Horrible shop experience. Short-changed.

124

Comments

  • In 28 years working in a large store I probably dealt with this kind of complaint only about a dozen times. I'd say 8/12 were in the customers favour when we cashed up - they were in fact right. They got the money back with an apology. Mistakes can happen.

    If the checkout operator said at the time they weren't sure or thought the customer was probably right we cashed up a till straight away and sorted it out. If the operator was sure it was someone trying it on we cashed up later. We always took a number rather than saying call us, it felt like the right thing to do to me. Remember it was a big store and we had plenty of new ready made up floated till drawers to swap over, a small shop probably won't.
    I remember on one occasion customer claimed short by £10, when we cashed up till was something like £17 short and we couldn't see where any mistakes were made. They got the £10 back, if the till is out then our record is inaccurate.

    but £10 20 years ago was a couple of hours pay for most people. its only £5, don't get too hung up over it.
  • tho_2
    tho_2 Posts: 326
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    worried123 wrote: »
    However, it was blatantly obvious that the shop assistant was trying to pinch my money...it wasnt a mistake....and i was so shocked by it...that people do this sort of thing and i think this is what has happened with the OP I doubt she is the first person they have done this to....

    Have you ever worked a shop? Or a pub? Do you genuinely think people risk their employment for £5? What happens - and it's pretty common - it it's a genuine mistake. Nervous reactions are because they're a. Embarrassed at making a genuine mistake and b. Trying to establish whether the customer is actually trying it on to gain.

    I've been both sides, and when I was short changed by a tenner in a BP once was happy to wait while the cctv was checked.
  • tho wrote: »
    Have you ever worked a shop? Or a pub? Do you genuinely think people risk their employment for £5?
    For only £5, maybe not, but what about if they attempt the same thing a few times each day?
    In that case, the £5 adds up to a sizeable chunk of money at the end of the week.

    A couple of years ago I was driving in the USA and went into a petrol (gas) station.
    As I was on my way to the rental depot to drop off the car I didn't need to put a great amount of fuel in it and the total cost was about $8.
    As it was a prepay place, I had given the woman on the till a $20 bill then after I filled the car, went back in for my change.
    She handed me 2 $1 notes and a couple of coins and quickly turned away to serve the next customer.
    I waited until she was free and walked back to the till with the change in my hand and even before I could tell her the problem, she opened the till and gave me another $10 note, so yes, I think that people will risk their employment for a few £s as it's the small errors in change that may well get missed by customers more often than large amounts of money.
  • For only £5, maybe not, but what about if they attempt the same thing a few times each day?
    In that case, the £5 adds up to a sizeable chunk of money at the end of the week.

    A couple of years ago I was driving in the USA and went into a petrol (gas) station.
    As I was on my way to the rental depot to drop off the car I didn't need to put a great amount of fuel in it and the total cost was about $8.
    As it was a prepay place, I had given the woman on the till a $20 bill then after I filled the car, went back in for my change.
    She handed me 2 $1 notes and a couple of coins and quickly turned away to serve the next customer.
    I waited until she was free and walked back to the till with the change in my hand and even before I could tell her the problem, she opened the till and gave me another $10 note, so yes, I think that people will risk their employment for a few £s as it's the small errors in change that may well get missed by customers more often than large amounts of money.

    I agree. Interesting that the op was not given a receipt and i was not given one when i was shortchanged. It isn't possible for these people to try to take more than small amounts and i agree they add up if its something they do frequently..
    If they actually `are` genuine mistakes then they shouldn't be working in a shop if they cannot even count money.
  • tho_2
    tho_2 Posts: 326
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    You never forget anything then? Hundreds of transactions a day, someone (the customer probably) asking questions, trying to pack the bags, and you think you were only given a fiver rather than a tenner. Sack on the spot. Lovely attitude.
  • worried123
    worried123 Posts: 519
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    edited 16 September 2017 at 9:28AM
    I dont think that. I think that shop assistants who try it on are very far and few between and mistakes happen.
    why wasn't the OP given a receipt (i was not given a receipt when i was `deliberately` short changed. If they were honest they would have been more helpful to the OP...i do feel she was deliberately short changed...

    i also think that most shop staff are very honest and would never do this kind of thing...i have had many shop assistants tell me that i have given them too much when i have paid for something with coins. I am also aware that mistakes inadvertently happen.

    Also shop transactions are so fast these days....so busy that we would all look like scrooge if we stood there counting the change we had been given at the til .....you pour the coins into your purse as you `walk away` looking at them quickly and mistakes or short changes are often only found once you get to your car whilst you have been thinking...`that cannot be right`so you then check it.

    i just think the op has been given a bad time for asking for advice...it isnt `her fault` because she didn't check her change at the til....not many of us do......to stand there counting it makes it seem that we dont trust the cashier etc...mistakes are usually found afterwards...

    Anyway i just hope the OP can just move on from this.

    I do think that if they are found to be stealing from customers - yes they should lose their jobs.
  • sheramber
    sheramber Posts: 18,859
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    I would have given the lady blocking the position a polite 'excuse me' and waited for her to move before handing over the goods.
  • robatwork
    robatwork Posts: 7,086
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    worried123 wrote: »
    I dont think that. I think that shop assistants who try it on are very far and few between and mistakes happen.


    They aren't that few and not that far between. I deal with retailers and shop owners on a day to day basis. Every single one without exception has fired one or more staff for hands-in-the-till.

    The £5 lesson for the OP here is
    Check your change
    Always get a receipt

    If this is a true story and the same thing had happened to me (white skin no cap) I would have gone back in the shop and insisted they call the police otherwise I would. Then OP would have seen a quick reaction I imagine.
  • robatwork wrote: »
    I would have gone back in the shop and insisted they call the police
    You really can't demand that. I imagine the police would take a dim view of you calling them yourself over such a trivial matter too.

    Calling the shop manager, however...
  • robatwork
    robatwork Posts: 7,086
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    You really can't demand that. I imagine the police would take a dim view of you calling them yourself over such a trivial matter too.

    Calling the shop manager, however...

    The point is that the till staff would (if they had stolen it) probably get scared and miraculously remember the correct change
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