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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to keep this mistake?

209 replies

rootietootie · 18/12/2011 00:11

I am wrapping up presents at the moment, most of which we bought earlier today. Earlier we were in Halfords and bought a dvd player for the car for ds2. We picked it off from a picture on the wall and paid for it while the customer assistant retrieved item from stockroom and put it in bag for us. Did not really pay attention as had ds2 (11 months) with us and was faffing about with him. The model we picked was £99. Now am at home, take out of bag and see that the assistant has given us the wrong model, the much nicer, upgraded twin model that is worth £199. Would I be wrong to think that the gods have smiled down upon us and cast a bit of luck upon me. Or do I take it back because I was wittering on to the customer assistant how I really wanted the nicer, upgraded twin model but could justify spending any more on dc1, and having had to listen to me, he probably had this (wrong) model in his mind when he went to get it.

OP posts:

TheAvocadoOfWisdom · 18/12/2011 19:36

let me add my voice to the minority: I'd take it back. It wouldn't sit easy on my conscience.

ZillionChocolate · 18/12/2011 19:38

I'm sad that so many people don't think this is dishonest.

Haggisfish · 18/12/2011 19:44

I think it is dishonest, but then I think so much of large corporation business practice is dishonest, too. I'd keep it, without a second thought. I have previously pointed out similar mistakes in small, family owned/independent businesses, where a small mistake like that could have a bigger impact. Absolutely no skin off the nose of larger businesses at all, so I would feel no guilt.

earlyriser · 18/12/2011 19:45

I wouldn't keep it either, but someone in the shop made an error and if the op does the right thing, by returning it, she will be worse off financially through no fault of her own. Whereas, if she had been overcharged, she would be reclaiming what was rightfully hers. Surely then, by that logic, the onus should be on the SHOP to reclaim the goods. No one would expect Halfords to come to the ops door with a refund if she'd been overcharged.

If the shop was down the road, on her way to work etc i'd have no hesitation in returning it.

Think phonecall is the way forward.

spartafc · 18/12/2011 19:46

I think a lot of people are saying take it back, the majority it seems to me.
In legal terms the OP has done nothing wrong.
However, she is benefiting from what appears to be a mistake.

LydiaWickham · 18/12/2011 19:50

but Stealth, she doesn't need to actually go back and return it, just call them and ask them to collect it and provide her with the one she thought she was buying, their mistake, they should go out of their way to fix it, or they will tell her to keep the one she's got. (Which will probably happen).

But to just keep it and say nothing, that would be dishonest.

lljkk · 18/12/2011 20:01

What LydiaW said. They might indeed declare "Just keep it" but then OP could keep it in (reasonably) good conscience.

Here's a thought... what if it goes faulty? And needs to be returned anyway, or needs repairs, or claim on warranty? Or starts an electrical fire, or eats a valuable DVD? Would OP's receipt present problems in that case, since technically she now doesn't have correct proof of purchase.

Original poster

rootietootie · 18/12/2011 20:04

Wow, this is a divided issue. Checked receipt, and I have been charged £99 for the single model. The twin model is what I received and is worth £199. Phoned Halfords Customer Services today out of curiosity and got a thick, slightly rude mare. She had difficulties differentiating between wrong item because you gave me the wrong item and wrong item because I had bought it and have now changed my mind and it is no longer right for me item. Tried explaining the situation but she also insisted that they as I had opened the box and used it (I did open the box to check the contents, and I did plug it all up to see it in action for all of a minute, but it is hardly used!) they wont accept returns in this condition unless it is faulty?! So I gave up, hung up and have decided that I am keeping it. As for the guarantee, well if one does break somewhere down the line, I shall take it into Halfords and expect them to fix it or replace it.

OP posts:

Idlegirl83 · 18/12/2011 20:10

It's their mistake, you tried to tell them over the phone, now keep it :) Merry Christmas!

ExcitedElectrons · 18/12/2011 20:16

Well done rootietootie

Happy christmas and enjoy your DVD player!

To everyone that said take it back, live a little will ya? Some people don't believe in karma and anyway, the OP got a rude woman on the other end of the line.

Some stores like Halfords couldn't give a toss, you lot must lead such boring lives.

Osmiornica · 18/12/2011 20:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

happyhorse · 18/12/2011 20:26

God it's sanctimonious in here tonight. I'm glad the OP has benefited from a stroke of good luck rather than being a complete mug

Original poster

rootietootie · 18/12/2011 20:30

Osmiornica, the picture of dvd player on the box is exactly the same as the one I wanted, except that it is the twin model (you get two two of them). I opened the box to see if there was one or two dvd players inside, and there were two. Since it was opened, I did hook it up to see it working, as I didn't think it would make any difference.

I am keeping it with a guilt free conscience.

Merry christmas everyone

OP posts:

3littlefrogs · 18/12/2011 20:39

RootieTootie - did you get the name of the person you spoke to? At least make a note of the date and exact time of the call.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 18/12/2011 20:57

I would have kept it.

Karma is total bollocks, in mental health terms it falls under the umbrella of magical thinking, which is considered to be pretty damaging.

usualsuspect · 18/12/2011 20:59

I would keep it

007alert · 18/12/2011 21:16

Karma is total bollocks. Dishonesty is not.

The op has tried, I suppose, to explain what has happened so I think she can have a (reasonalby) clear conscience about keeping the dvd players.

But I am astonished by a lot of the other posters. I can't believe you justify it as Halfords being a big company, good luck secret santa etc etc.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 18/12/2011 21:23

Why phone Halfords customer services, who will have fuck all idea what you are on about, and not the actual store where the mistake happened?

FlightRisk · 18/12/2011 21:38

Woo Hoo rootietooti Brilliant and you deserve to keep it even more now as you was honest when you telephoned customer services Xx

missorinoco · 18/12/2011 21:45

Wow! Nice bit of luck for you.

I am very honest about such things, but was in two minds after someone pointed out the shop assistant could get into trouble. This explains why the till assistant was so rude when I made DH go back into a chain store because they had forgotten to ring through his trainers. A token "Thank you" would have been nice.

However, you have pretty much been told it is your mistake (strange customer service woman) and that in "using it", you can't take it back. So you get the better item and a clear conscience. Think you should also do the lottery this week!

1Catherine1 · 18/12/2011 21:51

The thing is.... had you have paid for the £199 one and got the £99 one and have tried to take it back you would have been fighting them to prove they had fucked up. You would have been told you should have checked it before you left the shop and they wouldn't have believed you. It works both way imo.

I believe I am honest and have (at the coop so a big company) owned up when I've had too much change but in the same way I would query it if I'd been under changed- immediately at the counter. If I get home and notice then that's a completely separate thing. I treat companies by their own policies, that isn't dishonest imo, just life.

ReindeerBollocks · 18/12/2011 22:13

See OP does as other people suggested and still isn't right.

OP glad you checked with Halfords, that's what I would have done. They don't want you to return it, so bonus you get to keep it.

Have a lovely Christmas with your double DVD player. (although a double DVD player and all the noise would be karma enough ).

Original poster

rootietootie · 18/12/2011 22:25

DoesntChristmasDragOn Why Customer Services? Because that was the first number that came up when I googled Halfords Contact No.

OP posts:

Shenanagins · 18/12/2011 23:06

I would feel guilty in case the poor shop assistant got into trouble or worse lost their job over it so would go back with it.

blackoutthexmaslights · 18/12/2011 23:20

good keep it, halfords are crap so that is their karma

and i very much doubt any shop assistants got into any trouble

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