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Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.Okay, so let’s say you are at, say, Target. And you are buying a bunch of stuff and are busy making sure your kids don’t climb on the checkout belt, drinking your Starbucks, reading US Weekly, talking on the phone, etc. as the cashier is ringing up your purchase. You have the usual assortment of crap you don’t need necessities on the list your brought (ha,ha,ha) and your total is well in excess of $100 (as is the rule at Target). But when you got home, you realized that you didn’t get charged $16.99 for the blue step stool you bought for your 4 year old son (*). So what do you do? Do you go back to the store and explain you didn’t get charged for you? Or do you just say screw it and keep the free stool?
I personally would keep the stool. I’m busy and don’t want to have to drag my kids back to Target(**). And in all the situations like this when I have tried to “do the right thing”, it’s turned into the biggest production ever. Let’s take the case of Chrysler. Long before I met B, I drove a leased Jeep Liberty (aka a gas guzzler). Well I turned it in early to get a Jeep Grand Cherokee (aka an even bigger gas guzzler). So all was well until a few months later when I received a check in the mail. From Chrysler. For like $700. It referenced my Liberty. I had NO clue what it was for as I hadn’t overpaid or gotten any sort of rebates or anything. So I called. And called. And called. Spent hours on hold, getting transferred between departments, getting frustrated, annoyed, etc. I think at one point I was so frustrated I also almost in tears. Turns out no one at Chrysler had any idea why I got the check and there was no record of them sending it. In fact, they didn’t even show any record that I had ever turned in the Liberty and gotten a new Grand Cherokee? Say what??? Which is super odd since I received bills for my new car, but whatever. So what did I do? I gave up. I cashed that check and kept the money(***).
Now that we have discussed my lack of morals, tell me, what do you do when the cashier forgets to ring up something you bought? Or the price is totally wrong and in your favor? Mention it or just let it slide?
(*) Clearly this post is totally hypothetical
(**) And yeah, if was charged 2x for one item in error and didn’t realize I would so go back. And act all pissy about it. I know, I know. I am a horrible person.
(***) Some lady on the phone told me to. She insisted that Chrysler doesn’t just send checks to people for no reason. I beg to differ and can’t help wonder if these checks were part of the reason a government bailout was necessary. Yep, it’s all my fault the auto companies almost went under ;).
First, I am entirely jealous of the free check. And second, no, I will not go back to Target. So I guess that makes both us lacking on the morals department.
LOL! Glad I’m not the only one!
I’ve gotta say I’d do the same as you! If I realised at the checkout i’d say something but not if i’d gone home! I always think if something scans cheaper it must be on sale and just not marked down so I never say anything!
I’ve had that happen, especially when I used the cart cover. It happened once with sunscreen and once with a pair of kid shoes. I’m too afraid of going back and getting in trouble for stealing it! So no, I don’t go back and pay for it but I do feel guilty about it later!
Um… costco once forgot to charge me for dog food. Did I report it? No… I didn’t even notice until I got home. In dissecting the incident with coworkers, they all thought I should go back to costco… I’d like to know how many of them would actually do that!
Take it as a Thank You for being such a loyal customer!!
NO dont go back. And double check your return amount if you ever do one there without the orig receipt present [ie just give them the card you charged it to]. My mom and I learned the other day that they shorted her $5 when she did a return this way… she found the original receipt to prove it. Also, they scanned my card and told me that I didn’t buy the item on it, I handed them another card and they said ‘yup this is it!’ and gave me the credit back on it. I found the orig receipt and it was NOT charged to the card they credited… I don’t know what is wrong with their system but I’m convinced they’re jipping people. So, keep the $16.99 …they probably got it from you at some point :
I just went back and paid for a 5 gal can of gas that was forgotten while talking to clerk but that was only 1/2 mile. If I had already gotten home and found out I didn’t pay for for some inexpensive item I doubt I would go back especially to Target because thats 20 miles away.
First of all, never in a million years would I go home
And check my receipt. Unless of course I thought I
Over paid for something. So I could be getting free stuff
All the time. My suggestion is stop looking at your
Receipts and keep your free stuff and have a clear
Conscience like me. Ignorance is bliss!