Question:
I bought a garment at a clothing store and after paying I asked the store owner if I could leave it for the next few hours, she agreed and took the garment, but when I returned the bag was gone, probably taken accidentally, the store owner says she told the store employee to put the bag on the side. I think I bought from her and handed her the bag and she was responsible and she didn’t have to tell the employee to keep?
Answer:
The halacha is, the store owner should not be charged by telling the employee to keep, since this is the way to deliver and keep to the household as well as to the employees.
What is more, it is necessary to find out if the employee has kept properly, and has not placed negligently in a place that can take the garment by mistake, if so the employee is charged a fee.
Sources and reasoning