ethical question

[durango dude]

I bought some forstner bits at the local HD the other day - and just noticed something ---

The cashier ran it as two identical bits --- but they weren't identical.

The error saved me about $7.

Not sure if I feel lucky or guilty.

[cabinetman]

Guilt...and it will haunt you for years unless you go back and pay the difference.

.

[JimD]

A few cents I wouldn't worry about but $7 is enough I would at least try to pay. It's a hassle, however, and you are likely to really surprise them if you do. I have surprised sales clerks several times by pointing out they made change incorrectly - in my favor. To me it's just "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

[phrog]

If you think that you may be feeling guilty then you are definitely not lucky. I would take it back and offer the difference. In fact, I've done this before myself.

[Carpenter96]

Ethics

For me it is a karma type of thing I try to pay it back but if they argue with me then I gladly keep the money. I have found especially if it is some place I go all the time they definately give better service in the future. Regards Bob

[Stytooner]

Ethically I would return it as well, however the reality of it is that you will cost them that much or more in doing so. The time it takes for them to actually get this all changed on the books would add up in cost. Not only that, add your time and gas. If I happened to be going by there for something else, that would make it an easier choice and would make the effort.
However, it was an honest mistake and these happen all the time. Businesses account for these type things as the cost of doing business.

We are talking about less money than one employee makes in an hour, so that is fairly trivial.

On the other hand, it would help that particular store with maintaining it's inventory correctly.

So, it really boils down to "Take every situation on it's own and then make a decision."

That method of checkout could easily have went the other way by scanning the higher priced one first.

I would still feel the same way about my time and gas though.

[BobSch]

I had that happen at a local auto parts store. i went back and the manager told me to keep the money as a reward for trying to do the right thing.

I'd go back and give them the option of taking the money or telling you to keep it.

[leehljp]

A month ago, I purchased 3 pair of shoes at a well known sports shop - 2 pair of $30.00 slippers for LOML and a pair of cloth mesh walking shoes (on sale for $50) for me.

When the lady rang up the price, she said something about a discount if I signed up with them. I said OK and got on their mailing list. When she said the price, I told the lady that the price did not sound right, ($50.00 too low.) She looked at the slip and at the shoes and said it was right. Again, I pointed out that the approximate $50.00 descrepancy. She said, "You were given a "coupon" discount since that was your first purchase and you signed up with us."

I said OK, that is great!

When I got home 40 miles later, I did not see a coupon discount on the sales ticket for my shoes on the slip. I called the store, explained the situation and was told to not worry about it.

Usually a discount or coupon does show up on the sales slip. I couldn't believe a discount or coupon would cover the entire pair of shoes.

I am glad to see there are a bunch of honest folks here!

[ironhat]

Take it back, dd. Every time you'd use those bits you'd just have to play the entire event over in your head and whether or not you did the right thing. You would want the $7 back if it was yours, wouldn't you? Then, you could do with it as you wished. Even reward the person, but that's up to the owner of the money to make that decision.

[greenacres2]

For me, making it right is the right thing to do, and in at least attempting to do so someone else may catch on to that way of thinking. In my case, i'd have to do it by phone as the HD is a 50 mile round trip. I do find that kind of thing more entertaining in person though--most employees never have people trying to pay more or give back the extra change...it's difficult for them to cope with!!

Chances are, when you do try to correct the mistake--they'll simply forgive the balance.

earl

[All Thumbs]

Besides being the right thing to do, there is also karma here. If you don't attempt to fix it, you may drill a hole right through your hand with your bit.

Now you know why clerks are told to scan each barcode (the reason is, many clerks cannot discern small differences in merchandise, and things like this happen).

BTW, I recently had a similar scenario when purchasing gas. I brought it to the clerk's attention (the clerk happened to be the owner of the station). It was a large difference, like $40. He thanked me profusely and said something like "$40 discount to the last honest man," and then handed me a candy bar.

So I was already ahead $40. When I was done, I was ahead $40 and a candy bar. It was a little bite-size candy bar, but it tasted awesome.

[durango dude]

rest easy - I took the bit back - showed them the receipt - and we split the difference (turns out they under-billed me by $13 - so I paid $6.50). I suppose that's a reasonable settlement.

I no longer lay awake at night thinking I might have broken HD's bank.

[dbhost]

Make an effort to straighten it out. But don't bust your own chops over it. I had a similar issue recently with a large computer vendor. And the difference was MUCH more than $7.00. I ordered one photo printer / all in one machine, they sent me two. I spent a couple of hours on the phone chasing them down about it, when I finally got a hold of somebody in the sales Department, they simply told me to "do whatever you want with it, we show that we have been paid".

Glad that guy doesn't work for a company I own stock in!

[Crockett]

Another option that might have helped ease the guilt, saved HD the cost of processing the mistake and helped someone else was to give the $7 or what the heck round it up to $10, to one of the many charities out there looking for small dontations to help with - whatever..... it's always right, to do the right thing, but somethimes the right thing can be achieved in several ways...

good for you DD for making it right!

just my two cents...