more on Salon: Steal This Barcode

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Jim Warren <jwarren () well com>
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 17:28:23 -0700
To: dave () farber net
Cc: Paul Saffo <psaffo () iftf org>, "Peter g. Neumann" <Neumann () csl sri com>
Subject: Re: [IP] Salon: Steal This Barcode

I'll remain neutral on the pros and cons(!) of this "satire".

However it DOES provide an interesting guerilla tactic for responding
to the fact that FAR more computerized check-out pricing "errors"
favor the retailers, than favor the customers.

This pattern of "accidents" and "computer errors" has been
extensively researched, over and over and over, by numerous reputable
consumer groups, as well as being researched and reported in some of
the prime-time news-feature shows on major networks.

A close friend who is both a former bookkeeping manager and former
Bangkok resident (where one watches retailers' prices VERY carefully)
shops almost weekly at two  national crafts chain-stores -- Michaels
and JoAnns -- and routinely checks her bill after getting in the car.
She has caught an average of about 1-2 overcharges per MONTH per
store (that's about 1 overcharge per 4 visits!) ... but has found
only 2-3 undercharges in the last year and a half.  Most of the
"errors" have to do with "special sales" that are priced at a low
price in prominent shelf placards and/or in promotional mailings ...
but somehow, the prices in the computers used by the bar-code readers
at the check-out stands "accidentally" charge the non-sale price.

Caveat Emptor -- especially if a computer is "helping" to compute the bill!

--jim

------ End of Forwarded Message

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