Anonymous wrote:That's for the supermarket/ discount store, of course. If it were a high-value item, like the ladder or hard drive, I would go back, because otherwise the employee would likely end up paying for it out of his/her own pocket, and that's not right.

But if it's not rung up, how would the store realize it was gone without someone paying for it? An inventory check would reveal its loss but the store would not know which employee made the mistake or it was misplaced or stolen.

Anonymous wrote:If I noticed at the time, I would say something. If I didn't notice til I got home (as in your case), I'd consider it karma. Given how many times I've been charged for two of something I only got one of, I figure it all balances out.

That's for the supermarket/ discount store, of course. If it were a high-value item, like the ladder or hard drive, I would go back, because otherwise the employee would likely end up paying for it out of his/her own pocket, and that's not right.

+1

Kept it. I put it on the counter, they didn't ring it up----I made no attempt to conceal or defraud. Their loss, my freebee

I've done this a few times. It's usually a large jug of laundry detergent, gallon of tea or box of fire logs that were left on the bottom of my cart at check out. I ask them to charge me for it the next time I'm there. Once the manager told me to forget it.

OP here. Thanks for all your thoughts. The item was under $20, and this is a store that is out of my way and I've never shopped at before. I should have paid more attention at the checkout but I'll be honest, I'm not going to make another trip out there to correct the situation. I was, however, already planning on donating several suits to Suited for Change this fall, and think I'll add a cash donation of $20 to that.

Karma already got me. Bottle of wine broke this afternoon as I was driving home from the supermarket.

Personally, the next time I'm at the store I tell them what happened and pay for the item.

I have a bit of an 'opposite' example that happened to me at Costco recently. The person at the door who was checking my receipt (fyi for non-members, they do this as each member leaves, to quickly scan the receipt and look over your cart) amazingly spotted, almost immediately, that my cart had 9 items but the receipt showed only 8. I was very impressed! I truthfully didn't realize that the cashier had overlooked the item. So, I gladly paid for the overlooked product, and again was extremely impressed by that employee's eye and vigilance.

I always pay. One time I overlooked a $1.50 item under one of my children in the shopping cart. Next time I was at the store I grabbed another one and had the cashier scan it and then keep it to be re-shelved. If it would have been a more expensive item, I would have gone back immediately.

I don't understand the thought process behind "it was over-priced anyway, so I just kept it for free". If you think something is over-priced, don't buy it. The store owes you nothing and I doubt any of you are hungry or really need any of the items anyway.

I agree with PPs, I'd say something if I noticed at the time, if I did not, I wouldn't go back. I think this has only happened to me with small ticket items, though (under $5), and only once or twice.

Anonymous wrote:if it's less than $20, the combined value of your time for the return and the store's manpower to process the corrected transation are probably worth more than that. If it's more than that, going back is probably the right thing to do.

The manager does not need to correct the transaction, because the item does not exist on the transaction. All that they will do is put it back out onto the sales floor. No big deal.

me again...I always think of it this way. I'd sure go back if they overcharged me, so that means I should go back if they missed an item, too.

I always go back. Always. The one time I didn't, I lost my cell phone about 20 minutes after leaving the store. I don't tempt fate or karma or God or whatever caused me to lose my cell phone.

if it's less than $20, the combined value of your time for the return and the store's manpower to process the corrected transation are probably worth more than that. If it's more than that, going back is probably the right thing to do.

I usually consider myself anything but high-minded and moralistic in most things. But jeez -- so many people say "great -- you got something for nothing and no one knows"?? Character counts most when no one's watching. That's what I'm trying to teach my sons anyway.

I walked out with a carton of milk once.

didn't go back

overpriced organic was my reasoning - And it was too hot to lug it back and forth.