Moral dilemma

[mcshane in the 79th]

What seems more pertinent here is how did they manage to get your name and address? Did you give it to them?

If they got it via your bank, someone is going to be in trouble.

They set up an account when you purchase something from them, which I must have done last time I bought something there (2+ years ago in this case). When I paid at the weekend they asked for my surname and postcode at the time of transaction.

In response to the questions about the size of the store: www.parkcameras.com. Thye have a store in B. Hill and Haywards Heath. So not a huge company.

I'm definitely siding on the own up but ask for a voucher/gesture of good will. Will think about it over the weekend and decide for definite Monday methinks.

 

[e77]

Pay them £20 less than they ask for to cover your time. Might make them pay attention next time!

 

[Kent Seagull]

I'd pay up and ask them to give say £50 to Children in need to make up for for being so careless.

 

[NMH]

I purchased a new camera lens at the weekend for £279. Yesterday I got a letter through from the shop saying they had made a mistake and only charged my card £27.99. I checked my receipt (I don't normally look at them till the end of the month), and sure enough it showed I'd only paid £27.99.

Now in this letter they apologise for the mistake and ask for my permission to debit my card the other £250 odd quid.

Now what should I do? Ignore them and hope they don't come knocking on the door, or do the honest thing and pay up?

This is not a moral dilemma at all.

You march into the shop, in person, and pay the delinquent amount, to the original salesperson, and proclaim that mistakes can easily happen.

IF they have fired the assistant or were in any way rude to you, then you might have a case to retain your card and the further debit, morally.

Sorry, but in business - it's not the same as love and war, where all's fair.
You should always act honestly, and be exact with your behaviour.

 

[NMH]

They set up an account when you purchase something from them, which I must have done last time I bought something there (2+ years ago in this case). When I paid at the weekend they asked for my surname and postcode at the time of transaction.

In response to the questions about the size of the store: www.parkcameras.com. Thye have a store in B. Hill and Haywards Heath. So not a huge company.

I'm definitely siding on the own up but ask for a voucher/gesture of good will. Will think about it over the weekend and decide for definite Monday methinks.

Ask for nothing. The shop 'should' offer any gesture of goodwill - and you may actually get future discount, and a red-carpet attitude towards your future dealings with them. If not, then you can live in the knowledge that you comported yourself in a proper way - always a better thing for a proper man (see Screaming J thread about the bus)

 

[NMH]

An adverse example though;
I recently transported my dog across the thousands of miles from California to The UK. Virgin Airlines took her, while I flew with AA, who aren't carriers for animals.

After paying a large amount for the one-way ticket, and been somewhat mis-advised by their freight department in LA about her kennel dimensions (which delayed loading her for about an hour), I packed her off.
When I came to pick her up at Heathrow, there was an inordinate delay after a VERY tired NMH (not slept in over 24hours) had to go back to Brighton and drive back to Heathrow to collect said pup.
The animal dispatcher was apologetic, after repeatedly failing to get a Virgin employee, as they'd all gone home early.
I was, at NO time, warned of any fees left to pay or more paperwork to fulfill, and I was not aware of why this was all taking so bloody long, on a cold wet December night.

Finally, the dispatcher released my dog to me (all in good and happy shape) for the long drive home. I almost fell asleep on the M23 though, and had to pull off to the side so as to make it home in one piece.

Subsequently, Virgin sent me a bill for £220 that they said I still owed for the 'hand-over' of my pet
NO apologies for my long delay, or recognition of the extra 2hours I stood around in an almost empty foyer, a frustrating time to say the least.

I responded to their bill for the 'missing amount', with a somewhat disquieted telephone complaint for their lack of information, and profligacy in having gone home early (while I went home VERY late). The agent for Virgin was only interested in the money. Not interested in apology, not interested in customer service, or my welfare.

In this case I would have been ashamed of myself if I HAD paid them!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Pay up, you'll be caught up in the end otherwise

Quite right , son.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

How? Are they going to send the lads round to his house in a van? Methinks NOT.

I think Russ means getting an adverse credit rating. Wouldn't look good if applying for a mortgage and the credit report notes mention something from that retailer.

 

[fosters headband]

I would have thought it would have been good customer relations if the shop had offered a discount up front.
If they had said it was our fault and could we debit the money with say a 20% discount, you both would have been happy.