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Original poster

How can I pay for my shopping ( NOT begging)

33 replies

Whatcanido12345 · 08/12/2024 14:19

I have NC for this as am embarrassed.
I went supermarket shopping a few days ago. I used self checkout, was overcharged on a ‘deal’ so tapped my card and thought I’d have to see customer services on way out. ( it’s not the first time I’ve been overcharged in this supermarket) Just then a member of staff came by and I asked her to check why I hadn’t got the offer. She had a brief look then said I’d have to go to customer services as I might have picked up the wrong item, then walked off.
The queue at customer services was long with only one member of staff.
I helped my friend back to the car, intending to go back in, but then I had a bit of a huff and decided I would live with the overcharge this time, and shop elsewhere in future.
This morning I was having a bit of a moan to my sister who worked out the amount overcharged to be about £7, which was irritating because the ‘meal deal’ food hadn’t been great.
She asked me if the rest was charged correctly, but I couldn’t find my receipt. I have now checked my bank account and no payment has been taken and none is showing as pending.
I am mortified. I definitely tapped my card but clearly didn’t check that the payment had gone through, so I effectively shoplifted around £40 worth of items.
Will the shop be able to find the transaction via my loyalty card and take payment over the phone? I’ve already used some things and no longer have the packaging, so can’t remember everything I had.
I have tried phoning the local number and it’s just ringing out. I am willing to go back to the supermarket but not in today’s weather as I live rurally around 15 miles away, and advice is not to drive unless vital.
I don’t care at this stage that the full payment is more than it should be I just need to put this right ASAP. Can anyone suggest how?
Please don’t tell me to just forget about it as I can’t do that.

OP posts:
Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 08/12/2024 14:20

I'd email customer services and ask them what they would like me to do.

LufthName · 08/12/2024 14:21

It's fine, it sometimes takes some time to appear. Just leave it.

TowerBallroom · 08/12/2024 14:22

It could be in the ether as its a busy time of year.
Give it a couple of days

ohyesido · 08/12/2024 14:23

Let it go. They won’t be able to track you through any means and it’ll be written off through waste margins. You won’t be struck down by a thunderbolt of cosmic judgment either. One of those things

FiveTreeHill · 08/12/2024 14:26

It was a genuine mistake and if a big supermarket chain then they can suck up the loss. You aren't going to get the police knocking on your door. I'd just leave it

FiveTreeHill · 08/12/2024 14:28

Why do you so desperately need to put it right?

Oddsquadnumber1 · 08/12/2024 14:31

Good grief, calm down.

Original poster
Whatcanido12345 · 08/12/2024 14:34

FiveTreeHill · 08/12/2024 14:28

Why do you so desperately need to put it right?

I suppose because I have come this far being completely law abiding, and it’s just the right thing to do.

OP posts:
Sortalike · 08/12/2024 14:34

Depending on when you shopped it can take a couple of days sometimes to show up on your account, but usually the transaction is showing within 48 hours. As it's been on your mind I'd call the store and give them as much information as you can about the transaction. It happens, it was a genuine mistake so try not to worry too much.

Humphrey8 · 08/12/2024 14:41

If you got a receipt (even if you have now lost it) then you paid. The till wouldn’t give an itemised receipt unless payment had gone through.

betterangels · 08/12/2024 14:43

Humphrey8 · 08/12/2024 14:41

If you got a receipt (even if you have now lost it) then you paid. The till wouldn’t give an itemised receipt unless payment had gone through.

This, I would think.

FiveTreeHill · 08/12/2024 14:47

Whatcanido12345 · 08/12/2024 14:34

I suppose because I have come this far being completely law abiding, and it’s just the right thing to do.

Show quote history

You haven't really broken the law. It was an accident. The company will build in a certain amount of loss into their margins to account for actual stealing or breakage/food going off

They save themselves lots of money by making tills self service and this is one of the risks they accept. I really wouldn't get het up about accidently not paying a very small amount in the big scheme of large corporations profits.

DoublePeonies · 08/12/2024 14:55

If you got a receipt (that you avowed the member of staff), you have paid. It might not be registered on your account yet, but you didn't get a receipt without paying.

I'd take a deep breath. Give it until a week after your shopping trip, and check your bank account again.

Notimeforaname · 08/12/2024 14:57

How did you get the receipt if the payment didn't go through?

sandgrown · 08/12/2024 15:01

@FiveTreeHill it’s the supermarkets “sucking up” all sorts of losses through mistakes and shop lifting that is putting prices up for everyone.

FiveTreeHill · 08/12/2024 15:06

sandgrown · 08/12/2024 15:01

@FiveTreeHill it’s the supermarkets “sucking up” all sorts of losses through mistakes and shop lifting that is putting prices up for everyone.

I'm not encouraging shop lifting and if OP has just left the shop I would say go back, but she's only just found out, it's a small amount of money and OP doesn't even know how much she owes.

I really wouldn't worry about it as a one off mistake

Original poster
Whatcanido12345 · 08/12/2024 15:09

Notimeforaname · 08/12/2024 14:57

How did you get the receipt if the payment didn't go through?

I didn’t look for the receipt until today and couldn’t find it, so I can’t say for certain that I ever had it. I normally put in in my handbag or the shopping bag.
The member of staff looked at the transaction on the till.
If I had returned to speak to customer services at the time I would have looked for the receipt then and realised if I hadn’t got it.

OP posts:
User364837 · 08/12/2024 15:09

It sounds strange and it’s a bit soon to think it’s not going to show up, especially if you got a receipt.

i guess that’s the down side for the supermarkets of the self service machines, but they will have saved money on staffing costs.

i think tbh if you try to go and sort it out with them it’s going to cause them trouble and hassle. Are you going to remember everything you bought? How will they even put it through their system? Fine to just write this one off.

Hollyhollyberry · 08/12/2024 15:18

I stole some cream cheese once by accident, next time I went in I asked them to scan it and then put it back on the shelf. OP I understand your feelings I felt the same. I would go back in and go to customer services, explain what happened and ask to pay for some of the items. They might feel generous and say thanks for owning up don’t bother in which case you can ask if they have a food bank donation section and pay it forward that way

pizzaHeart · 08/12/2024 15:26

Can people read correctly? OP hasn’t got a receipt and doesn’t remember getting it.
OP it could be that you forgot to pay because of the deal confusion. We had this once at our local shop, later I wanted to check something on the receipt and that’s how we found it out. DH went back and payed but it was literally 30 minutes later.
I would do a list of what you’ve bought ( while you still remember) and wait until tomorrow, then check with your bank and if there is no transaction I would go back to the shop or email their customer service.

P.S. If it’s Sainsbury’s you can check your transactions through nectar app

Wendolino · 08/12/2024 15:30

This happened to me last year, I thought I'd paid at self service in Sainsbury's and the notification from my bank didn't come through (it's normally instant). I went back and asked someone at the self checkout if he could see if I'd paid and he had a group of till receipts on a desk and mine was one of them. He said that it happens a lot that people don't realise the transaction failed and thanked me for coming back. It only occurred to me afterwards that maybe they could have traced me by my Nectar card.
As for pp asking why you're bothered, I can understand why you're worried. If you're an honest person it's second nature not to steal.

Iloveeverycat · 08/12/2024 15:31

In our store sometimes if people pay contactless or put in their pin it doesn't go through straight away and the customer has left before you realise. We just void the transaction.

Uytfy · 08/12/2024 15:35

When you thought you were overcharged did the shop give a shit?
Were they desperately trying to make it right for you?

As long as i knew it was a genuine mistake I wouldn't waste my energy or time.

I would probably but a few things to put in the Food bank trolley next time for Karma's sake.

LemonadeQueen · 08/12/2024 15:35

Was it a Tesco store?

Onthesideofthespiders · 08/12/2024 15:36

How did your sister work out the exact overpayment without checking the reciept?

BTW; when you’re using self checkout and the price is wrong, you don’t pay and then go to customer services for a refund. You push the assistance button at the self checkout or just wave the staff member over. Why are you doing it such an odd way?