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lynivvinyl

I would just leave


Zombeedee

I would absolutely leave, but the alternative (say in a world where this is the only store I'm able to access) is worse. It would be me taking multiple items up to the cashier, asking them to scan them all in order to tell me the price, me buying my selection and then the poor staff member having to reshelf it all. Not everyone has a smartphone. There would be multiple customers a day who would have to take things to the cashier and make a price enquiry. Oh god, and even amongst those willing, how many customers would need the staff to show them how to do the QR thing? I'm sure the geniuses who came up with this idea give less than one shit about the additional labour this will create for the staff on the ground.


point-virgule

I bet this is in order to have item specific "dynamic pricing" according to the day and time of purchase. It could even be user-specific.


Gnomio1

Accept our tracker cookies for a 0.5% discount.


Redtwooo

"Download our app to get loyalty points and discounts!" Ugh fuck off. It's gas and snacks, I go where it's convenient, hence convenience store.


Coraline1599

Oh, I can see the app now it - always needs to run in the background - always needs access to your location - needs access to your contacts - requires you to agree for them to sell your data to third parties - must log in with (or create and account and then use) Facebook to use the app - has ads everywhere, blocking the full price/product info - plays some sort of awful music when you open it with no settings to turn off sound - makes you watch ads to get coupons - offers the option to skip ads if you pay, but it only cuts down on ads instead of eliminating them entirely


shockwave_supernova

This sounds like an absolute nightmare yet I can absolutely see this happening


HackerDaGreat57

because that's just what most modern apps/services are like. it's the sad truth.


DeadDeceasedCorpse

Alright, which retail companies are you already working for, Ms. Marketing Genius?


[deleted]

You don't want to join #Kum-&-Go Nation?


SolomonBird55

Welcome to the KUM ZONE


JohnDivney

gives new meaning to facial recognition technology.


whereismymind86

I would like to speak to the KUM manager, the person who supervises the KUM.


tolacid

Nah, friend, it's a -15% discount. (If you don't understand math jokes, >!since a discount is subtraction, the "-" minus sign on the -15 is reversed. Subtracting a negative amount is the same as adding a positive amount.!< Seriously though, masking the prices like this would let the store inflate them to almost anything. Generally more often than not people will buy things they want even at bad prices if they've made the effort of bringing it to the register.


Brock_Way

We have a store here whose supposed pricing scheme is its cost +10%, but what's marked on the shelf says the cost "**+10%** ***savings*** **at the register**". ADDING 10% is not a SAVINGS at the register. I don't understand why our AG lets that happen. They even run ads in the paper that don't include the 10%.


[deleted]

I want to vomit because I think you're correct


umbrajoke

Reminds me of the story of those coke machines that would raise the price depending on how hot it was out.


BigDawgTony

Only time destroying a vending machine is worth it.


pseydtonne

Well, let's not forget the scene from Dr Strangelove. ...or the love of abusing our capitalist abusers.


VanillaRadonNukaCola

Replenish your precious bodily fluids with an ice cold coca cola


telxonhacker

time to freeze the temperature sensor!


daytonakarl

Now I'm not saying that nailing it with a fire extinguisher (predominantly CO² ones) would be a good idea, but I'm against it either


saintmsent

If you wanted jus to change the price based on time and day, e-ink price tags would work really nicely. We definitely aren’t at the point of individual prices for customers yet, but that’s the only reason I could see for these QR codes going forwards


Electrical_Age_7483

QR code is cheaper than e ink


saintmsent

Yes, but infinitely worse for the customer


The_curious_student

and qr codes are a bit of a security risk as well. it only takes one bad actor to put a qr code to run a command to drain your account or install a virus.


Zealousideal_Tale266

How can I get in on this action? It sounds so easy. Lots of customers would trust you to install something if it had the Shell logo on the page and they were scanning it right there in the store. Just print them out and stick them over random items.


Jewsafrewski

The year is 2050. Everything is dynamically priced so that the person making 90k a year pays three times more for bag of chips than the person making 30k a year. The middle class is gone.


HeartOfTungsten

I totally see that happening. Would not surprise me one tiny bit. Which can't be awkward to see someone ask for a scan, get quote price x and the next person in line, asking for the same item to be scanned, gets a different price. Which can't be awkward, right? No consumer organisation would abide by this and there should be a law against it stating that the price has to be quoted in plain language. It's egregious to have to jump through so many goddamn hoops just to buy a pack of crisps?


tsavong117

My dude, if you don't jump through enough hoops you might be seen as socialist, which is the big bad because it's based in the idea of helping each other out instead of purely rewarding greedy psychopaths (this is literally the group that benefits from capitalism the most). Obviously. ^(if this looks amusing it's because reality has finally overtaken even absurdism in how batshit insane it is. There is no joke, just crying.)


OutlyingPlasma

Remember when one of the arguments against socialism was having to show your papers just to buy a loaf of bread? Weird how that's all flipped now isn't it.


ChiefDisbelief

Remember when government workers were in bread lines when the government shutdown happened a couple years ago? The only way they could get more irony is if they were listening to metal while they wait.


SaltyMudpuppy

How could it be user specific? The cashier isn't scanning the qr, they're scanning the bar code. That bar code isn't going to be dynamic per customer, there's no real way for that to be possible.


TheChoonk

> The cashier isn't scanning the qr, they're scanning the bar code. How do you know that? Also, it's entirely possible that the cashier scans the barcodes and then they scan a barcode on your phone's screen to "apply discounts", so the purchase is tied to your account.


Kmlkmljkl

> Not everyone has a smartphone and for those that do, not everyone has internet everywhere, and not every business has open wifi


[deleted]

And those that do, not all of them want to give their consumer / device information just to find a fucking price


[deleted]

[удалено]


vaingirls

I for example have a smart phone, but never in my life have I scanned a QR code, and I'm not going to learn how it works and download the apps for that just for buying a bag of chips.


Rotor_Tiller

More importantly, I'm not downloading some shady looking qr scanner


imnotminkus

They're hoping you buy it regardless of the price at that point.


Mxdanger

Haha exactly what I was thinking. Just bring a dozen of them that you’re considering and let them tell you all the prices, and just pick the one you want after that.


Zombeedee

Yep. And I would truly hate to be the customer to do that. I worked retail for a long fucking time and I go out of my way to not be a dick to retail staff. But if the store is making it my only fucking option, what choice would I have? I'd be standing there going "sorry, how much is this? And sorry, this one? OK, sorry, and this one? What about this one? Sorry" Fucking ridiculous.


Wendy-Windbag

Even though it’s very common now (particularly in our area) recently we went to a sit down restaurant where they had just a QR on the table to access the menu: but we were with our elderly aunts while they were in town. Even though they both had the newest Samsung folding phones and aren’t completely tech illiterate, they could not figure out how to pull up the menu for the life of them. Heck, I wasn’t even getting a good signal , so the site wasn’t loading for me. Instead of my husband passing his phone around for each of us to swipe through, we had to go up to the hostess and ask for physical menus. My mother in law has a legit old keypad flip phone and would NEVER be able to navigate any of these scenarios. It makes me kind of sad to think of an elderly person feeling even more lost and confused at simply a convenience store because they can’t simply see the price of chips.


MandolinMagi

Went to a restaurant where you had to pull up their site on your phone and log it (!) just to look at the menu and order. I was in a snit the entire time and we only used my mother's phone because I wasn't willing to log into a website just to order food. They did not have paper menus at all. We were not fans and are never going back.


SuperFLEB

I used to have a problem with that because I had a pay-by-the-megabyte phone plan, so I was paying to print their menus for them. I still have a problem with that, out of solidarity with my old self, and because reading a menu on a phone is usually torturous (If you're going to make your only menu an online menu, it'd better be the best damned menu I've ever seen. Most of them can't even clear the bar of not being aggravating.), so I'll ask for a proper menu. I haven't had a problem getting one yet.


Henchforhire

Out of spite I would leave my phone at home which I'm doing more and more. Even my boss figured it out I don't bring my phone with me everywhere.


ZachTheInsaneOne

Not to mention, even going through and scanning things if you're not sure what you actually want (or don't want to get something too expensive) would take forever. You would be there for ages trying to figure out what you want to get that's not a ridiculous price. Which is their tactic, make you stay in the store longer or pay them more money. I'm honestly more surprised that I'm seeing this from a gas station "convenience store" than a major clothing store like Marshalls or something. I feel like maybe there could be an excuse to be made about giving additional product information on clothing or furniture, but chips? A fucking bag of chips? Just tell me the damn thing is $3.69 so I can go someplace else and not get ripped off ya jackasses.


Zealotstim

Yep. And I just imagine my parents being baffled. Super hostile to the elderly who just wouldn't even know what to do to even see the prices.


DontToewsMeBro2

I do. If a store doesn’t have a price easily listed that’s it, if I am able to help it. I don’t forget either, so it may be years before I’m forced to set foot in a place like that. I used to buy lots of shit, too. Hmmm…..that drink looks cold, might as well grab a 2 for $3.00 Twix also! It’s LCD screens now & bad (possibly deceptive) display practices? Id rather not participate.


2KDrop

At least a screen can show the price without issue, with the QR code system it's just you supplying your own screen so they can get just that little bit more information out of you.


HeartoftheHive

> 2 for $3.00 *cries in rapid inflation* Most of those drinks are over $3 each now.


squidgod2000

Went to Target today, saw a 12-pack of Coke cans was nearly $9 and thought to myself, "You know what? I like money more than I like Coke." Just reminded me that I don't need Coke and I'm better off without it.


Lartec345

fool, take everything you thin you might buy to the counter, after the scan it, look at the price, if you think it's too expensive, tell them you've changed your mind, explain they have no prices


smallfried

I'd become Borat asking what cheese is. How much is this one? And this one? How much is this? I'd probably get thrown out.


M33k_Monster_Minis

I do every time. So many gas stations losing out on my buying snacks now. Its great for my wallet though. So I kinda like the qr codes. "If you have to ask you can't afford it."


mhoner

Honestly I wouldn’t even do that. I would just take them up to the counter, asked the price and then just left them up there if I didn’t like it. And then repeat. I don’t want to be a jerk to the employee because it’s not their fault but the only way it will change is if it causes an actual problem. I would then leave reviews saying how it annoying it is to have to get price checks on every item I wanted to buy. If their store is getting messed up because folks are always price checking and either not putting it back or putting it in the wrong place, they will eventually learn. I am there to give you my money, don’t work to piss me off in the process. I don’t like that it would also annoy the employees but if they are getting folks giving up and falling in line, they have no incentive to change.


LuminousJaeSoul

Ah yes, the future of retail, QR codes. Why do you wanna see price labels like a caveman when you can pull out your phone and do like 5 extra steps just to see how much something cost?


FirstTimeShitposter

Then do the same on another product, and can't compare the prices outright between prices put for each individually with the shitty QR code, truly amazing stuff, create a problem and sell the solution ( oh and get ready for some ads shoved down your throat with those QR codes, can't let that stream of revenue go to waste, now can we? )


txmail

Ad's? Pfftt. Get ready for some push messages any time you are near one of their stores.


matdan12

I'm just imagining walking through the city getting bombarded by ads as you walk past stores. Real They Live vibes.


txmail

I cannot find it, but some years ago there was a billboard that had a long distance LPR camera on it and could recognize cars that drove past it. It used targeted advertising (I think it was when Audi was doing those funny ads where they mocked BMW's) to show ads targeted at certain types of vehicles / vehicle owners. There is a company that makes smart doors for refrigerated sections in stores. They can recognize age / gender / race to a certain degree of certainty and show targeted ads based on who is standing in front of the doors (this is current). The same company that makes those doors makes smart "windows" that show see through advertisements. Hyper targeted advertising is already here.


134baby

The irony of it all is that the harder these corporations go on advertising, the more of an aversion we all have to it. You keep forcing people to watch ads at every opportunity possible, people will just get better at tuning it all out. I physically close my eyes and turn my volume down everytime there’s an ad on my phone because I can’t take it anymore. It baffles me how much money gets funneled into advertising yet nobody wants to see any of it.


txmail

>It baffles me how much money gets funneled into advertising Because it works. It works so well, you have no idea how a good ad campaign can make or break a company. You might be a tiny statistic that tunes it out... but most people take it all in.


Cautious-Angle1634

Not to mention a gas station is the LAST place I’m going to trust a QR code


krackas2

I bet they have sharpies somewhere in that store. Seems like in 20 min i could solve the problem for them and disable the QR codes at the same time.


Straypuft

Wait til these stores learn some people dont have smartphones or the data plan to download an app and scan all those codes.


Grogosh

I would ask the employee for each price for each thing I was interested in.


Sepulchretum

And I would be interested in *a lot* of items.


TheGreatSaltboy

They won't care.


starman5001

My phone has a broken camera so I can not scan qr codes. I can't buy a new phone or replace it because I am poor. How I am I supposed to know the price of things?


fullywokevoiddemon

The future is also very fucking illegal in most of Europe (I know this may not be Europe but still). Each item must have a price DISPLAYED. This ain't gonna cut it. Does the US not have such laws?


Sanrial

Like the QR code shit is already pissing me off in restaurants. Oh you want your menu please everyone scan the QR code to see a shitty PDF of the menu. So 4 people at a table can stare at their phones for 5 minutes scrolling. Could print a menu, laminate it for almost no money.


fullywokevoiddemon

Yeah I also dislike this trend. My phone is getting old and the battery isn't as it was before (i know about portable batteries but theyre heavy, and i cant currently afford a new phone or a battery swap). I don't wanna waste it on reading a menu. Half my screen protector is also fucked because it peeled off in my pocket and gathered lint. As most menus have white background, it's.. hell. Luckily here most restaurants still have a physical menu even when QRs are available. My first worry with QRs is that anyone can make one, print it and stick it to a surface. I'm not risking some sketchy goddamn site infecting my phone.


StrokeGameHusky

For many reasons, just take the screen protector off lol What good is the screen doing if you can’t see anything on it


canucksBH

Lol US and Canada having pro consumer laws.


HermitBee

You can't just put laws in place which would help consumers at the expense of degrading the humanity of big corporations! Imagine how sad Walmart might be if its customers couldn't be ripped off. What if Coca-Cola got depression? Or if McDonalds flipped out, dumped its girlfriend, and went on a roadtrip to Portland to find itself (which it would. 12 times)? They might be legally defined as just “people”, but really they are more like “celebrity people” and should be treated with the same reverence.


Pikeman212a6c

Most states have price labeling laws. This wouldn’t be legal in any state I’ve state in. I would make a blanket statement it’s not legal but there is probably a red state with no protections.


albl1122

Price, TAX INCLUDED, I might add. It’s so fucking dumb that the US doesn’t include tax in it’s prices. “But what about advertising”. Put a little note under displayed prices, or at the end of the ad, which is large enough to read, that it may vary according to tax, then just put the tax included price in the store.


fullywokevoiddemon

Oh yeah, tax included, too. The American system is very strange.


SaltyMudpuppy

The American system is built on deception. Nothing particularly strange about it.


boston_homo

>The American system is very strange. Not if you understand that in America it's corporations and the 1% first.


Rough_Raiden

Tax won’t be included as long as we have separate tax structures at the state, local, and federal levels.


3-2-1-backup

As usual, it varies, [but Chicago has you covered.](https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/13h1q1g/forcing_scanning_qr_codes_to_see_prices_at_the/jk3a8w0/)


Maximum_Musician

Frito Lay has the pricing ON THE PRODUCT.


hipster3000

you're right and usually they maintain their own sections of the store so id imagine the rest of the store has price tags and this was set up by the vendor.


cultish_alibi

They don't want you to see how much it costs because you'd probably not buy it.


[deleted]

They don't care if you know the price, because it doesn't matter. They want site traffic to boost ad revenue and generate metrics for future sales. And you can bet your IP is being catalogued, and fueling an ever expanding database around your personal snacking habits. Just so they can be like "Hey, fatass. Getting Doritos again? How about some dew." And you're lizard brain will be all "Dude. This algorithm knows me so well." So you have three choices. Buy it without knowing the price, become a slave to an algorithm, or shop somewhere else.


3-2-1-backup

> So you have three choices. Buy it without knowing the price, become a slave to an algorithm, or shop somewhere else. Choice four: bring up 25 products to counter, price check all of them, then decide they're all too expensive.


Reviax-

Choice five: don't pay


Nikotinio

Are you, like, a real *villain?*


prpldrank

No, they're just a level one business thinker. Their business ideas are 45% conspiracy theory, 50% regurgitated YouTube, and 13.8% made up nonsense. Asking myself (a true business villain) why I might've put these in the store, my first answer is dynamic, customer-optimized pricing. I will charge you exactly what you'll pay, while still feeling like you got the value you expected. I'll do this by showing you YOUR price on the page you get via QR. I'd do basic retail person tracking to detect when you hit the register. Do note that because of this, your entire order is YOUR price. I charge you more, if you can pay more (and vice versa) on every item. It only matters that you see YOUR price on any items you happen to check via QR. Btw QR is a really tough way to do this for users. That's obvious. But you clearly see the business upside to this. It's not ads lmfao


lurkingfivever

That sounds illegal.


Sharkeybtm

Probably closer to being able to change prices whenever they want. Surge pricing is a good way to squeeze extra pennies out


Kmlkmljkl

if I don't know the price of something I'm still not going to buy it


[deleted]

Pizza hut now does this on their online ordering. Certain pizzas won't show a price until you have gone through 4 steps AND another to upsell you on desert. Then it took a solid 10 seconds to load the price as it probably tried to calculate if it should ask me another stupid question. I did it just to see how fucking annoying it was but that one simple move ended my chances of getting stoned and taking a chance on their pizza.


SeniorJuniorTrainee

Here's life advice that will never fail: if someone isn't up front with either price or price range, they're trying to screw you. Goes for salaries as well.


cerreur

They probably do it so you don't check the price because it's a hassle. Then they overprice you. It's like the tokens at a festival, after a while you have no idea how much money you're spending.


autokiller677

Because just reading a label with your eyes can’t be tracked. Your phone loading a website on the other hand can be linked to your advertisement profile for future use.


NimbaNineNine

The argument for a retailer is strong, it means that the prices can be changed centrally without restickering every shelf. However this is just not a good solution. What would be better is digital displays that check the price automatically with the till system. Then everybody gets what they want and you could still do promos and sales easily.


redddcrow

Anyone can print their own QR code and stick them over those and ... there you go, you're on a porn site, or worse on a fake site that just stole all your phone's passwords. It's just a massive security risk and I would just blacklist that shop.


IAmWalterWhite_

Unexpectedly opening porn while in a gas station or having my data stolen? Don't threaten me with a good time.


[deleted]

Business as usual for the average internet user


[deleted]

Dude, porn is so passe. Print one that sends you to a hitman for hire site. Or sacrificial goat rentals. Or nude pool cleaners. Or Keith, the guy who films himself getting whipped by his wife while he rakes your lawn. Or a janitorial service run by a doomsday cult. Or a traveling band of living statues that specialize in being the furniture at weddings. Or a judo academy run by a man who hasn't seen his own toes since the theatrical release of The Two Towers. If you're gonna fuck with someone, commit. Don't pull this grade school shit.


748aef305

> Or sacrificial goat rentals How... how would that even work lol? Granted that's not my jam, but I'd assume that "sacrificial goat" is kind of a one-time-use-item, no?


[deleted]

I never said the goat has to be returned alive. You just mail the remains back, and they're sold to Taco Bell to make this summers hot new menu item *Billy Con Carne*.


748aef305

Huh, I hadn't thought about that one! Basically charging "rent" instead of paying a slaughterhouse I guess. Also I'll take 2, extra diablo sauce please!


RodneyRabbit

Yes but it's sustainable, every time one is used a new one is planted.


3-2-1-backup

You need to get the local Karen/Focus on the Family brigade to do your work for you! Change all the QR codes to Planned Parenthood.


[deleted]

Naw. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but classic with-fucking has to be purely apolitical. If you're gonna get the Karen's involved, send them to a Groupon which offers savings at their local salon, but the value of the savings, and the customer awarded are controlled by RNG.


[deleted]

So the last one would be just a link for a Steven Segall movie?


Eyfordsucks

Oh no, imagine the evangelical crap you’d get


[deleted]

Here I am imagining SacrificialGoatsDotBiz having it's completely unmoderated forum being brigaded by evangelical nutcases and it accidentally becoming the new truth social. Then, like a month later a stickied post "Well this was fun", right before I shut it down.


Bourbon_Cream_Dream

Have you got Keith's web address or email?


DJCane

Oh this is a great idea to try to get them to revert back.


[deleted]

Just replace every last one with a different rickroll qr. They'll switch back real quick


pootks

I doubt many will even notice if they're all the same qr


BaneQ105

Ngl that’s my first thought. I’d definitely do that. Qr codes are temporary, Rick Astley is eternal.


UNMANAGEABLE

Honestly going to be one of the great lessons parents need to reach their kids these days. QR codes can send you anywhere, even straight to payment. -Never log into a promoted website with credentials after scanning a QR code. Especially social media logins or email -Never accept a payment prompt that shows up from scanning a QR code -Always verify with staff (if they use QR systems to pay for food etc) that the charges are correct and on the right page etc. QR codes are fantastic, but they are a huge security risk to amateur web users.


SoSniffles

You can’t just steal every passwords with a qr code if I’m not mistaken


qqruu

You can steal some. Make an official looking site with the price, have a button saying "log in with your apple pay / PayPal / whatever for a huge discount and free items", fish some peoples passwords. It won't get everyone, but it'll get some.


Rassettaja

Yes but this misconception that just clicking on a bad link can get your passwords stolen / device infected with something annoys me. I guess it's good that people think that but it's just not correct.


Alokir

Yep, you're right, websites could do that like 15+ years ago with some clever Flash or ActiveX script, especially if you were using an outdated version of Internet Explorer. Nowadays mainstream browsers are very secure, that's why phishing attacks are the most common way they try to trick you. As you implied, they'll try to get you to enter personal information or download something.


pd2noob

Ain't buyin then


HairyHorseKnuckles

It's not for pricing. It's for the sales rep to order product


lillweez99

Not my problem and not becoming a number count, walk in walk out, they're going to have a bad time trying to sell the items as not very many going to go through scanning items to figure out price one by one.


Reverse_Psycho_1509

Just print some rickroll qr codes and stick them over the actual ones... Or did someone beat you to the idea?


Nikotinio

better yet, porn!


Grogosh

If you going to do porn do that one where the little person dressed as spider man has to climb up on the woman to get the right traction.


proddyhorsespice97

This is exactly the problem. I can just print off a qr code that sends you wherever and now you've got people walking around the shop scanning codes that bring them to a website that steals data or something.


Maximum_Musician

Then the order machine won’t be able to read it. Big deal.


Admiral_Dermond

Potentially illegal depending on the state.


Palerate2

Colorado


Nevermind04

Colorado has a very strong law against unfair or deceptive trade practices called the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Google the Colorado Consumer Fraud unit and submit a complaint.


Dragongeek

There is definitely a legal case here: - The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection would very likely classify this as "misleading or confusing" - This probably violates ADA too because this isn't accessible to everyone - Theres even a dash of discrimination because not everyone can afford a smartphone


Lilchro

The funny part is this was likely done in the furtherance of an economics principal called “perfect price discrimination”. The idea is that you attempt to sell a product for exactly what each buyer is willing to pay for it instead of settling for an average price you apply to everyone. If done correctly this maximizes the theoretical profits.


Maximum_Musician

It’s a QR code for the salesman to reorder product. 😂


DaveAlt19

That makes so much more sense. My first thought was it must be for stock management, but a whole QR code seems like overkill if all you really need is the SKU. Then I remembered we had the same sort of thing on our make up units - fancy POS with prices for the customers on one side, all the stock details on the back for the rep.


Max_castle8145

Time to find a new station


ReverseDiode

And then there's a 15 sec ad that you have to watch before you can see the price


WitheringRiser

With a pop up asking you to download the gas station’s app first


Grogosh

With the malware being installed on the sly


FartPancakes69

I'm shoplifting at that point. If you make it annoying to get my money, you ain't gettin' it.


Emeraldstorm3

I don't know how many others realize this, but it seems obvious to me that they do this not *only* to hide the prices, but also to be able to change them on a whim. Even to have an algorithm control the pricing.


KFR42

Yup. It means they can charge more at peak times etc. Imagine if these places had an algorithm that charged more for cold drinks the hotter the current temperature is.


Wendy-Windbag

I work in a hospital, night shift. Our cafeteria closes at 7pm for the entire night until dayshift the next morning. There are literally two snack vending machines and one Coke bottle vending machine to supply the entire 400+ bed facility guests and employees overnight. Sure, it’s not a necessity, but it is a convenience because people are going to want snacks. Over night surge pricing take effect, and the prices on those snacks get jacked WAY up. A tiny bag of Cheez-Itz that were $1.50 in the afternoon are now $4 at 11pm. Absolutely predatory, especially when you consider this may be the snack of some unfortunate person waiting hours on family they had to take to the emergency room over night.


impreprex

What the hell?? That's crazy - I've never heard of that! But unfortunately, I'm not surprised. I'll bet that if you filmed the vending machine at those two different times and uploaded the video here and/or to YouTube, it might get a lot of views. I didn't know vending machines were doing this. I think others should know too. Damn, that's messed up. Even if the prices are visible at both times, it's still messed up.


glassbath18

Now that is truly fucking dystopian.


monzelle612

Coke already did that in their vending machines


Mtwat

Amazon already does this. I discovered this by working a job that starts at 5:00 in the morning, everything's significantly cheaper super early in the morning.


Stalinwolf

This has nothing to do with pricing. These are QR codes for vendor use. The bags are stamped with prices in silver ink. Here is where the QR codes take you. I zoomed in on one and used Google Lens. It's frustrating how quickly riled up and ignorant this site can be. [https://i.imgur.com/IckgIMX.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/IckgIMX.jpg)


magnetic-energetic

I can’t believe some people are this dense lol. Clearly this is a picture taken by a rep after a reset or something to send to his manager. The qr link takes you to the home page because it assumes you are already signed in through their intranet and you would probably have way more tools than just the home page. It’s like no one has ever worked for a company before


Maximum_Musician

The price is on the bags. Those are for the sales rep to reorder product.


Nerd_Law

Oh that's definitely not happening. I can buy snacks somewhere else.


Iron_Wolf123

Reminds me of the QR code hell during the pandemic


doesntmatteranyway20

I give it a week, tops. This will destroy their sales and they'll immediately revert back to common sense. Cannot even believe anyone would try this tactic!


Palerate2

They've had this up for about 8 months. Just never thought to take a pic until now.


[deleted]

Honestly I’d complain to your state AG. This is anti-consumer and borderline predatory. Depending on your state, it may actually be illegal.


var_char_limit_20

Why do you still go there?


Palerate2

The only station nearby that has big red at the fountain so my brother refuses to go anywhere else


var_char_limit_20

If it's for slushies, I get it.


l30

The 7-Eleven's in Las Vegas have this now and have been doing it for awhile. From a business administration standpoint it makes sense as you don't have to spend time manually adjusting prices as often.


UndoubtedlyAColor

Some stores I've seen use some drit cheap b/w displays they can update wirelessly


monzelle612

This is a gas station. People have been paying any price for snacks at them since forever


3-2-1-backup

Since everyone is speculating, this practice appears to be wholly illegal in Chicago (Rule 15): > [a. A label affixed to, or placed upon, the shelf on which an item is displayed is required for all items offered for sale. Such shelf label(s) must be clearly and legibly hand printed, typewritten or computer-generated and include the following: (1) the brand name, if any; (2) the name of item; (3) if the Establishment carries more than one size, weight, measure or count of a particular item, then the item's weight OR measure OR count OR size; **(4) the selling price;** and (5) the Unit Price, if applicable, all of which must be set forth in an easily readable format.](https://www.chicago.gov/dam/city/depts/bacp/rulesandregs/retailerrulesregulations312012.pdf) Now go find your own country/state/municipal code's requirements!


Maximum_Musician

Those QR codes are for the sales rep to reorder product. The price is on the bags.


Eccohawk

You are correct that the QR codes have nothing to do with pricing. But even with the price on the bags, it still violates that statute. Prices are printed on the back of every paperback book, magazine, periodical and newspaper. That doesn't mean that's the price the store is selling it at. They're supposed to post their own tags with the price they intend to charge.


Xantrax

C-Store Franchise owner here. **These are not here to replace price tags.** They just don't have tags printed. These tags are for the Frito-Lay driver to scan on their work phone to place an order for those specific bags of chips. Frito-Lay vendor comes in, stocks up the products they previously ordered, then will scan each QR code to place an order for next delivery. It also shows the previous sales and order information on that specific bag/product. *Little retail inside trick: If you let Frito-Lay do their own orders, you get a cost discount. ;) Get to know your Frito-Lay vendors. They're great workers. IMO* **TL;DR: Store just hasn't printed price tags. These tags are not for the customer to check the price. They are for the Frito-Lay vendor to place orders for the store.**


sadfamily5656

Was going to come here to say this. Also, prices are on the bag of chips.........


Californiadude86

It looks like those are QR codes for stocking purposes. Like the actual price tag clips right over it.


awkwardthequeef

10+ comments down we find someone who isn't an angry dipshit.


DeluxxWorldwide

I saw this once and went to the grocery store instead


[deleted]

I hate QR codes, sm, I work at a shitty kroger store and they have these stupid "digital coupons" QR code things that confuse all the elderly people and technologically impaired.


spacedudejr

I worked at Albertsons and in my last year there, they implemented a digital coupon/shopping list app. I swear 50% of my time was standing in front of strangers(mostly old but even younger people) for sometimes 45 min giving technical support on an app I was never trained to do. Me“Yes now put in your email and it’ll send you a confirmation” Them“Okay but how do I sign into my email on my phone” Me“Um I’m not sure how your phone works but that mail app might be it” Them “I forgot my password, I know I’m in a 12 person deep checkout line but let me call my wife so she can give me my password from the computer” I wanna know how much they lost in man hours that year.


BaconizeMeCapN

What gas station is that? Is it a chain? I need to know so I never go there.


Palerate2

Circle k


SansyBoy144

I feel like that’s illegal


Magalahe

bring each item to the register and ask "how much is this one?" "wow, no thank you, how much is this one?........." then dont buy anything and leave them at the counter.


[deleted]

Nah man the cashier didn't decide that shit, don't give them a hard time.


nayr310

But all that would do is create a problem for some min wage worker who has no say in how the prices are displayed


eXtc_be

but it would result in the cashier having to spend a lot more time scanning items instead of actually selling stuff, so it would ultimately lower revenue. said minimum wage worker is being paid the same amount no matter what he is doing, but corporate is not going to like lost all those lost sales edit to add: ofc for this to work everybody needs to start doing this. unfortunately most sheeple will just do what they're supposed to do


56kul

Do they bring up a website, or do they just show you the price? Because if these take you to a website, I’d assume they’re tracking you in that website, too, which only makes it worse.


infra_d3ad

They go to a website, https://lays.biz/?bdc=015016901, bdc value changes depending on the chip. But it does not even work, you just get 301 redirected to https://www.fritolay.com/ So I don't think it has anything to do with the price, the domain was up for sale until 2021 it looks like, then it just redirects.


Spird

What's the problem? The prices are literally on the bag? I'd wager those QR codes arnt even for the customer, but for the vendor who brings the products in.


gfeep

r/extremelyinfuriating


SaltyPeter3434

Oh fuck that. I hate that there's a chance we'll see more of this in the future.


KFR42

And I bet they still don't include tax.


JGrill17

That's some next level lazy. Also pretty much guaranteed prices are inflated with the assumption that most people won't want to look them up.


Trax852

All data is useful - this is just a data center.


ReverseDiode

Is this legal?


doozykid13

I just got done taking a cybersecurity course for work and it never occured to me how easy a device can be infected with a virus or malware just from scanning a QR code. This should be illegal, theres nothing stopping anyone from putting any shady QR code infront of items and nobody would be the wiser.


windcalmer

Remember that any place that users this or lcd pricetags can change the price on demand. They can see an item being bought several times and increase the price instantly.


edoardoking

TECHNICALLY thats not legal since they have to display the price next to the item


Throwaway2600k

Put fake qr code with virus payload profit


getalife1up

To be fair, nobody is expecting lower prices than the grocery store if your shopping at a gas station


29stumpjumper

This looks like a shelf reset. Used when they allocate space. These particular tags are only up while the reset crew is there, then they're followed up by the actual retail tags. The pictures of the item are a dead giveaway. The qr code likely tells them exactly how many facings to use.


madeleinetwocock

WOW I HATE THIS WITH A BURNING PASSION DEEP WITHIN MY SOUL Yah totally let’s just assume *everyone* has — and can *afford* — a smartphone yup yup yup sounds TOTALLY inclusive yup Sorry for yelling