When are we obligated to pass up a great deal?

[Fortiterinre]

Did anyone see a recent edition of the EWTN show with Fr. Trigillio and Fr. Levis, I think it’s called “Web of Faith”? They had a question from a musician who bought a used musical instrument from someone, I think at a garage sale, for $100. He knew the item was actually a rare item worth $3,000 but did not speak up. Did this musical expert have a right to take advantage of the great deal, or was he obligated to tell the seller that she was undervaluing an antique? The response said that the expert was obligated “in Christian charity” to pass up the deal and inform the seller what the item was worth. I tend to disagree with this. To the seller, the item is just a dust collector that might bring in some nice extra cash; I see nothing unethical in paying the seller’s price. If the seller had somehow revealed that she was in financial distress (she was selling her favorite musical instrument to raise money for medical bills, etc) then I think there is a Christian obligation to alleviate the distress by telling the value of the item. If I even suspected that the seller was in financial distress, I think (I hope!) I would have passed up the deal and told the value of the item. But the question was pretty straightforward that the seller was merely being thrifty and cleaning out space, and I see no reason why the buyer should not be equally thrifty or savvy if you will. Any thoughts?

 

[threej_lc]

shrugs I used to be bothered by this too. Then I realized something.

“Treat others the way you would like to be treated.”

I’d like to know if I was the one selling the item. So I I’d tell the person now.

 

[MariU]

It would be tempting not to inform the seller. But I would have to inform them of the mistake in price. Otherwise it would be like stealing.

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

If I were in a thrift or resale store…I would not divulge my knowledge…these stores have people that should know this stuff…however, if I were at a private sale…such as yard, garage, estate, etc…I would feel obligated to alert the seller of the true value for the piece…it would KILL ME to do so!..but Christian charity (as I see it to be) would dictate me to do so.

 

[dream_wanderer]

Tell them. I would want to know if it were me.

dream wanderer

 

[bonica]

Last year I had a yard sale where I sold an antique couch, worth at least $600 (probably closer to $1000)…for $50. I knew it was worth a lot more but I just wanted to get rid of the thing. I had tried so many times to give it away and no one I knew wanted it. Most people mentioned that I had the couch priced too low (I had $100 on it). No one bought it until later that day finally a lady came by and asked if I’d take $50. I said “YES!” because I just wanted to get rid of it…I guess my point would be that most people who have yard sales don’t do it for the money but to get rid of stuff. It was nice to have all those people point out that the couch was worth a lot more than I put on it, but after a while it got kind of annoying having to keep saying, “I know it’s worth a lot more, I just want to get rid of it.”

And I do agree with Faithful 2 Rome, if it’s a professional it’s their responsibility to find out the value of things that they are selling.

 

[space_ghost]

Fortiterinre:

Did anyone see a recent edition of the EWTN show with Fr. Trigillio and Fr. Levis, I think it’s called “Web of Faith”? They had a question from a musician who bought a used musical instrument from someone, I think at a garage sale, for $100. He knew the item was actually a rare item worth $3,000 but did not speak up. Did this musical expert have a right to take advantage of the great deal, or was he obligated to tell the seller that she was undervaluing an antique? The response said that the expert was obligated “in Christian charity” to pass up the deal and inform the seller what the item was worth. I tend to disagree with this. To the seller, the item is just a dust collector that might bring in some nice extra cash; I see nothing unethical in paying the seller’s price. If the seller had somehow revealed that she was in financial distress (she was selling her favorite musical instrument to raise money for medical bills, etc) then I think there is a Christian obligation to alleviate the distress by telling the value of the item. If I even suspected that the seller was in financial distress, I think (I hope!) I would have passed up the deal and told the value of the item. But the question was pretty straightforward that the seller was merely being thrifty and cleaning out space, and I see no reason why the buyer should not be equally thrifty or savvy if you will. Any thoughts?

good thread and tough question… i don’t know … WWJD?

 

[Britta]

Fortiterinre:

The response said that the expert was obligated “in Christian charity” to pass up the deal and inform the seller what the item was worth. I tend to disagree with this… If I even suspected that the seller was in financial distress, I think (I hope!) I would have passed up the deal and told the value of the item. But the question was pretty straightforward that the seller was merely being thrifty and cleaning out space, and I see no reason why the buyer should not be equally thrifty or savvy if you will. Any thoughts?

I tend to agree that we, as Christians, should speak up. By doing this, we may find that the seller is aware of it already. He may not want to go through the hassle of trying to get top dollar. Or you might find that they were not aware of it and, as you said, really need the money for medical expenses.

By not saying something, we run the risk of not being fair to another because we may not really find out their situation otherwise.

If Jesus were selling the item, wouldn’t you let Him know?

 

[Marie]

I had just such a thing happen yesterday at the local nursery. I had gone to buy a hanging basket at their end of the season sale. I picked out one and a bag of potting soil plus a pot to replant one of my houseplants in. The sales clerk inadvertently did not empty the basket while checking me out and missed the ceramic pot which was not on sale. As I pushed my cart out of the store I suddenly mentally calculated that $13.96 could not possible be right. I went back into the store and checked with her and sure enough she had missed the ceramic pot which amusingly totaled $13.96. There is no way I would consider it my good fortune and the stores tough luck. It does not matter if it is a garage sale or a business. Charity and honest and following Christ demands one point out errors which cost people money and pay the fair price.

The day before, I had written a check at the grocery store for the exact amount of my purchase. The clerk got distracted, took my check and proceded to give me cash for my check. Again, I had to point out she did not owe me the money. I was paying for merchandise. It must be my week for having to give free money back.

 

[bonica]

Ok, say you’re in an antique mall…you see something you really like and you don’t know the actual value of the item, but you know that you would pay a lot more than the asking price for it. What do you do, do you take the item to the register and say, “you know I would actually pay $50 for this, even though it is marked $10.” Technically if you would be willing to pay $50 then it is actually worth at least $50.

The person selling the item has bought it for a much less price than the $10 they put on it. They are making a profit. They put $10 on it because they figured that was a price that it would sell at and they would still make a profit.

I know whereof I speak…I have sold antiques myself.

Do you see my point? We can’t walk around paranoid that we are not paying the correct value of everything. Where does it end?

But as far as not being charged for something in a store like Marie described, then yes, you should point out the error and pay for it. I recently bought some things in a store and got home and realized they didn’t charge me for a book I got. I took it back and said, “I would like to pay for this book that I wasn’t charged for earlier.” they looked at me like I was some kind of nut. They hardly new what to do! I said, “can’t you just ring it up like you would normally?”

 

[Marie]

bonica:

But as far as not being charged for something in a store like Marie described, then yes, you should point out the error and pay for it. I recently bought some things in a store and got home and realized they didn’t charge me for a book I got. I took it back and said, “I would like to pay for this book that I wasn’t charged for earlier.” they looked at me like I was some kind of nut. They hardly new what to do! I said, “can’t you just ring it up like you would normally?”

It does pose a good witness opportunity.It makes me smile when they are so amazed someone actually is honest. I think these are God incidents.

It’s a nice way to witness to the truth of the gospel by living it and gently giving a good example. Who knows? Perhaps we are planting seeds which will yields a great harvest one day in these peoples lives, long after we have passed by and dropped the small seed. At least, I like to think so.

 

[bonica]

Marie:

It does pose a good witness opportunity.It makes me smile when they are so amazed someone actually is honest. I think these are God incidents.

It’s a nice way to witness to the truth of the gospel by living it and gently giving a good example. Who knows? Perhaps we are planting seeds which will yields a great harvest one day in these peoples lives, long after we have passed by and dropped the small seed. At least, I like to think so.

Yes, I agree. It reminds me of what St. Francis of Assisi said: “Preach the gospel daily, and if necessary, use words.”

 

[Annunciata]

I would have made the seller aware…

Once a bank teller gave me back $20 more and noticed it after I left the bank…went back and she got mad at me! She said her cash drawer added up and that I must be mistaken…I knew I wasn’t. She told me to just forget about it… I put it in the “Poor Box” the next time I went to church…
So you see not everyone want’s the truth or the deal…I know I want the Truth and in good consience wlil always try to do the right thing.

 

[Fortiterinre]

Thank you for the great responses! I absolutely agree that an actual mistake–returning too much change, charging several items as one, etc–must be corrected. My local supermarket seems to delight in keeping me in the slowest line and then giving me the opportunity to practice this virtue! But this used item scenario is interesting because there is an element of risk for the buyer–he could be wrong about the higher value of the item, there might not be sufficient demand for it at the higher value, the item might fall apart as soon as he gets it home, etc. Since there is already this element of risk, layering an additional obligation to report his suspicion of the item’s value seems heavy. I still maintain that if the buyer knew the seller was in some kind of financial distress there is an obligation in charity to attempt to alleviate the distress by reporting his suspicion of the item’s value. But otherwise I think we can voluntarily enter a competitive environment like haggling over used items and use the wiles God gave us without sin. In tomorrow’s first reading from Genesis, Abraham haggles with God over the fate of Sodom in a way not too different from how we might haggle at a garage sale nowadays.