Warning: Check you bill and change in minimarkets

[chiang mai]

Why don't you add up your bills on the calculator that comes free with the mobile phone so that you know what it should be and if you give a big note to pay for it it isn't hard to know what change should come back. If it is short then quietly ask the cashier to check it again and if it wrong the second time then get them to run the bill against each item.

Why is it my job to make sure some dodgy cashier isn't tricking me? They work for a multinational corporation and I should feel comfortable when paying, same as I would anywhere in the west. Theft is simply not acceptable, no matter where and no matter how much the cashier makes. I guess you have never been to China. Having to watch and count your change in every single transaction is just super annoying.

The stores in Thailand are all franchises.

[wump]

Why don't you add up your bills on the calculator that comes free with the mobile phone so that you know what it should be and if you give a big note to pay for it it isn't hard to know what change should come back. If it is short then quietly ask the cashier to check it again and if it wrong the second time then get them to run the bill against each item.

Why is it my job to make sure some dodgy cashier isn't tricking me? They work for a multinational corporation and I should feel comfortable when paying, same as I would anywhere in the west. Theft is simply not acceptable, no matter where and no matter how much the cashier makes. I guess you have never been to China. Having to watch and count your change in every single transaction is just super annoying.

The stores in Thailand are all franchises.

The Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) is Thailand's largest private company and is one of world's largest conglomerates.

Please don't reply with "But some 10% are independently owned mimimimi"

This topic is about being shortchanged in minimarts, not about who owns what.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Rimmer

[chiang mai]

Why don't you add up your bills on the calculator that comes free with the mobile phone so that you know what it should be and if you give a big note to pay for it it isn't hard to know what change should come back. If it is short then quietly ask the cashier to check it again and if it wrong the second time then get them to run the bill against each item.

Why is it my job to make sure some dodgy cashier isn't tricking me? They work for a multinational corporation and I should feel comfortable when paying, same as I would anywhere in the west. Theft is simply not acceptable, no matter where and no matter how much the cashier makes. I guess you have never been to China. Having to watch and count your change in every single transaction is just super annoying.

The stores in Thailand are all franchises.

The Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) is Thailand's largest private company and is one of world's largest conglomerates.

Please don't reply with "But some 10% are independently owned mimimimi"

This topic is about being shortchanged in minimarts, not about who owns what.

"Thailand

The first store opened in 1989 on Patpong Road in Bangkok. The franchise in Thailand is the CP ALL Public Company Limited, which in turn grants franchises to operators. There are 8,334^[35] 7-Eleven stores in Thailand as of 2013, with approximately 50% located in Bangkok. Thailand has the 2nd largest number of 7-Eleven stores after Japan."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven

Edited April 2, 2016 by Rimmer
Flame removed

[wump]

I don't want to argue with you but please tell me why a franchise is any different from a store operated directly by a company? If employees repeatedly spit on pizzas in Domino's then sure head office can just revoke their licence. Same way McDonald's could shut down a store anywhere in the world if there are repeated complaints about theft and management doing nothing about it. I would think the same thing goes for the 2 Japanese convenience store chains.

Edited April 2, 2016 by wump

[chiang mai]

"tell me why a franchise is any different from a store operated directly by a company".

Enforceability and lack of close control, this aint Kansas!

Perhaps read up on Pizza Hut vs Pizza Company and/or Carlsberg Thailand, amongst others.

[1BADDAT]

I had a weird one the other day. Bought listerine and 3 red bulls (180 baht total for the red bulls). Cashier rang up the listerine only. She gave me my change. Then she got the calculator out to show me how much I owed for the red bull. She was just going to pocket the money. I told her to ring it in the register. After a few exchanges she finally did.

[chiang mai]

I had a weird one the other day. Bought listerine and 3 red bulls (180 baht total for the red bulls). Cashier rang up the listerine only. She gave me my change. Then she got the calculator out to show me how much I owed for the red bull. She was just going to pocket the money. I told her to ring it in the register. After a few exchanges she finally did.

"She was just going to pocket the money." - you presume that was the case, it's far away from being a fact, more likely something to do with a mismatch between stock control and accounting systems at the register, unless you just want to bash all things Thai, again!

[wump]

So can you tell me why in Australia you never get shown some figure in a calculator in 7-Eleven? Surely they have the same or a similar POS system? If there is a mismatch somewhere, it should be entered into the system as well. The cashier is legally obliged to hand out a VAT receipt, even in less developed countries like the Philippines you can get 2 years in prison for failing to produce one. Why should it be the customers burden if there is an issue with inventory?

[1BADDAT]

That is a pretty creative theory. By the way this exact thing has happened in the US to me. I had no idea I was a Thai basher. My biggest complaint about Thailand is the weather.

[chiang mai]

So can you tell me why in Australia you never get shown some figure in a calculator in 7-Eleven? Surely they have the same or a similar POS system? If there is a mismatch somewhere, it should be entered into the system as well. The cashier is legally obliged to hand out a VAT receipt, even in less developed countries like the Philippines you can get 2 years in prison for failing to produce one. Why should it be the customers burden if there is an issue with inventory?

"So can you tell me why in Australia you never get shown some figure in a calculator in 7-Eleven?"

Yes, because English is the native language of Australia whereas in Thailand the native language is not.

"Surely they have the same or a similar POS system?".

Possible but seriously doubtful. And don't call me Shirley!

"The cashier is legally obliged to hand out a VAT receipt, even in less developed countries like the Philippines you can get 2 years in prison for failing to produce one"

You should point this out to store staff the next time you visit, they'll be enthralled, let us know what happens.

"Why should it be the customers burden if there is an issue with inventory?"

Because this is Thailand and not that "K" place and that's the way it is.

PS: don't let any of the above stop you from trying to change things.

[wump]

Well, I can't personally change much when at the shop but I can go on and complain on some internet forums and have 1,000 people read my story. And if only 1 cashier stops with the stealing because some readers check their change and bill more carefully then change already happened

[MTH]

Only had 2 instance that I’m aware of.

Got shortchanged 100 Baht at Carrefour quite a few years ago. Didn’t take the cashier more than a second to look at my receipt and the change she’d previously handed me before she corrected her mistake, and handed me the missing 100. So either a calculated scam, quick thinking cashier, or maybe both.

Second time was at a 7/11 on beach road in Jomtien last year. Was down for Loy Kratong and had forgotten to bring a lighter so popped in to buy one.

20 Baht says the cashier without ringing it up, as I know they cost about 10, I figured I'll play along in her little game and responded that expensive!

Well she didn’t budge and told me again, 20 Baht. I said fine just give me a receipt, gave her a 20 and she handed me a receipt. However, the receipt wasn’t for a lighter but for an ice-cream or something else, don’t actually remember, either way when I pointed this out, she grudgingly scanned the lighter, gave me a receipt for 11 Baht and my 9 Baht change. She had a small stack of receipts on top of the till drawer where she pulled my first receipt from, so she was most likely running a few scams there daily.

[2fishin2]

YAWN!!! This happens all over the world cashiers give wrong change or computer rings up wrong item/incorrect price. Quit bashing Thailand as they dont hold the patent of these mistakes. Grow up people.

[billd766]

And I suppose the posters here mocking the complainers like the OP and myself are the same people that leave 100+ Baht tips in the Go-Go Bars for waitresses bringing their drinks.

Each to their own.

It gets at you or it doesn't.

It seems to me that you chose to live in a big sin filled city and pay big city prices yet complain that you are being ripped off for 2 or 3 baht a day.

Why don't you add up your bills on the calculator that comes free with the mobile phone so that you know what it should be and if you give a big note to pay for it it isn't hard to know what change should come back. If it is short then quietly ask the cashier to check it again and if it wrong the second time then get them to run the bill against each item.

As for tipping the girl who brings my drinks 100 baht if I am happy with the service then why not. Not that I have been in a go-go bar for years but I was brought up to tip if the service is good. If it isn't then I would only give a small tip and not go back to the bar again but that is my choice to do so.

No, Thailand doesn't get to me very much anymore.

So if the service isn't good you only give a small tip

Absolutely.

[wump]

Noone is bashing Thailand. The only ones who actively ruin the reputation are the <1% of dishonest cashiers!

As for "happens all over the world". I never had a cashier actively pull scams mentioned in this thread in either Europe or Oceania as these persons would be fired on the spot and other employees would speak up upon seeing it. But yes, I guess there's places where this happens more often than here

Edited April 2, 2016 by wump

[2fishin2]

Noone is bashing Thailand. The only ones who actively ruin the reputation are the <1% of dishonest cashiers!

As for "happens all over the world". I never had a cashier actively pull scams mentioned in this thread in either Europe or Oceania as these persons would be fired on the spot and other employees would speak up upon seeing it. But yes, I guess there's places where this happens more often than here

No scams, just simple mistakes. People are not fired for mistakes. And especially here in Thailand,

[shagorillaHotel]

so whats stopping you from getting a 7 cash card?

but you still got to check the receipt. sometimes they send you store wide to get specials then double ring up some product you already have while you are at the back of the store. sometimes they enter the wrong multiple for your multi purchase products. sometimes they also give you freebies this way too.

mostly 99 percent of the time they get it right. you need a magnifying glass to check the receipt. got a small plastic one. yeah aint got too much to do:)

worst ever was i bought a pack of 4 something drinks. she entered 4 then scanned the pack code not the product code. so in effect charged me for 16 (4x4 )of the individual products instead of just 4. on a cash card you dont notice the extra disappearing if your are not paying attention. caught it just outside the door. didn't lose money as took it back and they canceled the receipt and redid it.

Edited April 2, 2016 by shagorillaHotel

[uptheos]

Check your plastic spoons when buying yogurt, you're entitled to them, you've paid for them, make sure you're not plastic spoon short changed.

[1BADDAT]

YAWN!!! This happens all over the world cashiers give wrong change or computer rings up wrong item/incorrect price. Quit bashing Thailand as they dont hold the patent of these mistakes. Grow up people.

did anyone say specifically that this only happens in thailand? The Thai bashing is quite liberal by many here.

[shagorillaHotel]

Check your plastic spoons when buying yogurt, you're entitled to them, you've paid for them, make sure you're not plastic spoon short changed.

i have to pull them along with the multiple straws and spoons and forks out of the bag and put them back in the rack. i figure i have to make some concession for all the other non optional plastic pollution.

i carry thai stainless steel spoons around with me in my backpack. sometimes you cant be sure that those plastic stuff are food grade plastic. yeah in the past both straws and plastic cutlery were suspect in my book. now dont know, as i dont use it

Edited April 2, 2016 by shagorillaHotel

[shagorillaHotel]

oh cashed in all my card points the other day was about 250 baht worth of stuff that cost me nothing and would have missed at all together if i didnt have a cash card.

[wump]

Noone is bashing Thailand. The only ones who actively ruin the reputation are the <1% of dishonest cashiers!

As for "happens all over the world". I never had a cashier actively pull scams mentioned in this thread in either Europe or Oceania as these persons would be fired on the spot and other employees would speak up upon seeing it. But yes, I guess there's places where this happens more often than here

No scams, just simple mistakes. People are not fired for mistakes. And especially here in Thailand,

So me handing over 1,004 Baht when the total is 304 Baht and they cashier putting 954 as money received in the system and then quickly disappearing is not a scam? What world are you living in?

Also, how do you explain them always having the missing 50/100 Baht ready on the spot (and not having to open the till) after you count the change (they sometimes even produce the bill you while you're still counting)? You sound very naive. Mistakes my asss!

[chiang mai]

The more touristy parts of Thailand (and some of the not so touristy parts also) are littered with financial scams and short changing is one of the most common. It doesn't matter whether it's the short changing cashier in the restaurant, the extra bill in the drinks bin, failure to reset the pump at the petrol station, the BIB who solicits direct payment for an imagined driving infraction or any of the hundred or more other ways you can be relieved of your cash, you need to check everything, every time - sadly at this stage of their development you need to expect that it will happen and not view it as the exception, which is where you seem to be having difficulty with this. Thailand will punish those who are not very careful with money.

[shagorillaHotel]

was on the sleeper train and change from the sellers rolled under the adjacent seat. i motioned to leave it as there is personal belongings everywhere and legs and shoes abounding. next morning at near arrival i go to the toilet while the guy is rearranging the sleeper beds. come back and there is my 10 baht coin sitting on my seat arm rest. just an example of ordinary non tourist place thailand.

[billd766]

Several times here in rural Thailand I have walked away from a 7/11 having forgotten my change to find the cashier chasing me to give me the change. I has worked the other way as well when I forgot to pay.

Both were treated with a genuine smile that is easy to find in most non tourist areas.

[wump]

100% agree with this. People in places outside tourist traps are very honest, I would not expect to get scammed there. Even the police are nice there and let you off

[NoshowJones]

I bought three cans of coke once and only got given two straws.

Bloody scammers!

Yeah, bloody scammers, I put a one baht coin into the machine to weigh myself, the machine wasn't working, so I

went into the shop to ask for my 1 Bt back, the girl looked at me as if I was daft. but 1 Bt is 1 Bt.

[NoshowJones]

I counted the cubes in my bag of ice yesterday and there was 1 less than usual!

No there was not, it probably just melted.

[lookforzeros]

The staff in my local convenience stores are honest, helpful and friendly in spite of the drunkards that come in at 6am, mouthing off, fighting and either trying to hit on the staff or mistakenly accusing them of trying to charge them too much.

[1BADDAT]

I bought three cans of coke once and only got given two straws.

Bloody scammers!

Yeah, bloody scammers, I put a one baht coin into the machine to weigh myself, the machine wasn't working, so I

went into the shop to ask for my 1 Bt back, the girl looked at me as if I was daft. but 1 Bt is 1 Bt.

I am not surprised she looked at you this way. It is likely the person in the shop has nothing to do with weighing machine revenue collection.