Ethical Dilema...What would you do????

[drjeff]

Originally Posted by OldsnowboarderME

I was just thinking it was a good thing there no anti-theft device to sound an alarm at the door because it would have been a little difficult to explain an item in the bag that was not on the receipt..

Like I said, in BOTH stores the cashiers placed the items in the bag, and given that it's maybe a 15 second walk from the register to the front door, my guess is they probably would have remembered that THEY put the items in the shopping bag a few seconds before.

[FRITOLAYGUY]

I keep it cashiers loss, remember theres also been plenty of times in your life while out at a store or a restaurant that you have been overcharged and never realized it on the receipt, it all works out eventually.

[severine]

It's a difficult situation. On the one hand, driving there and back makes it pretty inconvenient and costly to rectify an error that wasn't yours.

On the other hand, parents must set a good example for their children. Whether you realize it or not, your children are learning from the things you do, not what you say.

Tough call..

[noski]

The fact that it seems to be weighing on you tells me you need to go with your concience, which is to go back to the store. Then you can file it.

[campgottagopee]

If I noticed at the time of sale I would've said something, If I had gotten home then noticed I would've just kept them and considered myself lucky.

[ckofer]

This would probably not have happened if they had a strategically placed associate after the checkout reconciling your purchase and your receipt.

[mondeo]

I'll back up what a few others have said, and add to my previous statement, that having kids involved sways it towards paying the stores for the inadvertently uncharged items. It's the kind of thing I could see my parents doing, and I turned out as someone who still feels guilty about stealing a pack of baseball cards in 3rd grade, and being 24 years old with a completely legal music and software collection.

[riverc0il]

Originally Posted by Mildcat

If I notice it at the checkout I'll say something even if it's a big store like Walmart because I don't want the cashier to get in trouble. I wouldn't go back if I noticed later because the cashier will get in trouble. The employees don't make enough money to have to carry the burden of every little mistake in my honest opinion.

Really depends a lot on the manager regarding the "trouble" aspect of finding a big mistake. As a retail manager myself, I have caught issues in which cashier mistakes might have resulted in $100+ worth of merchandise walking from the store unaccounted for. Most associates are mortified enough just being alerted to their performance lapse. There is never a need to pursue corrective action for one or two such mistakes because the cashier naturally is usually self motivated to ensure the problem doesn't happen again. Same cashier making the same such mistake with frequency would be another story. But my management philosophy is people are self motivated not to screw up and almost always self correct when alerted to the problem. For the occasional error that does happen, reasonable shrink is expected and everyone makes mistakes. You just have to hope the mistakes are small ones and the big ones are caught. It is all about good training and development and a solid system of accountability.

[wa-loaf]

Originally Posted by severine

It's a difficult situation. Tough call..

Just give the shop a call, ask them what they suggest you do. You'll prob save a trip that way.

[riverc0il]

Interesting look into ethics here. I am particularly fascinated by the issue of it being a higher ethical precedent to due it because of the kids but if there were no kids to impress an ethical lessons on many people would say cashiers error and keep the goods. Remove the kids from the situation and the ethical conclusion essentially is cashier error--do not return goods to store for purchase which means it is only being done because it is a convenient lesson for the kids. You have to wonder how the kids would appreciate the situation if they had known the motives. (???)

Do we base our ethics on our own internal beliefs, the situation, or on value calls and judgments about other people and things? A lot of arguments are being made in this thread based on external issues rather than internal ethical values. Not saying there is anything wrong with that but just making an observation.