Deceit and fraud and price scam at Econsave superstores,
Malaysia.
欺騙~欺詐和騙局的價格在馬來西亞 Econsave超市。
Incident (I)
On 4th of July evening around 5:30- 6pm. I went to Econsave supermarket
located at Klang Parade, Jalan Meru, Klang. I went to the dry powder food section
and search for Black pepper powder for cooking. It was located in the same 2nd
or 3rd shelf beside the prawn
cracker. The price tag written on the shelf is about RM$ 2.90 to $3. Per 300g and the prawn cracker is RM$ 2.60 per packet.
Compare to outside market, this price is very attractive and a lot cheaper.
When I check on the packaging of Black pepper it only 200g per bag available so
I decided to take two package and put them inside my basket and proceed to buy
other vegetables and goods. When I reach the cashier after picking all my
groceries, it was surprise to me that my total bill has exceed $50.00 ( I
usually count along as I shop the goods). And I have to cancel two items and
return those items to balance my budget. As I bring my groceries out of Econsave,
I often do a double checking on my receipt.
( Special note : This superstore has often given headache to
customers in term of wrong pricing and price dispute over the cashiers because
of wrong charging not according to price tags display on good sales. My husband
and I have personally encountered many time for more than a year since this
superstore has started its business in Klang Parade. I often visit there mainly
because it is very close to my home. I
have also complained to Ms. Mee Lan the manager but the root cause not only
remain unsolved but it is getting worse.)
When I find out they have charge me with RM$ 10.80 per black
pepper (Totally would be 21.60 for two package). I get a bit angry and went
back to the same cashier Mr. Brian is his name, he told to me go to customer
service and any differences on the prices should be return to me. When I reach Ms. Seri ( a young Indian lady) at customer
service, she ask me to wait so that she could goto the shelf and double check
the price but I insisted that I shall go with her and point out the good
display location. So she ask one of her colleague favor to look after my goods
while we walk over to the shelf. I got another shock to see the black pepper
price tag was being removed and left those goods on shelf without pricing
except the prawn cracker. I was furious of the deceitful action of the Econsave
staff of removing those price tag to avoid price dispute and it make me look
like a fool. I called my husband and related this matter to him and also ask if
he can come over to help. He said,” Just dump that black pepper to the staff,
reject those purchase!” I did as he told and I went back to the customer
service Ms. Seri to return the goods. She asked me to fill up a form about
goods return but she also mentioned if I could wait till 8:30pm because her
superior Ms. Nani will be coming back and resume work after her dinner. (That
was around 7:50pm, I was very angry because my family still waiting for me to
go back to cook !!!! ) I told her I could not wait that long, and would like to
her check with Mr. Brian as Cashier to cancel my purchase. As that hour many
Malay has went to (break fast since it is the fasting month), their excuses is
lack of cashier or staff and cannot attend to my matter immediately and ask me
to wait for awhile. As time pass and 8:15pm, I told Ms. Seri that I will walk
over to Cashier counter and speak to Mr. Brian personally because I need Econsave
to return back my money. Mr. Brian requested me to go back to customer service
counter and he will come and talk over this issue. Mr. Brian brought another Indian
staff to do the refund and he reveal to me that they are lack of staff and the
HQ of Econsave refuse to employ more because the sale is low. Econsave has
stated clearly at their posting on the exist that “ Any price dispute, we will
honor the customers with lower price.” I find these is deceiving and manipulating
customers.
Incident (2)
Just
two weeks ago, As usual I went to shopping at Econsave, at the wet food
section, I find there are much confusion. I saw the “Wah wah chai” (A kind of small
Chinese Cabbage imported from China) was separately display on two different
shelf. Same vegetable with two different prices Rm$ 2.69 upper shelf and Rm$
2.39 lower shelf and when I went over to cashier decided to pay and buy the
vegetable. The cashier told me she cannot scan the price due to no bar code,
and she wanted me to go the vegetable section to weigh and get price tag. This
is so weird!!! Important goods or
vegetables mostly with bar code on their packaging that is why it never cross
my mind to even bother to weigh those small cabbages. What upset me most is the
result of the price became Rm$ 2.99 after weighing the vegetable. Now a same
vegetable have 3 different prices so I decided not to buy that vegetable. After
one week, I came back to Econsave and realized the same shelf price display
still unchanged and they are sitting there to confuse costumers. So, I saw Ms.
Mee Lan ( manager of the store)was walking alone fish section, quickly I went
over to greet her and lead her to the vegetable section and hope that she will rectify
those confusion. When she saw two price tag, instantly she reply, “ We will
charge you Rm$ 2.39 per package, how many do you want to buy?” I look at those Chinese
cabbage carefully…. Some of them already turn yellowish due to sitting on the
shelf for so long. I told. Ms .Mee Lan this was not the real issue, I told her
to goto weighting counter to get the actual price. She instructed one of her
worker to do for her and while we were stand near the vegetable. Ms. Mee Lan
quietly remove the Rm$ 2.39 price tag away without my notice and when her worker
came back and reported that the actual price on the cashier is Rm$ 2.99. Ms.
Mee Lan change her way of talking by saying a lot excuses of wrong prices tags
and finally she repeat her sale and say, “ Ms Cassandra, I can now give you
RM$. 2.69 how many package do you want??? “ I turn her offer now completely and
walk away thinking these is the way Econsave treat their valuable customers
with deceiving and manipulating the price by creating confusion on the shelf
and price tag.
( Special note : This superstore has often given headache to
customers in term of wrong pricing and price dispute over the cashiers because
of wrong charging not according to price tags display on good sales. My husband
and I have personal encountered many time for more than a year since this
superstore has started its business in Klang Parade. I often visit there mainly
because it is very close to my home. I
have also complained to Ms. Mee Lan the manager but the root cause not only
remain unsolved and it is getting worse.)
Incident (3)
My
husband loves eating fish without bone, and dolly fish has become our favorable.
On last month of June, I went to Econsave, Klang Parade to buy some “Dolly fish” to cook at home.
I saw many package of 3 pieces “Dolly fish “ with a low
price of Rm$5.99. Without any hesitation, I grab those fish and continue to do
my other shopping in Econsave. After settle my payment at cashier, I check my
receipt as usual and I notice they have charge me extra on “ Dolly fish” with
amount of “ Rm$ 8.99”, quickly I went over to customer service and demanded
that I want to speak to the store manager Ms. Mee Lan. 3-4 ladies (workers)
came to attending my matter but Ms. Mee Lan was not present. They insisted that
the cashier did not charge me wrongly. I walk over with them to “Dolly fish”
freezer and realize that they already re-arrange the fish and separate them to
two sections, one section “ package with 2 pieces of Fish with price RM$ 5.99,
and next to it are all packaging 3 pieces of “ Dolly “ RM$ 8.99. I was speechless and my husband arrived on
time to help me to carry some of my goods home that day and he stand beside me…..
few minutes later Ms. Mee Lan arrived. She defended her workers and insisted
that I saw the wrong price tag and refuse to return the money which extra
charged into my bill. Because they have hid and taken away the proof. My
husband prayed a prayer on the dolly fish section after this unsolved issue. A
prayer of righteousness – there will be no one buying dolly fish, people will boycott
this section. True enough even after one month those fish sitting there
untouched.
Is there any word honor when there are price dispute, lower
price prevail? No
Is there any act of deceiving customer by simply putting the
inappropriate price tags ? Yes
Is there any price manipulating or misrepresentation? Yes.
Is there any confusion or wrong training over the staff?
Yes.
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