Fish Store Morals on Allardi Clown fish?

Question

Two days ago, I went to a store, which shall remain names for now, and ended up purchasing a salt water Allardi Clown fish (6”) since they are rare to find . (They had two) I brought him home and decided I wanted the other one. Since I had purchased other items from the same store, I never really looked at the price and when I did, I headed back to the store and grabbed the last one they had! (which also was the reason I went for the second one. Great price!) Today I received a call from this store telling me they miss marked the fish. The fish person sold me the wrong fish (he marked them at $35 each not the price of $175 each) Not once but twice. Other than technical morals, is there a good reason I should fork over another $270 for their clerks mistake?

Just for FYI it was Pets Supply Plus. (The fish store that I buy from had a fire in January and has yet to reopen). And you are right, I more than likely would not have gotten both of them. I just thought it was a great deal!

I am feeling kind of guilty. When I saw what they charged me for the first fish, I honestly could not believe it since a 6" Allardi is rare in any fish store. To have two WOW! and I jumped on it. (Knowing something was not right with the price.)

Answer 1

What is boils down to: you got a great price on a mismarked item. It doesn't matter whether it was a (pair of) pet fish, a bag of potatoes, or a set of golf clubs.

I've never been in your particular situation, but I've had similar things happen to me. For example, an item is "on sale" during a given week, in a given store. The following week, the item is back to it's regular price. Somewhere in the store, a clerk neglected to remove (or update) the "sale" sign, and when you bring the item to the cashier, it rings-up at full price. You point the mistake out to the cashier, and he/she calls a manager. The manager goes to the shelf spot where you found the item, sees that the lower-priced sign is still there (however erroneously), and sells you the item for the discounted price.

Whether you realized what you were doing, or not, it's still the store's carelessness. You're talking about a significant amount of money, here--hundreds of dollars--and the store has to "eat" the loss. But retailers, and especially chains and franchise stores, expect a certain percentage of what they call "shrink". It's inventory loss (which translates to monetary loss), in the form of theft, clerical errors, damaged goods, etc.

If anything, you can feel good in knowing that that particular store is not likely to make the same mistake in the future.

Answer 2

This is not your problem. There is no good reason you should give them another $280. I could understand if they caught the mistake in the store the first time and asked, but you visited on two separate occasions, and they still had not found the error. They have no right to ask you for anything, or call you for that matter. (How did they know your phone number?) The employees who marked and rang up the item and are solely responsible. They must count it as a loss and move on. That's Business 101.

Answer 3

I can't think of a good reason at all. You willing paid the price advertised for the item. What more can a store ask of a customer? I can't even see why they called you personally. If you really, really value your relationship with that specific store, you might offer to pay the wholesale price for them so that the store doesn't lose money, but good grief, to ask you for 4X the price marked for their own mistake? That doesn't sound like they value the relationship very much. In my opinion and if I were the store in question I would have just chalked it up to a mistake and part of the cost of doing business. But I might have told the customer just how good of a deal they got next time they came in, just so they were really aware :)

MM

Answer 4

Absolutely not if it was one of the big box stores.They are responsible for the pricing accuracy and just because they have clerks that don't know beans from B/S,doesn't make you responsible for their failure to properly educate their personnel.Had the problem been reversed do you think they would call you and offer to give your money back? Here's a rule I use when purchasing fish"never buy a fish from some-one who can't tell you the Latin name", it looks like that might be a good rule for sellers also! Most states require retailers to sell items for the posted price,if there is an error the posted price is the selling price until it is corrected. Even if they take you to small claims court you will win.-----Enjoy your new fish.-----PeeTee -----P/S Save your receipts.

Answer 5

That's the store's fault. You are in no way responsible for the sale. The employee should be trained better and that is their fault. They can handle the loss, it was their mistake. Truthfully I have had that happen before but the store didn't call me to retrieve the missing money though. Petsmart sold me an 4" oranda for the price of the 1" orandas!

Answer 6

Definitely don't pay them. I work at a pet store and that stuff happens, but rarely. Usually it's the sale thing someone was talking about.. they'll still be marked at the sale price, and we'll change it down, no matter what!! Also someone sold a tortoise for $100 less than it was worth... We have the buyer's number, but we don't ask them to pay for it! We just avoid making the same mistake again... which this store didn't.

If they harrass you, go to the BBB. If it was just one call, you just refuse and drop it.

Answer 7

The fish store charges that much because they paid a lot for them, and they cost a lot to maintain in the shop. They've now caused themselves to lose quite a bit of money on the transaction. On your part, paying for the goods you have taken can help contribute to keeping the fish store functioning in the face of cheap-but-lousy superstore ideals, and to keep their prices as a whole from going up next year to make up for this years losses.

On a more selfish level, owning up and paying for the goods can only put you in their good books as a worthy customer worth doing favours and cutting deals for in the future.

It's funny that people make it right by laying blame somewhere else. It was the stores fault and you certainly don't have to pay. Should you, or return the fish if you can't afford it? I feel differently about that then most people apparently.

Answer 8

I don't think you are responsible to pay for them since it was the stores mistake.What would they do if the person could not afford to pay the extra money.They will probably be more diligent in the future.I understand why you feel guilty if it is a small local store but they should have caught the wrong price after you bought two of them.

Answer 9

Legally you are not responsible for the extra cash since the Fish were mispriced. If they had figured it out before you left the store you may have had to pay but once your out the door you were home free.

I personally wouldn't have a problem NOT paying the extra money. Especially since the markup in most large pet store's is outrageous.

Good for you.
E.

Answer 10

Hell no! That's their problem. Once you leave the store with their merch, it's yours if you paid for it. Tell them to bug off!

It is unlawful for a merchant to claim (after the fact) that the items sold to you are more expensive after you have paid their supposed full price for it. I would suggest contacting the BBB (better business bureau) and filing a complaint.