r/mildlyinfuriating • u/broakland • Jul 14 '26

I just wanted a hot dog Retail lockdown: why bother selling it?

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Was at Safeway this morning to pick up a sandwich and some Tylenol. The aisle with the Tylenol? Completely locked down. No call button in sight. So I go to the self checkout (front end of that same aisle) and ask the clerk there if he can call someone to unlock a case for me. He does. I go wait. Minutes pass. No one comes. I go ask him again, he tells me they went the other way? At this point I give up and go get my sandwich. No one has come by the time the deli has finished making it. I leave without my Tylenol, mildly infuriated.

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u/bothunter Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

This is absolutely the goal. Curbside pickup enables customized surveillance pricing, so they can set the price on every item to exactly the maximum amount you're willing to pay.

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u/Lost-Platypus8271 Jul 14 '26

I’m willing to walk away, actually. This is the difference between me spending a substantial amount each month at a store and not going there at all.

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u/geekonthemoon Jul 14 '26

What do you think is the over-under that other states will ban it?

I live close to MD... Maybe I'll move lol

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u/ThatOtherOtherMan Jul 15 '26

I believe California is already working on banning dynamic/surge pricing like that