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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 6:17 PM
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Regarding that article: That sort of stuff is basically what Antique Roadshow relies on.


Now, am I OBLIGATED to tell someone it's worth more? No, I don't think so. The person selling should do their research. The onus is on them, the seller. Would it be nice? Sure. But I don't think it should be an obligation.


Would I say anything? Hells to the no. Does that make me a bad person? Eh.

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Blueskylaw
August 27, 2009 2:42 AM
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@pattiesmart:


A full, sealed bottle of Allsopp's Arctic Ale, from 1852, sold on Ebay for $503,300. Yes, you read that correctly.


The real kicker, is the current seller bought this bottle of beer on Ebay for.....$304 when the original seller misspelled the name Allsopps and wondered why not many people were bidding on the bottle.


This Arctic Ale was formulated to last through an arctic expedition to search for a lost explorer, Sir John Franklin. This is the oldest known sealed bottle of beer in the world. 2 bottles of this were sent to the US about 100 years ago, and this is one of those 2 bottles.


Sir Edward Belcher was about to led an arctic expedition (1852) to search for the lost explorer Sir John Franklin. The Expedition needed a brew that would withstand arctic and sub arctic temperatures, and provide a degree of sustenance and nutritious value. \"Captain Belcher reported that Allsopp's Arctic Ale proved to be \"a valuable antiscorbutic\", helping fight off scurvy, the bane of all sea voyages in those days.\" He added that the beer was \"a great blessing to us, particularly for our sick\" and that it refused to freeze until the temperature dropped well below zero.\"


Now the dilemma is, do you point out the spelling mistake or do you buy the bottle for $304 Dollars knowing what a great rarity it is and change your life forever from the proceeds of someone elses mistake?

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clickable
August 28, 2009 4:52 PM
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@Blueskylaw: There used to be - maybe still is, although I don't know where - a search engine specifically structured to help find misspelled items on eBay.


I've found a few bargains in my favorite area - much, much, much cheaper than the ale you described - by plugging in a very vague description rather than a specific description, counting on sellers who might not even know the brand name of their item. For example, I'd search for a \"square scarf\" rather than \"Hermes silk,\" hoping to find sellers who had a Hermes silk but didn't even do enough research before putting up their auction to know that basic fact.


That's an extreme example (most people with Hermes scarves to sell have a pretty good idea of what they're selling), and hidden treasures are harder to find, but they are still there. I definitely and very strongly feel the onus is on the seller or retailer to know the value of his product. If he doesn't care enough to do the research to know he has a valuable item, he damn well deserves to be fleeced and I deserve to laugh all the way home with my lovely new, cheap-yet-valuable widget.


I do *tons* of research before heading into the marketplace, online or IRL, as much as I feel is necessary depending on the purchase. I see no reason at all to give the merchant a break if they didn't do their homework as well as I did. I wouldn't throw their ignorance in their face, though, because it's nothing personal between me and the merchant. I'm just happy I got my item at a great price, I don't care one way or another about the merchant.*


*Notwithstanding when it's a product that requires an ongoing relationship, like a car or an appliance where you may have to deal with the merchant again. Then different factors come into play.

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wiggatron
August 26, 2009 6:38 PM
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@pattiesmart: I feel like that ideology shouldn't apply to retail. Different context, different \"rules\".

Although I must admit, I'm pretty sure I've abused the system before to get an insane deal on a mis-marked item.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 7:00 PM
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@wiggatron: Well, I'm certainly FAR less inclined to tell a retail store that they are selling something below market value. I might be more likely to tell someone at a yard sale. But I probably wouldn't say anything. It really still is up to them to do the research.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 6:23 PM
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@pattiesmart: In fact, if I knew what the real value was, I'd buy it at the cheap value, and sell it. *shrug*

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bloggerX
August 26, 2009 6:17 PM
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In these current economic times, who wouldn't choose option 1?

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Tzepish
August 26, 2009 6:49 PM
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@bloggerX: In these current economic times, why wouldn't you choose option 2? The seller probably can't afford to be burned on a price mistake.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 7:00 PM
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@Tzepish: The seller should know what they are selling.

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Sudonum
August 26, 2009 7:44 PM
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@pattiesmart: What about a situation like this; you go to the grocery store and bag up some veggies, take them to the check out and the clerk punches in the wrong code and undercharges you. Do you point out the fact that you are purchasing leeks and not celery, or take advantage of the clerks ignorance of produce?

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 8:18 PM
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@Sudonum: Yeah, that's different. If I noticed, I'd say something (even if I'm still not necessarily obligated to).


There is a difference between a seller activley pricing a product at a much lower price than \"market value\", and a random clerk at a grocery store making a glaring error.

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Tzepish
August 26, 2009 9:48 PM
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@Tzepish: I was assuming \"the seller\" in this example is just another regular person on the other end of a transaction - not a big retailer. If it's a retailer, it's hard to know whether something is priced too low or if it's simply a sale or something. If it's a mistake, though, the ethical thing to do is to purchase at the intended price, not the accidental lower price.

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Garbanzo
August 26, 2009 7:55 PM
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@Sudonum: In that situation the ethical thing to do is to tell them. That is a totally different situation from the one in the post.

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tbax929
August 26, 2009 7:23 PM
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@pattiesmart:
I agree; I'd be much more inclined to divulge the error to someone I know than I would be to divulge the error to a retailer.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 7:35 PM
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@tbax929: Besides, the chance of me knowing it's underprices is slim, as is the chance of me knowing the \"correct\" price.

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angelofstrange
August 26, 2009 6:22 PM
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I would so not tell >.>

But I'm cheap...

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Mknzybsofh
August 26, 2009 6:25 PM
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No. I would not speak up, unless it was a friend or relative.

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bwcbwc
August 27, 2009 7:50 PM
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@Mknzybsofh: Or in the remote chance the seller was actually a \"good corporate citizen\".

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mbd
August 26, 2009 6:26 PM
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It is always the sellers responsibility to determine the value of an item. It is never the buyers responsibility.

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EricLecarde
August 26, 2009 8:16 PM
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@mbd: One mans trash is another mans treasure.


To me an Optimus Prime Bobblehead may only be worth 10 bucks, but to a collector, it may be worth a hundred. We all have a price.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 7:01 PM
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@mbd: This. I could see a PERSONAL ethical dilemma, and I have no problem with someone choosing to speak up, but the fact remains that it should never been an obligation, and if I don't speak up even if I know, it's still the fault of the seller for not doing their research.

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shadowkahn
August 26, 2009 6:27 PM
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it has nothing to do with the economic times. The seller wants to sell it at that price. They will walk away happy with that price. If it's a price I'm willing to pay, then there is no ethical problem with paying it.

Oftentimes sellers reduce the price below value on purpose. I bought a car worth about 4 times what I paid for it because the lady selling it didn't want to screw around and just wanted to get it out of the driveway. That wasn't unethical. I wasn't morally obligated to give her bluebook when she wasn't interested in getting bluebook in the first place.

It's up to the seller to decide what price he wants for the item. As long as you aren't switching price tags, you're doing nothing wrong.

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wrjohnston19283
August 27, 2009 12:18 AM
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@shadowkahn:

it has nothing to do with the economic times

It actually might - some sellers might be pricing items low to move items quickly to raise cash. They might be $1,000 next month vs $500 this week, but if a bill is due, they might not be able to wait till next month.

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Mecharine
August 26, 2009 6:28 PM
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I would keep my mouth shut.

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Slusy
August 26, 2009 6:28 PM
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I think it depends on the store. If it's a local mom and pop type store, I'd probably say something. If it's a big chain, I'm taking the discount; they've probably made it back from me somewhere along the line anyway, and they have the staff and computers to keep those types of mistakes from happening in the first place.

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pb5000
August 26, 2009 7:58 PM
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@Slusy: I disagree, the ownership of the store shouldn't negate the responsibility of properly pricing an item. I

t's the sellers responsibility to properly price an item, not the buyers, regardless of \"who/what\" the seller is.

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formatc
August 26, 2009 7:03 PM
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@Slusy: they've probably made it back from me somewhere along the line anyway

That's the point I'd argue. You imply you didn't see the error, but you assume it's there. If you saw the error, that they charged you more than they should have, would you say something? Would you expect them to correct it? Most people would, and I'd say you should give the business the same courtesy in the opposite scenario, too, regardless of who you're buying from.

That said, I do handle it differently when paying for food or drinks. If I'm at a bar or restaurant, and I notice something was missing from my bill, I leave whatever is missing as part of the tip. My friends and I would tip nearly 100% at our old college haunt because the bartenders would forget to charge us for drinks.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 7:06 PM
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@formatc: \"My friends and I would tip nearly 100% at our old college haunt because the bartenders would forget to charge us for drinks. \"


What. That is a really bad bartender.

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formatc
August 26, 2009 8:15 PM
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@pattiesmart: One specific night I remember the bill was $80 for 5 of us, and we were all drinking $10 beers all night. Including tip we left about $140.

On a related note, that bartender was fired recently for stealing from the till. So you're probably right, in a way.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 8:20 PM
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@formatc: Hahaha, okay, I suspected something fishing. A free drink here and there is good practice. Never charging drinks is not.

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mac-phisto
August 26, 2009 8:10 PM
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@pattiesmart: a really good bar manager gives her bartenders a certain allowance for comped drinks. this breeds return customers & can be used to generate more sales (the psychology behind it is that a customer will often feel obligated to buy at least one more round).

bartenders typically have control over who gets their comps for the nite, though you're not really supposed to spend them all on one person/group. so, i'd argue that this particular bartender is only a bad one if they were spending all their comps on formatc.

we frequent one local establishment precisely b/c of this practice. rarely do we get out the door without at least one free round. we tip accordingly & return often, so i guess the strategy works.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 8:19 PM
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@mac-phisto: \"a really good bar manager gives her bartenders a certain allowance for comped drinks. \"


Well...yes. But there's a difference between that and always forgetting to charge the drinks as the OP implied.

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Cant_stop_the_rock
August 26, 2009 6:40 PM
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@Slusy:

I figured it wouldn't be too long before someone gave this response. I don't agree with this attitude, but it seems very common.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
August 26, 2009 8:10 PM
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@pattiesmart: I would like some clarification, too. The onus of correct pricing is on the seller, not the customer. How am I to know that the price marked is the wrong one? From what I understood at the record store, state law mandated that we must let the item go for the lowest marked price, even if it was due to our mistake.

There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of lower pricing due to a mistake on the seller's part.

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pattiesmart
August 26, 2009 8:21 PM
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@RecordStoreToughGuy_Has$240WorthOfPuddin': \" From what I understood at the record store, state law mandated that we must let the item go for the lowest marked price, even if it was due to our mistake\"


See, that's what I understood too.

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HiPwr
August 26, 2009 6:28 PM
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Pay what's on the price tag.

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h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes
August 26, 2009 6:30 PM
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I am a sucker. If the seller was particularly kind, or for whatever reason struck a chord with me, I'd take them aside and let them know. (Take heed, little old ladies, I am helpless against your powers.)

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Mina_da_mad_child
August 26, 2009 9:04 PM
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@h3llc4t: You just made me feel really bad because I recently bought something off of eBay that I knew was greatly under priced. The seller was selling 2 Samsonite rolling backpacks for $100 total. As i was pricing out backpacks for my trip to Europe, I know that 1 of them retailed at about $200.

I'm pretty sure his son didn't know he was selling them since they were only used once and I'm certain the father had no idea that the luggage was so valuable. I didn't say anything and happily won the auction. Now I'm feeling a little guilty. But I have to say they are awesome and were perfect for my adventure.

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treimel
August 27, 2009 1:05 AM
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@Mina_da_mad_child:

Well, don't feel too bad: I'd love to be able to get 25% retail for a lot of my used goods. I took this post to be about situations where the asking price was like 2 or 5% of the prevailing market price.

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WisconsinDadof2
August 26, 2009 6:39 PM
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@h3llc4t: Agreed - From my perspective, it would depend on the situation. At a pawn shop, or an antique store, where the presumption would be that they know their business, I'd buy it without comment. A garage sale and a rare item, I may let them know, since they may not have any idea of the true value (e.g. an antiques roadshow moment) - seems like the few bucks is offset by the good karma. Although if we're talking thousands, or the seller is a jerk, I may just contradict myself.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
August 26, 2009 7:36 PM
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@WisconsinDadof2: I generally agree. And I see a difference between paying $20 for a $50 item at a garage sale, and paying $2 for a $100 item at a garage sale. I'd be more inclined to point out the latter, whereas the former seems like a reasonable \"yard sale\" markdown. But I assume that a pawn shop, etc., knows its business.

I remarked to an antique store owner once that his embroideries seemed marked very low (as I was buying a gorgeous one for way under market) and he shrugged and said they got them thrown in in \"lots\" from estate sales and there was hardly any market for them locally, so marking it up from \"free\" (what he paid) to \"$5\" what I paid was plenty of profit for him, and he didn't want to make the effort to seek out dealers for it, since it wasn't what he specialized in.

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treimel
August 26, 2009 6:45 PM
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@WisconsinDadof2:


I'm with you guys--it's the seller's problem generally, but if we're talkning about a garage sale, or other presumably un-sophisticated seller (or just a really nice one), then I'd tell. It fits in with my overall attitude to the problem: the buyer is under no duty to disclose his knowledge, but it's certainly a nice thing to do.

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Shadowman615
August 26, 2009 6:31 PM
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Caveat venditor.

The Buyer's job is to find the best price available. It is up to the seller to price something appropriately. Would a seller turn down a overly high bid for a low-priced item? I doubt it.

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Zclyh3
August 26, 2009 6:31 PM
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It's not the responsibility of the buyer to inform the seller of their mistake. A deal is a deal.

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Jacquilynne
August 26, 2009 6:33 PM
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I think it depends on how the price got to be so low. If it's an antique dealer who should know better but didn't do the research, then that's their loss. If it's someone who is selling off their possessions in a garage sale because they're out of work, you'd have to be a heartless bastard to take advantage. Everything in the middle is grey area.

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danieltarbuck
August 26, 2009 6:34 PM
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How many stores go out of there way to tell you that the price of something you bought has gone down? Even if they have a price protection policy, they'll never notify you when you can use it.

No need to give the seller the advantage in the transaction.

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lockdog
August 27, 2009 2:36 AM
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@Daniel Tarbuck: I tell customers when an item in my store will be going on sale all the time. I also will tell them how many people asked me the same question about the same item recently. Since all of my inventory is one of a kind, half the time I sell it then and there at full price, the other time I get the markdown price and 8 other customers who will never wait for an item to be marked down again.

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harvey_birdman
August 26, 2009 6:35 PM
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It depends on the situation. Factors that would affect my decision include - the % of mark down, the ethical behaviour of the seller, my need for the item, the actual inherent value of the item, and the amount of money in my pocket at the time of purchase.

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cabjf
August 26, 2009 6:37 PM
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Let's just remember that greed is what got us into this financial mess. Greed is also the motivation to keeping your mouth shut about the error.

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MostlyHarmless
August 26, 2009 6:37 PM
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I would let the seller know if it was a small business or someone was selling something on craigslist (did do it once).

If someone like Best Buy did it.. I probably wont.

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ihatephonecompanies
August 26, 2009 6:38 PM
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I think it depends on why the price is low. If the seller made a mistake, say, and left a 0 off the end, that's different from knowingly selling it at a discount. In the former case, I would point it out and give a chance to reprice, but in the latter, no.

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DefineStatutory
August 26, 2009 6:39 PM
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The very nature of commerce is that the seller and buyer must agree to a price for a sale to occur. If the seller and buyer agree to a price, and the goods sell for that price, it was an acceptable circumstance to both parties.


Now, what happens if you have a continuing relationship with the seller? Maybe your spouse's mother offer's to sell you something that you know is far undervalued, because she sinmply doesn't know better? Do you still \"take the price and not say anything?\"


Personally I think it depends on one's own ethical compass. There's right and wrong, even as a buyer.

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diasdiem
August 26, 2009 6:40 PM
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People mark a price low because they don't know what it's really worth, or they just want to get rid of it. In either case, it's a price that they are satisfied with. I don't feel guilty of taking advantage of this.

Of course, if you want to be a dick, you can buy it from them cheap, and yell at them what it's really worth as you drive away.

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Cant_stop_the_rock
August 26, 2009 6:42 PM
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I would tell the seller if I think there is a price mistake. I wouldn't feel right taking advantage of it without knowing if it was an intentional discount, and I don't need money so badly that I need to take advantage of other people's mistakes.

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mac-phisto
August 26, 2009 6:44 PM
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if both sides agree to the transaction, it's a fair price. period. i don't care if it's a porsche for $1. wouldn't be the first time something was underpriced - half of new england was sold to the puritans for some blankets, a few muskets & wampum. should we give it back?

i love this part in the story:

\"Do you know that you could sell this for $100?\"

My mom was right. There are two listed on eBay right now. One doesn't have any bids but it's starting at $25. Another is Buy It Now and the seller is asking $200.

can someone explain to me exactly how mom is right? sounds to me like the trinket isn't even selling for $25.

i learned this important lesson early on from my father: \"it's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.\" if i'm willing to pay $5 & you're willing to sell it for $5, then guess what? it's worth $5.

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Scoobatz
August 26, 2009 7:40 PM
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@mac-phisto: This is especially true in real estate. Some people can't understand why the list prices of houses currently on the market cannot be used as comps.

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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*
August 26, 2009 6:46 PM
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it depends on the item, and depends on how drastic the price difference is - if i'm in target and see cough drops for $0.10/bag, with the orange clearance tag, i'm likely to assume that it's properly priced, say nothing, and buy a bunch. but if i see a laptop for $5, i'll probably pick up one and try to purchase it, but won't whine if/when it rings up differently at the register and the manager refuses to sell it for $5.

I guess i won't bring it to the attention of the store, but i won't complain if they refuse to sell it to me at that price

(this only applies to big box stores, not small shops where the owner is actually the one working the register)

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knyghtryda
August 26, 2009 6:46 PM
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When it comes to haggling stuff I'm very take no prisoners. I take no quarter and expect none in return, and thus no, I will not notify anyone of a pricing \"mistake\" like this. It is the seller's responsibility for pricing it correctly, and it is the buyer's responsibility to determine whether that price is worthwhile. Now, the only time when I would break this rule is if I was buying something from family or a close friend. At that point other obligations take precedence over a good deal.

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grithfang
August 26, 2009 6:47 PM
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I am not OBLIGATED . . . It is not LEGALLY required . . . these are the excuses of the morally corrupt.

To these people I say, may your critical health care needs be regretfully denied and may your arbitration always be mandatory.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
August 26, 2009 8:24 PM
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@grithfang: Well, I am not OBLIGATED, nor is it LEGALLY required to pay four dollars over prices marked on items at the grocery store, so I guess since I quietly pay what the store is asking for it makes me morally corrupt.

I kindly invite you to die in a fire, sir.

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henneko
August 26, 2009 11:03 PM
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@RecordStoreToughGuy_Has$240WorthOfPuddin': There's a difference between knowingly taking advantage of someone else's mistake and paying $4 more just because.

The only difference between this and you paying D-cell prices for a AA battery wearing a D-cell costume is which side of the transaction knows they're ripping off the other side.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
August 27, 2009 3:46 PM
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In the context of this example, there is no difference. When I pick an item off the shelf, I assume that the seller has priced the item correctly. Girthfang's argument is based solely on the idea that people who choose not to do things because they are not obligated to do so, or legally required to do so are morally bankrupt, and is quite a stupid conclusion to make. My point is that by his logic, anyone who pays the price marked on an item, mistake or not, is morally bankrupt, because they could pay more if they wanted to, but do not because they are not obligated or legally required to.

I am pointing out a logical fallacy, not taking sides on the issue.

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Dr. Eirik
August 26, 2009 6:48 PM
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I actually argued with a clerk once at Lowes. I was buying a fireplace surround, which came in three separately priced boxes. She kept trying to scan a bar code that I assume was a shipping tag from their own warehouse, and ignoring the large UPC next to it. I told her, three times, she had the wrong code. She scowled at me in a manner that said, \"I know how to do my job.\" and finished ringing me up.

I left with a $40 item not charged on my receipt. I didn't go back to correct it again.

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Scoobatz
August 26, 2009 6:49 PM
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I place everything into two buckets --


1) the situation where the seller has intention of selling something at one price, but the item scans at a lower one.


2) everything else


Regarding the first point, I would feel a moral obligation to point out the error to the seller. Before I walked up to the register, I had full intention of purchasing the item at the price they were attempting to sell it at. I would not feel right taking advantage of the seller in this situation.


Regarding the second point, the seller used whatever method they felt appropriate to come up with this price, or they wouldn't feel comfortable selling it in the first place. I don't think there's any obligation on my end to question the price if it's something I'm willing to pay.

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yevarechecha
August 26, 2009 9:52 PM
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@Scoobatz: But then there can be issues with #1, too. I wanted to buy a DVD at Best Buy. I looked at it on their website and it was $17. I went to the store and the price tag said $38, on that box as well as on all similar ones (it was a popular TV show with many seasons). I grumbled for a bit but finally decided I was willing to pay $38, since that's what TV seasons of popular shows usually go for. I took it to the register. It rang up as $17. I said nothing and left with my DVD. Was the website wrong? Were all those price tags wrong? I don't feel too much guilt over ripping off Best Buy, so I wasn't going to point out the price tag, but it was confusing.

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floraposte
August 26, 2009 7:12 PM
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@Scoobatz: That's roughly where I am too, and in the first I consider myself obligated to pay the real price, not the scan price; the second, it's my call as to what I do, and it'll depend on the situation. It's not like my judgment on price is infallible, after all, I'm just thinking I'd probably have to pay more elsewhere (I've never had the Antiques Roadshow moment where you find something selling for 1% of its value, though). I have mentioned it with services sometimes, when people starting out are undervaluing their labor, because I want them to stay in business.

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Outrun1986
August 26, 2009 6:50 PM
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The ideal situation is if the seller and the buyer are mutually happy with the price regardless if the price is the true value of the item. The seller is getting paid and the buyer is getting something they want. As long as your not doing something totally dirty like paying with counterfeit funds then I see no problem with this selling arrangement. Some sellers might be happy with a lower price because the item is used or not in perfect condition. Another seller might be happy because they are finally getting rid of the item even if they aren't getting the price the item normally commands.

You often have to go to extraordinary means to get the full value of your item. Some people just want to be rid of it and don't want to bother selling it on ebay or going to a local auction house and sitting there all day and waiting for your item to sell. Or going through one of the other means of selling an item. So even if you informed them, it might not do any good because they just don't care. People have different reasons for wanting to get rid of items.

This of course applies to goods sold out of a retail setting. I probably wouldn't point out an error at a retail store anyways because well, they certainly aren't going to bend over backwards for me. If you have an error such as an item ringing up for a lower price than expected 99% of stores will let you have it for what it rings up at. In fact there are laws in place in some states that say that the store has to give you an item for the lower price if it rings up lower than the tag. Now if it was a mom and pop that I frequent and am known at it would be a different situation.

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eccsame
August 26, 2009 6:51 PM
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I would buy it at the cheap price and then immediately tell them how they just got screwed. That little lesson would undoubtedly make them more careful in the future, and help them out more than just telling them that they made a mistake. Or they would get angry and cry. Either way, I win.

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almightytora
August 26, 2009 7:02 PM
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I would definitely be quiet until I left store. Companies mark up prices up high enough as it is, they won't lose money on one (or a few mistakes) like that.

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LightningUsagi
August 26, 2009 7:03 PM
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I've done a little of each, but it all depends on the circumstances. But reading the blogger's story reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine years ago. He was at a video game store and saw a lady trying to trade in some games for her son. The clerk was offering next to nothing for what she had, and Brandon stepped in and advised her that she should sell them herself on eBay where she could get much more. For his help, she offered him one of the games which turned out to be an unreleased game for the NES. So not only did he keep a stranger from being ripped off, he got a priceless item in return. Sometime it pays to be honest. Here's an article about it.


[www.nesplayer.com]

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YouDidWhatNow?
August 26, 2009 7:19 PM
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My wife and I had one really remarkable instance of this once...


The pet store by us (I think it was a PetSmart) used to carry horse stuff...and then one day they decided they wanted to get out of the horse business, and discounted all the horse stuff to clear it out. We went several times as they went through a few rounds of deeper and deeper discounts getting rid of stuff...


...then, we walked in at the end of the thing to see what was left. They had a bunch of odds and ends left that we threw in the cart for like 80% off or so. And then we found a couple 1-gallon jugs of a VERY pricey joint supplement. I mean, at full retail, that stuff was probably like $150 a gallon. They were priced at a penny each.


My wife and I kind of looked at each other, then looked around to see if we were getting Punk'd or something...and put the 2 jugs in our cart and headed to the checkout.


We figured if the checkout clerk was concerned about it, well, they can decide if they wanted to re-price them or not, and we could decide whether we still wanted them or not. He rang through all the stuff, and looked at the jugs rather contemplatively - then just said \"well, that's a pretty good deal, huh?\" and rang them up.


I guess since it was a clearance sale, maybe we didn't feel quite as guilty. If it wasn't such a sale, I think either or both of us probably would have said something before just taking them to checkout. But of all the sweet deals I've ever gotten, that's the one that I think maybe I should feel a little guilty about...

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YouDidWhatNow?
August 27, 2009 1:32 AM
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@YouDidWhatNow?:


I guess I should have added that I was kind of thinking in the back of my head that there might have just been some fed-up lacky who got the crappy task of re-labeling all the horse stuff - AGAIN - and just decided to be a dick and label 2 $150 items at $0.01.


...and then the cashier just simply didn't care, because it wasn't his problem. In the back of my head, I'm imagining some manager blowing a forehead vein screaming at somebody for selling those things for a penny.

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Scoobatz
August 26, 2009 8:39 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: Again, what you've described is the backbone of garage sales.


Case in point. I bought a foyer rug for $300 and used it in my house for a year until my wife decided it was already time to redecorate. We never use our front door, and mostly enter the house through the garage. I would have to say the rug was almost in brand new condition by the time we were done using it.


Fast forward two years, and I realize the rug is still in our basement storage room and we have no intention of using it again. The store that sold us that rug still has it in their catalouge for the same price.


One day, I decided I just didn't want to store it anymore and I didn't want to put any serious effort into trying to sell it. So, we had a garage sale and I sold it for $20. I got more satisfaction from getting the thing out of my house then getting most of my money back. Perhaps, the buyer was a wise shopper and realized they were getting a great deal and, perhaps, even thought there were getting away with something. But, I agreed on that price. I came to my own conclusion about what it should sell for. And, I don't feel the least bit taken advantage of.


I certainly don't think the buyer should feel any guilt for paying the price I asked for.

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Outrun1986
August 26, 2009 8:14 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: I definitely wouldn't feel guilty about this, the retailer was probably trying to clear out 2 large and heavy items that were taking up a lot of space. The item likely isn't selling well in your area. If you didn't buy it, the items would have likely gone to the trash bin and become destroyed. They were probably happy to have it gone because since you bought it they don't have to deal with disposing of it.

I wouldn't feel guilty about any instance of this at a retail store, as I stated above there are states that have laws where they have to give you the item for the price it rings up for regardless if the item is priced lower than the sticker price. If the retailer screws up and you catch it and get the item for a lower price, more power to you.

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mac-phisto
August 26, 2009 8:03 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: could've been a mistake, but likely not. when i was in retail, if an item was left over from clearance - we threw it away! we even had to bash all the items to make them unusable before we threw them in the trash.

i have a friend that's an inventory manager at a local best buy - you'd shudder if you heard some of the stories about what they were throwing in their dumpsters.

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Scoobatz
August 26, 2009 8:02 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: I don't understand why you would have a guilty conscience over this. Did the store mark the item that cheap by accident? Probably not. They reached a point where they don't want to maintain the inventory anymore. The store determined there's more value for them in getting rid of these items than making a profit off them.


This is no different then the clothing industry. Stores like The Gap, Express, etc. sell shirts for $60, then mark them down to $4 at the end of the season to clear inventory. Could the shirt potentially still be worth $60? Sure.


Am I supposed to tell the cashier that I just bought a similar shirt a few months ago for much more money -- and they're not charging me enough?

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JollyJumjuck
August 26, 2009 7:38 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: PetSmart is out of business AFAIK. Maybe because of their pricing strategies?

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pecan 3.14159265
August 26, 2009 8:10 PM
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@JollyJumjuck: All the Petsmarts around me are still open and thriving.

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schernoff
August 26, 2009 7:46 PM
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@JollyJumjuck: Lots of PetSmarts still in business up here in CT. Maybe just the one near you closed.

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treimel
August 26, 2009 7:29 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?:


Don't feel guilty--clearance is what it sounds like. Your 2 pennies cleared it; well done.

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jbrecken
August 26, 2009 7:19 PM
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There's a con that works on this principle, where the victim thinks they're getting the better of someone offering some valuable item at a bargain price, when actually it's a fake.

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Outrun1986
August 26, 2009 8:09 PM
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@jbrecken: Or they tell you \"its worth X on ebay\" and when you get home and look it up you find out that they either sold you a fake or a worthless piece of junk. Its kind of a way to target ebay sellers at their own game. Some sellers are so greedy that they will fall for it. If you are an ebay seller you should be sticking to whatever product category you know to avoid this scam.

I've had people try it on me at yard sales, so now when someone says \"oh its worth x on ebay, your getting an incredible deal\", \"oh this item is a collectible, its worth way more than what I am selling it for\" I automatically write the item off as junk and don't buy it. Unless I really do know the item is worth something on ebay, but even that is subjective at points because items fluctuate in value over the years. The economy is also messing with it, certain items have gone down in value in recent years while other items have become hot sellers.

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lehrdude
August 26, 2009 7:22 PM
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I might feel bad about not saying anything, but when is the last time you were in a store or at a yard sale buying something and the seller stopped you and said, \"Listen, I wasn't going to say anything, but that thing you are buying is really a piece of crap that I paid almost nothing for. Besides that, you can get it on e-Bay for half the price.\"???

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milkcake
August 26, 2009 7:23 PM
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Crazy? I just buy it. My friend is all over Craigslist on daily basis to buy stuff at cheapest price. He got IPod Touch for $70. Sometimes he just turns over for profit. I use one of the alert websites to get posts right away too. (Matter of fact, consumerist featured a website that does that couple of days ago.) I almost stopped buying electronics as new. There are tons of people out there willing to shell out at great prices. Of course there are tons of people like me trying to pick up those items.

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Eels
August 26, 2009 7:29 PM
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I like to think that the more we ourselves do the right thing, the more we are rewarded, and the more likely other people are to follow our example.

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AirIntake
August 26, 2009 7:31 PM
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If it was a big chain store, screw them, I'll buy the lower priced one even if I know it's a mistake. If it's a mom & pop store, I'd let them know they mislabeled something.

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LupusGray
August 26, 2009 7:43 PM
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Saving money and being ethical can work together. For example, since I've stopped shopping at Whole Foods due to their unethical attacks on healthcare reform, I've saved TONS of money.

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JollyJumjuck
August 26, 2009 7:46 PM
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I was in my local Best Buy recently. On the website the Western Digital 2 Tb external drives were listed at $350. In store they were $300. I did mention it to the sales clerk, who shrugged and said, \"Well, I guess you're getting a deal, then!\"
Now if something was priced ridiculously low (such as the recent online $9.99 Samsung HDTV online from Best Buy) which is the result of an advertising/printing error, I wouldn't even have the nerve to insist on the advertised price.
On the other hand, some places have \"all sales final\" or \"no refunds.\" If that were the case, I would have no ethical problem with taking advantage of a pricing mistake. After all, if I buy an item and it's broken, it's probably my fault for not checking it over thoroughly. So I would feel the same logic would have to apply to the seller.

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morlo
August 26, 2009 9:57 PM
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@JollyJumjuck: 300 is not a good deal anyway. You need to find a price mistake to make up for it

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pecan 3.14159265
August 26, 2009 8:10 PM
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@JollyJumjuck: Best Buy the store is a completely separate divison of Best Buy the website. Prices on the website do not have to be reflected in the s tore and vice versa.

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schernoff
August 26, 2009 7:52 PM
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Just ran into this one. I was looking for a new color laser printer for home use. Opened up the 3-month-old Staples catalog and found one that looked great, just over $100. Same price was on their website. Plus I had some coupons, and there was a rebate, so the printer came out costing me about $40. But checking the manufacturer's website, I found that list was over $300. Oops. Not my fault Staples didn't price their stuff right - and obviously had it wrong for a long time, if the catalog could go to print, get mailed, and sit around my house for 3 months without anyone there noticing they were selling it for 1/3 of list.
Went back to their website later the same day, and they'd bumped their price back to $300. I'm still not quite sure if that was a coincidence, or we were the first ones to buy it at that price which triggered a check (unlikely).

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Outrun1986
August 26, 2009 8:22 PM
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@schernoff: Again, I wouldn't feel bad about this. Its not like you called them and demanded the lower price or compensation for the fact that they deceived you. They also have the right to cancel your order if they don't want to sell it for that price, this happens with many online stores that make pricing mistakes. Its also technology, technology depreciates very fast in value. I've bought many things where the original list was much higher than the price I paid, its not unusual at all with technology.

Its quite possible that they were sitting on a load of these printers that they wanted gone so they decided to sell it at a low price for a limited time, I have seen this happen quite a bit and its called a sale. Again its technology and it depreciates fast, it wouldn't be good for them to sit on 500 printers that they might not sell for a year because by then they would have to sell them for $25 each since that's all they would be worth. Better to put them on special now for $100 each and get rid of some of the excess inventory. They might be ok with sitting on a small amount of them for $300 each but if its not moving there is your reason for the price cut.

Gamestop recently discounted many Nintendo video games down to $20, these games sell regularly for $50 each and usually don't get price cuts. I went into the store and bought my desired game for $20 no problem. The next day the price was bumped back up to $50. I don't feel guilty at all because it was a sale.

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rhodies
August 26, 2009 8:04 PM
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. . . and on the other hand, if it is so marked down at an extremely low price and at the check out counter (COSTCO in this example) the $65 display item rings up for $174, - BOOM, the register attendant sent out to have the display checked and I got the $174 CD recorder for $65 (and a thanks to boot). I noticed that the correct price was quickly changed, but I went home with a super good deal with no negative quips from the seller. Hmmmmm, another reason to like COSTCO vs Sam's Club.

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humphrmi
August 26, 2009 8:04 PM
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When I was a teenager, my stepmother had a '60's Chevy Impala convertible that her previous husband had purchased new, and gave to her in their divorce agreement.


After sitting in my dad's garage for years, she finally decided to sell it. This was in the '80's, it was already considered a classic.


Since it had no blue book value at the time, she listed it in the paper for around $200 and ended up taking the first offer for around $150. Before she sold it, all of my brothers and I tried to change her mind, impressing on her how valuable it was. But she wouldn't have any of our logic - she just wanted it out of the garage. And someone got a steal. We nearly cried as we watched the grinning buyer drive off with it.


The point of my sad story is that sometimes the value of a severely underpriced item is more than what you get in cash. My stepmother had plans for the garage, and the car sitting there was keeping her from them. She didn't want to spend another month or two waiting for the right buyer at a higher price. She wanted her garage back.

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Cantras
August 26, 2009 8:09 PM
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I think I was told once that if you're actually an expert in the relevant field, you can get in trouble for *not* telling them.
Not sure what exactly they'd tag you with or how they'd determine what an expert was, but I'd take it to mean that if the antiques roadshow guys bought gramma's curio cabinet for $5 and turned around and sold it for $2000 (and they knew when they got it that it was rare/antique and said nothing) they'd be in trouble.
High BS potential on that \"fact,\" though.

For me, it'd probably depend on the seller and whether this person was a nice person or a douche, and on the value of the item.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
August 26, 2009 8:34 PM
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@Cantras: That sounds like it would shut down dealers who do exactly that. One would assume they would be quite knowledgeable in what the items would actually be worth, and a great many of them do indeed hit yard sales, flea markets, and auctions buying items from people who have no idea what they're worth.

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korazair
August 26, 2009 8:15 PM
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If it was the pawn shop the story mentions I would not inform them unless it was an obvious pricing mistake like the decimal point in the wrong place. The pawn shop is in the business of buying and selling stuff and the price they have marked is price they paid + profit so if I can get it on the cheap for me than so be it.

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Vandelay Import Export
August 26, 2009 8:19 PM
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Isn't price determined by what someone is willing to accept for it and what someone else is willing to pay for it? No ethical dilemma here.

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partyone
August 26, 2009 8:24 PM
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All I have to say is Caveat venditor.

We have all been used to Caveat emptor.

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styloroc
August 26, 2009 8:44 PM
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I will nearly always keep quiet on a good deal -- with the exception of artwork -- if I feel the art is worth more than the going price, I will pay a little more. Many of my artist friends, especially given the current economic climate, have been forced to lower the price of the work to ridiculously low prices -- I find it really unethical to pay at cost, $40, for a painting that took took more than 6 hours to create (about minimum wage).

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2 replies
August 26, 2009 9:12 PM
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FTP (from the post): \"But what if the seller has made a mistake due to error or simple lack of knowledge? Should the potential buyer be obligated out of sheer courtesy and good will to bring this to the seller's attention?\"

IMO, no.
Especially if the seller is/was attempting to cut corners and shave costs by hiring inept employees, or not properly training them. *cough*CircuitCity*cough*

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StanTheManDean
August 26, 2009 9:12 PM
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I have always believed what goes around comes around, if you go out of your way to screw over somebody else then pay back is bound to be a bitch.


Therefore, I have always notified the seller of their mistake. IF they choose to rectify the situation then I will pay the rightful (higher) price. In a few instances the seller has choosen to reward my honesty by selling the item to me for the incorrect (low) price and correcting the price for all subsequent customers.


Most of \"big\" mistakes have been price versus quantity issues. A good example was folding office chairs advertised for $xx per chair. The store had cases of 4 chairs stacked up for ease of bulk purchase. The merchant's computer system applied the per chair price as the case price. When brought to the clerk and then the manager's attention, the manager was quick to correct the situation. I paid the individual price for 4 cases of chairs (16 total chairs for the price of 4 chairs). What a great buy! Then about 2 weeks later I received a 50% off coupon from corporate for any one item I wanted to buy from standard store stock... even sale items. I used the coupon on a riding lawn mower.


I guess honesty does pay off once in a while.

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morlo
August 26, 2009 10:04 PM
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Since 99% of the time products are priced too high in relation to their production costs/relative value, I would have no scruples about buying under-priced items. Can't think of an opportunity for putting to use such amorality, since online retailers always catch such mistakes

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AndroidHumanoid
August 26, 2009 11:10 PM
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Oh please! My mouth would stay shut! I once bought a Coach purse at a BX on an Air Force base in Las Vegas.. it was 50% off, and I guess the cashier thought she had to manually put in the discount...I got double the discount..so I got my purse for $66!!!!!!!! Better believe I kept my mouth shut!! (Couldnt keep from smiling though!)

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MikeVx
August 26, 2009 11:46 PM
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One time I was buying some laser discs at Media Play, and they had a buy one get one half off sale. The cashier interpreted this as buy one, get the rest of your order half off. I tried to tell her that it didn't work that way, she insisted. I only make one correction attempt in these cases.

I have taken to using the logic that if the item is correctly identified by the scanner, I have stumbled on an unadvertised sale. This is due largely due to being told exactly that the first several times I pointed out a perceived discrepancy. During the great Media Play flame out sale (when they went out of business) I had several instances of DVDs ringing up lower than I expected them to. I just attributed that to prices dropping faster than the shelf tags could be updated.

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strathmeyer
August 27, 2009 12:04 AM
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Buying an underpriced item could be unethical??? What happens when I buy and overpriced item???

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farmerjeanh
August 27, 2009 1:53 AM
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OK, I'm a sucker.I told a little old lady what her (died in Vietnam) son's
1963 Gibson Firebird was worth. Not the $20 price tag she had on it at the yard sale....

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BytheSea
August 27, 2009 2:48 AM
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You don't know why the buyer has priced it low, and people don't generally take well unsolicited advice from strangers. Mind your own business and buy the item.

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