It’s back-to-school time and that means shopping for school supplies. And that also means, a reminder to check your receipts!
In the school shopping flurry of new backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, and everything else on the teacher’s list, keep an eye on your receipt. Double-check it before you leave the store to make sure the school supplies you bought were sold to you for the advertised price.
After all, the National Retail Federation reports the average K-12 shopper plans to spend $858.07 on school supplies, clothes, shoes and electronics this year. Plans for back-to-college spending are even higher at an average of $1,325.85. Overall, the amount is a little less than last year, but for many of us, that’s still a lot of money.
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 they’re accurate. That includes scales that charge for items by weight, and other price-setting equipment.
But faulty cash registers and price scanners can accidentally overcharge you.
In 2025, between January and August, 18.6% of every local business inspected—nearly one out of every five—had overcharge errors. The average overcharge was $1.80.
That may not seem like a lot, but that amount can add up, especially when times are tight. Here are some tips to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.
- Protect Against Overcharging
Always verify receipts and immediately notify store management of any price discrepancies
Stores must 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. Watch for store sales, 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. Buy what you need over several weeks or months to take full advantage of future sales and true bargains.
To contact Agriculture, Weights and Measures, download and use the County’s Tell Us Now app, call 1-888-TRUE SCAN (1-888-878-3722) or email 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. And you can check out our archived video about scanner inspection program.
Reprinted courtesy San Diego County Office of Communications.