Do you have to pay at the till in a shop, can you walk out with the goods?

Question

If you left the shop without offering payment that is against the law. However if they have a long queue and you are in a hurry can you just put the money by the till and walk out. It is the shops problem that they do not have enough staff to ring up your purchace in a reasonable time. I would claim I have not stolen the items as I gave them payment.

Answer 1

Don't bother paying but return the goods at a later date - thus, you can say you only borrowed and did not have the intention of theft.
You could also leave an IOU which means you gave a form of payment and did not steal the items.
The better option would be to complain to the manager in front of everyone - you might find everyone feels the same way.

Answer 2

It is your duty to ensure the merchandise you walk away from was paid in full before you leave the store including tax, if the employee's are busy and you place the monies by the till and another customer takes the cash without the employee's seeing then you have not paid for the goods and that would be shoplifting, now this is facts sensitive say you are in a rush at a newspaper stand and drop 50 cent for paper no big deal, versus department store bunch of clothes where you drop some cash by the till and walk out I am sure you will be detained also you do not have an evidence you paid the for the stuff

Answer 3

If you have no reciept you have no proof that you paid so you could be accused of theft. Also if you put the money down and others were in the shop someone could take it again you have no proof. Along with that you lose any rights if your goods are faulty you could not bring them back for refund or exchange. If you do not want to queue you leave the shop without the goods and shop elsewhere otherwise it is classed as stealing. Do you want a criminal record ruining your reputation etc. You could be jailed.

Answer 4

Without a receipt for the goods, you are stealing. This is a common ploy for underage children trying to purchase tobacco or alcohol. Since the merchant has not accepted your payment and rendered a receipt, you are guilty of theft. If stopped by the police or shop security staff, your ONLY defence to a charge of theft is the receipt. No receipt = theft.

If you don't like the length of the queue, you may either compain to a member of management staff or take your business elsewhere.

Answer 5

It's not just payment, for the goods to be legally yours there needs to be a mutual transaction - the processing of the sale by a staff member.

This performs the transfer of ownership from the store to you.

If this happens alot i'd suggest shopping when you have more time.

Answer 6

This is technically illegal. Since the shop has the right to refuse your business, they are never given the chance. The actual transaction must take place. If you are unhappy with the service, go to a different store. You can not just make up your own laws!

Answer 7

Ur prob would be that u would have no proof of payin. As always the littls guy is in the worng and the shop would probably be successful in prosecutin u cos of that. Good luck tho.

Answer 8

Technically they have to actually receive the money and conduct the transaction. Without a receipt you wouldn't have proof of payment. What if someone swiped the money? I wouldn't risk it.

Answer 9

NO without the reciept then they can say whether u put the payment on the counter that it was stolen.

Answer 10

laying money on the counter is not giving payment. How do they know how much stuff you have? What if they don't pick up the money?