Moral dilemma - what would you do?

[lecach]

I know what I am planning to do already - but just wanted to see what everyone else would do.

Last night at Target I was waiting for a prescription (DS's 3rd for his current ear infection) so I decided to check out the Christmas section. I saw these nice sized boxes of Jelly Bellys with the price tag of $1.99. I decided to pick one up for a work friend. At the pharmacy the price wouldnt scan - the tech thought that it was probably because they hadnt been entered in to the system since they were new. I told him the price and thats what he charged me. On my way out of the store I walked thru the regular candy aisle. I saw the same type of candy - only they were actually a small dispenser - they were the same price. When I got home I realized that on the bottom of the box it said 6 bean dispensers. So obviously I got a box that was intended to be opened and sold individually.

DH and I discussed the pros and cons of the situation. It was Targets mistake - they should not have had the candy on the shelf like that - unopened. They have caused me many problems with their horrible return policy so I have lost lots of money from there. And I told the pharmacy tech that I wanted the store brand of Sudafed and didnt notice that he gave me the name brand at a much higher price.

BUT by not returning the candy, its like stealing. And every customer that does stuff like this causes the prices for all of us to go up.

I know what I am going to do - but what would you all do in this situation.

PS - At the time I noticed the individual candy on my way out my DS was so tired and upset I was NOT going to go to the service desk and correct the problem. He had been good up to that point so I couldnt torture him further.

 

[Microcell]

I would return it, but I am militantly honest about things like that.

 

[Kimberly]

Eh, I would keep it. It's only 10 dollars your cheating them of (1.99 * 5 packages that you didn't pay for). Is it really worth the trip?

 

[pearlieq]

Eh, I would let it go. It was their mistake and you had no idea it was made until after the purchase. You didn't go in with an intent to decieve and it was their poor labeling, stocking, and the ignorance of the pharmacy tech that caused them to undercharge.

If it were for more money, I could see calling it to their attention, but I wouldn't bother for this.

 

[Kimberly]

Plus you bought a prescription there too... even in a store like target, the pharmacy sells more in a day than the rest of the store will sell in a week. I'd let it go.

 

[inaminute]

It's not the job of the customer to ensure they're being charged the correct price for items. If there was a question about the price, it should have been handled by the person at the register. They should have checked with the department.

In this case, keep it and consider it a bargain. Now, if you'd walked out without paying for it, I'd suggest you take it back and pay for it.

 

[NMAmy]

I'd take it back but, like Microcell, that's me. I like dd to see that I believe in being honest in all aspects of my life. Being an example is so exhausting sometimes.

 

[imsorry]

To be honest, I would keep it and not think twice.

 

[WDWAurora]

Target had a LOT of stuff mislabeled in the Christmas section when we were there the other day. We picked up a bag of bows labeled 1.99 (the label below them even said "Christmas bows") and they were actually 4.99. Several other things were like that-they were working in the area, I guess they just hadn't got everything sorted out yet. Made it rather hard to shop.

 

[Chicago526]

I'd take it back, but on my next trip. I wouldn't make a special trip to take care of it.

I do have a question though. What's your problem with Target's return policy? I used to work the returns desk there for over 2 years. When I worked there you had 90 days to return something, and as long as you had the receipt, you got the refund in the form that you paid for the item. If you paid by check and it was less than 10 days, you either got an in-store credit or a check mailed to you once your check cleared, more than 10 days you got cash back. If you did not have a receipt, you got an in-store credit and we took your DL number so if people did it too often, we'd deny future non-receipt returns (this was to lower the amount of fraud, there are a lot of dishonest people out there that steal from a store and return the merchandise for money!). I thought it was both fair and straight forward! But that was 10 years ago, maybe they've changed it?

 

[jlaspoq]

I'd probably take it back - I just returned a $2.99 item that stuck to the magnet on my purse by accident - which I didn't know til I got home. Meant a second trip to the mall.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems with Target's returns - our Target is the easiest and best return place around. Always smooth.

ETA: and I don't work there! Just realized it could have sounded that way. It is "my" Target - but only because I shop there so much!

 

[safetymom]

I would return to the store and let them decide what they should do.

 

[marybet]

I would just keep it. For a small amount like that it is really not worth it. The way I see it is you have probably been overcharged a few times and never realized it so it all equals out. I bought some picture frames and they overcharged me, when I got home the price stickers were on the frames and it was less by about $1.50. It just wasn't worth going back to the store for. And after all it was their mistake, if they put the wrong price on something they have to honor that price and I think this falls into that category.

 

[pattyT]

keep it and not think twice about it
(especially since 1- my target is a 20 minute drive each way 2- they have overcharged me in th epast and I didn't notice tilI got home and I was not going back for $2 and 3- the original mark up is sooo ridiculous anyways! and 4 - if they priced it 1.99 they would have given it to you for that price anyways!)

 

[Charade]

Send the other 4 boxes to your DIS friends???

 

[pearlieq]

Ugh, we've had trouble with Target returns. We had registered there for our wedding, and afterwards had returns--duplicates, things bought close to what we wanted but not quite, and a few items we changed our mind on. All of the items were unopened, some had gift receipts, and they were all on the registry. We tried to return about 2 weeks after the wedding, so it's not like we sat on them for a while. All we were asking for was store credit.

I think we had about 10 items to return. They cut us off after only 3 or 4 items were returned! I was so frustrated with them--they absolutely wouldn't budge. We got stuck with things we didn't need, and were totally soured on working with them. I warn all of my friends not to register for their weddings or baby showers there--there are so many other stores that are easier to work with.

 

[Chicago526]

Ugh, we've had trouble with Target returns. We had registered there for our wedding, and afterwards had returns--duplicates, things bought close to what we wanted but not quite, and a few items we changed our mind on. All of the items were unopened, some had gift receipts, and they were all on the registry. We tried to return about 2 weeks after the wedding, so it's not like we sat on them for a while. All we were asking for was store credit.

I think we had about 10 items to return. They cut us off after only 3 or 4 items were returned! I was so frustrated with them--they absolutely wouldn't budge. We got stuck with things we didn't need, and were totally soured on working with them. I warn all of my friends not to register for their weddings or baby showers there--there are so many other stores that are easier to work with.

They must have changed that, then. Because when I worked there we'd take anything off a registery back, no questions asked (we did only give the lowest sales price unless they had a gift receipt though).

 

[ChibiJones]

I've worked retail in the past. I think you should keep the item, but let them know about the mistake.

Any and all price discrepencies were always decided in favor of the customer not the store. Whenever an item rang up for more than the posted sale price, the customer got the posted price. And, we thanked them for finding the mistake.

It wasn't just store policy, here in MA it was the law. I'd be surprised if all states didn't have similar provisions. They are in place to protect consumers from bait-and-switch and other shady sales tactics.

 

[JennInTN]

Call the store and ask for the manager on duty, don't speak to customer service. Provide the manager with the details of the purchase including how you discovered that they should have been labeled for individual sale after you got home. Then ask the manager if it would be ok to return them on your next visit.

You are allowing them to fix their mistake and you don't have to make a special trip. You probably won't even have to return them, but you have been open and honest about their mistake. You're helping them out with their loss prevention issues. They can't fix these problems if they know nothing of them.

 

[Keli]

I'd take it back, but on my next trip. I wouldn't make a special trip to take care of it.

I do have a question though. What's your problem with Target's return policy? I used to work the returns desk there for over 2 years. When I worked there you had 90 days to return something, and as long as you had the receipt, you got the refund in the form that you paid for the item. If you paid by check and it was less than 10 days, you either got an in-store credit or a check mailed to you once your check cleared, more than 10 days you got cash back. If you did not have a receipt, you got an in-store credit and we took your DL number so if people did it too often, we'd deny future non-receipt returns (this was to lower the amount of fraud, there are a lot of dishonest people out there that steal from a store and return the merchandise for money!). I thought it was both fair and straight forward! But that was 10 years ago, maybe they've changed it?

I don't know if this is the OP's problem with returning things but I know I hate the 20% restocking fee they now charge for returns. It prevents me from buying any large ticket items there. In the past I've bought cameras and other things like that there but no more. I was shopping for a digital camera about 1 1/2 yrs ago and went back to Target since I'd got my point and shoot there that I loved (a cannon sure shot). I started to buy one and just as a precaution I asked about their return policy if I hated the camera. And they told me they had a 20% restocking fee even if I returned the camera in mint condition with my reciept. I decided right then and there that target was no longer the place for me to buy larger items since the restocking fee would have been considerable (anything over $30.00 is considerable to me!).