give me yr opinion on ethical problem

Cloud • Apr 27, 2007 1:57 pm
So, on Mar. 6 I ordered a book from Amazon Marketplace (you know, the individual sellers through Amazon, not Amazon itself). By the end of March, it still hadn't come, so I emailed the seller, who responded, Oh, I sent it out 2 weeks ago. Hmm. After another week or two, the expected delivery date expired, I emailed the seller--no response. So I asked, and received, a refund from Amazon.

We're talking a whole $5.88 here, folks.

After I received the refund, I got the book. Postmarked 2 days AFTER the refund was processed.

So do I refund the refund? Send the book back? Am I obligated to, since the Seller actually mailed the book after he paid me back my money?
Spexxvet • Apr 27, 2007 2:01 pm
Either the money or the book does not belong to you.
Cloud • Apr 27, 2007 2:06 pm
Well, I tend to agree, and I haven't opened the book yet.

On the other hand, the Seller 1) lied to me; and 2) sent me the book on his own, knowing he had already forfeited the price.
Pie • Apr 27, 2007 2:11 pm
I had a reseller send me the wrong product. When I called him on it, he sent me the right one, and asked me to keep the wrong one. It would cost him more to process the return (also a ~$5 product).

Try calling up the seller and asking him what he'd prefer. He may want you to keep the item as a token of good will and possible future business.
:2cents:
Cloud • Apr 27, 2007 2:12 pm
ooh, cute pennies!
BigV • Apr 27, 2007 2:30 pm
SonofV lost his wallet. School id, his allowance (t'weren't much, but it was all his money), a couple of pictures and cards etc. Last seen at the grocery store a mile from the house and a mile from the school.

Crap.

Two days later, he was summoned to the office at school. Here's your wallet, son. With the pictures, id, cards *and* money.

Obligation is such a strong word. What do you think you *should* do?

Why haven't you done it yet?
Cloud • Apr 27, 2007 2:33 pm
I think I should refund the refund.

It feels right, but it feels wrong, too, since I was lied to.
Perry Winkle • Apr 27, 2007 2:47 pm
I'd say the seller is either incompetent or a fraud. I would keep the refund and keep the book. Let Amazon clean its own house. They are the ones who need to deal with this behavior and get their $5.88 back from the seller.

Either way the seller needs to learn a lesson. If he isn't penalized then you're doing a wrong by making things "right." And if he gets double penalized, well, that's his fault. Fucking-up is bad for a reason.
xoxoxoBruce • Apr 27, 2007 3:12 pm
I'm with grant in that the seller screwed up and had a chance to make amends when you contacted them. But they still ignored you until you got a refund from Amazon then they sent the book knowing what happened, with no apology or apparent remorse for your inconvenience.
Keep both.
SteveDallas • Apr 27, 2007 3:54 pm
I wouldn't bother returning either the payment or the book under these circumstances.
Clodfobble • Apr 27, 2007 6:04 pm
grant wrote:
Let Amazon clean its own house. They are the ones who need to deal with this behavior and get their $5.88 back from the seller.


I personally suspect that the whole reason the book was sent after all is because Amazon already brought a beatdown on the seller. Amazon's reputation as an honest business is worth far more than $5.88, and no doubt this bookseller's relationship with Amazon is worth more to them than the book too.
BigV • Apr 27, 2007 6:16 pm
Hmmm..

Forget Amazon and this other faceless bookseller for a minute. Naturally, being the self centered person that I am, I ask myself if I should keep both the book and the money. For me. I'd know. I may keep both, if I felt that it was fair to do so. The standard to which I hold Amazon, some stranger and myself may vary or overlap, but I can only affect my own behavior. And I cannot escape the consequences of that behavior (although in this case they do seem minor, either way).

To thine own self, be true.

That sounds pretty smart to me.
Aliantha • Apr 28, 2007 12:44 am
If Amazon gave you the refund after before the guy sent the book, then he probably IS a fraud in which case you should probably let Amazon know what's happened and see what they say.

I would send the cheque back to Amazon if I were in your place.
xoxoxoBruce • Apr 28, 2007 6:29 pm
BigV;338317 wrote:

To thine own self, be true.

You'll never make the cut as a minion.
Beestie • Apr 28, 2007 6:48 pm
Damnit. Note to self. Can't count on BigV to help out with my plan for world domination.[COLOR=DimGray] [/Plankton][/COLOR]