Today I bought a card that was 50% off. The price was $.75 plus tax which I knew would be about $.83 or $.84. The guy rang it up and asked me for $.88.
"Impossible, I said." Tax on a dollar is 8.25%. There is no way that tax on $.75 is $.13.
He looked at me like I was nuts and said "That is what the register told me. Here is the receipt."
I told him that I didn't care what the receipt said and that I didn't care that the difference was only pennies. Then I realized the register rang the tax on the entire amount. Again, he said "That is what you must pay." Although I needed the card and I was in a hurry, I stood my ground. He finally rang the sale again and came up with the $.82 I thought I should pay.
He glared at me as I picked up the card and left. I let him keep his bag. Let him make up his money that way. The $.06 I saved is meaningless. The feeling I have being right and forcing him to acknowledge it is priceless.
"Impossible, I said." Tax on a dollar is 8.25%. There is no way that tax on $.75 is $.13.
He looked at me like I was nuts and said "That is what the register told me. Here is the receipt."
I told him that I didn't care what the receipt said and that I didn't care that the difference was only pennies. Then I realized the register rang the tax on the entire amount. Again, he said "That is what you must pay." Although I needed the card and I was in a hurry, I stood my ground. He finally rang the sale again and came up with the $.82 I thought I should pay.
He glared at me as I picked up the card and left. I let him keep his bag. Let him make up his money that way. The $.06 I saved is meaningless. The feeling I have being right and forcing him to acknowledge it is priceless.
2 comments:
Good for you! It is also important to look over the receipt before leaving the store. Three times this month I have been rung up twice for items that I was only buying 1 of. All 3 times the cashier was already ringing up another customer as I was calling it to their attention. I waited and then they had to check through my bags to confirm the oversight. Each time, over $4 was returned to me with an apology. In my case, the $ amount was significant enough to acknowledge, however I agree with your actions and hope that others will be on their toes, eyes wide open when shopping these days.
Are we surprised?
These cashiers are the same kids who couldn't or wouldn't focus when they were in Math and consider percentages to be on the same level of arcane wisdom as nuclear physics.
I have lost count of the times that I've had to correct a cashier's mistake and come out with the feeling that I'm the bad guy for not rolling over and being a good cipher.
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