What is your opinion on this situation please?

Question

I was on my lunch break at work and went into the £1 store to have a quick look round. I saw a beautiful vase during my visit and as it was so cheap, I thought I would buy it. It was glass and it was on the very top shelf and I was pretty sure if I tried to reach it, it would fall. I went to the queue, queued for about 5 mins and explained my situation to one of the staff working there. They did not speak very fluently and I had to repeat myself to them. They explained they do not have the time to get the vase for me because of the long queue. I asked them if they had anymore vases in stock and they said no. So, desperately, I walked back to the vase and grabbed it as carefully as I could. Somebody knocked into me viciously as it was just coming off the shelf and the vase fell and broke into pieces. I was asked to pay for the broken vase, which I did, but I was wondering whether it was necessary for me to pay. What are your opinions on this?

Answer 1

this is where the "lady in me" would have disappeared and I would have become raving lunatic.

But you're a better person than I.

Answer 2

seeing as you asked the shop attendent for help and he refused you had to try to get the vase yourself because you was afraid someone  might get it before you .

i would say you didnt or dont have to pay....

Answer 3

in my opinion it was quite unnesacary for you to have to pay since you askd for help. i think it was rude of them not to help you too.

Answer 4

In this instance out of principal I wouldn't have paid. I know it's just a pound but I would have put it in a charity box first. Okay the assistant perhaps couldn't leave her till but I am sure she could have buzzed for someone else. If she couldn't and they are so understaffed then those who own the store should realise these things do happen. Bet if you hadn't paid it wouldn't have gone any further.  They would have had to take you to a Small Debt Court eventually and I think the cost of doing this is around £75 which if they won you would have had to pay costs.  Listening to your story, there is also the questions of whether the item on display was accessible to the customer?  Therefore they would know little chance of getting anywhere.  This is the worse case senario but I am sure for a pound they wouldn't have done this. Wouldn't like you to have been seriously cut but would have been interesting if you had been and threatened to sue them ha! ha!

Answer 5

I think I would have asked for the manager and had a talk with him/her.  I would have pointed out the person who did not have enough time to help you out and that this was the end result.  The manager probably would have written off the broken vase so you didn't have to pay for it (even though it was so cheap), but I would even go back and say something or write a letter.  If the product had cost more than a few pennies many of us would be more likely to complain about the service if we had to pay more money for the broken object.

Wish I was there for you.  I'm very tall and have people all the time as me to get something down for them.

Answer 6

my thoughts are they could've and should've helped you since you asked for it bc that is their job! even if you didn't ask, they should've been cognitive of you needing assistance and offered before you asked. so needless to say, i definitely don't think you should've paid for it. on top of that it was actually the other persons "fault"- yes, it was an accident, but you still had to pay for it, and it was an accident.

Answer 7

the store assistant had no excuse to not assist you, and so you had to struggle to get it yourself...it was them being irresponsible, you should not have had to pay

Answer 8

No, you shouldn't have paid for the vase, you asked for help and it was refused. They shouldn't have things so high up if they're not prepared for breakages or to have staff available to help.

Answer 9

If you caused the breakage of merchandise, you are legally responsible.  I applaud your integrity.  Most everyone is looking to get something for nothing.  Odds are that you will be remembered in the store, in a good way.   That may lead to better service or deals.

Answer 10

Pity they were not as quick getting the vase for you as they were to make you pay.

They can claim this back if they want to on their insurance.  You should go back and get your money back out of principal and tell them that you are thinking about taking them to court for health and safety reasons.  i.e. you had to stretch up to reach an item that they could not be bothered to get for you.

And in so doing the vase fell on you first before it smashed on the floor and you also pulled a musle when reaching for it.

See how that grabs them.

Did they also have a sign saying that all breakages must be paid for.

Sounds to me like a miserable store and one I would not be bothered to use again.  Good luck.  If you do go back please let us know what happens.

Answer 11

I have a policy not to buy anything that is out of my reach. It is not customer friendly.

If I am in a supermarket, and it is something I need, I ask the nearest tall person to get it for me.  

I notice they spoke fluently enough to demand you pay.  I would have given them a piece of my mind and refused.

Answer 12

good heavens no, I would not have paid for the vase - neither would I patronize the store again - and I would have let them know why as well.  that's ridiculous - their customers should be more important to them than that.

Answer 13

You did the right morally. As a person who was in the business world for several years, there is an unspoken rule that if you break it you bought it. But that company probably won't be in business to long because with the economy small businesses have to provide customer service

Answer 14

h**l NO! You were kind enough not to break any more of these vases as shop staff didn't seem to bother at all to actually satisfy   a customer - you - in that matter.