Villa Market doesn't return customer's change in Satang, is this just common practice now?

[sicky]

I wondered if it has become common practice now, for shops not to give customers their change if the change is less than 1 Baht.  I've found at Villa Market, every time, that they round-up the change, so it's in their interests, rather than the customer's.  Is this normal elsewhere too?

 

My understanding has always been that Satang is legal tender.  Is that the case?  Some shops don't accept Satang, I recall, but what I noticed with Villa Market, is that some items are in fact priced in Satang denominations, even items that aren't charged by weight.  For example, a sandwich was marked as 41.30 Baht and appears on the receipt as 41.25 Baht.  So presumably if the argument is that Satang isn't treated as legal tender, where is the justification for them marking items priced with Satang denominations?

[scubascuba3]

My local 7-11 seems to round down the cost from 27.5 to 27, its a recent thing. Before i used to get these annoying 0.5 coins

[ricklev]

Recently my total at 7-11was 80.25  baht.  I pay with 101 baht expecting 20.75 in change.  She gives me a 20 baht note in change saying they have no satang.  She asks me if I want my one baht back.  I say yes.  She gives me 1 baht.  We were both amused.    

[sicky]

Thanks to both of you, yes I also find that 7-Eleven rounds-down in the customer's favour sometimes as scuba says. However, at Villa Market it happens as ricklev has indicated - that they aren't giving the customer his or her change in full.

 

I realise this is very small money, but it's the principle, and they're doing it every time, because they don't appear to carry Satang in the cash register at Villa Market.  As an example, my shopping total was 989.25 and instead of giving me 10.75 change for my 1,000 Baht, they only gave me 10.  You have to ask them every time and then they give you 1 Baht.  Isn't this a strange policy though?

[scubascuba3]

I suggest you save some change up and short change them, pay less, round down and if they query it say they owe you or something similar

[sicky]

Yeah sure.  I wonder if they expect 42 Baht from me, for the sandwich, or happy to receive only 41.  But if I give them 42 and then complain about the absent 0.75 change, they'll then give me 1 Baht back! LOL

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, sicky said:

Yeah sure.  I wonder if they expect 42 Baht from me, for the sandwich, or happy to receive only 41.  But if I give them 42 and then complain about the absent 0.75 change, they'll then give me 1 Baht back! LOL

Probably been told to round down, and if someone complains just give the 1 baht. Most of us will be happy not to get worthless coins. I just give them to the beggars.

[sicky]

Indeed, I'd rather the beggers receive the accumulation of all those 0.50s and 0.75s than the undoubtedly rich shareholders of Villa Market.  Let's not forget that across all the day's customers, that discrepancy is likely to be a thousand Baht or more.

 

In fact, the concept of the small denomination Satang is intended primarily to help the poor, but here we see an example at Villa Market, of them forming a policy to avoid giving it back.  Who's benefitting there -- the rich.

[bluesofa]

If only everyone would round their prices to the nearest full Baht I'm sure the satangs would eventually disappear from circulation.

Even for poorer Thais, I don't think they have that much use.

[pearciderman]

16 hours ago, sicky said:

Indeed, I'd rather the beggers receive the accumulation of all those 0.50s and 0.75s than the undoubtedly rich shareholders of Villa Market.  Let's not forget that across all the day's customers, that discrepancy is likely to be a thousand Baht or more.

 

In fact, the concept of the small denomination Satang is intended primarily to help the poor, but here we see an example at Villa Market, of them forming a policy to avoid giving it back.  Who's benefitting there -- the rich.

 

And just where did you pull that load of tripe from?

[scoutman360]

Villa always gave me my satang. Same with 7-11. You got a lazy cashier. Just stand there with your palm held out until she gets the point.

[Rodwalloper]

i remember some time ago i never received my 5 satang at a store.

 

years later i still struggle to sleep at night, its the principal of the thing.

 

It's gotten to the point i have anxiety attacks when i see money in small denominations, i have flashbacks, I often have nightmares and wake up in cold sweats.

 

The horror, The Horror.

[Issanman]

Villa Market in Udon Thani gave me my change including 25 satang just 2 days ago.

[VocalNeal]

I'll have to talk to Villa management. Have a satang jar at every cashier? If you need 25c they take it out of the jar if you are owed 25c they put it in the jar.

 

Used to work at gas stations in the US. 

 

However: If Thailand goes cashless for sure you will see satang prices on everything.

[sicky]

On 13/02/2018 at 3:36 AM, pearciderman said:

 

And just where did you pull that load of tripe from?

It's common knowledge amongst economists. For instance, looking at Britain's withdrawal of the half-penny and the pertinent arguments considered at the time, such as here... http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/1/newsid_2828000/2828819.stm

 

The article makes several cases in fact, for the small denomination having benefit for those on low-income, though notwithstanding the cost of producing the small-denonination can outweigh its value, hence finally the government's decision to withdraw it.  But yes, several points in support of it are hidden in that piece - good luck!

[sicky]

10 hours ago, Issanman said:

Villa Market in Udon Thani gave me my change including 25 satang just 2 days ago.

Yes, so it seems it's up to the manager at specific branches.  The cash register didn't contain any Satangs at Villa Market Index Hua Hin.  And it's happened repeatedly, with different cashiers at the same store.

[watcharacters]

 

 

I do not want satang, period.

 

 

 

[1BADDAT]

12 hours ago, sicky said:

It's common knowledge amongst economists. For instance, looking at Britain's withdrawal of the half-penny and the pertinent arguments considered at the time, such as here... http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/1/newsid_2828000/2828819.stm

 

The article makes several cases in fact, for the small denomination having benefit for those on low-income, though notwithstanding the cost of producing the small-denonination can outweigh its value, hence finally the government's decision to withdraw it.  But yes, several points in support of it are hidden in that piece - good luck!

Nothing in that article proves that is the reason THAILAND keeps the satang.

[Bluetongue]

Apart from appreciating the generosity of someone giving satang to beggars (which beggars belief), my explanation to all the tight <deleted> salivating at the chance of getting an extra 25 satang in their change is that in most countries the satang would be long gone but here such a change would require thought and planning that no one could be bothered with. Anyway I hope you're happy complaining about not getting your 25 satang at 7/11 so you then get extra from the cashier who no doubt has to balance the till and make up the difference out of the measly 300 baht they get paid. Well done.

[scorecard]

On 2/12/2018 at 5:10 PM, sicky said:

Thanks to both of you, yes I also find that 7-Eleven rounds-down in the customer's favour sometimes as scuba says. However, at Villa Market it happens as ricklev has indicated - that they aren't giving the customer his or her change in full.

 

I realise this is very small money, but it's the principle, and they're doing it every time, because they don't appear to carry Satang in the cash register at Villa Market.  As an example, my shopping total was 989.25 and instead of giving me 10.75 change for my 1,000 Baht, they only gave me 10.  You have to ask them every time and then they give you 1 Baht.  Isn't this a strange policy though?

 

In a similar vein quite some years back one chain of minimarts started giving candy (selected from a mixed  box by the staff and box well out of reach of customers) instead of all change which involved coins. Swap the candy for other candy in the box not allowed.

 

Big complaints came quickly and the chain was jumped on quickly, back to real change.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by scorecard

[dick dasterdly]

Makro are great in this respect.

 

I nearly always have a purse full of coins (including satangs).

 

I've never bothered to recognise the difference in satangs - and so just tip a bunch of coins in my hand for the cashier to pick out the satangs necessary and, when the cashier notices, they immediately offer to change my coins to notes.  Presumably satangs are a continuing problem at Makro!

 

A 'satang jar' is a great idea.

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, dick dasterdly said:

Makro are great in this respect.

 

I nearly always have a purse full of coins (including satangs).

 

I've never bothered to recognise the difference in satangs - and so just tip a bunch of coins in my hand for the cashier to pick out the satangs necessary and, when the cashier notices, they immediately offer to change my coins to notes.  Presumably satangs are a continuing problem at Makro!

 

A 'satang jar' is a great idea.

Yes, I save them for my son. Took over a year to save 300 Baht's worth.

Big C will change them too.

Go to a bank to change them and you have to sellotape them into (I think) 10 Baht blocks first. Then they will charge you a fee for the privilege of changing them too.

 

[pearciderman]

 

On 2/14/2018 at 7:21 PM, sicky said:

It's common knowledge amongst economists. For instance, looking at Britain's withdrawal of the half-penny and the pertinent arguments considered at the time, such as here... http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/1/newsid_2828000/2828819.stm

 

The article makes several cases in fact, for the small denomination having benefit for those on low-income, though notwithstanding the cost of producing the small-denonination can outweigh its value, hence finally the government's decision to withdraw it.  But yes, several points in support of it are hidden in that piece - good luck!

 

And yet the 1 Satang is still in use, no, not by the "poor people", by the banks in Thailand - you know, the "very rich" people. That would seem to turn your argument around totally.

 

Also, that article does not mention anywhere about small denominations being aimed at "poor" people nor does it mention any other coin than the British half pence.

 

To try and justify your case with such tripe is ridiculous.

Edited February 17, 2018 by pearciderman

[jackdd]

On 14.2.2018 at 7:21 PM, sicky said:

It's common knowledge amongst economists. For instance, looking at Britain's withdrawal of the half-penny and the pertinent arguments considered at the time, such as here... http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/1/newsid_2828000/2828819.stm

 

The article makes several cases in fact, for the small denomination having benefit for those on low-income, though notwithstanding the cost of producing the small-denonination can outweigh its value, hence finally the government's decision to withdraw it.  But yes, several points in support of it are hidden in that piece - good luck!

The author of this article just doesn't understand how capitalism works and thus makes false assumptions, and so do you.

A shop would always sell a product for as high as possible as long as the quantity it's selling doesn't go down.

So obviously when a shop currently is selling a product for let's say 9.5THB it is doing so because if it would rise the price to 10THB it would make less earnings compared to 9.5THB.

So if the current price is 9.5THB and the Satang would not be used anymore, the shops has to make a decision for every product, if lowering the price to 9THB or increasing it to 10THB would mean higher earnings. Over all products the price would most likely even out, and the customers would pay the same as before for their shopping cart.

[overherebc]

On 13/02/2018 at 8:06 PM, Rodwalloper said:

i remember some time ago i never received my 5 satang at a store.

 

years later i still struggle to sleep at night, its the principal of the thing.

 

It's gotten to the point i have anxiety attacks when i see money in small denominations, i have flashbacks, I often have nightmares and wake up in cold sweats.

 

The horror, The Horror.

As Tommy Cooper once said at a bar in London when someone took his 2/6p off the bar. 

 'It's not the principle, it's the money.'

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

As Tommy Cooper once said at a bar in London when someone took his 2/6p off the bar. 

 'It's not the principle, it's the money.'

Oh don't get me started on Tommy Cooper!

When getting out of a taxi once, he paid the fare and put something in the taxi driver's top pocket, saying, "Have a drink on me."

Later, when the taxi looked to see how much his tip was from Tommy, he discovered it was a teabag.

[sicky]

Just a brief update on this, Villa Market's principle management has indicated that the staff at the branch in question had taken it upon themselves to not give Satang coinage to customers (effectively short-changing them), since there is a genuine shortage of those coins, rather than resolve the issue properly in customers' interests.  He indicated that what happened at that branch, was not their company's policy and that he regarded what the branch staff did as "theft" - his words, not mine.

 

This sounds consistent with certain other posters' comments that they had received Satang coins from various other branches.  I wanted to put the matter straight on here, that it was due to the individual branch staff believing it was acceptable to avoid giving the full change back to customers, and not more broadly Villa Market's intention - in other words it was a lack of common-sense thinking at that branch.  He also indicated that as a result of raising it with them, they had re-priced certain items to avoid the smaller denomination.  So all's well that ends well!  Sorry I haven't read posters' comments and replied, but the above is the outcome and no doubt worth raising with them, as the matter is now resolved as it should be.

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by sicky

[juice777]

Not sure it's ever happened to me but I agree it's the principle of the thing. I used to get a bit annoyed in the UK occasionally the cashier of a chain store would say I don't have any 1ps so I would say give me a 2p then. No way I am giving a big chain store 1p of my money when they can give me 1p of there's its the principle.

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[juice777]

As Tommy Cooper once said at a bar in London when someone took his 2/6p off the bar. 
 'It's not the principle, it's the money.'

Tommy Cooper was famous for being tight. He used get out of a Taxi and slip something in the Taxi drivers hand saying have a drink on me. It felt like a few notes but it was actually a tea bag.

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[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, juice777 said:

On 17/02/2018 at 9:21 AM, overherebc said:

As Tommy Cooper once said at a bar in London when someone took his 2/6p off the bar. 
 'It's not the principle, it's the money.'

Tommy Cooper was famous for being tight. He used get out of a Taxi and slip something in the Taxi drivers hand saying have a drink on me. It felt like a few notes but it was actually a tea bag.

 

Hmmm.

If you had read the post immediately following the one you have quoted, you would have seen the exact same  story had already been posted.