Undercharged at the store. What do you do?

[Adi12982]

So if someone isn't nice to you, theft is okay? Because that's what it all boils down to...theft. You took something out of the store and didn't pay for it.

WOAH - I wouldn't go that far - she tried to pay for them all and the cashier messed up - how is that theft? What if it was someone who didn't look at receipts? (My DH sure doesn't). Sounds like a mistake - now what each person choses to do it is up to them. . .

I see the debate too - I mean you did get free products, so you should correct it - but if you tell the cashier may get in trouble and maybe fired - but then what about the manager or the person who delivers the beer. . .

 

[heartsy77]

Actually the OP didn't even ask what she should do, she already said she knew what she was going to do but she was curious as to what we would do. And why would the cashier get fired?? If a cashier got fired for a ringing error at my grocery store I honestly wouldn't shop there anymore. People make mistakes, she probably thought she hit the button to enter it x6 and it didn't go through. Happens to me all the time....altho my data entry is different from a cashiers data entry. Also, I find it hard to believe the store itself would get into trouble for being short some cases of beer.....I've never heard of that before. But, I could be wrong.

Anyway, OP, I would call the store and take the receipt back the next time, tell them what happened and see what they want you to do. You should probably just speak to the manager about it because they will tell you what to do.

My Aunt is a cashier in a grocery store chain and they would get fired for that! She is allowed no more than 3.50 a day off or she is written up, 3 write ups and they are gone. My Aunt had a similar situation happen with fellow cashier she was fired for 20$ mistake in total!

 

[Piecey]

So if someone isn't nice to you, theft is okay? Because that's what it all boils down to...theft. You took something out of the store and didn't pay for it.

Uhm.. black friday, 2 years ago.
Circuit City-- I had a TON of DVD's. They were supposed to be seperate (me and my mother's) and I didnt notice the cashier took my other pile from in front of me and started ringing them up. She swiped my card and the only way to fix it was to send me to the manager up front to refund them all back and re-ring them. I didn't care, I was glad they did that so all the people waiting behind me didn't attack (black friday is brutal!!)

The manager was a *****. Turns out the original cashier had missed a DVD but thrown it in my bag and the manager actually says "Now see, if you wouldn't have made me do return to re-ring them I wouldn't have found that error and you would have gotten a free DVD"

I was SHOCKED. I told her I didn't mind paying for the stuff that I WANTED and had brought to the register to be payed for and I'd appreciate it if she'd just ring up my stuff and let me pay for it the way I wanted to. I was so irked-- I couldn't believe a MANAGER told me I screwed up because now I wasn't getting a "free" movie!

 

[DVCLiz]

So if someone isn't nice to you, theft is okay? Because that's what it all boils down to...theft. You took something out of the store and didn't pay for it.

I'm sorry, but I think part of the problem in society today is that people simply don't do the right thing. They don't accept responsibility for things at times because its too inconvenient, or its someone else's fault.

Sorry, I don't buy any of it. If you leave a store without paying for something and either do it knowing it was unpaid for at the time OR realize it after you are home, you have a moral obligation to return and pay for the item.

Years ago, when my kids were little and we shopped, I'd grab a hard roll for them to snack on. I always tried to remember to tell the cashier about it but sometimes would forget, and always got back in line (even with cranky kids) with 50 cents to pay for it. My kids SAW that...it was important for me to teach them that paying for things is what is right in this world.

I was so proud of my daughter when she got a little older and was talking full sentences, and she'd remind me..."Mommy, we forgot to pay for the roll. We have to go back now!"

You mean you took a food item from the store without paying for it and fed it to your children, and then tried to remember to pay for it???

Pot, meet kettle....

 

[msmayor]

Well I didnt STEAL. I presented my items at the register, and the moron who rung me up didnt do it properly. But I guess your just a better person then me and I will pray that one day I can be just like you, oh so perfect! LOL!

Unintentional or not, you left the store without paying for something. It wasn't given to you as a gift.

I'm not saying you were wrong to leave the store...but I think its wrong NOT to go back and pay for it. Both you AND the cashier made mistakes here...and not doing what you can to rectify that mistake is wrong, in my opinion.

I'm not saying I'm perfect...I've left the store without paying for things too. But I go back and fix my mistake. That's not 'perfection', that's just doing the right thing.

 

[WDWHo]

Unintentional or not, you left the store without paying for something. It wasn't given to you as a gift.

I'm not saying you were wrong to leave the store...but I think its wrong NOT to go back and pay for it. Both you AND the cashier made mistakes here...and not doing what you can to rectify that mistake is wrong, in my opinion.

I'm not saying I'm perfect...I've left the store without paying for things too. But I go back and fix my mistake. That's not 'perfection', that's just doing the right thing.

NO I totally see what your saying and NORMALLY i would honestly. But I was running late, had to pick up my little one from the bus and didnt have the time, got the mail saw the coupon and figured it was a wash if I went back..so I didnt. Its all the same thing. On another note, I have been stolen from many times from retailers, when I buy an item only to see it go on sale for a large percentage off a few weeks later. In my opinion it all evens out. Now if you want to be proud of me, about 2 weeks ago I go thru the drive thru, order comes to $2.53 I give them a $5 and I get $22.47 back, I handed them back the $20....its amazing how careless workers can be.

 

[heartsy77]

You mean you took a food item from the store without paying for it and fed it to your children, and then tried to remember to pay for it???

Pot, meet kettle....[/QUOT

Priceless! You nailed it EXACLTY!

 

[ceecee]

Once at Christmas I went to Meijer and bought a meat tray and a scrimp tray, got home and couldn't find them anywhere!!! Had to go back and get new ones (they gave them to me since I said they weren't put in my cart) waited in line at Customer Service for 30 min. since it was Christmas Eve day. Got home and FOUND the other two on the table, DD carried them up (she nevers helps with groceries) so it didn't occur to me to ask her. So I had to go back to Meijer and wait in line AGAIN to pay for the second trays that I got!!!! I took in the UPCs so she could charge them out (it took 2 people to fiqure out how to do it). We had double food that year!

 

[Plantlady]

Wow. One one hand, I'm glad that there are so many honost people out there.

On the other hand, I consider myself a very kind, caring, honost person, and I would not go back to the store. I drive 30 minutes to do my grocery shopping. I have bought things, and left them at the store accidently. I have never once gone back for them. I don't imagine I would go back if something wasn't rung up properly.

It's definately something to ponder.

Although, I do watch the register pretty carefully, and on MANY occations, double check to make sure they got everything, if I don't see them ring it up.

 

[heartsy77]

"Pot meet kettle"...

Sorry Quote didn't take!

Priceless! You nailed it EXACTLY!

 

[msmayor]

NO I totally see what your saying and NORMALLY i would honestly. But I was running late, had to pick up my little one from the bus and didnt have the time, got the mail saw the coupon and figured it was a wash if I went back..so I didnt. Its all the same thing. On another note, I have been stolen from many times from retailers, when I buy an item only to see it go on sale for a large percentage off a few weeks later. In my opinion it all evens out. Now if you want to be proud of me, about 2 weeks ago I go thru the drive thru, order comes to $2.53 I give them a $5 and I get $22.47 back, I handed them back the $20....its amazing how careless workers can be.

Yes...logically it IS a wash...but in reality the store suffers 'shrink'. They show a loss because they do not have the register records to properly reflect the merchandise that left the store. Having that coupon that you received in their drawer makes them 'whole'. You holding that coupon at home, saying "Well, I'd have applied this coupon and it would have worked out, so its okay" means the company loses.

And maybe someone does get reprimanded (the department manager, because his sales $$ don't match the merchandise gone from inventory). And prices for everyone else go up a little bit to 'cover' that missing revenue.

Is it inconvenient to have to go back? Yes. It takes time and effort for any of us, and it can be frustrating to take that time out of our busy days to correct these mistakes. But there should also be personal satisfaction to you that you HAVE done the right thing, especially if you use it as a lesson for your children.

And you're very right...I agree how careless workers can be sometimes when its not their own money they're dealing with. All the more reason for the rest of us to step up and do the right thing, and maybe along the way help teach them that they NEED to be more careful.

 

[jamesmommy]

I was at Meijer today picking up some sale items. I had 6 cases of beer (on sale for $9.99/case) and several other items. I asked the clerk if she needed all of them up on the belt or just one. She asked how many I had and then said just to put one up. I was in a hurry plus I had two of my daycare children with me so I swiped my debit card, punched in my pin # and left. It wasn't until I got home and looked at my receipt that I realized that she only charged me for one case.

I know what I'm going to do but I wonder what others do in this situation.

Personally, I would go back to the store and let them know. My conscience would drive me crazy until I did. I understand the not noticing the amount, I have done this before when distracted.

Are you going to let us know what you did?

 

[swea_pea1]

Once at Christmas I went to Meijer and bought a meat tray and a scrimp tray, got home and couldn't find them anywhere!!! Had to go back and get new ones (they gave them to me since I said they weren't put in my cart) waited in line at Customer Service for 30 min. since it was Christmas Eve day. Got home and FOUND the other two on the table, DD carried them up (she nevers helps with groceries) so it didn't occur to me to ask her. So I had to go back to Meijer and wait in line AGAIN to pay for the second trays that I got!!!! I took in the UPCs so she could charge them out (it took 2 people to fiqure out how to do it). We had double food that year!

Almost the exact same thing happened to me at Kroger with a rack of ribs. I bought the rack of ribs, paid for it (along with 2 weeks worth of groceries) got home and no ribs to be found. I called the store and they told me to come back with my receipt and get a new rack. Well, the second rack I picked cost more and I tried to pay the difference - it was only a buck or two. They said no, sorry for the inconvenience, just take it.

Lo' and behold, I got home and one of the kids had hidden the ribs under the dining room table So I went back and figuring they wouldn't restock meat - at least I hope not - paid for the 2nd rack they had given me for free.

I do the right thing because that's how I'd want to be treated. They were fair to me when we mutually thought the store was at fault and I was charged for something I didn't receive. I was fair to them when I went back for the third time in an hour to pay for the extra food. IMO, it's the right thing to do even when the mistake is in my favor.

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Am I the only one wondering what kind of beer is on sale for $9.99 a case? That's a good deal!

 

[DVCLiz]

Am I the only one wondering what kind of beer is on sale for $9.99 a case? That's a good deal!

 

[LanaJae]

Just go back and pay it. It'll haunt you and it's bothering you already or you wouldn't have posted. Easy question, no debate - you'll feel good about yourself and the next time something bad happens at a store, you won't think back and wonder if it was because this happened.

 

[musicdude]

i have never seen so many uptight people on here bashing each other because of a little mistake. Please most of would say the right thing but do something different. As far as stores go they rip off people left and right by advertising one thing and it actually rings up something different. How may people honestly watch each and every item that is rung up? Most of us are distracted by kids or cell phones(btw very insulting to the cashier) Grocery stores know this and takes advantage of the customer. If they make a mistake in your favor take it with a grain of salt because they probably have taken you for at least triple that amount. Its usually not a large amount but if you frequent a store this adds up. My wife works for one of these big chains in the pharmacy and cashiers can not get fired for being short because they have a union and are protected. Flame away!!!!!!

 

[JennsBabySky]

I had a similiar situation one time. I don't remember the details, but it kept bothering me that I hadn't paid for it. Since it was inconvenient to return and not my error, I waited until I went to the store again (about a week later). I put the item in question back in my cart, along with my other items. I explained the situation to the cashier and asked to be rung for the additional item, but I had her return the item in my cart to stock. So, my conscience was clear, the store had their money, no one's job was in jeopardy. Worst case scenerio, the store's inventory was off for a week. In the long run, I can live with that. Afterall, during my original trip to the store, my intention was to pay for everything in the cart. I didn't think I was obligated to waste my time and money to pay for their error right away. However, I did think that I was obligated to pay for the item in a timely manner. Right or wrong, that is what I needed to do so that I could sleep at night.

 

[MKCP5]

I saw this post and KNEW it would turn immediately into a moralistic, this one flaming that one discussion. You can't possibly pose a question like that and NOT expect it to start a firestorm. It has the classics

1. Liquor
2. Children--some of whom are not hers
3. Money
4. A moral dilemma
5. " I'm not telling what I am doing, but want to hear what you would do"

I just shake my head and laugh as I read with interest what everyone has posted.

 

[hppy2bhome]

Can 6 cases of beer and other stuff fit in one cart?


No comment on if you should/shoudn't go back. We all know God is the only one who can judge.