posted April 28, 2004 09:55 AM         

You check out, make some small talk, pay for your items.

...get to your car, and realize, you haven't been charged for a $20 item.

What would you do?

posted April 28, 2004 12:41 PM         

But if it DID happen...I would... hmmm. Would I go back in and pay?? I'd be lieing if I said ABSOLUTELY! WITHOUT A DOUBT! Apparently, I'd struggle with it. Consider it a lucky break, and just leave, or be honest and go back in...?

I have to tell you...I'm not sure. How's that for an honest answer? It's not an answer at all, really.

posted April 28, 2004 01:32 PM         

Now.. were this not some locally owned lil health food store but instead a monolithic store like WalMart, I'd probably have little qualms keeping my mouth shut and walking out without saying anything with no regrets.
May seem a contradiction in ethics but it makes sense to me. *shrug*

posted April 28, 2004 01:35 PM         

I can say that I thought I didn`t get a package of yeast once and called the store. The next time I went in, they gave me another one. Days later, I opened my magazine purchased at the same time and the yeast was between the pages I returned the yeast & apologized. So does that count?

juniperb

posted April 28, 2004 01:46 PM         

I did walk back in, pointed out the error, and paid for the item. I had been distracted chatting, but as I walked out the door I realized the total didn't seem right. My car was parked right in front, and I checked my receipt...

For me, knowing and not paying would have been bad karma. BUT--a friend of mine says the good karma was receiving a little gift from the Universe. She would not have paid.

I have no idea which answer is the right one!

Lioneye and Harpyr, I would probably struggle if it had been a Wal-Mart...but all that Catholic upbringing is hard to get rid of!

Now...if I had found a plain brown bag stuffed with money...I doubt I'd try to find an owner or turn it to the police. I'd consider that a gift from the Universe!

Thanks for all your wonderful honest replies.

posted April 28, 2004 01:52 PM         

The purchase was from the grocery store in the village. He`s too small to take hits like that.

posted April 28, 2004 01:56 PM         

I think if the store was a privately owned little shop of handmade items and whathaveyou, I'd go back in and pay. But, if it were McDonalds, or Walmart or one of those giants...I'd thank the universe for the little break and keep it.

posted April 28, 2004 02:45 PM         

If you had a close relative in China, you heard relatives talk about her but didn`t know her. Grandparents died and left her one cool million $$. Now you would be next in line to inherit if she died.

AH, look you have a China button. A simple quick press of the button blows up the rich Chinese relative and you`re a million $$ richer.

Would/could you press the button?

posted April 28, 2004 03:17 PM         

I think what a someone mentioned is probably true. If it were a small store (like one of my favorites - Raven's Flight) I'd most likely go back and pay for it.

posted April 28, 2004 03:29 PM         

Often, it's too much trouble to drive back to the store because you have to deal with traffic and parking.

Since I'm complaining, I'll add that I always ask baggers to "please pack lightly". Well NO ONE has any idea what "light" means. I always have to tell them, "no that's too heavy", etc. Often times I bag myself because no one seems to understand what "please pack lightly" means.

If it happened to me, and it was a large nationwide store, I might also think the Universe was giving me a gift, for all the times I've lost money due to overcharged or missing items. However, I must live with a clear conscious so due to that, would have to go back and tell them. If it was a little health food store like you say, I would rush back in and tell them, as I would feel like I was stealing, as little stores count on every sale they can get.

posted April 29, 2004 01:00 AM         

I most certainly would not push that button tho! However, I may consider getting to know my close relative better..

posted April 29, 2004 07:49 AM         

Raised a fundamentalist, just pondering it made me a murderer (thoughts being devil induced deeds). I was pretty worried about packing my bags for hell.

Anyhow, nope, no button for me either.

posted April 29, 2004 09:23 AM         

Nah, I wouldn't push any buttons either. And I have already chosen to get to know close relatives that I didn't know existed.

posted April 29, 2004 12:45 PM         

For example, is the sales clerk going to be docked for the item not being scanned when an inventory is done? Or how about the new chips they are putting in packages - the chips sends information as it leaves the store or is scanned - that helps the computer log the inventory.

What about the manager - will he or she be held accountable. What if they are trying to make ends meet and they have to pay out of pocket?

As to the cash in China. It's not mine. Regardless if I am next in line - cosmically speaking it was money that I never had therefore I never lost it and to kill for it would just be stupid.

Here is something really goofy about me. My company put on a sales meeting /presentation dinner. I had my assistant fill out the tip and sign the receipt. Then I was going through my expenses and realized the dimwit only tipped the waitress 10 percent for all she had done (it was in Idaho a small town where they don't automatically put an 18% gratuity on bills). That lady had busted her butt for us. So even though I was leaving in a few hours to fly back to Maryland, I used the hotel stationary, made a copy of the check and made the tip equal to 25% in cash. I was mortified that we could have left town (and that lady never would have seen us again) without paying her.