Be careful in local shops

[Sue]

I don't want to name a shop, but I have twice at this busy time of year had an issue, and yesterday was overcharged when buying a number of small things.

If you are using a shop which doesn't give an itemised receipt, or doesn't give a receipt at all, just be aware that it might be a good idea to check that you are not paying over the odds (and if using cash, that you are given the right change for what you handed over).

When staff are busy they might make mistakes.

[phil_the_rhythm]

There's not enough people talking about this - I've often worried about it too  One busy staff's mistakes will not make my pockets lighter, thank you very much.

Thanks Sue and all the best for the new year. 

[phil_the_rhythm]

Sorry Sue - me again. This has been on my mind all day, it's a big bug bear of mine. If you don't mind - please can you private message me some of these shops so I can cross reference / add to my AVOID list. 

Thanks in advance. Let's make sure this doesn't happen this Christmas, particularly as we head into sales season. Even more problematic in my experience.

[Sue]

47 minutes ago, phil_the_rhythm said:

Sorry Sue - me again. This has been on my mind all day, it's a big bug bear of mine. If you don't mind - please can you private message me some of these shops so I can cross reference / add to my AVOID list. 

Thanks in advance. Let's make sure this doesn't happen this Christmas, particularly as we head into sales season. Even more problematic in my experience.

Sorry but I think it's best if people just check things for themselves when they buy things.

In three shops/restaurants (from some years back) I just avoid the places concerned, as in all three  cases I was pretty sure it wasn't a genuine mistake, and in one place  it happened more than once and usually late at night.

Edited Wednesday at 21:34 by Sue

[Nigello]

Is it not a legal requirement to issue a receipt? If you don’t get one, ask. If that doesn’t work, report. 🎄 💴 

[bonaome]

In a couple of places locally, I have come across this. I am fairly sure that they attempt to do the bill in their head. If you just say , “no, I think it’s x” they start again and get to an agreeable number, or find a calculator. I don’t think it’s a malicious attempt to swindle people. Just not great arithmetic.

[Sue]

16 hours ago, bonaome said:

In a couple of places locally, I have come across this. I am fairly sure that they attempt to do the bill in their head. If you just say , “no, I think it’s x” they start again and get to an agreeable number, or find a calculator. I don’t think it’s a malicious attempt to swindle people. Just not great arithmetic.

People working in shops should not be "attempting to do the bill in their head."

Nor if questioned should they be  trying to "get to an agreeable number."

They should be actually (not trying to) getting to the correct number.

I'm afraid in many cases it is clearly more than incorrect arithmetic. One New Year's Eve in a restaurant (not in East Dulwich but quite near it) two of us were charged for thirty poppadoms.

We were quite merry when the bill came, but not so merry as to not notice something amiss.

Unfortunately we have had similar things happen in a well established East Dulwich restaurant we no longer use.

There is also a shop in East Dulwich which is open late at night. It used not to display prices on its goods (that may have changed).

On querying the bill, we several times found a mistake had been made. Once we were charged twice for the same goods.

There is a limit to how many times you can accept a "mistake". 

There is also a limit to how many times you can accept the "friendly" sweet talking after it.