Don’t let the Grinch overcharge you for holiday gifts

The holiday season is back; the bells and the cash registers will soon be ringing.

That means it’s the perfect time to remind everyone to always double-check your receipts to make sure you’re not accidentally overcharged by faulty cash registers and price scanners.

While buying online has become a normal part of daily life, most of us are still heading to the stores and the shopping malls to buy a lot of the things we want.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales report for the 2025 second quarter, shows that online sales make up about 16% of all retail sales. That means that eight of every 10 of us are still going to, and spending money in, the malls and stores where we face cash registers and price scanners.

And overcharges can and do happen.

The County’s department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspects more than 1,620 local businesses and 23,900 price-scanning devices every year to make sure customers are being charged accurately. That includes scales that charge for items by weight, and other price-setting equipment.

And every year, even the best businesses have occasional overcharges.

Between January and August this year, 19.2% of every business inspected — nearly one out of every five — had overcharge errors. And the average overcharge was $1.94. An extra two bucks doesn’t sound like much. But even tiny overcharges can add up to make big dents in your wallet or purse, especially during the holiday shopping season.

So do yourself a favor. Be like Santa! Check your receipts; check ‘em twice. That will keep your “ho-ho-hos” from turning into “oh-no-no’s!”

Here are some other tips to help you shop smartly and safely:

Protect Against Overcharging:

• Always verify receipts and immediately notify store management of any price discrepancies.
• Stores are required to display the price of an item, as you are buying it, before the transaction is complete. Watch the display screen as your items are scanned.
• Take sales advertisements with you when shopping to verify prices.
• Know that stores cannot legally charge more than their lowest advertised, posted or quoted price.

Shop Smart:

• Plan ahead. Start watching for store sale flyers, flea markets, garage sales, clearance sales, etc.
• Make a list of what you need.
• Comparison shop with at least five different sources for the best values.
• Don’t buy everything at once. Establish a spending plan and timetable to buy what you need over several weeks or months to take full advantage of future sales and true bargains.
• Download and use the County’s Tell Us Now app to contact Agriculture, Weights and Measures, or call AWM at 1-888-TRUE SCAN (1-888-878-3722) or email to wm.awm@sdcounty.ca.gov to report overcharges you can’t resolve with a store.

For more information, go to Agriculture, Weights and Measure’s Consumer Protection webpage.