AIBU to expect to be given the correct change in a shop?

[BlueGoddess]

I'm rather angry to say the least - stopped off to get a couple of bits in a shop, which came to approx £5.50. I gave them £20 and got change for £10. I raised this straight away and they went and did a till check, which I was happy for them to do and chatted quite happily while I waited. The till check came back as to the till being out but not by £10.

The assistant manager then basically refused to give my money back, and when I said I wasn't leaving without it they tried to guilt trip me by saying it would have to come out of their pocket. At this point I was extremely angry and walked out without anything but my children after telling them that I was not going to be guilt tripped. My son then got very upset because we hadn't got what we went in for, so I went back, snatched it out of her hand and walked back out again.

I have now phoned their head office and the regional manager is looking into it for me, but AIBU thinking that I shouldn't have been treated like that?

Yanbu. It's not your fault if their company policy makes employees pay for till shortgages themselves, and it shouldn't be your problem. I usually say the note I've handed over now after having similar experiences "That's £20 I'm giving you" sort of thing. Makes you sound a bit of a tool but I reckon it's worth it.
I was really careful about this when I worked in a shop too.

I think it's highly unlikely you were short-changed on purpose.

Why did you snatch the goods from her hand when you returned?

It's rare I pay in cash for anything now, but I won't be doing it again!

Why snatch? Maybe because I was humiliated, upset and thinking how the hell am I going to pay for the kids club tomorrow without the £10 cash I needed (which I why I paid in cash so I could have the correct change). Yes, I was possibly wrong on that point but I have feelings too!

I would be annoyed too. There is a shop near work and I have seen the same employee short change three different people in the last couple of weeks - they bring it up and she says 'oh yes of course you did - silly me' acting all dippy but I'm getting high suspicious - how many people don't notice?

What kind of shop is it? Most big companies wouldn't have a policy of clawing back till shortages from staff. Especially as a lot of staff would be on or near minimum wage.

It doesn't sound like you handled it very well at the end. See what Head Office come back with and maybe suggest that for the sake of their staff and improved customer service they don't deduct money from wages. I think that would be the best result.

You sound really stressed out by this and understandably upset by the loss of so much money. But please don't take it personally, I'm sure they didn't set out to humiliate you.

Are you happy with the response from the head office?

Can they even do that legally? Claim back from employees wage?

That sounds well dodgy NellyNoodle - id it independent or can you drop a word to the manager?

It's a pet shop ThatsToast - good suggestion, I will do.

I'm waiting for them to get back to me Vivacia, so only time will tell on that one - so far so good though.

They can do if they employee signs to say they can MorphineDreams, yes

I thought it was only if they can include theft has occurred. That's terrible!

Fuck - I'm not going to get it back am I? How they fuckedy fuck am I going to pay for the kids club tomorrow? I can't ask them if I can owe it until next week as it is the last day they are going there!

Yanbu to feel upset about being short changed but you are very unreasonable to snatch it out of her hand. Who does that, it doesn't matter what your reasons were, it's wrong to behave so aggressively especially with your children around.

That's terrible.

Isn't this why most shops keep the note out of the till until they have sorted your change.

It's theft of some sort, do you want to call the police?

I don't know what the item was that you purchased, but could you possibly return it and get the money back for kids' club? Not an ideal solution, but it might work if you're really pinched.

They could surely check their cctv to see what note you have?

We always check our CCTV. Which shop was it?

Future tip, I always quickly memorise the serial number on the note before I hand it over. I know it doesn't help now.

My dad drives the bank mad by insisting on going to the counter to withdrawn his cash in £5 notes. He never has anything bigger than a fiver and therefore there can never be any uncertainly as to what note he paid with. Everyone thinks he's nuts but he was caught like this once too often.

It's happened to me twice. Both times they did a till check and the till was miraculously "right" even the time the lady behind me insisted that she'd seen me hand over a £20. It seems like it's a common scam by shop assistants to me but I suppose they'd say it's common scam by customers to insist the note was larger than it was.

I don't pay for anything with cash now.

I don't understand the bit about leaving empty handed. You left the shop without the goods you had paid (too much) for, just to spite them?

"That's £20 I'm giving you" sort of thing. Makes you sound a bit of a tool but I reckon it's worth it

You could say "I'm sorry it's a £20, I don't have any change."

I guess my temper got the better if me today - it's been a bad week! I just felt really embarrassed, angry, upset and humiliated I guess. All I could think about was getting out if there before I really lost my temper. Bad choice I know but it's been a bad week!

I'm just going to cancel the kids club, have a day off work and gave a PJ day tomorrow, and hope that tomorrow brings a better day.

I usually say 'there's £20' in response to them telling me the price. So conversation would be : 'that's £2.29 please' 'thanks there's £20'