Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Feigned innocence

Recently I made a reservation on an item with a price tag of RM55.81. As that particular item was not readily available in the store, I was requested to pay a deposit of RM20 while waiting for it to get restocked. A receipt detailing the transaction was issued to me before I left in a jovial mood.


RM55.81 - RM20.00 = RM25.81

It was a few days later that I caught the following discrepancy in the receipt:

Estimated / Actual Cost: RM55.81
Deposit: RM20.00
Balance: RM25.81

Putting moral values aside, what would you do in this very scenario?

Storekeeper realized the miscalculation but you insist on paying only RM25.81 since it was stated so in the Balance column of the receipt?

You proactively inform the storekeeper about the mistake in the receipt and volunteer to complete the remaining payment of RM35.81?

As long as the storekeeper is not aware of it, you pretend not to notice the missing RM10 and proceed to pay him RM25.81? After all, you did not play any role that caused him to screw up in the first place.

Will your decision change if the amount unaccounted for is any number larger than RM10? RM100?

What about RM1,000? You can certainly do a lot with an extra RM1,000 in your disposal.

17 comments:

CarinaSing said...

Of cuz keep quiet la .. u idiot ... by the way, WC and I kept quiet too last night when the waitress in Pizza Hut brought us extra loaf of Garlic Bread ... lolz ..

(e+ho)ng said...

@CarinaSing:
Speedy comment! I like! ;)

Having dinner with Wan Ching without asking me along. Me no likey. :(

星晴 said...

You know y?? Hmmm..bcoz we make the decision last mins,not 2 weeks before...so we din ask u to join...

(e+ho)ng said...

@星晴:
My shift ends at 5pm this week. How about a dinner? ;)

Oh, not on Saturday and Sunday please. :(

星晴 said...

Dinner this week? Hmmm...only today i can.

(e+ho)ng said...

@星晴:
Some other time then. :S

By the way, do take some time off to consider the questions as posed in this entry. I am very much interested to find out others' opinions about it.

~~詠鉌の物語~~ said...

For me, I will either telling them on the spot, or keep quiet if i notice this at home :-)

CarinaSing said...

I am very sure that I left a comment 2days before .. but the comment is gone? TEH .. u deleted my comment?

(e+ho)ng said...

@~~詠鉌の物語~~:
I noticed it a few days after I made the deposit payment. :S

Are you going to make the same decision irregardless of the amount involved?

@CarinaSing:
I have never deleted any comment so far. Your submission timed-out perhaps?

Mind to resubmit?

CarinaSing said...

Well .. ok .. this is the 2nd time I am suspecting someone deleted my comment .. sigh .. it is hard being so 'popular' lol ..

What i wanted to say is ... WC sure will think like me ... u see .. both of us keep quiet when the waitress gave us extra garlic bread .. and we wanna hide the bread so the waitress won't notice it lol ... so u dont have to ask her opinion anymore ..

(e+ho)ng said...

@CarinaSing:
That was just a small loaf of bread hence the impact might not be as big as something that worth much more.

What say you?

~~詠鉌の物語~~ said...

If like that ask the shop 'eat himself' already.. :-)

CarinaSing said...

Ok i know the bread is only worth RM2.50 ... but it is still something .. so the logic is the same ...

daniel boey said...

I actually wanted to post my views on your entry, however after the amount "out of topic" comments, I'll refrain. :P

(e+ho)ng said...

@daniel boey:
There are only 6 out-of-track comments registered, including yours. *rolleyes*

Stop being so meticulous and speak your mind out for time is ticking away for me to finalize my decision. >.<"

CarinaSing said...

Haiyo .. u dont have to listen to others opinions ... just follow what u think is right will be enough ... u r not pak turut la

blueLavender said...

Ehem.. Lavender finally show herself here. >_<
I'll keep quite and pay the balance shown in the receipt.
Money is hard to earn ah.. but.. I'm very sure I'll feel bad. another but.. time will cure me. LOL