Moral Situation

[TrooperFarva]

Ok, hypothetical situation, that actually happened to a co-worker of mine yesterday.

Let's say you go to Home Depot, and purchase a whole bunch of small-medium sized items. All tolled, it isn't cheap, around $500.

So you check out, load up your truck, go home, unload. That night, you look at the receipt, and notice that you weren't charged for something, something worth about $100. It was in plain sight on the cart, and you weren't really playing attention to the cashier, so it's not really your fault.

Do you bring it back and pay for it? Eff em, they're Home Depot they can afford it? What would you do?




In a loosely related story, does everyone remember the big northeast blackout from a few years ago? A friend of mine was working at Lowes at the time. He said that when the power went out, everyone just kinda paused for a few minutes. When the customers realized that the power was completely out, and thus, the security cameras, almost all of the customers in the store at the time grabbed the most expensixe stuff they could afford, and ran for the door. Lowes policy is to not chase thieves, for insurance reasons, so the store lost thousands of dollars of merchandise that day, from outright theft.

 

[HollowBassman]

I would try to pay for it, but I don't think I'd make a special trip to do so. If that Home Depot is anything like the Lowes around here, they probably won't charge you for it anyway(too much work).

 

[troy2003]

Personally-I would bring it back.At least call,they might even tell you to keep it-if they do,it's a blessing.

 

[Spector_Ray]

I'd do the right thing and pay for the item. Karma's a beyotch.

 

[ThatGermanDude]

if they forgot to charge it then it's their fault.

 

[cheezewiz]

if they forgot to charge it then it's their fault.

Just because it's their fault doesnt make it right that you didnt pay for it.

 

[ryco]

pay up.
Obviously the guy was totally willing to pay in the first place.

 

[Lalabadie]

I'd bring it back and ask to pay. It's just fair. Sometimes they'll even take an amount off the price to thank you.

This said, I once bought a winter coat at the end of winter, so it was 50% off. The cashier scanned it, applied the 50% cut, did something else, applied the 50% again, put the coat in a bag, turned around to print the receipt, and just before that, applied 50% off it.

I said this:
- Are you sure you didn't cut 50% off too many times? I mean, I think you did it three times.
- No, no, everything's all right.
- Seriously, look at my receipt, it's supposed to cost more than twice this.
- Sir, I swear I did exactly what I had to do.

So I walked away having paid my coat 12.50$ and I don't really think I'm to blame.

 

[Ericman197]

I wouldn't steal outright such as in the blackout case, but if I've already got the goods I'm not going back to pay extra.

 

[iamlowsound]

I would take it back and ask to pay for it. In school I used to tell the teachers if a mark on a test was wrong, if they marked me higher than I should have gotten, I usually got to keep the mark. It pays to be honest.

lowsound

 

[warwick.hoy]

Cut the lock off and claim it as.....oh wrong thread

 

[TrooperFarva]

I would try to pay for it, but I don't think I'd make a special trip to do so.

That's pretty much what I said. Should the item be paid for? Sure. But if it's their screw up, as in this case, I'm not going to go out of my way to make it right, I'm not the one who made it wrong. I'll pay for it when I have to go to Home Depot for something else.

 

[cheesemonkey]

In school I used to tell the teachers if a mark on a test was wrong, if they marked me higher than I should have gotten, I usually got to keep the mark. It pays to be honest.

lowsound

really because i usually get the same low grade. I say keep the thing. Honestly even if you think "well I should take it back." you should also think "Well they should have payed attention" why should you have to drive back to a home depot (through some form of traffic i can only assume which will cost you time and money.) you pay for something they forgot to scan? If they make a mistake you shouldn't have to make up for it.

 

[peterbright]

Pay for it.

 

[cheesemonkey]

I'm just wondering why everyone seems to say pay for it. I can't honestly be the only one who thinks that he should keep the damn thing for free?

 

[iamlowsound]

I'm just wondering why everyone seems to say pay for it. I can't honestly be the only one who thinks that he should keep the damn thing for free?

Because it is the right thing to do. You will realise this at some point in your life. At your age I probably would have said the same thing.

lowsound

 

[Josh Ryan]

I would go back to pay, but I would bitch a lot about it to friends, the interweb, etc. after..

 

[RedemptionBass]

He should give $100 to some starving kids fund, then all is right with the universe.

 

[steve21]

I think RedemptionBass's idea is the coolest.

Home Depot takes **** ups and theft into cost of business... it's accounted for... and it doesn't hurt their profit. If he wants to help out the Cosmos for giving him this cool chance, a charity would be a lot more useful.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Pfft. It's not that big a deal. Don't try to do it on purpose, but if a mistake errs in your favor, sit back and enjoy it. It all comes out in the wash. You either lost a 100 bucks in the past, or will lose it in the future. Won't be the first time, won't be the last time.