Dollar General Settlement: Dollar General customers across the United States may soon get cash payments or store discounts after the company agreed to a $15 million settlement. The deal comes after several lawsuits claimed the retailer often charged shoppers more at checkout than the prices shown on store shelves. Many customers said this happened again and again and caused confusion and anger at the register.
The lawsuits say Dollar General, “engages in a pattern or practice of charging its consumers more at the register.” One key case was filed by Jennifer Braun and similar complaints from many states. All these cases will now come together in one large settlement. The agreement covers purchases made since October 10, 2016. A judge in New Jersey still needs to give early approval before customers can file official claims.
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How much Money can Shoppers get?
Under the proposed deal, $8.5 million is set aside to pay back shoppers who faced price differences. Customers who file claims can get at least $10 for each overcharge. Each household can receive a minimum of $20. People who can show proof of larger overcharges may get more money.
To file a claim, shoppers must show a receipt and a photo of the shelf price or show a complaint made at the time of purchase. The claim must prove the shelf price and the register price did not match. The settlement also allows claims for people “who paid more or less for merchandise than the advertised price,” which means even pricing mistakes that helped the customer still count.
The settlement notes that experts found the average overcharge was small. It states, “Detailed research by plaintiffs’ experts into the alleged documented overcharges indicated an average overcharge of $0.27.” Even so, the payouts are much higher than the average error.
What happens if you have No Proof?
Lawyers involved in the case admit many shoppers may not have receipts anymore. They said, “shoppers rarely preserve receipts for low-dollar purchases over multiple years, let alone photographs of shelf pricing at the time of sale.” Because of this, Dollar General agreed to offer another benefit.
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Customers without proof will be able to get a $3 coupon for a $10 purchase. This coupon will show up automatically in myDG accounts. Other shoppers can fill out a form to receive it. This way, almost everyone can get something from the settlement.
Dollar General said the agreement does not mean it did anything wrong. The company stated the settlement “is not an admission of wrongdoing, fault, liability, or damage of any kind.” It added that it still disagrees with the claims but wants to avoid long and costly court fights.
Past criticism from state officials added pressure on the company. Ohio’s Attorney General said, “This seems like a company trying to make an extra buck.” Missouri’s Attorney General also said, “Prices are at an all-time high; the last thing Missourians need is to feel the brunt of Dollar General’s scheme.”
Another $6.5 million from the settlement will go toward fixing the problem. Dollar General plans to improve pricing systems, add store labor, run audits, and hire a full-time worker to track pricing errors.
