A Trader Joe’s customer’s recent grocery shopping trip is serving as a reminder to her fellow consumers to always double-check their receipts.
TikToker @intheclouds_ posted a video explaining how she caught an error on her Trader Joe’s receipt. According to her, she intended to purchase five tomatoes from her local Trader Joe’s. She was mistakenly charged for 75 tomatoes instead.
“Not in this economy. No, ma’am,” the shopper says in the video, which now has more than 102,000 views. “ This is your reminder to always check your receipt because why did they ring me up for 75 tomatoes, and I only got five?”
The Roma tomatoes were 29 cents, so her total for them came out to $21.75.
How Did This Happen? And What’s The Solution?
As many pointed out in the comments section, the cashier likely didn’t deliberately charge the TikToker for 75 tomatoes. “As a cashier mistakes like these happen more often thank you’d think. People be rushing us and then we make small mistakes. I would refunded you and gave you them for free,” one person said.
In most U.S. grocery stores, produce have PLU codes. Cashiers enter the product’s code and select how many produce items the customer has when checking out. In this case, the cashier would have entered five as the quantity for the tomatoes. But they may have inadvertently swiped a seven before the five, leading to an overcharge.
Customers can usually bring their receipt back to the location they purchased their groceries from for a refund. Commenters who said they work at Trader Joe’s and other grocery chains said that if they accidentally overcharged the customer, they would’ve refunded her.
But what happens if a grocery store refuses to accommodate a refund? If all else fails, a customer can file a complaint with the grocery store or even attempt a chargeback. Customers can report overcharging and billing issues to their credit card company. Typically, they have 60 days to do so.
It’s generally best to ask for receipts when saving money. That way, it’s easy to audit purchases and make sure grocery stores aren’t accidentally overcharging for common goods.
BroBible reached out to LRA via TikTok direct message and Trader Joe’s via press form for comment. This story will be updated if either party responds.