Clerk didn't charge me for an item. What would you do?

[puffkin]

I guess I am in the minority. I wouldn't worry about it. It wasn't like you intentionally didn't pay for it. It was obviously their mistake.

How many times are we overcharged for things and don't even realize it? It all evens out in the end.

 

[Debi]

I'd take it back. Even though it is only $6.50, it is the right thing to do.

 

[Marseeya]

If I were in the parking lot, as you were I would have taken it back immediately. What would it cost you at most? Five minutes?

If I'd made it all the way home, I'd call them about it and see what they wanted me to do. I wouldn't make a special trip to pay right away, but I would certainly offer to do it on my next trip there.

A while back, a clerk in a small hardware store gave me something like $10 extra in change, and I didn't find it until I got home. So I called and told them about it and assured them I'd bring it back the next time I drove that way. They were so grateful for it!

It's just good karma.

 

[jbdreamer]

BTW, I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings with this post. It's just my ever so humble opinion, I realize many won't agree with me and that's ok.

Don't worry about it! I think people take things too personally around here anyways. I asked for ALL opinions - my feelings won't get hurt!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I'd take it back. I would feel like I was stealing it.

Last year when I was going Christmas shopping, I was at Proffitt's for the Home. I had like 5 items. My mom was with me. As we were leaving I kept thinking my total was a lot lower than I was expecting. We stopped at a bench and for some reason 2 of the items hadn't been rang up correctly, therefore I wasn't charged. I went back to the store and told them and they corrected the error.

 

[kpm76]

I would go back in and pay for it. Recently, DH and I were at Ikea buying some furniture for our new house. I had kind of calculated in my head how much it should have cost us. When the cashier told me how much it was, the total seemed significantly lower than I expected. I swiped my debit card, paid and went outside with all of the stuff while DH pulled the car up to load it. I looked over the receipt and noticed that they forgot to scan the sideboard box that we buying to match our dining room table. I told DH, we loaded the boxes in the car and went back into the store to tell them what happened. It was the right thing to do and we would not have been able to enjoy the piece in our dining room knowing that it wasn't really ours. We get home and realize that we only grabbed one of the two boxes that contained the sideboard so DH had to go back to the store with the receipt showing that we paid and get the second box. What would we have done if we hadn't actually gone back and paid for it?

 

[S. C.]

Now I am feeling a little guilty.

What would you do in this situation? Would you go back into the store and pay for the item?

I would. If the store was out of my area i would call them and tell them i will bring in the money next time i am in the area.

 

[goodeats]

In that situation I would not go back. It would be a 'bonus' so to speak. Now if the cashier had given me too much change I would correct him.

 

[Snowysmom]

After I bought a lot of things are a Brooks stores, I went out to my car and looked a the receipt. She had put a $1.50 coupon in as $15.00. I had thought the total was low. I went right back in with the bag of stuff and the receipt. I told her what had happened and figured they would void out everything and start over. No. After she gave me a dirty look, she called over the manager. He didn't have a clue as what to do. He kind of fiddled around a bit with the register and then he glared at me too. They just told me to take the stuff and go. So I did. I will still try to straighten out any problems in the future but their attitudes were awful.

 

[mssocks]

I would have gotten out of the car and taken the item back. If I didn't notice until I was home, I would have gone back to the store the next day. $6.50 is a lot of money to me, but doing what it right means more.

On the other hand, I received an item from Ebay that was 99 cents and $2.00 shipping. They accidentally shipped ANOTHER item in with it. Equal value. That I will not be mailing back, but I'm feeling pretty guilty.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

I was at TRU and after leaving and going to the next shopping cente I noticed the cashier charged me for 2 packs of Pull Ups. I went back to get my $1.00 credited. When I went home I realized she didn't charge me for a package of undershirts for DD. I didn't go back just for that. But I did buy 20.00 worth of lottery scratch offs the other day , paid with a 20 and the man gave me back 10. I gave it back and reminded him the tickets were 2 each. He was very happy. If I notice the mistake I point it out but not to make a trip for a small amount.

 

[LoveWDW]

I'd take it back and pay for it.

 

[vanyel]

I had that happen at a gift shop for a candle holder that cost about $12. She even wrapped it up, so I knew she saw it. I called when I realized, after I got home.

My confession: The person I talked to was so rude and nasty to me, blaming me for the error, why didn't I notice that I hadn't been charged, then she insisted that I drive over right away and pay for it. The store was about 45 min. away so that was another 1 1/2 hours taken out of my day. I offered to do a credit card over the phone or mail a check. As the rudeness continued, I said goodbye and never paid for it. Funny, I think of this every time I see that darn candle holder though I don't feel guilty. I don't shop there any more either, after my effort to be honest ended with such nastiness.

 

[leahannpen]

A $6.50 bottle of breath freshener for my cat.

I like animals, really I do, but $6.50 for CAT breath freshener?

Anyway, personally, I'd probably just let it go. Although if you are feeling guilty, feel free to either go back or give 'em a call. I'm sure they'd appreciate your honesty.

 

[ElizaB39]

Well, this actually happened to me. I was at TRU and buying a case of baby formula (6 cans to a case). Each can was about $9.50 and the case was probably $54.00. I had a coupon for 10.00 off a case of formula. The clerk scanned the UPC for one can, and I told her, "oops you only scanned the can and not the case UPC." She snottily replied, "Ma'am (since when did I become a MA'AM anyway, but that is another story), I do this all day long, I think I know what I am doing." SO, I let it go, and got a case of formula for -.50. I even went to confession about this years later and the priest said that since I attempted to pay and she didn't let me, it was not a sin and to LET IT GO!

This was 11 years ago and I still remember it and get steamed at the clerk's attitude.

 

[jbdreamer]

I like animals, really I do, but $6.50 for CAT breath freshener?

He's my new kitty! And if you smelled his breath, you'd want it too! I just put a drop into his water bowl.

 

[ducklite]

I wouldn't make a special trip, but I would bring the recipt and the SKU number off the missed item and speak to someone in customer service on my next trip in.

Anne

 

[seashoreCM]

It takes time, energy, and trouble to correct a mistake.

IMHO if the store made the mistake, it should bear all that.

Which results in my conclusions as follows:

1. If the store overcharged the customer it should refund a little more than the discrepancy when the customer points it out.

2. If the store undercharged the customer there is a dollar amount threshold below which it is not dishonest for the customer to do nothing.

3. It is reasonable to correct the ertror on a future trip instead of drive all the way back.

A few incidents worth mentioning:

4. I booked a room at All Star Sports. I received a confirmation for more expensive Port Orleans Riverside but with the ASSp rate. I concluded that this was an intentional change by Disney because it was ASSp's opening year and there was likely an overbooking issue there. So I did nothing and just arrived and checked in at POR. No questions were asked.

5. A now retired talk host, Bruce Williams, who did his then nationwide show out of Florida, mentioned an incident with a high end store (either furniture or stereo I forget). The store had called Bruce asking him to come back to the store to fix something that the store undercharged him for. Bruce replied he would be happy to fix it but the store would have to have someone drive to his home to do it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It takes time, energy, and trouble to correct a mistake.

IMHO if the store made the mistake, it should bear all that.

Which results in my conclusions as follows:

1. If the store overcharged the customer it should refund a little more than the discrepancy when the customer points it out.

2. If the store undercharged the customer there is a dollar amount threshold below which it is not dishonest for the customer to do nothing.

3. It is reasonable to correct the ertror on a future trip instead of drive all the way back.

So you needed to resurrect a 13 year old thread for your suggestions?

 

[Squirlz]

I picture that Petco clerk sitting there drumming their fingers for the last 13 years waiting for the customer to come back.