Charitable Vending Machines

[cardgame]

I'd do it again to see if it gives me extra twice.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Assuming that you would give it back , let's say you leave the shop and subsequently realise you have been given extra change . Let's also say it's $50 (a large enough amount to inconvenience the shop keeper) and it's just a small local vendor .

What is the accepted distance from the shop that you must travel before you no longer feel obliged to return ?

On vending machines....I'm keeping it , you're keeping it . Period.

I don't think there should be any legal requirement to give the money back (Its their mistake, its on them, I REALLY think this should be applied to the IRS as well) but I do think the nice/right thing to do is give it back. As for how long, if you're ever going to go back there in the near future, you should be fine just giving the change back when you go. But if you're never gonna go back, I dunno, a couple miles, yes, any longer and I'm mailing it, and charging them for the shipping unless I'm really nice.

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

Why the differentiation between small businesses and large ones? Many places take accounting errors out of the employees paycheck, so your not hurting the company, but rather the minimum wage worker at the register.

This. People, no matter what store you're shopping at, the cashier is responsible for that till. And your "keeping the undercharge" is going to cost them money, not the business.

 

[Narz]

Why the differentiation between small businesses and large ones?

Smaller ones generally have a lower profit margin & larger tax burden. Also, generally I choose the small businesses I frequent very intentionally whereas I goto Walmart or Target just because they are there (I don't goto them much but on occasion).

An extra $9 is going to hurt a small local health food store far more than it will hurt Whole Foods or ShopRite.

I also make an effort to only use cash at small businesses because they have to pay fees for credit/debit cards.

Many places take accounting errors out of the employees paycheck, so your not hurting the company, but rather the minimum wage worker at the register.

I figure they give them a margin for error. Maybe they don't. In which case I suppose I should feel guilty. Fortunately for all I haven't had any moral dilemma like this in recent memory (and I would know as I check every receipt).

 

[Bamspeedy]

The places I've worked at, if the cash register was short money it wouldn't be taken out of the paychecks, but it could put the cashier's job in jeopardy. "This is the 2nd time this week you've been short $10".
But most of that (if it's not really stealing) is the cashier giving the wrong change. If they ring up the wrong price then the manager will probably never know about it.