self-checkout lanes

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goldfish

goldfish

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Feb 8, 2006
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We go to a local supermarket almost everyday to buy fruits for fruits baskets (we don't keep inventories).

I recently discovered that self-checkout registers at the supermarket are mis-configured so that I can buy at least four tangerines for the pirce of one (buy one, get THREE free).

Usually when you buy fruits sold by number like tangerines, you first have to enter the PLU number; this self-checkout "computer" then asks you to enter the quantity.

Nope, I'm not entering the wrong number; if I enter "1" when in fact I'm buying four, that's cheating. It's tempting, but so far I've not been man enough to test if I can cheat the number.

The fact is that the machine never asks how many tangerines I'm buying. It asks how many for other fruits, but not for tangerines. It just says "Tangerine, 50 cents. Please scan the next item." That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm just doing whatever I'm told to do.

Just out of "curiosity", the other day I brought a bag containing six tangerines to the self-ckeckout register. I entered the PLU number and, as expected, the machine just charged for one tangerine.... that's what I thought. Then, as my bag of tagerines was moving on the belt, the belt suddenly stopped and reversed. The machine now said "Assistance required." I got very nervous because I felt like I just got caught for shop-lifting.

A sales assistance showed up and charged for six. But I wasn't arrested. Anyway, now I know that I can get away with four tangerines for the price for one, but machine can tell there must be something wrong if I go for six. I haven't tested five yet. So now what I'm doing is that I'm buying in the multiple of four, 4, 8, 12 in separate bags so that I won't get caught.

Last night I bragged about this great discovery to my wife (who is a restaurant owner) and she said what I'm doing is "unethical" which I disagreed. She said I should tell this to the manager, or at least stop taking advanatge of the situation.

Now, if this supermarket is a small mom&pop shop, I would probably tell the manager to correct the error. But this is one of the biggest supermarket chains in our area and I don't quite feel like I'm causing any actual harm. But I'm confused. What is your take on this?

P.S. I asked the same question to our designer. She said she would start buying tangerines at that store right away.
 
That is sooooo funny and soooo me! I would be buying tangerines everyday until I got caught with a "it wasn't me" face.
One time a cashier at a "chain" store handed me back the $20 I had given her plus my change. When I got back to the shop I was proud of my "savings" and I didnt feel bad cause well, as much as I hate to admit it, it was Walmart. I figured they can handle the loss but if it was my local fruit and veggie place or any other place for this matter I would have said something right away. Anyway back at the shop I told my Mom and she made me feel bad, she said maybe the clerk would be responsible for the money and on the salary they are paid, it represents preaty much half of her daily take home pay. Needless to say I got back in my truck and brought it back. BUT you my friend are dealing with a machine which can not be held responsible for anything so I say good for you and your free tangerines (50 cents should cover all 4 anyway, I buy a bag of about 20 or 25 for $2. They're the ones ripping you off!)
 
Welllll, I believe in karma (like Earl LOL). Yesterday bought glads at the market for $3.99-but I had in my hand 2 bunchs which I handed the checker, she only charged me for one. I went back told her of the mistake and paid for the other one. Today, saw someone drop a $20 and picked it up to return it to them. My integrity is important to me- I agree with your wife!! LOL Ya just know if I didn't pay for those glads- someone would stiff me for funeral flowers!
 
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Without question your wife is right. In our local grocery store I see wealthy people hold the items they are weighing a little off the scale so they can get more. It is theft no matter how you look at it. We all pay for theft. Companies just don't Loose that money you make it up next year. You take all your waste, loss and theft into consideration when pricing your product, at least you should.

Knife's Wife
 
I think you're feeling guilty, as well you should. You know what you're doing is not honest. I don't mean to sound harsh...but...theft is theft! I don't care if it is a Mom & Pop location or a giant retailer. You are trying to justify not paying for the tangerines...because...it won't hurt this giant retailer? Sorry...your wife is right...your values are misplaced in this situation. How would you feel if your customers or staff stole from you..or..uh...excuse me...worked a way around your system to casually walk off with your merchandise? Wouldn't you be happy if someone alerted you to the problem? Do the right thing...tell the manager about your discovery...you'll feel better, too! Just a little scolding for ya! Bad, bad, Goldfish!!!
 
Well then.....

I WON'T tell you about my "discovery" for "free" trips on the world's FIRST all electronic pay toll highway here in Ontario, Canada.....Hwy 407
 
10 Hail Mary's and put $50 in the collection plate Sunday.

And...

Bless you.
 
come to think....

of it, I DID spend a lot of time in the confessional:fdevil:
Father Ted said he KNEW I'd be in every week!!
 
What goes around comes around. Like I taught my kids... just because so and so did it doesn't mean you should.

As said above, stealing is stealing and I would hate it if it happened to me.

I don't like Wal Mart either, that's why I don't shop there. :)

V
 
Ditto everyone else who said wrong is wrong.

Just a thought, only two guys piped up on this - could it be a gender thing, the niceties of morality in alllllll instances?

tracy
 
Tracypieface said:
Ditto everyone else who said wrong is wrong.

Just a thought, only two guys piped up on this - could it be a gender thing, the niceties of morality in alllllll instances?

tracy
Click to expand...

Maybe "women" are more vocal, myself after having toting two kids shopping most of their young life and teaching them the value of honesty!
 
Your wife is right.

goldfish said:
Last night I bragged about this great discovery to my wife (who is a restaurant owner) and she said what I'm doing is "unethical" which I disagreed. She said I should tell this to the manager, or at least stop taking advanatge of the situation.
Click to expand...

A smart man listens to a wise wife.


Frank
 
Update: our designer discovered that the error had already been corrected: now it demands to know the quantity of tangerines people are buying.:hammer: So the issue has in a sense become moot, but my question about ethics still stands.

Ethics issues are something we confront everyday. In an ideal world, there are things that are "right" and things that are "wrong", and their distinctions are always clear. Unfortunately, we live in a real world. Most people unknowingly are permitting certain "wrong" doings. If I declared myself as a person who can do no wrong, you bet I would be either a hypocrite or narcissist who can't objectively see who I am.

I have no problem conceding that getting three "free" tangerines is "not right." There must be a small, but significant, loss that will be caused by my transgression. In fact I am probably "guilty" of some kind of ethical transgression every single day. It is just that, like everyone else, I am choosing what unethical behaviors are "more badder" than others, a very arbitrary rule which could be called my personal Ethics Code. And this personal Ethics Code tells me that it's OK to get three tangerines for free in this particular instance.

Every one of us has personal Ethics Code; "perpsonal" because it is not universal (i.e., "Opinions vary"). Thus we might see a person who drives at 15 mph over the speed-limit can get very upset when s/he is lied to about something. To this person, a lie (however "white" it might be) is a more offensive conduct than significantly endangering people's lives. We might also see a person who hates speeding drivers but are more tolerant of people who lie.

When we think about which is "more badder", lying or speeding, an absolutist position such as "Both are wrong no matter what" doesn't hold much water as personal Ethics Code. Real humans do these wrong things anyway, depending on the situation. I would personally think that a fib is less wrong than driving at 85 mph on a busy highway, for example. The judgement depends on, for example, degree of the transgression as well as the possible harm that such act could likely cause.

Now I have to go back to the original issue of my "cheating" on self-checkout lanes.

First of all, I do not consider my act as "cheating" at all. Although I don't want to be too semantic, but "cheating" to me is something that is far worse than what I was doing. What I was doing is more like taking advantage of someone else's error for my selfish advantage. It's basically the same as having discoverd a stupid vending mechine that gives you four cans of soda every time you purchase it. I chose to keep using that vending machine without telling the shop manager. That's different from punching the machine to try to get several cans for free.

Second of all, the size of the shop does matter in my book, as it relates to how much actual harm my transgression was causing. In each transaction, my "cheating" causes a loss of $1.50 for the supermarket. Perhaps I have purchased 5-6 times, so let's say a loss of $10 in total. This amount is significant in a small mom&pop shop, but not in a big supermarket where cashier's error plus actual thefts are probably thousands of dollars a day.

Of course reasonable people would disagree on this point. Some people would argue that wrong is wrong, no matter how small that might be. It is easier to fix small wrongs than bigger ones, as we all already have some kind of excuses made for for bigger wrongs (e.g., speeding). But there is a certain element of hypocrisy in fixing small wrongs while ignoring bigger ones. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of fixing my small wrong-doings just to feel good, while letting my bigger wrongs to continue, such as speeding or supporting the goverment whose policy I strongly disagree with. By fixing small wrongs, I am actually not significantly becoming any better person, even though I might feel that way. Isn't that hypocrisy?

Finally, as tracy(?) pointed out, it is interesting to see that most vocal critique came from women, including my wife. She has this opinion about gender difference in personal Ethics, which I kind of agree. I might be stereotyping, but I feel that women in general tend to have stronger reactions toward ethical transgressions than men. Men are more into "winning at all costs", even if it means getting three tangerines without paying a penny ("I won!!" mentality). She belives that the world wouyld be a better place if all the goverments and big corporations are run by women. I'm not sure about that, but there might be some truth in it.

Thanks for all the candid comments.:)
 
One more "candid" comment springs to my mind... and I'm trying hard to keep it from springing forth... but for me, your "spin" is a load of hooey.

I work in a large business. If enough people steal, I'm out of a job. Stealing, big or small should be everyone's concern, period.

V
 
Relativism in ethics is NOT acceptable....unless you are in Politics I guess. I have two sons I am trying to raise. Regardless of what is happening in the "real world" I would like them to know and practice absolute ethical behavior. And if not, they must accept the consequences.

and from a man too......Sorry
 
Infinite said:
V,

I think the word you want is "Hoogly."
Click to expand...

Yes, that fits too. But I've long loved the word Hooey... a polite way of telling someone they are full of crap. And boy does this fit the bill x 2 (yours and mine).

I wonder how the victims of Enron and the like would respond to this kind of thinking...

V
 
Spot on, V!!! :thumbsup
 
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