Sign seen in a large bookstore:

Unpaid merchandise may not be taken into the restrooms.

I can't put my finger on why this seems improper, yet it does. You pay bills, but you pay for goods. Do others feel uncomfortable with the sign's usage?

Unpurchased merchandise would be a bit more understandable. If, after buying it, the person wishes to use it as toilet paper, it's no loss to the store!

Yes, I've seen those irritating signs. First of all, you don't pay merchandise; you pay for merchandise. So at the very least "unpaid" should be replaced with "unpurchased". But "merchandise" is something that is for sale. Once you have purchased it, it ceases to be merchandise and becomes private property. Therefore, "unpurchased merchandise" is redundant. I think it would be better to say "unpurchased items".


Tinman

Or of course you could exchew the use of the passive voice altogether and say something like,
"...please to not take items from our displays into the washrooms unless you have paid for them..."

Mind you, that's probably too intelligible for the signwriters to want to use. Once they receive their degree in obfuscation they like to practise it!

Richard English