Can't your clerks price items without barcodes at checkout instead of telling the customer to go back and hunt for all the individual product numbers. Orchard Supply clerks always priced non-barcode items at checkout - why can't Lowes? No sale.

The answer is no, usually not. They would have to have a company cell/scan to search inventory. There are not enough scanners to go around.If an item isn't marked,write down,or take a picture of it.If cashiers were to be looking up inventory regularly, that would lower efficiency numbers. Management frowns upon that.It makes them look bad on Corporate reports.Managers do not like getting calls from Corporate, or Regional Hdqtrs. when efficiency numbers drop.It doesn't look good,they don't get their gold star for #1 store of the month and they tend to get a bit grumpy. You know what flows down hill. Its all about looking good on the monthlys. Having the shelves stocked and well maintained comes secondary, and of course, good customer service comes last. Its not possible to graph time spent/empl.rate/$misc expense/and did the experience influence the customer to want to come back to spend more money?Or do they shop at Home Depot, now?😱😳🤔🤔🤔

I've had this happen couple of times

Sounds like a good question for management. Didn't you ask for help from management? I would have been upset and frustrated also.