Dilemma - Is this really so odd?

[ChristyACB]

Hope you all will answer a hypothetical.

Let's say you're in a thrift store and you see something that is clearly valuable, unrecognized and is priced at about 1% of it's price. 5% of the resale price for a used one. It works fine and it is the finest of it's kind.

Let's say it is worth 250 bucks new and this working used one you would probably value at resale for 50 bucks and count it cheap on Craig's list. It has got a 2 buck tag on it.

You have 20 bucks that you can spend at the most before you hurt your budget.

Now, let's assume you're not destitute and getting this won't save your life, but you do want it and it is a useful tool. The thrift shop is for charity and staffed by volunteers mostly.

When you look around, you see that almost every commodity ever sold is in there and your item has been placed with other counter-top appliances like cheap coffee makers and toasters, so you know they simply don't know it's worth.

First Part:

What do you do?

1) Do you take the super cheap 2 dollar price and run, counting their loss as your gain?
2) Do you tell them this is terribly under-priced and how much you have seen them on sale for other places used but tell them you really can only part with 20 bucks because that is truthfully what you have to spend and take your chances?

Second Part:

What is your line in the sand for when a good deal becomes and immoral steal?

Is it when the widow selling her husband's things because she can't afford her home has a first edition book worth hundreds in the dollar bin? Is it when the garage sale person has a rare and very valuable antique farm implement in the quarter bin? Is it never?

The reason I ask is because I asked someone in another thread if they couldn't see their way clear to going and paying the shop a bit more for just such a thing and I got jumped on big time. I realize I'm pretty rigid in my moral code but another co-worker (also military) said "no way. It isn't honorable" too so I have to wonder, is it just me?

[farmergirl]

I'd buy the prized item for the $2, but at the checkout mention how low the prices are. Something like, "Wow. I'm gonna have to stop in more often! I saw this exact same "xyz" at goodwill for $25.
No reason not to take advantage of a lucky find, especially when it's on a donated item.

[MoonRiver]

Originally Posted by ChristyACB

1) Do you take the super cheap 2 dollar price and run, counting their loss as your gain?
2) Do you tell them this is terribly under-priced and how much you have seen them on sale for other places used but tell them you really can only part with 20 bucks because that is truthfully what you have to spend and take your chances?

I think I would buy it for $2 and then make a small donation.

What is your line in the sand for when a good deal becomes and immoral steal?

I think the idea of garage sales, estate sales, thrift shops, etc. is to try to find that one in a million purchase. Unless I knew the person personally, I would simply buy it at the price they were asking and not say a word about it.

If I told them the picture or book was worth much more than they were asking, would they give me anything in compensation for telling them? In most cases, no.

[RideBarefoot]

hmmm, perhaps after you pay for your purchase ask if you can donate an additional sum to the charity?

ETA: oops, MoonRiver and I on same wavelength...

[seedspreader]

A store owner has bought something at a price and then prices it to sell at a profit. They won't be out anything. In fact, I am sure that the owners of second hand stores know that they sell things that they may not know the worth of.

The issue with the widow is a bit different. I would tell her that she had an item worth xx.xx amount and that I was willing to give her xx.xx amount if she wanted. Then it would be her choice to pursue more or not.

I don't concern myself if I buy something from walmart and they are selling it at a loss.

Of course, I've sold stuff at flea markets for a LONG time and know that I have sold stuff for below what it was worth after seeing how delighted someone was to get it at the price I asked. If I made money, why should I be concerned with how much he or she makes on it?

99% of the time, my theory is that if people are selling anything it's their duty to price the item ..a "thing" is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. Don't know what it is before you sell it? That's not my problem..the 1% is for the unique situation i.e a cancer patient fund raiser yard sale..no way could I talk myself into giving less than the full value .

I have tons of antique books..some cannot be researched for price because they're just too old and not well-known..so if I had a yard sale and put a price of $25 on one and watched the news the next day, hearing all about how a rare medical book worth 1/2 million was sold at a yard sale for $25..I'd not feel cheated..Murphy's Law..LOL

[pancho]

What if you were in the same thrift store and saw an item you had been looking everywhere for. Lets say the item was worth $100 and the price marked on was $50. That would be half price for something you had been looking for.
You bought the item and took it home really looking forward to using the item.
When you got home and plugged in your find it didn't work. When you examined the item you saw the insides, motor and controls, had been destroyed and placed back to make it look like almost new.
Would you take the item back and demand your money back?

[ChristyACB]

I suppose the premise of my post was that it was a thrift store...for a charity, which deals in donated goods and is staffed by volunteers sort of ditches the idea of buying loss leaders at walmart.

I really am surprised at some of the answers both in the other thread and here.

In a way, it sort of makes me feel better about a bunch of stuff though. I'll stick with my moral code. These answers won't change that. One just knows when something is right or wrong and I guess it's different for everyone.

To me, that is taking advantage of the charitable gift of others and the inability of any person to know the value of every commodity that makes it's way through the donations.

[ChristyACB]

Originally Posted by pancho

What if you were in the same thrift store and saw an item you had been looking everywhere for. Lets say the item was worth $100 and the price marked on was $50. That would be half price for something you had been looking for.
You bought the item and took it home really looking forward to using the item.
When you got home and plugged in your find it didn't work. When you examined the item you saw the insides, motor and controls, had been destroyed and placed back to make it look like almost new.
Would you take the item back and demand your money back?

No. I always examine and test them first before buying.

[ChristyACB]

Originally Posted by seedspreader

A store owner has bought something at a price and then prices it to sell at a profit. They won't be out anything. In fact, I am sure that the owners of second hand stores know that they sell things that they may not know the worth of.

The issue with the widow is a bit different. I would tell her that she had an item worth xx.xx amount and that I was willing to give her xx.xx amount if she wanted. Then it would be her choice to pursue more or not.

I don't concern myself if I buy something from walmart and they are selling it at a loss.

Of course, I've sold stuff at flea markets for a LONG time and know that I have sold stuff for below what it was worth after seeing how delighted someone was to get it at the price I asked. If I made money, why should I be concerned with how much he or she makes on it?

I guess I wasn't clear enough. Charity thrift store, volunteer staff and they sell donated items. Not in the business of profit for pockets.

[pancho]

Originally Posted by ChristyACB

No. I always examine and test them first before buying.

So it would be your mistake if you didn't test the item?

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by ChristyACB

I suppose the premise of my post was that it was a thrift store...for a charity, which deals in donated goods and is staffed by volunteers sort of ditches the idea of buying loss leaders at walmart.

I really am surprised at some of the answers both in the other thread and here.

In a way, it sort of makes me feel better about a bunch of stuff though. I'll stick with my moral code. These answers won't change that. One just knows when something is right or wrong and I guess it's different for everyone.

To me, that is taking advantage of the charitable gift of others and the inability of any person to know the value of every commodity that makes it's way through the donations.

LOL, there have been a hundred threads with almost EXACTLY this same premise posted on this site in the last decade... almost without exception the original poster has used them to reaffirm their "moral code".

In fact, I posted my response knowing that this was such a post.

One of the scenarios almost always involves a widow selling things to keep her home.

Let me ask you a question now.

You are driving through the countryside looking for a piece of land to homestead. You find a piece of land that you like. It's got timber on it, and you know you can harvest it for three times the cost of the land. What do you do?

Furthermore, you buy the piece of land and the day after you discover a chest of Spanish doubloons. Do you give it to the previous owner? The owner BEFORE them? The owner before THAT owner?

What if it's marcellus shale and you know you can profit from it?

Furthermore, is the original owner responsible if you LOSE money or don't get the value of what you buy?

If you're looking to affirm your "moral code" you should probably do it without comparing it to everyone else and their standard... There can only be one perfect standard, and no one posting on these threads is it.

Jesus told this parable:
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

[willow_girl]

Well, I guess that answers the question, "WWJD?"

[Common Tator]

I have gotten a few stellar deals at thrift stores before, and been incredibly pleased with them.

The thrift store didn't pay a penny for the item. I don't know about you, but over the years I have given thrift stores far more free merchandise than I have bought. They make money on my donations as well as my purchases, so I don't feel bad if I get a good deal on an item.

[texican]

Anything valuable, or known to have value, never makes it out on the shelves... the low paid staff put it in their vehicles and carry it home. One of my sisters worked at a sheltered workshop, that had a thrift store attached, and she grew disenchanted with the staff after a week. Can't imagine ALL thriftie clerks are so predatory, but...

If I find a first edition (or a valuable) book in the bookroom at the library, I put it in my bag and pay either 50c or a buck, or 3$ for a bag. My cousin is accession librarian, and before a new supervisor took over, I had access to her room (apparently I took too much of her time...) She'd get truckloads of books coming in during estate sales, and would scan the books for the library's needs.... the rest go in the book sale room.

At times, they get overwhelmed, and the sale room is 'jammed'... and she just calls and says come get these books. I've gotten hundreds of expensive books. Have sold some books for them on ebay (sets of first editions, etc.) and gave them the proceeds... have worked on their computers, on their building, etc.... so I feel no pangs at bringing home a book worth 100$. Cousin knows the relative values... they just can't staff a room, charging more for some books than others.

If I go to a thrift store and tell them an item they have available to go in a bag for $3 is worth 50, they say lucky you! Bag sales > everything goes.

WWJD? Don't know... Saw him in a grocery store at 2 AM one night, in Fairbanks, but never in a thrift store.

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by willow_girl

Well, I guess that answers the question, "WWJD?"

************************************************** ******
Since he already "owns" that field in the parable, as well as the land surrounding
it and every hill, valley, lake, stream, ocean........and ALL that this world and
the rest of the universe contains......well, the answer is lost on you.


Now back to the O.P. regarding your question #1.... What do you do?

1) Do you take the super cheap 2 dollar price and run, counting their loss as your gain?

Are you planning on using the item yourself, give as a gift to a friend, neighbor
or widow who can't afford it??? Or are you planning on taking it home and putting it
on eBay or Craigslist to make a quick profit? It doesn't really matter, as you'll note,
because you NOW have a different set of 'moral dilemmas' to concern yourself with.

2) Do you tell them this is terribly under-priced and how much you have seen them on sale
for other places used but tell them you really can only part with 20 bucks because that is
truthfully what you have to spend and take your chances?

Only if you really aren't planning on purchasing the item for a friend, neighbor,
or widow and also have NO PLANS on buying the item making a quick profit on
reselling the item.......if you just want to pass on your 'wisdom' and expertise,
as a favor to the store......GREAT; however, be prepared the next time
you go into the store, that they may have done nothing on changing the price or
it is priced so high that NO ONE would buy it. It is their prerogative to place
whatever value on it that they choose.


Regarding Question #2 - Since Seedspreader has already addressed that part and put
forth reasoning far better than I possibly could, I'll differ to his expertise. Besides,
you've already made up your own mind; why should it be clouded with 'doubts'?

[willow_girl]

This news report seems timely:

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – A trove of old glass negatives bought at a garage sale for $45 has been authenticated as the lost work of Ansel Adams and worth at least $200 million, an attorney for the owner said Tuesday, but the iconic photographer's representatives dismissed the claim as a fraud and said they're worthless.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_ansel_adams_lost_work

[seedspreader]

Yeah, it's an interesting time to live to see how the courts rule on these issues. I think the idea of "intellectual property" is relatively recent and related DIRECTLY to the technology that makes such property a marketable commodity.

To then see the new(er) technology (like Youtube, smart phones, etc) then bust open the last few decades idea of intellectual property is even more intriguing.

[Dandish]

Originally Posted by texican

Anything valuable, or known to have value, never makes it out on the shelves... the low paid staff put it in their vehicles and carry it home. One of my sisters worked at a sheltered workshop, that had a thrift store attached, and she grew disenchanted with the staff after a week. Can't imagine ALL thriftie clerks are so predatory, but...

If I find a first edition (or a valuable) book in the bookroom at the library, I put it in my bag and pay either 50c or a buck, or 3$ for a bag. My cousin is accession librarian, and before a new supervisor took over, I had access to her room (apparently I took too much of her time...) She'd get truckloads of books coming in during estate sales, and would scan the books for the library's needs.... the rest go in the book sale room.

At times, they get overwhelmed, and the sale room is 'jammed'... and she just calls and says come get these books. I've gotten hundreds of expensive books. Have sold some books for them on ebay (sets of first editions, etc.) and gave them the proceeds... have worked on their computers, on their building, etc.... so I feel no pangs at bringing home a book worth 100$. Cousin knows the relative values... they just can't staff a room, charging more for some books than others.

If I go to a thrift store and tell them an item they have available to go in a bag for $3 is worth 50, they say lucky you! Bag sales > everything goes.

WWJD? Don't know... Saw him in a grocery store at 2 AM one night, in Fairbanks, but never in a thrift store.

LOL - Fairbanks?

[chamoisee]

I think the ethical thing to do would be to tell the store owners what it is worth, or to make an additional donation above and beyond what the price tag says, assuming you have the $ and this is not a sorely, desperately needed item.

On the other hand, I remember seeing a lovely pair of Doc Marten shoes I wanted at Goodwill. They had a $50 price tag. I am not kidding. I mean, it is a thrift store, for crying out loud!!