WWYD - I want to return these shorts but realised I didn’t pay

[Aneena]

Bought some shorts in the sale at a supermarket a few days ago. I tried them on at home and they didn’t fit well so I want to return them. Now I have got out the receipt I realise somehow I haven’t paid for them? Honestly no idea how as I could have sworn they were scanned. I am absolutely mortified

I really want to just bring them back to customer services and explain. I want to buy them in a different size if they still have them so I would be giving them back and spending money on top of that - so surely that would show I haven’t done it on purpose.

I am just so paranoid they will think I have done it purposefully and now I’m only bringing them back because they don’t fit. Am I massively overthinking this?

YANBU - yeah they will think you’re a thief
YABU - just take them back

I’d donate them to charity and buy a new pair

@BettyCrockerClinic @apricotflan why are you following me around with name changes? Stalker behaviour.

But why? That means you've stolen them and passed them on to charity... Just take them back to the shops you're going to anyway. There's really no issue!

Why don’t you just post them back to them include a note to explain what happened.

Another way you could get them back into the shop without saying what happened, is just to say that you found them outside and think someone must have dropped them. Make sure it's not raining that day 😆. (If it's raining, pop into the loo, get them out of your bag, then say they were in the ladies).

Just go back and leave them where you found them and buy the shorts you want. No drama.

You think charity bosses don’t pay themselves six figure salaries? I used to work for a large, well known charity…they paid me my wages twice one month and when I tried to given them back, they said not to worry about it. Charities also get tax relief, grants and government subsidies. I still give to charity, but am very selective about which ones, and OP has already said she’s not giving the shorts to charity - she’s not Robin Hood (that made me laugh 😆).

It’s only theft if you decide at the point of realising the mistake to keep the shorts. You had no intention prior to that.

Just put them back on the rack when you get the new pair.

Just take them to customer services, explain that you realised when you got home you had somehow not paid for them so now wish to do so. Get a receipt then go and get the right size and exchange - simple . No need for all the palaver and cloak and dagger stuff at all

Why not half-inch another couple of pairs while you’re there and hawk them on vinted as well? May as well try!

How does she get a receipt and then exchange them when she never paid for them??? Call it what you like, they were 'lifted' and, probably, if they'd fitted, would have stayed in her wardrobe.

I think Bizzy is saying pay for them, get a receipt then swap. Convoluted yes, but they’re not saying get a receipt for something not paid for. That was my understanding anyway.

‘Personally’ I don’t suppose you do have a problem with it no.

I bet you’d personally have a problem with it if, as a pp suggested, someone stole a few quid from you because they thought you could afford it, or because they thought you were regularly the victim of more serious theft therefore what does this little bit matter?

I have been the victim of serious theft. However, there’s a big difference between malicious burglary and an unintended slip-up at a supermarket which is their fault for bringing in self-service check-ups, cutting staff and essentially giving the work to the public to do instead for free. Because if OP had been paying at a manned till it wouldn’t have happened. So I’m not going to start throwing all kinds of nasty names at OP as other posters have calling her a thief and ripping off the public and lord knows what else. The point is it was unintentional and a one-off.

I’m not calling what the OP has done so far theft. We’re now talking about the suggestion of not giving back the shorts which some including you have endorsed.

Take them back, show the customer service people your receipt to explain what happened, apologise for your oversight (and buy the right-sized pair either online or at a different branch 😳).

You're being precious, just go and buy a pair in the correct size. You didn't steal them deliberately and supermarket staff have way bigger things to worry about.