Code 80 refers to an internal response code used by Walmart stores and their point-of-sale (POS) systems. It indicates that a product or item cannot be sold due to company directives. There are a few key reasons a Walmart cashier may receive a code 80 when scanning an item:
Item is discontinued
If an item has been discontinued by the manufacturer or supplier, Walmart removes it from their official inventory system. However, it may still be on the shelf if the store has not sold through remaining stock. If a discontinued item is scanned at the register, the POS system will return a code 80 indicating it can no longer be sold. This prevents errors with inventory counts and means the store cannot collect money for an item that officially does not exist in Walmart’s merchandise system anymore.
Item is restricted
Some products have restrictions on who can purchase them or when they can be sold. For example, alcohol and tobacco products often have age restrictions coded into the POS system. Scanning one of these items when the customer does not meet the age criteria will generate a code 80. Other products may have limitations on how many a single customer can purchase, or local laws may dictate certain sales restrictions. Trying to sell a restricted item outside the mandated rules will trigger a code 80.
Item has incorrect price
If the price scanned for an item does not match what is coded in the POS system, it will also cause a code 80. This prevents items from being sold for less than they should. Often this happens if old price tags or labels remain on the shelf after a price increase. The cashier must investigate the actual current price programmed in the system before the transaction can continue.
Item is unrecognized
If an item’s barcode or UPC code is not recognized at all by the POS system, this will also result in a code 80. Since the product is not in Walmart’s merchandise database, the system prevents it from being sold. Usually this occurs when an old item from a previous season still lingers on the shelves but is no longer in Walmart’s active inventory. It can also happen if a barcode is damaged and cannot be properly scanned.
What to Do When Code 80 Appears
When code 80 shows up on the register at checkout, the cashier has a few responsibilities:
– Determine the reason for the error – is it an age restriction, discontinued product, incorrect pricing or unrecognized item? This often requires checking the item details in the POS system.
– Apologize for the inconvenience and explain to the customer why the item cannot be purchased. Provide details like company policy or local laws that prevent the transaction.
– Remove the unsellable item and refund the customer if they already paid for it. This ensures they are not charged for merchandise they cannot purchase.
– Call a lead or manager if assistance is needed with refunds, opening a register to sell age-restricted products, or determining discontinued or incorrect pricing issues.
– In the case of unrecognized items, check for potential solutions – find a valid barcode on the product packaging, look up the item under a different SKU, determine if the item is from another department, etc.
– Be polite when explaining the issue to the customer – it is not the cashier’s fault, so they should not bear the brunt of any shopper dissatisfaction. Direct them to a manager if complaints arise.
Reasons Why Code 80 Happens
There are a handful of key explanations for why a code 80 occurs at Walmart POS registers:
1. Inventory Management
Walmart’s inventory control procedures are designed to prevent loss and maintain proper accounting of all merchandise. So when an item is discontinued or deleted from inventory, it automatically generates a code 80 to stop sales and prevent shrinkage or errors. This allows Walmart to accurately track inventory, sales, and profits across its massive operation.
2. Pricing Updates
Regular pricing updates are run on the entire Walmart system, but often physical price labels take longer to catch up. Code 80 stops an outdated lower price from being used at the register. This protects profit margins when prices increase, and it also prevents undercharging on items with frequent cost fluctuations or special promotions.
3. Age and Sales Restrictions
Local, state and federal laws impose limitations around certain products like alcohol, tobacco, firearms, medications, and more. Walmart’s POS system incorporates these laws to automatically block prohibited sales with a code 80. This protects the company from legal issues or fines.
4. Policy Enforcement
Beyond regulatory sales limits, Walmart also sets internal policies on purchase quantities, fraudulent returns, employee discounts, and more. Much of this is automated in the POS system to prevent policy violations. Again, code 80 provides the technical mechanism to halt unapproved transactions.
5. Unrecognized Items
With several thousand SKUs and UPCs in their merchandise database, even Walmart will encounter items that don’t match anything in their system. These unrecognized barcodes produce a code 80 simply because there is no data on them to allow a transaction. This protects against pricing or inventory errors on unknown products.
Examples of Products Generating Code 80
While any merchandise can potentially trigger code 80 under the right circumstances, these product categories are some of the most common:
Alcohol and Tobacco
Any alcohol or tobacco sale to someone underage will result in code 80. Even if an authorized customer purchases these items but the cashier fails to properly check ID, it will fail.
Firearms and Ammunition
Attempting firearm or ammo sales without proper background checks will lead to a code 80 error.
Gift Cards
Trying to process gift cards that are expired or have already been fully redeemed will return a code 80 during scanning.
Prepaid Cell Phones
These are heavily targeted for theft and fraud, so Walmart has additional sales restrictions prompting code 80 if purchase limits are exceeded.
Prescriptions
Any prescriptions filled at Walmart pharmacies have patient and doctor criteria that must be met prior to selling. Otherwise, code 80 appears.
Discontinued or Deleted Items
Any merchandise that once may have been carried but dropped from Walmart’s active inventory will scan as code 80.
Troubleshooting Tips for Code 80
When attempting to resolve a code 80 issue, here are some troubleshooting tips for Walmart cashiers:
– Double check the customer’s ID and age for any age-restricted items. Verify the sale is permitted.
– Scan the barcode again or on a different register in case the original scanner misread it.
– On discontinued items, check endcaps and clearance sections – specialty or manager markdowns may still allow the sale.
– For unrecognized items, look up the UPC or product description online to try finding a match.
– Use a price checker or scanner to ensure the item wasn’t recently repriced.
– Call a lead or manager to determine if any inventory updates or policy changes may affect the item.
– Ifbarcode is damaged, try manually entering the number or finding another code on the packaging.
– Don’t assume every code 80 is a POS glitch – there is usually a legitimate reason for the restriction.
– Be patient and keep trying alternative approaches. Many code 80 issues can be resolved with perseverance.
Getting Manager Approval to Override Code 80
While code 80 is designed to prevent unauthorized sales, in some instances managers can provide an override:
– Manager approval is required for refunds beyond the return period, so they can manually process these transactions.
– For age-restricted sales, managers can sell to a customer after verifying their age if the original cashier failed to follow policy.
– If an item rings up code 80 due to incorrect pricing, a manager can authorize the correct price.
– Managers can approve product substitutions if an identical replacement item results in code 80.
– With proper inventory research, managers may authorize the sale of discontinued merchandise still on the shelves.
– For exceeding purchase limits, verifying the customer’s intent allows a manager to bypass automated quantity blocks.
– If a new product lacks a barcode, managers can add it to the system so it can be sold despite initially showing code 80.
Steps for Appealing Code 80 Policies
While overrides are possible for some code 80 transactions, the policies behind most are set at the corporate level and not subject to change. However, in some instances customers may be able to appeal policies by taking these steps:
1. Ask the manager on duty why the product cannot be sold and request to speak to the store manager if they cannot provide details.
2. Note relevant details like product information and the provided reason for code 80 denial.
3. Contact Walmart’s corporate customer service online or by phone. Explain the issue and that store management could not resolve it.
4. Clarify why you believe the policy causing code 80 should be appealed, and provide relevant documentation if possible.
5. If age restriction or regulated products are involved, contact your local government representative regarding changing the underlying laws.
6. For store-level policies, corporate managers can review one-off appeals, but broader policy issues must typically go through proper legal channels.
7. You can contact the media and launch social media campaigns to bring public awareness to overly restrictive policies.
8. Launch or support local petitions and grassroots campaigns pushing specific Walmart policy reform regarding code 80 issues.
Penalties for Bypassing Code 80
While manager overrides and appeals may occasionally circumvent code 80 restrictions, outright disregard for the block may result in disciplinary action:
– Cashiers could face retraining, suspension, or termination for intentionally allowing unauthorized code 80 transactions.
– The same penalties apply to managers who abuse override abilities rather than using them appropriately on a limited basis.
– Employees may be required to reimburse Walmart for losses if their actions leading to improper sales of code 80 merchandise result in significant inventory or financial damage.
– Blatant disregard of code 80 errors when age restrictions or regulated products are involved can bring legal charges for violating local statutes.
– Walmart can file civil lawsuits against employees for negligence and failure to comply with company policies that anchor code 80 protections.
– In some cases, criminal theft or fraud charges may apply if employees exploit code 80 overrides to deliberately steal and resell merchandise.
– Where code 80 links to government regulations, violating them can also generate individual fines or charges from regulatory agencies.
Conclusion
Code 80 errors serve an important purpose at Walmart – protecting against improper sales, maintaining inventory and pricing accuracy, enforcing company policies, and complying with laws and regulations. While frustrating to customers in some cases, authorized sales associates cannot ignore or override a code 80 without the proper approval, research, and justification. Following correct protocols when code 80 appears, and appealing policies through proper channels, ensures everything functions properly at the retail giant. With hundreds of millions of transactions processed weekly across over 4,700 Walmart stores, code 80 is just one mechanism helping this complex operation run smoothly.