To keep these clothes that weren't charged for?

[MinecraftWonder]

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
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!

Of course you don't. You pick and choose what's honest and what's not and still want to sit on your high horse while berating people

"I get why your posting about Matalan and their questionable morals but you (the Royal 'you') do lose the moral high ground by shopping there in the first place!"

Well yes there is that.

Even if OP went back to pay for it and they let her off at least she went to go do the right thing and so win win if they let her off paying it back.

Someone asked why coats were detagged and thats because shop assistance would have scanned,detagged and packed items before asking for payment at which OP realised she didn't have her card with her.

I agree with another poster surely natural thing to have said was I have two coats put aside that I need to pay for.

Its also a well known scam that shop assistants put items aside after de-tagging them and their friend comes along pretending they were put aside for her to pick her. Not saying all shop assistants do it but there was a lot of press about it with New Look a good few years ago.

Well, this thread has shown me that it might be a good idea to start looking at the amount before I enter my pin .

I hardly ever do, and I'm quite often distracted when they tell me the amount out loud too.

I'm usually too busy scrabbling to find my card, or making sure the DC aren't running off, or trying to remember my pin number to pay any attention.

I regularly walk off without my shopping/card/change too, fortunately people usually shout or run after me. I'm just a bit absent-minded.

I don't know if I would go back or not. But it wouldn't have happened to me anyway, because I don't check receipts - I'm always in blissful ignorance.

Well, if they'd charged you twice you'd have gone back and got what you were owed. I would go back and explain, especially as the SA will likely get into trouble, and may have the money deducted from their wages/get a warning etc

I would go back. My moral conscience doesn't change re big chain or independent. I would feel bad so go back to not feel bad.

I had this happen once before (Primark) and they were about to close and they told me it was very nice of me to be honest but to go and take it. I still felt bad, but I really wanted that snuggly blanket so I kept it! I did put some money in a charity pot to try and relieve some guilt still!

" the SA will likely get into trouble, and may have the money deducted from their wages/get a warning etc"

Have you worked in retail?

I have, and please believe me this will not happen

*" the SA will likely get into trouble, and may have the money deducted from their wages/get a warning etc"

Have you worked in retail?

I have, and please believe me this will not happen*
**
It would be part of the stockloss for the department and store, affecting profitability and any bonus targets. Ultimately the profitability of the store is what drives stock and staffing levels, and raises prices. May not be significant individually but these incidents add up.

sleepy but when they lose money from theft ( which is the biggest loss) they don't make contracts permanent, meaning people lose their jobs or they shut their stores.
Doesn't matter though does it, those immoral companies?
Doesn't matter about the staff?
it's ok to steal from these?
Makes the people who steal from these just as immoral in my book.
It's still stealing.

Oh and i WOULD have remembered putting the coats to one side and when i came back on, i would have asked if the lady had come back to get them! ( then inadvertently getting the other assistant into trouble).
i have worked in retail, over a decade.

OP my take on this is that you could think; well, their mistake, their loss.

But the reality is that we all make mistakes. YOu made one when you forget to take your wallet to the shop on the first occasion. Good job that the man working on the till didn't think: your mistake, your loss and sell the coats you wanted to someone else. Instead, he understood that we all make mistakes and he put them aside for you to come back and collect later.

In your situation, I'd want to treat the shop as they treated you when you made your mistake. Be understanding and help to fix it by returning to pay.

Putting the coats to one side is good customer service though.
I don't think it matters one way or the other TBH. It won't matter to the store either way and if you aren't staunchly moral it won't worry you further.