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Original poster

To keep these clothes that weren't charged for?

465 replies

MinecraftWonder · 29/09/2015 20:03

Yesterday I went shopping and picked up a new coat each for the dc (at Matalan if it's relevant)- total cost was £45.

I got to the till, went in my bag and didn't have my purse Angry Blush
So I apologised, said i'd nip home and the man on the till put them behind the counter for me.

Returned a couple of hours later and picked up some packs of pants by the till when I was queuing, which were a fiver. Handed them over and asked for the coats behind the till that had been put by for me (this was a woman). She put everything in a bag for me, I paid with my card and out I went.

Anyway, it's only tonight I've pulled them out of the bag along with the receipt - and I have a receipt for £5.05 (the pants and a 5p bag charge). The coats weren't charged for. I didn't even check the amount at the checkout, just stuck my card in and paid.

WWYD? I feel really guilty even though it wasn't my fault. I don't know if the second person who served me just made a mistake or thought maybe they were already paid for (but why would they be?!). They've not got security tags on so one of them must have taken them off.

So keep and look at it as good luck or be honest and go back and pay for them? Opinion is currently divided in my house!

OP posts:
riverwalk · 30/09/2015 22:40

Minecraft if it's any consolation I too have asked a few people what they would do....all said without a doubt they'd keep them.

Catsize · 30/09/2015 22:47

I envisage this conversation...
MAN ON TILL - 'Did that woman come back for the coats, or did you put them back?'.
WOMAN ON TILL - 'Yeah, I served her. Why, was it you who sold them to her?'
MAN - 'Oh, I didn't sell them, she just wanted them putting on one side'.
WOMAN - 'I didn't sell them either. I just gave them to her, assuming she had already paid and was just collecting them'.

Cue woman on till feeling awful etc. etc. And we know what SHE will think of the OP.

I think we all knew from the off that the OP wasn't/isn't going to give them back. But she is lapping up the attention and not looking great in stuff she is saying. The minute she intends to permanently deprive, there's the offence committed. Suspect it already has been. But she doesn't care. She can look on her little darlings in their stolen goods with pride all winter and think about how she fought the law and won, and goaded a load on MNers in the process.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/09/2015 23:04

Minecraft - you haven't answered my question - if it was the other way round, and Matalan had overcharged you £45, you'd demand your money back, wouldn't you?

I bet you wouldn't be here umm-ing and err-ing about whether you should ask for it back, would you?

Bottom line, you are keeping something you haven't paid for - that is dishonest. I couldn't live with that - maybe you can. But if you can, I don't think that's a good thing.

A percentage of all my shopping is covering shrinkage - including people who don't want to be honest, when a mistake has been made - I don't want to pay, so other people can steal.

ReginaBlitz · 30/09/2015 23:06

So you should have been charged £50 yet was charged £5 and you didn't notice? Pull the fucking other one! If you had paid by cash fuck em, but you paid by card so they have your details and it is stealing whichever way you look at it!

mileend2bermondsey · 30/09/2015 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

maggiethemagpie · 30/09/2015 23:12

I think if you didn't intentionally steal the items you shouldn't go back. I once put a bracelet on in a shop and didn't realise I hadn't taken it off until after I'd left, I should have gone back but didn't.

Maybe I'm just naughty...

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/09/2015 23:28

Maggie - when the OP didn't realise she hadn't paid for the coats, and when you left the store with the bracelet on - those were accidents.

When you and she made a deliberate decision not to go back and pay - that was dishonesty.

Why should I have to pay for other people's dishonesty?

Eveysdad · 01/10/2015 00:00

I think the more accurate example would be if Matalan overcharged would Matalan be having her down to pay her money back or would they notice and keep it? Or how about if TC had paid for the coats and left them in store, would the store chase her down the car park or would they rerac and sell again? How many times have people had a store realise he hoppers left something, done nothing, resold it? Loads I'd imagine.

Original poster
MinecraftWonder · 01/10/2015 00:26

It's not me slinging the insults mileend . If you can quote me abusing someone, please do so. I could always quote yours and see who's the 'shameless twat'?

SDTG - if I noticed they'd overcharged me £45, yes i'd go back. But I agree with the pp - I think it would be more accurate to ask whether Matalan would contact me if they'd overcharged and they were the ones better off.

OP posts:
Original poster
MinecraftWonder · 01/10/2015 00:31

River and Pretty - I think it's pretty proven that the rl responses you get are completely different to the mn ones!

I am still boggling at the absolute venom and vitriol of some who've replied. It really is astonishing. It makes me want to ask some if they're OK [head tilt]

OP posts:
weeonion · 01/10/2015 00:52

Minecraft - will try to reply with no venom and vitriol Wink
If it was me - I'd contact them and ask to pay.

I would hate to think what my kids, family and friends would think of me if I didn't. Dd1 would be baffled as to why I wouldn't pay. She is incredibly honest and whilst I dont need her to be my moral compass, I can imagine her confusion. I guess others opinions do matter to me as well as my own sense of what is the best thing to do in these kind of situations. I do correct staff in shops when they undercharge me or give too much change. I have handed in money left at an arm and have given money found in the street to local police station (dd1 loved the chance to accompany me for that trip).
I am no saint and am not trying to make myself out as one but if I am in a position to do what I see as 'right' - then i will do it. Maybe that comes from the time when I was 4 and my mum frogmarched me back into Woolworths to return a pink panther figure I'd stolen to replace the one my older brothers car didn't have when he opened the box earlier. GrinWink

You said in yr op that you felt guilty so you were / are torn about it. It is now a fair amount of time since it happened and you realised. Have you decided what you will fo.

kali110 · 01/10/2015 00:53

Don't judge everybody by your morals op.
I would pay for the coats.
Someone left a load of cash at the cash machine once.
I didn't think 'wahoo payday'. It wasnt mine too keep.
Neither are the coats till you pay for them.
You don't want your kids knowing you're a thief, then pay for the coats.
I don't think you will though.
You'd like to think most wouldn't pay for the coats so you can feel better.
No, your moral compass is not stuck on grey.
If you had morals this wouldn't be an issue.

kali110 · 01/10/2015 00:54

Any of your nasty posts have now been deleted

Original poster
MinecraftWonder · 01/10/2015 00:58

I've not made any 'nasty posts' Kali (nowhere near to what's been posted the other way) and no personal insults - the two deletions were a 'fuck off' and a 'bugger off' to some tit who was badgering me over and over if I remember.

OP posts:
Original poster
MinecraftWonder · 01/10/2015 01:01

Someone left a load of cash at the cash machine once. I didn't think 'wahoo payday'. It wasnt mine too keep

Neither did I when that happened to me Kali - I posted about it a couple of paged back.

OP posts:
kali110 · 01/10/2015 01:04

Yet the coAts are a freebie??
If your posts are deleted, you've written a personal attack.

SilverNightFairy · 01/10/2015 01:16

Op, my mum always taught us, nothing good comes from ill gotten booty.
You know what you are doing isn't right and no amount of blather from stranger's on the net is going to make it right. But you are the one who has to live with yourself..

CookieMonsterIsOnADiet · 01/10/2015 07:19

You've lost any moral high ground if your children shoplift in their life.

There's no way you can't have not noticed at the till, it's on the screen and the cashier says the amount. So you walked out of their with stolen goods and despite please of "it was a mistake" you don't intend to go back and pay.

If you were my friend in real life and showed your true colours like that, we wouldn't be friends anymore. Shoplifters make everyones shopping more expensive and stealing is always wrong.

Sapele · 01/10/2015 07:37

I hope MNHQ leave your recent posts to stand. Everyone can see all of mine; I want people to see what you have written about me. That way they can judge for themselves.

'Some tit'? Seriously? You really do have no respect for anyone, let alone yourself. I feel sorry for the sad place your life must be.

No one I know is as horrible as this.

wowfudge · 01/10/2015 07:39

This is still rumbling on eh? Well the truth is taking things, however it comes about, and not paying for them is not a victimless crime just because it's a big company. Just pay Matalan and have done with it.

Sapele · 01/10/2015 07:45

And if by 'badgering' you mean posting an argument, well, many people have badgered you on this thread. Why pick on me? I can only assume something I said hit a nerve.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 01/10/2015 08:05

Never mind your coat stealing skills OP, I congratulate you on your goady fucker skills...nicely done Hmm

PurpleHairAndPearls · 01/10/2015 08:09

Hmm that doesn't look right. Goady fucker skills? Goady fucking skills? Goady fuckering skills? I'm not sure now.

Anyhoo, giving you the benefit of the GF doubt, don't you think your DC walking around in knocked off clothes from Matalan is a bit...shameless (and I mean in the TV show sense)

ConfusedInBath · 01/10/2015 08:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mileend2bermondsey · 01/10/2015 09:09

Oh and stop harping on this shit about 'if Matalan overcharged me would they rush to return it.'

I've had times where I've literally ran down the street to return overcharges. My friend who works in the same industry once had to take a cab across London to return an overcharge in cash as the guest needed the cash straight away, which the company paid for.

Again just because you don't have any sense of wrong and right, don't assume the rest of the world doesnt.

Also; justifying other peoples actions agaisnt your own isnt how it works. Saying 'oh well he stole so it's fine for me to steal' doesnt make it okay. But then again I'm explaining basic right and wrongs to a grown adult with children so ........ I dont know how much of this youll actually take in as youve clearly got through most of your life fine and dandy without having morals and taking advantage of people so, it seems to be working out for you?