALDI trialled the use of digital tags in their stores. You can read more information about it here.
And speaking of groceries prices, Woolworths announced a huge discount on essential products as part of their autumn ‘Prices Dropped’ program.
Woolies have slashed the cost of over 400 products, including muesli, frozen veggies, and yoghurt. The reduced prices will remain in place throughout the autumn months.
'We understand that cost-of-living pressures are being felt by our customers and our team, particularly as the school year kicks into gear and families plan for the Easter holidays,' said Woolworths Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Harker.
More information about this can be read here.
Key Takeaways
- A Woolworths shopper shared her shock at finding household items priced hundreds of dollars above their usual price.
- Viewers speculated that the unusual prices were likely the result of a barcode error.
- Woolworths has launched its Prices Dropped program, offering discounts on seasonal staples like muesli, frozen veggies and yoghurt.
There you have it, folks! What are your thoughts on this pricing mistake? Better yet, have you ever experienced a pricing mix-up while shopping? Share your stories below!