# Is "U break it U bought it!" policy enforceable for accidental breakage in stores? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478 "2004-10-15T22:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/21 "2004-10-16T16:11:05Z")
Just remember to immediately fall down if you happen to knock something off the shelf, and groan a few times and hold your back when the staff assist you to your feet. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/22 "2004-10-16T16:14:19Z")
IANAL, but I would expect the customer in the store has to practice some reasonable level of care. Knocking something over while walking through the aisles is one thing, but if you’re running or twirling or flailing your arms about, that would be something different. The first is expected behavior, and the second isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/23 "2004-10-16T16:59:10Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Let’s say you’re shopping and your overcoat brushes against an expensive piece of glassware. It falls and shatters. If the store legally able to prosecute you for damages if you refuse to pay for the broken item? Did your overcoat leap off your body to assault this glassware? Let’s not mnce words – YOU knocked over the pricey glassware. IANALawyer, but I can’t imagine the answer to the question wouldn’t vary from one jurisdiction to the next. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/24 "2004-10-16T17:26:21Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > Did your overcoat leap off your body to assault this glassware? Let’s not mnce words – YOU knocked over the pricey glassware. > > IANALawyer, but I can’t imagine the answer to the question wouldn’t vary from one jurisdiction to the next. A civil court might assign differing degrees of responsibility to the parties, depending on the circumstances. You can’t assume that the shopper will always be assigned 100% of the fault for the damages. Suppose I open a glassware shop, put all of the items on open shelves, leaving very narrow aisles. Plus I mark everything up by 500% and put a “You break it, you buy it!” sign on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/25 "2004-10-16T18:46:16Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > Suppose I open a glassware shop, put all of the items on open shelves, leaving very narrow aisles. Plus I mark everything up by 500% and put a “You break it, you buy it!” sign on the wall. You would be an exceptionally shrewd businessman, assuming you also `knew’ a few judges. 😉 And, **Boyo** , have you really not been paying attention this whole time? This is obviously more complicated than you make it out to be, especially since it would be kicked into _civil_, not criminal, court. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478/26 "2004-10-16T19:02:46Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > This one got me thinking… > How about if that same overcoat scratches someone’s car in a parking lot. My fault? I think you need a new overcoat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-break-it-u-bought-it-policy-enforceable-for-accidental-breakage-in-stores/269478.md?page=1)