If you were undercharged at a store, would you go back and pay?

[KatelynnsAuntie]

The other day I bought a bunch of groceries at the grocery store. Among the things I got were 28 cans of cat food. When I got home, though, I discovered I was only charged for one can! I bought so much else that I didn't even notice the price discrepency at the time, it wasn't til I looked at the receipt the next day that I noticed!

If this happened to you, would you go back and pay for the 27 other cans? I didn't, and probably won't (not because I don't feel like I owe it, but this particular store is kinda out of the way) but I'm interested in what others would do.

Edited to add...if I had caught it at the time, I would have definately said something. Also the cans were .25 a piece, so it's $7.

Edited again to add...I think I'll just mail them the $7 instead of driving all the way back (it really is out of the way) and tell them what happened.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Yes, no doubt about it.

 

[SunshineSis]

For 27 cans, I'd go back. For one can, I'd blow it off.

 

[peachgirl]

If it was a store I frequented, I wouldn't make a special trip, but I would most definitely tell them about the mistake on my next trip.

I figure if I came home and found out I was overcharged I'd sure tell them, so why not the other way around?

 

[Saffron]

Yes, I'd go back and pay.

One time I used the self check out line at the grocery store and when I got out to my car and started loading the bags into my car, I realized I hadn't paid for three cans of cat food that were left under my purse in my cart! I was on my way to school and really late, so I had to leave, I didn't have time to go back in and stand in line at the customer service desk. The next day I went back to the store to pay for them. The woman in customer service looked at me like I had two heads, never said a word and took my money, but I had to pay for them.

 

[MosMom]

figure if I came home and found out I was overcharged I'd sure tell them

Often though, I don't even do this. I will realize I got overcharged and it isn't worth it to me just to get a few dollars. It is a big enough pain going the FIRST time! We are about 10 minutes away from where we shop though so a 20 minute drive just to get $7? Oy!

 

[doxdogy]

I have done the same thing myself. Gone back and paid for something that I wasn't charged for. I got the same reaction as you did. They were stunned. I would definitely go back and pay for the cat food.

Originally posted by Saffron
Yes, I'd go back and pay.

One time I used the self check out line at the grocery store and when I got out to my car and started loading the bags into my car, I realized I hadn't paid for three cans of cat food that were left under my purse in my cart! I was on my way to school and really late, so I had to leave, I didn't have time to go back in and stand in line at the customer service desk. The next day I went back to the store to pay for them. The woman in customer service looked at me like I had two heads, never said a word and took my money, but I had to pay for them.

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

Updated to say I just put in the mail a check to them for $7, along with a short note. I don't know why it took me so long to think of that??? I did feel guilty about not being charged, but just didn't want to drive all the way back there.

Conscience clear.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Originally posted by KatelynnsAuntie
Updated to say I just put in the mail a check to them for $7, along with a short note. I don't know why it took me so long to think of that??? I did feel guilty about not being charged, but just didn't want to drive all the way back there.

Conscience clear.

Great solution!

For me it would depend on how much the under/over charge was, if it was a scanner problem (at most places you get the item free if it scans wrong) vs human error, and if I was ticked off at the store at the time of purchase. You can bet I'm not going to be a happy customer if I have to go back to a store that has already made me angry.

If it was a small amount, I figure my gas and time are worth more, either with an over or under charge. If I am going to the store anyway, I will correct the over/under charge then. I wouldn't make a special trip for someone else's mistake.

I do like the idea of mailing the under charged amount in. They will get their money, but they probably won't have a clue as to how to account for it!!

 

[Spinning]

I had this happen to me I bought several things and a pair of shoes. I paid for the stuff and really didn't think much about it till I got to the car and thought about the bill and knew I wasn't charged for it all.
The kid never charged me for the shoes. So there I sat....you know devil on one shoulder, angel on the other....
I ended up going back in. I knew if I didn't those shoes would hurt my feet! LOL!
The kid thought I was nuts. But it was the right thing to do.
and on the plus side.. the shoes never hurt!

 

[faithinkarma]

Always....I believe in karma

 

[antkim]

Funny I almost posted the same type of question this morning!!! Here's what happened to me. I bought DH a lounger/float for the pool for Father's Day. Well due to work,weather etc. he never had a chance to try it out untilthe week before last. It was too small and very uncomfortable for him so I called to ask if they would still take it back. The manager said they would give me store credit as I did not have my receipt. Great!! So last night I brought it back and the clerk asked how much I had paid for it.... I told him 89.00-so he gave me a 90.00 credit.
This morning I was doing some banking and I went back to the month of June to check this purchase(I was beginning to question the amount I had told him!) Sure enough I had paid 79.00 plus tax for a total of 83.95!! So I called the store and the same clerk answered the phone- I told him my mistake and he was VERY surprised that I called-you could tell by the sound of his voice!! He said "Thanks! I will give you an even 85.00 credit"! I hung up the phone and felt good! LOL

Kim

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I probably would. Unless the sales clerk was overly rude to me.

It's happened to me three times in my life. Twice I went back and paid. (well, once I went back to pay and they told me not to bother). The other time was after a sales clerk had been particularly rude, snooty and condescending. So I didn't bother. That was my bout of evilness.

 

[SRUAlmn]

A similar thing happened to me recently at the Post Office. I had mailed 2 packages to a friend and my total was $5.49 for postage. I gave the cashier a $20 bill and he gave me back $15.25 instead of $14.51 (74 cents too much.) I noticed once I got out into the parking lot and went right back in and told him. Well that totally confused him. All he needed to do was let me give him the 74 cents, but he wanted to ring it all back through again. Once I got out to the parking lot I realized that this time he had given me $1 too much. So I went back in again. He seemed to be really annoyed with me, but I think I would've felt so guilty. However, if I had made it all the way home before noticing I'm not sure if I would've gone back or not.

 

[GeekChic]

yup, absolutely, even for 1 can. my child watches what i do.

we were shopping recently and bought a bunch of clearanced out sticker packages at a craft store. when we got into the car, dd realized that 2 pkgs had stuck together and panicked, we hadn't paid for that one, would we get in trouble? LOL so sweet.i can't drive, so we asked my dad (our ride) to turn the car around and take us back. I went into the store and explained what happend and left the stickers on the counter...and the woman behind the desk almost fell over.

if i don't pay for something, it doesn't belong to me, that's the way i feel about it. same with being undercharged for something, if i know what the right price is, i couldn't let them charge me less by mistake.

geek

 

[Danauk]

Normally I would, although one time I admit I did not pay. In my defence I did point out to the cashier at the time he had not scanned something. He said "Oh OK" and took the item back from me. He then didn't scan it again. I figured that I had said once then I shouldn't have to say it again.

 

[Alice28]

This has happened to me twice, and I have done one of each scenario. The first was my fault- I was shopping at a Carter's baby outlet and hung up all the things I wanted to buy on my stroller, and put some booties in the cover of the stroller (the shade thingee). I paid for it all, got all the way home, and then I saw the unpaid for booties tucked in the stroller still. I was mortified with myself and I drove all the way back the next day (30 miles) to pay for the $5 booties.

Another time the grocer was busy gabbing with another employee, not paying attention at ALL to what she was doing, and being snotty to me. She didn't charge me for an item, so I didn't correct her. (I think what she did was she thought she double scanned something so she voided it; turned out she didn't double scan so she basically canceled the item out). I thought that if she wasn't going to pay attention to her job, than I shouldn't have to worry about the couple of bucks.

I'm glad you were able to do what you felt cleared your conscience! In that scenario I probably would have done the same.

 

[mrsv98]

This happened to me recently and having DD has made me very aware of my morals.

We always buy the dogs' food at PetsMart in the HUGE bags and we will often get them treats too. Well, this time we bought rawhides first and then the two 40 lb bags of food. When we were in the checkout, the clerk just scanned the top bag twice and we never lifted the other to find the rawhides.

Well, DD and I talked about not paying for the treats and how it was wrong. So we went back next time we were out. The sales clerk about fell over and looked at me like I was nuts but I felt really good. I told her, I would have felt the treats were tainted and wouldn't have been able to give them to the dogs anyway!

 

[bumcat]

I would call the store manager and tell him what happened. He might say not to worry about it or he might gladly take the money.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

Yes, but I might wait until I was going to the store the next time.