I've stopped giving the "store" cards and pay the fee for a Visa, MasterCard,Discover gift card. Then whoever I'm buying for can spend it whereever they wish.....as long as the computer is up!

I'm glad y'all are having better experiences than me on the scanned prices.

My wife is the shopper in our family. She knows what the sales prices are-if she has a lot of items she makes a list of the sales prices on her phone. Why? Because they constantly do not register when the item is scanned. This is not a one time or every once in a while deal. It is constant. It happens at many stores-not all but certainly many. Wal Mart is bad. Gander Mountain is worse. They are both so bad about this she now takes a pic on her iPhone of the display with the sales price to save the constant trips by associates to verify the sale price. I have witnessed this many times. I have also witnessed prices constantly ringing up higher than the stated price.

I honestly cannot ever remember a price ever ringing up low. I'm glad to know it happens.

I know it seems like it would be bad for business, but I think so many people simply do not check/care/pay attention that they take advantage. We rarely shop at WM and GM anymore.

I know I am probably just being paranoid. Just the way it seems to me.

.. ..just kidding

^^^^You are probably right. LOL.^^^^

NP ...I pull the display price card or shelf tag off if I have a question and take it to the STORE MANAGER!

We have 2 nat'l grocery chains available in the Sherman/Denison market with a pair of stores in each town. Brand A in Sherman is noted for their North Dallas attitude, but the store is spotless, has the largest sku count of the 4 but with a cold attitude and is the highest priced store of the 4...I rarely shop there. Brand A in Denison lost their Store Manager of 14 years who knew me by name and buying habits, when corporate "downsized" a DFW location, fired the Dension Mgr and replaced her with a non local who operates the store like the Sherman location...only has cut staff hours to the point where I ALWAYS double check each and every item for "Sell By Dates" ...and has PO'd the old timers I knew by name and hired No Nuthings who act like Target Store EE's.

Brand K in Sherman is a jumping place, slightly dirty from the increased traffic and the best place to shop in either town. Brand K in Denison ...well I'll leave it alone here but it needed to be closed or renovated 40 years ago... but suffice it to say after spending as many years selling to chain Grocery and BB Retailers & managing my brand in 650 Dillard & Macy's in 33 states at one point as the Natl Sales Rep as a Vendor as I have...I got at least a passing idea of how stuff is 'sposed to be presented and sold.

It was a surprising pleasure when the new Brookshires in Pottsboro opened...albeit with slightly higher prices but THE very best CS from the SM down to every stocker I speak to I've seen in years. I actually got "fussed " at the other day when the temps & wind chill were in the low *20's by a cashier who followed me outside without a coat on when I had refused to allow one of the store staff to push my dinky purchase in a near empty grocery basket to the car as a my way of thanking them for the excellent service...I'd told the staff member "No Need for both of us to freeze outside today, I'll take it from here" ...apparantly they are REQUIRED to push the cart to your car and do not solict tips, or I never have been solicited. Again ...Hats off to the Brookshires, Tyler Group. Thanks for coming to Pottsboro!

FYI IMO after 30+ years of calling on every level of chain retail management, when dealing with local chain stores...If you have a problem...or question about the store's Policy's or want them to stock an Item, like I have worn Bo, the SM at Academy Sherman out about on their total lack of Striper Lures or some sort of plug in Blue Water end cap or SKU set....1st talk to the Store Manager/MOD or appropriate Dept Head, 2nd call the State, Regional or National HQ CS Hotline and be prepared to furnish written documentation about your complaint & 3rd if the situation is bad enough and it is absolutely necessary, call the Texas Dept of Consumer Affairs Div of the State Attorney Generals Office...but NEVER waste your time or the cashier/store clerks time with an issue to resolve since they are NEVER empowered or authorized to fix anything...their sole job is ring up sales, and say stuff like Have a Nice Day.

I am and will continue to be a Chain Retail Store SM's worst nightmare...or their biggest booster. There was a Kohl's Flagship Store SM on Preston Rd in ND that will testify to that too....over a pair of shoes advertised Sale prices...
Ron

Good stuff Ron.

Yes we have a Brookshire's of Tyler store here in Corsicana too. Best CS in town, just as you describe.
My BIL is a corporate buyer for Brookshire Bros of Lufkin-they are a good, CS oriented group too.

I get stuff cheaper at the counter fairly often and mainly at Academy. I always price check at those self service scanners on things that are going out of season. Recently I have bought Under Armour and Columbia clothes well below the price tag. In these instances no sales sign anywhere to be found.

I have tried to tip the sack boys at our new Brookshire's and the response I get every time is "I must respectfully decline." They are very good at CS and I will pay the higher prices for this reason.

As to the OP. It sucks about your situation but I am willing to bet there isn't a chain store out there willing to keep a check overnight for you to process at a later date. First of all the cash registers must balance and secondly the liability for the check if it were to be misplaced or misused is a huge concern.

I didn't expect they would, which is why I offered to let them run my CC for the full amount and refund it when the GC went through. I put my trust in them. I work nights and did a double shift today. I just got up early, wasted gas and lost sleep and picked the stuff up. I find Academy's vision statement ironic:

"Our Mission and Vision
The Academy Sports + Outdoors vision is to be the premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle store of choice, continuously adapting to our customers' changing needs. The company's mission is comprised of three parts. The first is to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience by providing convenience, offering a broad selection of quality products, delivering exceptional customer service, and selling at everyday low prices. The second is to know our customers. Customers are our number one priority as we strive to be the retail destination they can trust. The third is to respect our associates by creating opportunities for personal growth and career advancement, while promoting teamwork in an enjoyable and rewarding work environment."

I work hard at 2 jobs for my money, and even though this was a gift I still have this crazy belief that the folks I spend it with should be appreciative. There is a lot of competition and less market share for sporting goods. Just off the cuff I can think of Academy, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Dicks, Bass Pro Shops, Sports Authority, and Wally World. Big box stores DO go bankrupt. Remember Western Auto, Oshmans, Eckerds, Circuit City, Linen's and Things, & Borders?

I think it's ok to tell a business "Hey, as your customer I don't appreciate this and it makes me not want to be your customer." Some things you can't help, others you can. I told Academy (both at the store and in a letter), I shared it hear with other consumers, I've appreciated the feedback, and I'm done with my gripe.

I had an item ring up 25% lower than it was marked yesterday. I think you just don't notice when things go your way, but negative experiences register deeply.

yep

At Academy, I regularly have things ring up lower than marked. In fact, I often will scan items before I buy them to check.

To the OP, sometimes a little understanding will go a long ways. They had no way of knowing how much was on your card. It sucks, but I'd just pay cash and spend the GC later, or go back and return the item, and immediately buy with the GC, or return the GC.

Academy has always been one of the first places I go for hunting and fishing.

This all comes down to convenience. What did we do before gift cards, cell phones and other high tech crap? We paid cash money for our purchases whether being by check or hard money. If you have to use a credit card or wait until you get a gift card for an Xmas present then you probably don't need it or cannot afford it. This shows with you complaining about a 22 mile roundtrip to Academy. Don't blame a retailer for their system going down. It happens. I love the convenience of pulling up to the fuel pump and inserting my debit card to buy gas but don't always rely on it. I always keep cash in my wallet just because systems do go down.

At Academy, I always use their scanners scatter on aisles in the store. Their prices are often off quite a bit from the tag. They sometimes ring up much lower than the price. Learned that the first couple times it happened. Since then I check the price and if it's dirt cheap I get a couple extra. Usually it's clothes or clearance stuff.

[censored] Happens

This is either confusing or hilarious. I think the retailer is to blame for their system going down. I certainly am not. I'm not sure how spending a gift or living a certain distance from the store makes my purchase frivolous but I respect your opinion.

The more dependent we are on plastic and computer systems the more we will run into this. I understand the Prez has a computer company that guarantees computer programs??

x 2. My buddy bought two Carrot Stix fishing rods for $9.99 each a while back. They are regularly $99.99. Also, a couple weeks ago they had an item marked on the shelf for sale that was their Black Friday price. They honored it for me even though it was well past Black Friday.

Academy is where I buy 90% of my hunting and fishing stuff.

How could you prove what was on the card? I kind of see their point, BUT without knowing the value of the card, you could say it had $50 on it and when they ran it, it could have $10. I liked using mine last week!

They don't know how much money is on your gift card though, if it will cover the whole thing or not.

Option 1. Pay full amount with visa. Leave GC. Run GC when system is up. Refund visa.
Option 2. Pay full amount with one check difference with another. Leave GC. Run GC when system is up. Tear up check for full amount.
Option 3. Give a code for free shipping. Order with GC when system comes back up

No return trip to store or additional expense required. If I leave cash I have to go back. I don't need to pay on credit and I didn't have to wait for a gift to get what I wanted. I do carry cash.

I understand Academy's position, but don't agree with it. I'm in customer service and if your company drops the ball you have the responsibility to make it right. There are so many opportunities to make a lasting impression on a customer and, sadly most companies choose the route that gets them blasted on a forum for all to see. If your system is down, apologize, do whatever it takes to make the customer happy, and do the right thing. Thin margins, system being down, store policies, etc - not your problem. It's Academy's problem and they didn't do the right thing, in my opinion.

So what would you have done IF you were the Store Manager? I understand how BigPig feels, but the options he gave them(to me) weren't good, except the free shipping, which I doubt a store manager could do.
I would call customer service and explain the situation to them, that's where I think he could get the free shipping or maybe something else. FWIW, I have an Academy 3 miles from the house and routinely drive to Ft Worth, Grapevine, S Ft Worth and NRH, as some stores carry other items in stock.