Moral Dilemma - underchaged

MoralDilemma

Hi all,

So I went to buy two coats that were on sale yesterday in a well known shop within a big department store. The coats were originally €160 each but were reduced to around €110 each.

I brought them upto the till and she scanned them and said "€220 please", but I had noticed that one of them had scanned in for a couple euro more than the marked price, so I mentioned this and she apologised and rescanned them both. She then said "ok so its €108 please". I saw her scan them both, so I was like hmm will I say anything? I didn't, but was thinking "she's gonna cop this any second!". Anyway she continued to process the transaction by laser, packed them both into a bag and that was it!

At first I was thinking "wow I just got a bargain!" but now my conscience is beginning to get the better of me. I checked the receipt and they both were scanned in, but on one of them she just applied a weird discount that meant it was only €2!

Does anyone think this will be noticed and the girl will get in trouble? I think seen as they were both scanned they wont be down in their stock-count or anything, and seen as its sale season it mightnt be noticed either? Its a very busy department store in town, but I just want to know what people think - if it's likely that this will be noticed and she will get in trouble then maybe I should go back. But perhaps due to the circumstances it won't be?

Any input would help! Thanks

Larianne

Could have been further reductions on the items?

Sometimes further discounts are done at the till. Maybe this was the case?

Ficheall

So she charged you 108e for two coats priced at approx 110e each?

And they're dumbing down Maths in secondary school?

MoralDilemma

No it definitely wasn't a further reduction. And yeah I didn't put into the story that I also got a student discount! So that's why the figures sound a bit weird.

What I really want to know is - do you think this will be noticed and that the girl could get into trouble for making the mistake? Or is it likely that seen as the tills are set up so that they can really apply whatever discount they want and its sale season and the both of the coats were scanned in that it probably won't get noticed?

I don't wanna see anyone get in trouble. But if they won't then I can just count it as a nice treat

Ficheall

Well, as you've written it, she undercharged you by over a hundred euro?
If you put in the actual numbers, it might help.
As it reads, I'd feel sorrier for the shop for having employed this gombeen to work for them.

MoralDilemma

I thought it was clear that she undercharged me by over 100 euro when I said she first said "220" and then "108".

I asked another friend who works in retail and she said the way the tills are set up they can literally apply whatever discounts they ant practically. And perhaps if it was seen by a manager then they might just presume it was a further sale reduction?

I guess Im looking for people who might work in this area and who would know what if anything would happen in these situations.

Ficheall

MoralDilemma wrote: »

I thought it was clear that she undercharged me by over 100 euro when I said she first said "220" and then "108".

That's what I thought initially - was just making sure.

So you're willing to 'keep the treat', as it were, if it's the store losing out as a result of the stupid action of an employee, but would 'return the treat' if the employee were to be held responsible for her stupid action?
Does that not seem a little unfair?

lainey316

I don't think anyone will believe a reduction from 220 to 2 euro is a 'further sales reduction'. Depends on the store really and which concession it is. Some will take it out of her wages and some will accept it as an error.

PrivateEye

Tbh, with the time of year, I doubt heads will roll.

Give half the money to charity

Acoshla

Just to kind of figure out what she did at the till, like you said you can type in any discount or final figure once you start that process, so maybe she meant to change the total figure and hit the wrong thing, many's the time I would go to type €100 and end up with €10 etc. OP what was the original total meant to be, you say they were both around €110 but that €220 was wrong?

Anyways, even though they both scanned so the shop would not notice anything in terms of stock numbers, but unless for whatever reason they knew exactly how many of that coat were there and know that they are missing the cost of one, or that they later checked back over the receipts and thought €2 was a low cost to have in a shop with much higher prices, but they might not notice that for weeks if ever, depending again on whether they count up what they've sold etc. They might not if they sell all of something and are not renewing the stock.

Having worked in retail I would normally say I'd go back, I normally do if I think the till will be out (having been at the wrong end of a short till of an evening!) but hmmm, it's up to you!

MoralDilemma

Ok just to clarify:

2 coats, marked at sale price of €110 each. When she scanned them both I noticed that one had gone in as €113, and I just said it as I saw it (not that 3 euro really makes a difference but anyway!) So the total should have been €220. She charged me €108. I looked at the receipt, and she put some weird discount on the first one that made it cost only €2, and then with my student discount and all it came to €108.

So basically I got charged correctly for one coat, and only €2 for the other.

Like I'm thinking of going in tomorrow and saying it as I don't want it on my conscience. But could I just be highlighting a mistake that would never have been noticed anyway? Like maybe me highlighting it will get her in trouble? I dunno what to do. They'll probably think I'm mad if I go back and say it. I've probably spent thousands in that shop over the years. I really dont know what to do!

anniehoo

If it was me i wouldnt go back.Id be delighted tbh. Thats just me though and theres far worse things to be feeling guilty over. But, its really bothering you,enough to post a thread about it, so go back. You might be lucky and theyll honour the price they charged you and itll be a win win for you all round.

Corruptedmorals

I would say it, that's a massive mistake. This is why in lots of shops only managers can change prices. In some places people can accummulate warnings over losing €3 one week and €5 2 weeks later, which would have been ignored a few years ago. It is especially serious if the girl in question started in the last few months or is christmas staff being kept on- she can be let go instantly, not that many would do that straight away but perhaps she has established a pattern. Although I worked on tills for 3 years in a busy department store and you'd be fairly hard pressed to make a mistake like that- forgetting to give people cashback was the worst I ever managed. Tills are computers, that mistake will be seen by the cash office- with the girl's till number identifying her- and will be flagged up the next day when managers see that the product was sold at €108 less than usual. I don't think there's a chance they didn't clock that mistake in fairness, it won't come up under till overs and unders but will still show up elsewhere. Just noticed- the shop appears to be a concession? Will be noticed easier that way.

MoralDilemma

I expected quite a different response from you, "corrupted-morals" :P

See I actually do want to go back in now tomorrow, but a part of me is questioning whether she knew she made the mistake but didnt say it because it'd be too much effort to fix. Like she paused and looked at the till when it said -€108, but then just continued on. And maybe by me going in tomorrow it will highlight something that wouldnt have been noticed and she will get in trouble...?

jdivision

If you had said it was overpriced by E2 I'd have thought that you were given the item for free plus the difference in the price because of the overcharging. some shops operate this.

Corruptedmorals

Sounds like she was very hungover or something! Yeah to fix it the whole thing would have to be put through again, not that hard though...she should really have called over a manager. They cannot really make you pay the difference, the sale was finalised and finished. Perhaps ring them and explain? They may be confused as to why something like sales totals aren't matching as expected. I don't think the girl's job would be in danger- places like that tend to treat employees better than supermarkets etc.

I only know of Tesco who operate the overcharged and get it free policy, but only if you take your receipt to the customer service desk, not at the time. Any clothes shop who brings in that policy at a time like this deserves to go out of business!

Vodkat

If you dont go back in this mistake may not be noticed and the member of staff will carry on with her job. But if you go back point out the mistake, then the member of staff may be fired for costing the shop money.

MissElle

Tbh I don't think they will notice. I work in retail and in the shop I work in, as long as the tills balance at the end of the night, its alright!

Something similar did happen to me once though, I was undercharged by 80 euro and I felt so bad I had to go back. As it turned out, no one had even noticed the error, then it took three different people to try to sort it out! I ended up wishing I hadn't then :rolleyes:

Chinafoot

Depends entirely on the shop. I worked in various types of retail and in one area they were very lax and in another every single discount was checked and counted. I remember each member of staff being called in to account for all of their buy-one-get-one-free transactions! Sounds very extreme (which it is) but if the shop you went to checks this stuff then the sales person will be called up on it. €2 for a coat?! Come on now, that type of stuff could be noticed very easily.

If it were me I'd go back but thats because I don't have a terrible sense of entitlement and am more than happy to pay the required price for things. It was already a pretty big sales discount you were getting in fairness.

Tbh you should have said something at the time. You were fairly quick to mention the €3 she was overcharging you.

Handiest solution is to go back and look for the person who actually sold it to you. Say it to her that she undercharged you and you want to know if anyone said anything to her.

If no one said anything, then obviously she would rather you didn't come back with it. If it was said to her, then she might appreciate you coming back.


This way everyone's a winner (though you may end up paying the additional money for the coat).

Also, before you approach anyone, make sure you check the cost of the coat in the store. If its sale price ended and it went back to it's normal price, they may want you to pay full whack for it.


If it were me, I'd forget it happened and continue on as normal. If she ever says anything then just push her to the ground and jump out through the shop window, screaming.

Ficheall

Deleted User wrote: »

This way everyone's a winner.

Apart from the shop owner, if they've not noticed the mistake - which is more than likely.

Dr Bolouswki

I think you are all mad. These shops make massive mark-ups on most everything they sell - even their "sale prices" are a rip-off. I say go back in, take another two coats, kill the shop assistant to take out any witnesses and take your money back too!

A discount was put on by a store employee and a sale was made. As another poster pointed out, going back will probably cause far more aggrevation. As for will the shop assistant be called up on it? Not a chance. You got a great deal. keep it! its like caveat emptor in reverse!

Anyone ever have the experience of a shop coming back to them a few days later to say they had noticed that they overcharged and heres some money back? Thought not.

From an absolutist moral stand point, yes you could indeed point out the error. If you are not an absolutist in moral matters, go in peace my child

Ficheall

Ficheall wrote: »

Apart from the shop owner, if they've not noticed the mistake - which is more than likely.

If they haven't noticed the mistake, then I don't think they're losing out, to be fair. Not noticing shows how negligible it is to them in the grand scheme of things.

MoralDilemma

Ok, I've made a decision!

I rang a different branch of the store this morning and told then my predicament. She said she reckons that will show up in the paperwork and the girl would be questioned so I should go back in. So that's what I'm gonna do today!

Thanks for all your comments

cc-offe

Dr Bolouswki wrote: »

I think you are all mad. These shops make massive mark-ups on most everything they sell - even their "sale prices" are a rip-off.

I used to work in a shop and I was very hands on with everything, the figures, ordering etc.
If a shop is selling something at the rrp of €100 then more than likely that item cost the shop €50 to buy, out of this €50 the shop has to pay wages, rent, electricity, insurance, the list goes on and on, if they reduce that item by 20 per cent then they now have only made €30 from which to pay all their overheads.
Of course the items are marked up, what kind of business would they have it not?


Fair play to you moral dilemma, most people would not have went back! Let us know how you get on!

MoralDilemma

So I went back in earlier.

There was a name on the receipt (I couldn't really remember what the girl looked like) so I went up to the counter and said "are you ____?" and she said "yeah?" and I said "well yesterday you served me etc etc" and told her the whole story, but she was like "oh that was actually another girl just using my log-on, but I know who it is! God that's gas" and then she proceeded to charge me €127, while whistling to a song being played.

I don't think it would've been noticed, she didn't seem to really care. And all she said was "ah thanks for coming back!".

My conscience is clear now, but I'm thinking it really would have made no difference if I hadn't gone back!

Anyway, that's life! :cool:

Nervous Wreck

MoralDilemma wrote: »

So I went back in earlier.

There was a name on the receipt (I couldn't really remember what the girl looked like) so I went up to the counter and said "are you ____?" and she said "yeah?" and I said "well yesterday you served me etc etc" and told her the whole story, but she was like "oh that was actually another girl just using my log-on, but I know who it is! God that's gas" and then she proceeded to charge me €127, while whistling to a song being played.

I don't think it would've been noticed, she didn't seem to really care. And all she said was "ah thanks for coming back!".

My conscience is clear now, but I'm thinking it really would have made no difference if I hadn't gone back!

Anyway, that's life! :cool:

Fair play for going back. I wouldn't have done the same tbh cos that kinda thing really wouldn't have come back to bite anyone, especially right now during the sales. If I thought it'd bite the girl in the ass, I'd have said it straight off but I'd never feel guilty for 'ripping off' the store itself. You're a nice lady anyhow!

Killme00

Overcharging and undercharging alike are factored into the costs of doing business. In no way shape or form should this have weighed heavily upon your conscience.

Chinafoot

MoralDilemma wrote: »

So I went back in earlier.

There was a name on the receipt (I couldn't really remember what the girl looked like) so I went up to the counter and said "are you ____?" and she said "yeah?" and I said "well yesterday you served me etc etc" and told her the whole story, but she was like "oh that was actually another girl just using my log-on, but I know who it is! God that's gas" and then she proceeded to charge me €127, while whistling to a song being played.

I don't think it would've been noticed, she didn't seem to really care. And all she said was "ah thanks for coming back!".

My conscience is clear now, but I'm thinking it really would have made no difference if I hadn't gone back!

Anyway, that's life! :cool:

Fair play for going back, but seriously, what did you expect her to do? Roll out the red carpet for ya? You were charged €2 for a coat that was marked at a much higher price. You went back and paid the correct price. You don't deserve a medal for doing it.

MoralDilemma

I wasn't expecting a red carpet or a medal, but c'mon think about it - I was under no obligation to go back. It was their error and I was well within my rights just to ignore it completely. If I was a manager and a customer voluntarily came back to give me over 100 quid that I'd forgotten to take off them I'd like give them a small token or discount or something. But I wasn't expecting that. I guess I just would've liked to feel like it was actually worth my while going back. But the girl gave me the impression that it wasn't really a big deal. That's all.

Dr Bolouswki

I actually think you DO deserve a medal. Nothing wrong with a belief in what is right. I just thought it was wrong! but its your beliefs that matter here. Fair play to you.

claresey

You totally deserve a medal! Fair play!

Ficheall

What would you like on your medal?
medal.jpg

Twee.

I think this has run it's course! Closed.