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An Illuminating Question - Ldy, the lemony, ligerish ducttaparian's Magic Treehouse of Lost Thoughts
A classy broad's life... with footnotes.
05:45 pm October 10th, 2008
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An Illuminating Question
OK. Let's say, theoretically, that you ordered a bike lock from Amazon.com. And theoretically, not one, but two boxes arrived on your doorstep-- one rather small and bikelockish, and the other quite large and not very likely to contain any sort of bike locking mechanism. Now, imagine that these two theoretical boxes contained the same packing slip (for precisely one bike lock) and shared the same shipping label, as well. Suppose that the smaller box contained, perhaps somewhat unsurprisingly, a bike lock, and the large box contained a $600 Epson EX50 3LCD Multimedia Projector, XGA, 2200 Lumens. What would you do?

Poll #1276392 Enquiring minds want to know
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 55

What would you do with this theoretical projector?

View Answers
Call and offer to return it, and hope someone at Amazon doesn't lose a job over the mistake.
38(71.7%)
Keep it and ebay it!
2(3.8%)
Keep it and play with it!
13(24.5%)

Other?

View Answers

I'm just wondering, is all.

I'm feeling all kinds of: curious curious
What I hear: and I've got laser eyes (not really)
14 tall tales or Tell me a story
Comments
Thread started by fcotte davydde hammehacque, esq.
czircon From: czircon Date: October 10th, 2008 09:49 pm (UTC) (permalink)
Wow, you have some honest friends.

(edit: unless they're lying about how honest they would be)

Edited at 2008-10-10 09:49 pm (UTC)
(Reply) (Thread)
ldy From: ldy Date: October 10th, 2008 10:00 pm (UTC) (permalink)
I do have some pretty honest friends! At least I know you're being honest about potentially being dishonest if a completely random and utterly theoretical situation were to occur.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
czircon From: czircon Date: October 11th, 2008 01:50 am (UTC) (permalink)

If what people are saying in other comments about it being legally yours if it's mistakenly delivered to you is true, then I double my vote. I'd send it back if they asked for it, but otherwise, I'm not going out of my way to correct their mistake for them. I guess that means I'm evil.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by Ari
From: mouseferatu Date: October 10th, 2008 09:51 pm (UTC) (permalink)
My mom always says, "Everyone has their price. But at least mine's higher than that."

Were it me? Yes, it's tempting--very tempting--but ultimately, the Epson's not mine. Someone else's mistake doesn't give me the right to it.
(Reply) (Thread)
ldy From: ldy Date: October 10th, 2008 09:57 pm (UTC) (permalink)
Yes, that's my feeling, as well. *sigh*

I mean, theoretically-speaking, of course, if such an event were to happen to me. Which I'm not saying it has. Of course.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
turdopotomus From: turdopotomus Date: October 10th, 2008 10:07 pm (UTC) (permalink)
Ask me a year ago and I would have kept it. However, I now work at an online retail store (www.tgw.com) and I hate when that stuff happens and the customer decides to make the item "disappear".
Yay for honesty!
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Comment by Lomer
lomer From: lomer Date: October 10th, 2008 10:17 pm (UTC) (permalink)
That's a rough moral question... but yeah chances are some poor guy ordered it and is freaking out because his package never came.
(Reply) (Thread)
Comment by ubiquitousadh
ubiquitousadh From: ubiquitousadh Date: October 10th, 2008 10:31 pm (UTC) (permalink)
The screen would cost too much anyways. <3 Go honesty. But yeah...I KNOW!
(Reply) (Thread)
Comment by i
i From: i Date: October 10th, 2008 10:32 pm (UTC) (permalink)
it's exactly what i want, too, but i'd feel bad, not for ebay, but for the seller/buyer of the projector.
(Reply) (Thread)
Comment by Fezziwig Fandango
bandicoot From: bandicoot Date: October 10th, 2008 10:39 pm (UTC) (permalink)
The only thing I'd add is that I would expect them to send me a prepaid return label ;)
(Reply) (Thread)
(Deleted comment)
Thread started by Eric Franklin
gamethyme From: gamethyme Date: October 11th, 2008 12:03 am (UTC) (permalink)
Something I learned working internet retail:

Legally if it's delivered to your address in your name, it's yours.

However that doesn't mean it's morally right to keep it. Amazon will (likely) issue a shipping label to cover your return shipping costs.

Also? My wife works for Amazon. She's not in shipping, but what hurts Amazon's bottom line can eventually hurt my pocketbook.
(Reply) (Thread)
From: zer0data Date: October 11th, 2008 12:45 am (UTC) (permalink)
Yes, legally, if someone screws up and delivers something to you in your name that you did not ask or pay for, it's yours.

On the other hand, I'd be checking my account to see that I didn't screw up and have the projector in my shopping cart/wishlist/whatever and inadvertently purchase it along with my bike lock. :) That "add item to cart to see price" thing WILL trip you up from time to time.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Comment by abilee30
abilee30 From: abilee30 Date: October 11th, 2008 02:17 am (UTC) (permalink)
I'd return it. Because... Well, I'm a sucker for Karma first of all, and 2nd of all, because if it gets discovered you could get in lotses of trouble for not reporting it... Or so I believe- like charged with theft kinds of trouble. And I would hate to see that happen to you.
(Reply) (Thread)
14 tall tales or Tell me a story
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