To not tell them their mistake

[glitterglitters]

Question of ethics here

Basically I bought some maternity clothes online from a very well known retailer beginning with T.

Goods have arrived and are perfect.

Money had been allocated from my account for the transaction and appeared under "pending".

This has now vanished, nothing on my statement and cash hasn't come out.

Spoke to my bank who said that it's most unusual but it has indeed vanished, as if the retailer has cancelled the transaction. They said that as I have "Completed" emails I'm not in the wrong, haven't stolen anything but it's up to me if I contact the company or not.

The phone advisor basically hinted (though didn't say directly) that I'd got lucky and he's never seen it happen.

Should I contact the company and let them know the error or should I just play dumb and enjoy the clothes knowing that the owner of the company isn't innocent in such matters and they have more than enough cash.

Pfffft keep them, I would 😂😂 (and have, something similar happened to me recently)

@theonlygeorgie - why are you OK for all the honest customers to pay for something that you haven't paid for?

Would you complain if the shop overcharged you? Or would you just say 'pfft, keep it' to the store? Of course you wouldn't - you would expect them to be honest and return your money. But you don't have to be similarly honest? Because make no mistake - whether or not it is legal, it is dishonesty.

Oh fuck off is it theft. It's the retailer's fault. They will probably process the payment at a later date.

"SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

@theonlygeorgie - why are you OK for all the honest customers to pay for something that you haven't paid for?

Would you complain if the shop overcharged you? Or would you just say 'pfft, keep it' to the store? Of course you wouldn't - you would expect them to be honest and return your money. But you don't have to be similarly honest? Because make no mistake - whether or not it is legal, it is dishonesty."

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Hi SDTG. I don't really see it as that big a deal. It wasn't my fault, I took all the clothes to the till and it was only when I got home that I realised they hadn't charged me for something, something I had actually bought for someone else and they were going to give me the money for. I didn't intentionally steal the top, it was the cashier's error. Why should I make another trip back to the store, which would be out of my way, to correct their mistake?

You will be more than happy to judge whether my actions were dishonest or not, but one swallow doesn't make a summer. I feel my 'dishonesty' in that instance is counterbalanced by having been honest when the same retailer HAS undercharged me on other occasions - retail karma if you will. It was a genuine mistake, as is the OPs. I have been overcharged by other stores and not done anything about it... you win some, you lose some... things work themselves out and thus balance is restored.

This dilemma is often raised here. Contact the store and pay for the items. You know, be honest.

I HATE people who are dishonest.

Honestly, I think a good rule is a treat others how you want to be treated.

I would want someone to be honest with me if I made a mistake, so I would extend them the same courtesy. If that makes me a 'goody two shoes' I can live with that

In John Lewis once I spent about £50 on knickers and bras. There was a right old hoo ha at the till because they kept getting the 4 for 3 deal wrong. Eventually sorted. It never appeared on my statement. So - I range the store where I had been and tried to explain I wanted to pay and they were so rude! Kept pushing me around departments. After twenty minutes of wall to wall rudeness and incompetence I gave up!

Fair enough, fufulina - you did your best to pay, and if they hadn't been arseholes, they'd have got their money.

It's not theft.

Don't forget this retailer has a really shitty ethical record themselves.

This page has some vaguely useful info on the matter

Hi money spent on a card usually only stays pending for a few days before going back into available funds however retailer has 6 months to claim