What would you do?

scdublin

This recently happened to someone I know, so I'm curious to see what most people would do!

So, you're out doing a bit of Christmas shopping and pick up a few items in a fairly well known department store. The cost of your purchase is approx €20. You get home and go to unpack the bag when you notice that along with the items you bought, there are two extra items in your shopping bag that are worth about €100 altogether.

Having no clue how they ended up there - only assuming that the shop assistant put them in your bag by mistake at the till - what would you do??

Most people have said that if she were to return the items to the shop, they'd look at her like she had two heads and probably assume that she'd stolen them. While others have said either keep them or sell them....putting up a poll for the craic!

The Backwards Man

I'd bring them back. They might have belonged to someone else and were put in your friend's bag by mistake.

Holsten

I would keep them if they were things I would want/use.

If not I'd bring them back.

scdublin

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'd bring them back. They might have belonged to someone else and were put in your friend's bag by mistake.

That's exactly what I thought, but apparently there was no one else being served at the same time so they might have been on display or something.

vitani

I've voted for bring them back to the shop, but I'd be very, very tempted to keep them.

Collie D

I bought two Ireland jerseys (one for me and one for a friend) before I went to Poland last summer for the Euros. When I got home there were three in the bag. Thought about bringing the extra one back but was flying out early the next day so I gav the extra one to another friend and told him to give €20 to Temple Street Hospital. Conscience clean! (Assuming he made the donation - I never followed up on it)

seosamh1980

I'd bring them back, having worked in retail for years I'd be worried the staff member serving me would be accused of stealing them if it was noticed that they were missing. Enough experiences of the manager saying "The tills are down" would make me do it. Nothing worse than something being missing from a shop, you knowing you didn't take it, but having no way to convince the boss of it. Until something turns up again you don't relax!

I would also hope that the store would be nice and give me a little credit note or something for being a good person :P

Edit: Actually after reading the post after this, I would bring them back if that was handy for me, if it was a shop I wouldn't be passing again soon I would call them and tell them and see what they wanted to do then, wait for me to drop them back at my ease or collect them etc.

The Diabolical Monocle

Call the shop - tell them they can come by tomorrow and collect them.

Or they can pay a courier.
Or I can bring them to the shop for a small fee.

scdublin

seosamh1980 wrote: »

I'd bring them back, having worked in retail for years I'd be worried the staff member serving me would be accused of stealing them if it was noticed that they were missing. Enough experiences of the manager saying "The tills are down" would make me do it. Nothing worse than something being missing from a shop, you knowing you didn't take it, but having no way to convince the boss of it. Until something turns up again you don't relax!

I would also hope that the store would be nice and give me a little credit note or something for being a good person :P

Edit: Actually after reading the post after this, I would bring them back if that was handy for me, if it was a shop I wouldn't be passing again soon I would call them and tell them and see what they wanted to do then, wait for me to drop them back at my ease or collect them etc.

I was thinking that myself, that the staff member could somehow get in trouble over it. Do you reckon she could still get in trouble if the stuff was brought back and her mistake was pointed out, if they hadn't actually noticed the items were missing in the first place? It's quite a big shop so it's possible they haven't noticed or just assumed it was stolen.

Collie D

scdublin wrote: »

I was thinking that myself, that the staff member could somehow get in trouble over it. Do you reckon she could still get in trouble if the stuff was brought back and her mistake was pointed out, if they hadn't actually noticed the items were missing in the first place? It's quite a big shop so it's possible they haven't noticed or just assumed it was stolen.

That's another thing. In my case I was also worried about getting the girl in trouble. If I'd gone back and she wasn't on the till I think I'd have walked back out with saying anything...and probably been done for shoplifting.

zenno

Having no clue how they ended up in my bag, I would take it as a free christmas gift by an invisible santa, and if I didn't need the items, I would just sell them on gumtree and have a very merry christmas.

seosamh1980

scdublin wrote: »

I was thinking that myself, that the staff member could somehow get in trouble over it. Do you reckon she could still get in trouble if the stuff was brought back and her mistake was pointed out, if they hadn't actually noticed the items were missing in the first place? It's quite a big shop so it's possible they haven't noticed or just assumed it was stolen.

If they could get away with just saying "these were in my bag by accident" without pinpointing who the member of staff was it would be good. I worked in a chemist once and a manager from a shop across the road came in to buy something one afternoon when myself and my friend were restocking the bronzer powders, it was a quiet time in the shop so we were chatting as we worked between ourselves and to the customer as my friend served her. The next morning she came back in, both of us were at the counter again, she put a plastic wrapped pack of 10 bronzers on the counter and just said nicely "these were in my bag when I got back to the shop ". Friend was mortified, she'd just been in a relaxed chatty end-of-day mood and hadn't noticed she'd crossed over the two jobs she was doing and put it in the bag. Because the customer brought them straight back to her she didn't get in trouble for it, would've just gotten a stern look and a "don't do it again" from the boss, but then it wasn't worth €100.

April O Neill II

Was in a shop yesterday where a woman was returning a bottle of wine because she couldn't get it open and was loudly and haughtily declaring that "this is the second time this week I've had to return a bottle of wine for this reason". Written all over the shop assistant face was "Maaaan, my minimum wage job is totally, totally worth it"

April O Neill II

scdublin wrote: »

This recently happened to someone I know, so I'm curious to see what most people would do!

So, you're out doing a bit of Christmas shopping and pick up a few items in a fairly well known department store. The cost of your purchase is approx €20. You get home and go to unpack the bag when you notice that along with the items you bought, there are two extra items in your shopping bag that are worth about €100 altogether.

Having no clue how they ended up there - only assuming that the shop assistant put them in your bag by mistake at the till - what would you do??

Most people have said that if she were to return the items to the shop, they'd look at her like she had two heads and probably assume that she'd stolen them. While others have said either keep them or sell them....putting up a poll for the craic!

Bring them back. The CCTV should clear up the fact that you haven't stolen them. And they'll probably know by your demeanour too.

marxcoo

Keep them - hardly going to take more time out of my day to bring them back to the shop.

Paddy Cow

Can't believe no one has asked yet - what are the two extra items?

anncoates

Give them to a charity that provides gifts at Christmas..

NuckingFacker

I queued up in a well known store with a trolley full to the brim with the same item - several dozens of them. The assistant took out one,scanned it, goes "That's €12.99 so".. I kinda stood there for a minute scratching me head, leaning on me laden trolley. I go "there's fourty more in the trolley..."
She looked at me like I was being the ultimate pain in the a55. "I'll have to call the manager" she goes.

Manger comes over, looking dreadfully busy.ish...with a puss like a slapped ar5e, she goes, "well, I'll have to void the transaction and do it all over"...like I was ruining her day from a height.

Next time I'm paying the €12.99 and leaving with me trolleyfull. If that was me OP, I'd forget it and move on. I doubt they've got Interpol out looking for the items. They'll most likley look at you like you're nuts if they bring them back.

Abigayle

scdublin wrote: »

This recently happened to someone I know, so I'm curious to see what most people would do!

So, you're out doing a bit of Christmas shopping and pick up a few items in a fairly well known department store. The cost of your purchase is approx €20. You get home and go to unpack the bag when you notice that along with the items you bought, there are two extra items in your shopping bag that are worth about €100 altogether.

Having no clue how they ended up there - only assuming that the shop assistant put them in your bag by mistake at the till - what would you do??

Most people have said that if she were to return the items to the shop, they'd look at her like she had two heads and probably assume that she'd stolen them. While others have said either keep them or sell them....putting up a poll for the craic!

Bring them back, without a heartbeat of a thought.

I was so horribly distraught over a particular thing that happened me in the past that I walked out of a well know super market chain without realising I wasn't detected. I was so tired it was shocking. Life, exams, family, any amount of other things.. I lost my way. I wandered back to the security guard and told him him he needs to try a new job, making light of it

I'd never take advantage of anyone. I don't have a bad bone in me tbh.

biko

Bring them back, it could be someone's presents you have there.
It's (probably) not like you need them is there?

uch

I'd wrap them up and give them to someone you're not fond of, but have to give a present to

EvenOlderTom

I'd bring them back. Everyone can make a mistake, why fcuk up someone's Christmas? Poor shop assistant would have to pay for this.

Vincent Vega

Say you lost the receipt and exchange them for store credit.

deise08

To be honest I think I would bring them back. I know it was a mistake and all that but who's to saythere isn't a camera facing the til? it will show the girl putting the things in the bag. the store might then think that she is running some scam,that you both know each other and she giving out free stuff when obviously that's not the case. that girl would have to do an awful amount of explaining somethin that was purely an accident. working in retail myself. I'd be sick if it were me

EvenOlderTom

deise08 wrote: »

but who's to saythere isn't a camera facing the til?

Is it really only a camera's eye that makes you act like a human being?

uch

EvenOlderTom wrote: »

Is it really only a camera's eye that makes you act like a human being?

I think you'll find that Human Beings are Habitual breakers of rules and laws so I can't see your argument here

PizzamanIRL

Keep them.

When life give you lemons, keep the free clothes in your bag.

scdublin

EvenOlderTom wrote: »

I'd bring them back. Everyone can make a mistake, why fcuk up someone's Christmas? Poor shop assistant would have to pay for this.

I can't see why she'd have to pay for them when first of all I'd doubt if anyone noticed they went missing (huge store, will probably only be noticed if they do a stock take and will most likely be assumed stolen) and secondly no one would know which member of staff it was unless she admitted the accident (if she's even aware that she put them there).

The items were perfume for the person asking! She's thinking of giving them to a charity so they can use them in a raffle or something along those lines.

biko

So, a week later you still have the stuff?

scdublin

biko wrote: »

So, a week later you still have the stuff?

No, I don't. Never did - read the OP.

biko

Ah right, so what did your friend do?

scdublin

As far as I know she's either selling them and giving the money to charity or donating them for a raffle. Could be worse!

WellThen?

Keep them, who cares. It's a department store. Not a person, if it did belong to somebody else she will get them replaced.It is their mistake, like in Superquinn if it doesn't scan at self service you get the product for free.

Neyite

Abigayle wrote: »

Bring them back, without a heartbeat of a thought.

I was so horribly distraught over a particular thing that happened me in the past that I walked out of a well know super market chain without realising I wasn't detected. I was so tired it was shocking. Life, exams, family, any amount of other things.. I lost my way. I wandered back to the security guard and told him him he needs to try a new job, making light of it

I'd never take advantage of anyone. I don't have a bad bone in me tbh.

I did that in easons. Went in to get my usual monthly magazine, spotted a new book by an author l liked, and tucked it under my arm while absentmindedly browsing for another 15 mins. Got my magazine, paid at the till, walked past the security guy, and was halfway up the street when I noticed it. Morto.

Went back to the shop, red-faced, explained to the woman on the till what had happened, and apologised, she laughed and turned to the security guy and slagged him off at how useless he was.