Price mistake...ethics?

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nofishbob

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I was just at a Cabelas to browse at the cap and ball revolvers. One revolver did not have a tag. I am planning on buying a Walker replica, and I thought that this revolver was one, and asked the sales guy "what is the price on this Walker?"

He could not find a tag or a box. Finally, he and another guy came out of the back with a tag for an "1860 army" at $299. I am really not an expert, but I asked again, "are you sure that this is not a Walker?" They assured me that this was an "1860 army". While I stood there, they attached a tag on this revolver at $299.

I was confused. I really was not sure if this was a Walker or not. I went back to my hotel, got on the interwebs and saw that it WAS a Walker, and that it should have been priced at $399.

What would you do?

Bob
 
Buy it on the spot. I look at it as a self-regulating system. There are the chumps that buy a 20-round box of Wolf for $25, and then there are chumps who sell a $400 gun for $300. Give and take. Plus, I'm never one to shy away from a good deal when I see one.
 
nofishbob

I guess the question is would you still buy it if it were correctly marked and tagged as a Walker at $399? If so, then go back, ask to see a manager, explain the situation to them, and see what they say. Maybe they'll sell it to you for half the difference; maybe they'll honor their mistake and sell it to for $299. Or maybe they'll say your right and price it correctly at $399. In any event, the ball is in your court; it's pretty much up to you where you go from here. But I think if you're on this forum asking the question, you already know the answer.
 
it should have been priced at $399

According to who?

You are thinking to hard.

This is how I shop, I go to the store, I look at the price tag, if I want it and can afford it, I buy it. End of shopping.

How items are priced are cabelas responsibility, not yours.
 
price

Not a gun.
Couple of years ago a major retailer advertised leather jackets marked down from $250 to $150. I went, picked one out that was still marked $250 and asked the cashier to scan it too see if it was marked down.
I walked out with the jacket after ploping down $78.00.

Go back and get it.
 
There are different types of ethics. Altrusim (doing what is best for everybody) and egoism (doing what is in your best-interest) are two opposite examples.

Let's pretend you are the owner of the store. What would you want done in this situation?
 
I have ethics, maybe not the best, but i have some. Basicly, i figure it like this. If it is a huge, multi-million dollar per year operation, they can afford a loss every now and then, and, it may even help them to train their employees better. Now, if it is mom and pops shop, who is struggling for every dime, that, my freind, is a whole different ball game. If you want to keep them around, it is your obligation to let them know of their mistake.
 
You gave the employees every chance to make the correct choice. You asked the price. They gave an answer. It isn't your job to price their merchandise. You want it? Buy it.
 
Sorry, Moose - but IMO yer wrong. I don't think G*d cares how big a store is - stealing is stealing, no matter how you try to justify it - and ultimately, you will be explaining it to Him.
THAT is my guiding principle - can I explain it to the One without sin?
 
:eek:

Why bother asking?

Half the people are going to BUY BUY BUY!!! The other half is going to say shame on you.

If it was me, I would probably buy it. That’s the price they marked it, you tried to tell them differently, that’s their problem. You didn’t switch tags, take the old one off or tell them that was supposed to be a cheaper gun. THEY put the price on it, THEY said what model it was (even if they are wrong) and THEY are the ones making 7 bucks an hour, do you think they care if its marked wrong?
 
I don't think this qualifies as stealing. You told the guys what kind of gun it was. If you want to really clear your conscience, tell the manager that you suspect that it may be a different gun. If he disagrees, who are you to ask to pay more? In fact, I think it is perfectly okay to ask to pay less. (It's called haggling.)

I just go back in my mind to the open market days. We've gotten too institutionalized as to what a "fair price" is. A "fair price" to the seller is the most he/she can get. A "fair price" to a buyer is the lowest he/she can get it.

Check your motive. If it is to steal, then you've got an issue. If it is to find a bargin price, I think you're okay.
 
Sorry, Moose - but IMO yer wrong. I don't think G*d cares how big a store is - stealing is stealing, no matter how you try to justify it - and ultimately, you will be explaining it to Him.
THAT is my guiding principle - can I explain it to the One without sin?


oh boy, for all the gold in Rome.

I can't believe you equate buying an item at the posted price stealing.

Do you consider it stealing to buy gasoline that is cheaper at one gas station compared to another?

My guiding principle is economics, not fundamentalism
 
Look at it this way: if you ask him whether, had it been priced at $399 and you offered to pay $299, would he take it, he'll scratch his chin and say, "Uh ... sure thing."

Price tags in gun stores are as often erroneous in what little information they happen to contain as they are correct. Wrong caliber, wrong model, wrong MAKER sometimes. So don't sweat it, sweetie.
 
Okay, I have to weigh in on this one. It isn't stealing if you ask how much it is, they tell you and you buy it. What is one required to do? Leave a blank check to cover the difference when and if they figure it out?

I did have something even better happen recently. I buy a fair number of guns from a local dealer that doesn't have much of a selection so I transfer a lot of guns through him. I usually just throw my credit card down for the purchase. I don't usually keep reciepts for items that are not tax related and besides I am able to tract items well enough with my credit card statements.

This time, the dealer found a gun I wanted. I went in to pick it up, gave the guy my card and walked out. (We don't have to wait for approval in Wyoming if we have a permit.) I didn't even look at the amount on the slip, signed it, and walked out throwing the reciept away.

Used to what usually happens, the salesman guy only charged me for a transfer instead of the price for the gun. A pretty good deal at $30. I was out of town the next day and didn't pay attention much to my phone since it was Saturday, but that dealer and salesman guy had called me all day. So I had to go back in and pay the rest and they gave me a free box of ammo for the hassle.
 
In no way is this stealing or unethical. It is not your concern how a business prices it's merchandise, but wholly their responsibility. If they had mistakenly marked it $499 and someone bought it would the store consider it unethical or theft? Or would it be seen as an example of what the market will bear and price similar guns accordingly? That's the way a free market works and those who consistently undervalue what they sell will fail in that market. Those who consistently overpay for those goods are chumps.
 
Actually, I do preach on Sunday

If you believe they made a mistake, how would you want to be treated? For all those saying "buy it at the obviously wrong posted price", I wonder if they would still hold that view when their wife, many years down the road & now all alone in her old age, offers to sell your pre '64 model 70 for $100.00 to some opportunist? Yes, a retailer should know better--but mistakes are mistakes, and it is not appropriate to game people when they make one.
 
Y'know - that's the issue here...if I speak w/management and they confirm the tagged price, then yeah - IMO, you've done everything reasonably necessary to do the deal. In this instance, though, there's been an honest error on the part of an hourly employee that COULD come back to bite you in the tail end when the paperwork is filled out as the WRONG GUN, and it gets picked up on by someone else - or the ATF on an inspection.
 
AKElroy, I'd agree, but he TRIED to bring the mistake to their attention.

Still, reasonable point. People have gone to prison because they had a bank error in their favor, and like Uncle Pennybags on the Monopoly Chance card, they thought, "finders keepers." Nuh-uh.
 
Tex: "... filled out as the WRONG GUN ..."

An OUTSTANDING point. Make sure the paperwork is correct as to whatever details it may show. Don't worry about "Colt 1860"; it obviously isn't a real Colt or a true 1860 Model. Worry more about the "Uberti" or whichever maker and the serial number.
 
You told them it was a walker. They ran the item number and it came up as an 1860 army. That probably means they paid the 1860 army price for the thing. Buy it and if you feel bad about it just send me the $100.
 
Go back, speak with & explain the situation to the Dept. Manager. If they still insist they have it priced correctly buy it, but ask for the packaging box & see which one comes out from the backroom.....Walker or 1860 Army. Maybe someone already bought the Army thinking it was a Walker as it had the Walker's hang tag on it!
 
I would tell them I think they are wrong and if they insist that it's the correct price, buy it. If you do that, then you have brought to their attention their mistake. Frankly most larger retailers will honor what ever the marked price is in the name of keeping their customers happy. I agree with what your concern is, if it was me, I would tell them I think they are wrong. But if they insist that it's right, then I would buy and not fret over it. But good for you for pointing out their mistake, I too have a conscience and have to do what is right.

My .02
JohnnyOrygun
 
Depends on the store.
Something big like Cabela's can eat the mistake. Especially if it's a hundred bucks on a four-hundred-dollar item.

Smaller place? Pawn shop, or an independent gun store? I'd bring the price to someone's attention.
 
My wife and I own and operate a small retail store. So perhapes I can answer the "would you shaft a mom and pop store?" questions.

I would appreciate the gesture to bring the correct price to my attention, but the price marked is the price. As long as I am not losing a lot of money, I'm not going to hassle a customer for more than the marked price, I'll just go fix the remaining incorrect price tags.

If I am losing a ton of cash, I'd try to work with a customer. So far we have never had a huge price error on a very expensive item.

Back to someone else's point, I am sure we have overcharged (compared to our standard markup) someone for something. If they are willing to pay the price, everybody is happy. So pricing errors average out.

You went above and beyond by saying something. From a mom and pop store owner, buy the item guilt free and enjoy.
 
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