Computer refunded £5 too much - should I have kept it?

deepoo

I bought some homeware products from a well known highstreet retailer for £35 - £5 multi buy discount. I tried them out at home and didn't like them so took them back for a refund which the manager did for me. He scanned them through the till and it said the refund was £35. The manager looked at my receipt - total £30, looked and back at the computer screen several times before wordlessly handing over £35. I thanked him and went. Normally I would point out the error but he spent time considering what to do - he must have thought that the computer was right and common sense wrong.

kitschkitty

Well if you didn't mention it at the time and he didn't sort it out at the time, then it's down to whether you can live with yourself over a fiver!

I returned a dress the other day that was bought online & delivered to store (tried it on but decided I didn't want it) it scanned on the tills as £26 but my invoice/receipt clearly showed £11 so the manager manually adjusted the price so I was correctly refunded - I did say I'd be more than happy to take a £26 refund, but I know that's not the way it works!

Mistral001

Why keep quiet and risk annoying people as it possilby be traced back to the sale and to the guy on the till at the time when they are trying to reconcile things. I doubt if it will be taken from his wages, but it might. Even if it is not the person on the till will be annoyed with you and so probably will a lot of the rest of the staff in the shop.

It is always best to not annoy people. You will never know when you might meet them again.

deepoo

Minstral, It wasn't that he gave me back the wrong change - I would have owned up to that, he entered the correct product - the computer program made the mistake by not taking into account the discount which it gave me in the first place. His till will balance. The computer programmer should pay for the mistake.

Lilyplonk

Maybe the discrepancy arose as the original transaction took place on the Internet, whereas the refund took place 'in store'.

Or it could be that, having verbally stated the refund to be £35, he then felt compelled to oblige with handing over the £35 instead of £30. Who knows :undecided?

Best of luck with 'wrestling your conscience'

nuttyp

I think this has happened to me today too, on monday i got 2 items from a well known store (has a catalogue). I returned one item but they gave me the full amount not less the £5 that i had been given as i had spent over £30.

meritaten

simple - the item is on the computer with a purchase price of £35, you had obtained a discount so paid £30. However, the item has been returned, but is not damaged and can be sold for the original price - therefore the manager was correct in giving you £35. the store will not lose out in the long run. Spend your £5 with a clear conscience!!!

the manager was right to do this, although some would argue that he would be equally right in just refunding the price you paid (which happens if the refund goes back to a credit or debit card).