While grocery shopping I dropped a $6 carton of OJ--I didn't pay for it but got a new one!

[EasterJoy]

There is no way the store would have allowed you to pay for that.

 

[WetCatechumen]

So I was putting my groceries on the checkout conveyor belt. While retrieving my $6 carton of OJ I clumsily hit it against the cart accidentally and it fell to the ground, puncturing it.

The cashier told me to just get a new carton, which I did.

But, as I was driving home I thought that I might not have done the correct thing. Why should the store have to pay for the ruined OJ? If I had dropped the carton 10 minutes later in my kitchen, it would have been “too bad, so sad!”…

Thoughts? Comments?

(As a side note: my DDs had been begging me to buy OJ for months. I never do 'cause it’s just so dern expensive. Today I thought I’d splurge and give them a treat. Sigh!)

I did this with two gallon jugs of apple juice at a Costco and they told me the same thing. Most of these companies are actually very nice about accidents in the store. Makes me want to patronize them!

 

[StLouisCatholic]

The grocery store can write it off as a goodwill offering to their distributor and not be charged for it. All the grocery store would be charged for then is the shipping of the OJ from their distributor to their location, if they do not have a contractual agreement for free shipping.
At most, the grocery store lost 25 cents (if that). Additionally, if the store clerk told you to not worry about it, I wouldn’t.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Having been a supermarket manager, I can put your fears to rest. …

As a former low-level supermarket employee I can second all that. When first hired we were given very clear guidance on what our level of authority was. Accidental damage inside the store was never charged to a customer. It happens, never held against them. Supermarkets are competitive, in most areas shoppers have other choices- no store is going to risk losing a regular customer over a minor breakage. Hey, we’re making money off of you for years and then we’re gonna quibble over an accident? No way.

However, if you do ever drop something, they really do appreciate being notified right away so it can be cleaned up ASAP. Supermarkets are far more worried about a customer slipping and getting injured than a 4 or 5 dollar item. Prompt notification is really appreciated.

Now, the only time I did see breakages held against a customer was when kids were horsing around and broke things, after having been told to stop. They weren’t charged, but they were told their business was no longer welcome in the future.