What Would You DO?

Let's say, you are out shopping at a local department store. You are buying a lot, including a few expensive items. There is a sale and you also have coupons. On the drive home you start to think, "Wow, I got a great deal today.". It prompts you to double check your receipt when you get home. It is then that you notice that the clerk did not scan one of the more expensive items (about $100.00), and you were not charged.

What would you do? Would you go back and pay for it, or celebrate your good fortunes.?
Is it considered stealing if you do nothing?

I am a very honest person and totally believe in Karma. I would probably chalk it up as a win and move on this time though. If I am already home especially. If I am in the store or still in the parking lot I definitely go back. Probably sounds bad but to make the effort to go all the way back to the store over one item I probably wouldnt do it. When I realize people give me too much change or I find money that I know is not mine, I always give it back or seek out the person who may have lost it but this time I think i would be too lazy to take the time to go back. This is a tough one though due to the cost of the item. That may weigh on my conscience a little more than just getting an extra Beef n Cheddar in your bag.

I take it back.........."Q"....that would count against your Karma, IMO, and you would run the risk of having it run over your Dogma.

Something similar actually happened to me. I was at the checkout counter and said "Gosh, that sounds pretty cheap.". The clerk then double checked himself and found his error. Ever since then I have been asking myself what I would have done if I had figured it out after I got home. I don't think I would have gone back gone back, but I would have felt guilty. I am not sure I would have gone back if I was in the parking lot.

If it would make you feel guilty, then I think you have your answer.

Definitely take it back.

I would take it back, and I would take my kids with me and explain to them why.

Originally Posted by Watusi

I would take it back, and I would take my kids with me and explain to them why.

Yep.

Originally Posted by Beechwoodfan

Let's say, you are out shopping at a local department store. You are buying a lot, including a few expensive items. There is a sale and you also have coupons. On the drive home you start to think, "Wow, I got a great deal today.". It prompts you to double check your receipt when you get home. It is then that you notice that the clerk did not scan one of the more expensive items (about $100.00), and you were not charged.What would you do? Would you go back and pay for it, or celebrate your good fortunes.?
Is it considered stealing if you do nothing?

This will get this clerk fired because loss prevention will think this clerk is a friend of yours and did it on purpose. I work in retail and they know when there are shortages like this and who the clerk is,etc. it might take awhile but there are more cameras, etc designed to watch employee theft than there are customers, a huge problem.

I would definitely take it back. If you know that you didn't pay for it, it is stealing.

Originally Posted by Watusi

I would take it back, and I would take my kids with me and explain to them why.

My mother taught me this lesson at about age 4. I put a candy bar in her purse (so it wouldn't fall out of the cart) and I forgot about it until we got home. When she found it, she called the store manager (who told her not to worry about it). However, we went right back to the store and she made me give the clerk the money to pay for it.

Originally Posted by All In

This will get this clerk fired because loss prevention will think this clerk is a friend of yours and did it on purpose. I work in retail and they know when there are shortages like this and who the clerk is,etc. it might take awhile but there are more cameras, etc designed to watch employee theft than there are customers, a huge problem.

If it is a pattern, the clerk should be fired. Those that steal make all of us pay more for items in the long run.

^ My daughter took a Halloween card off the shelf at Wal-Mart a few years back. My wife & I were chatting with a friend at the time & didn't see it happen. We learned about it when we got home, so I returned the card the next time I was at the store. They told me to keep it & not worry about it, but like you, it constitutes stealing IMO. Even if it was only a $3 card.

There was a woman at my gym last night talking about her husband stealing a propane cylinder at a store, because the clerks never came to wait on him. It was all I could do not to call her out. Of course, she also said that having a mammogram was useless because if you have them, they just find cancer.

If I was still in the store I would like to think the "new and improved" BigZig would go back to the clerk and correct the mistake. If I were back home the "Old" BigZig would chalk it up as my lucky day.

Originally Posted by BIGZIG

If I was still in the store I would like to think the "new and improved" BigZig would go back to the clerk and correct the mistake. If I were back home the "Old" BigZig would chalk it up as my lucky day.

I like that answer. I think I would too.

Couldn't keep something I didn't pay for. I would have to go back, and pay for it.

Originally Posted by LRCW

Couldn't keep something I didn't pay for. I would have to go back, and pay for it.

I just can't fathom that anyone thinks it is right to do anything but this.

Originally Posted by Watusi

I would take it back, and I would take my kids with me and explain to them why.

This happened to me once and I immediately questioned the clerk on it and paid the additional money. My kids were with me so double bonus!

I belive in karma. I've admitted to cashiers when they have under charged me. I've also marched a child back into a store when they took gum at a grocery store after we had said no ( by the way the child was 4, but we made an impression).