Dishonestly somehow finds a way to kick you right in the butt at the worst times... I would always work the system as far as i can work it into my favor, but when the balance works too far in your favor in a way that you know you technically 'stole' its time to put your good boy shoes on and return it...

This really isn't clear to me: did they give him a loaner while they were trying to fix the one they eventually gave him the credit for? When did he get the extra XBOX? When they tried to give him a credit or an XBOX beyond what they had originally given him that's when it's time to say something and go with what the rep says.

I would return it. Worst case, they take it back and you feel good about yourself for being honest. Best case, they let you keep the refurb anyway, legitimately.

I say keep it because it's Best Buy, they've easily caused $400 worth of trouble among Consumerist readers so do it for us.

If it was any smaller store I'd give it back. If Amazon I'd say try to reconcile it, but you'd probably just end up with even more extra cash in your pocket.

Ugh. Personally, I'd give it back. Sure Best Buy has screwed people. But we need to get away from the idea that one wrong excuses another. I think a lot of things would get better in this country if everyone tried to make better decisions. I know many will disagree with me, but that's what I'd advise.

And on a totally different level, they may discover your error and bill you at a time when something important, like rent or healthcare, is due. Or just straight up send you to collections. Not worth it.

Toys for tots.

@Zerkaboid: Holy cow, I can't believe I'm saying this but...I hate BB more than I do Walmart, especially after hearing how they treat customers. Normally, I'd say he should march himself back to the store and return the loot, however, I'm finding myself leaning towards him keeping it.

(off to say a Hail Mary as penance...)

@Karita: Very well said. No matter the circumstance, 2 wrongs does not make a right. Give it back.

Is your integrity only worth 400?

If you didn't pay for it, it is stealing.

I'd give it back, there's no guarantee they won't realize their mistake and come after you for the money or the xbox. Granted, them being a large inept corporation, I'd say unlikely, but you might be screwed down the line.

Just because Best Buy is a horrible company doesn't mean someone should be dishonest with them. I would give whatever back that they gave me by accident. That 360 could have been destined for someone else and could have been given to him in error.

I once gave back an HP desktop Circuit City unknowingly gave me and wish I had kept it. No harm, no foul.

My integrity is worth more than a Xbox 360.

Hmm what to do what to do KEEP IT.

Best Buy is evil.

@Oranges w/ Cheese wants it to be winter already: Rights and wrongs are purely subjective. They gave it to him, he can keep it.

@JRock: Exactly. I had a similar issue with Amazon once a few years back. I ordered a book, they sent me a DVD box set. I called them and asked how we fix it. "No problem sir, the book will be on the way to you, and in your hands tomorrow. Just keep the DVDs. It's going to cost us more in shipping and time figuring out how to get it back into inventory than it's actually cost us in the first place."

And that was a CS supervisor who told me that. Unfortunately, it wasn't a set of DVDs I wanted, so I just sold them on eBay...

I'd offer to give it back. Chances are their systems are so screwy that you'll get to keep it anyway.

Keep it! And consider it a payment for something Best Buy will screw you out of in the future.

Give it back, karma is a bitch anyway.

Anyway, you loose nothing and in the best case they will let you keep the xbox. Also, we must not forget that if this is an human error, somebody somewhere will pay for it.

@HomerSampson: I second this. It's not worth the guilt you feel. And if you don't feel guilt, you should probably check your code of ethics. I mistakenly did this a while ago, and I do feel a pang of guilt over it.

Depending on local laws, you can keep stuff that is sent to you if you didn't order it.

This stops companies from sending you goods (providing services) and then charging you whatever they like, as though you agreed to a contract. Indeed if they do this, and you don't complain, your actions would signal that you did agree.

So the correct course of action is to contact the sender and offer to send back the X-box at their expense.

They might pay the money to have it sent back. They might let you keep the X-box. But it is their choice, their property.

If you already feel weird about it, chances are you always will. Playing that Xbox will never seem quite right. Return it, plz.

Yeah, I'd look into giving it back, but I would want to be assured that:

1) It wouldn't go into the trunk of a Best Buy employee/manager's car ("Hey! Free Xbox!")

2) That they would not try to refund me on the return. That would be too much temptation.

Why did he accept the replacement XBox? They had already issued him a $400 store credit, so why was he there to pick up a replacement console?

It seems to me that there isn't really a "mistake" here - if Best Buy had its wires crossed and didn't realize it had already issued $400 in store credit, why didn't the OP say so?

It isn't like Best Buy shipped a replacement unit to his house - he went to the store, and they handed it to him. There's no quandry - he could have just explained what the store already did for him. Why he chose to accept the XBox, and then have a "moral dilemma" is something very intriguing to me.

I think that, if you wanted to feel good about yourself, you can call them and see if they'll send you a return box to send it back to them. I wouldn't extend my time or services to "fix" their mistake.

However, having had several Xbox consoles die on me, I would be very tempted to keep it as a back up. I hate not being able to play my own games because of faulty hardware issues. So, you could morally look at it this way too.

@rocketbear79: Two wrongs don't make a right. Best Buy made a mistake in giving him a refurb. He made a mistake in accepting it. Giving it to charity doesn't mean that his mistake is okay.

You gotta give it back for 2 reasons:

* it's the right thing to do
* there's a good chance they'll find out and come for their $400 at a time you might not have the money.

@consumerfan: Unfortunately, this doesn't apply. According to the article, he picked it up - they didn't send it to him.

I file this under unconscionable mistake.

Give them a shot to correct the issue. If they don't care (which is possible), then you've done your due diligence.

My guts says you go to Best Buy, ask to speak to someone with "Manager" in his/her title, and let that person know what happened. Bring proof of both the refund and the replacement with you, and have the manager initial and date them. If (s)he's daft enough to not get what you're trying to say, then, well, too bad at that point.

@pecan 3.14159265: As much as I agree with not "stealing", he could keep it as a spare Xbox given his trouble with the systems already.

If many people start gaming the system, BestBuy won't be as generous with their warranties in the future. Therefore, he should at least attempt to give it back. Since BB is often staffed by incompetent people they probably won't be able to figure out how to take it back.

@pecan 3.14159265: Who said anything about trying to make a right? I just typed: "Toys for tots."

@Radi0logy: PURELY subjective. But you've been around here quite some time Radi0logy, you should know that 90% of comments on here are typed by the fingers of living saints.

Did they credit him before or after he took the Xbox home?

I would probably try to solve the situation with them.. I wouldn't feel right about keeping the Xbox and the money. One or the other. Not both.

@HomerSampson: Considering Best Buy resold clients information without client's authorization, and profited. I'd say keep the extra Xbox and donate it (or sell and donate money). This is Best Buy's bad karma, not user's...

Go return it, but don't have the xbox on you though. Leave it in the car or something. No point on walking into a store with a console that you might not even be able to return.

@Floobtronics: There a huge difference in Amazon's and Best Buy's business practices. Best Buy purchased Canadian "Future Shop'', got rid of all old employees, and converted it in a Best Buy's clone. (Often, in Canada, you see a Future Shop, just across a Best Buy.) Best Buy lies to its customer's (Oh! no commissions! But if ''Jimmy'' does not sell that service plan, then he'll get fired), and its employees.

For once, sell this ''extra'' Xbox and do some good with the money. Donate it to a charity. Best Buy does not deserve it.

Can you tell me exactly (steps, timing..etc) how you got yourself into this dilemma :)

OK, I WAS JUST KIDDING....RETURN IT!!

@Candle.Jack: Now, honestly, how can you--

Send an email to corporate describing the circumstances and offer to send it back to them if they provide a shipping label since going to the store to fix their error would be an inconvenience. Probably 50/50 as to if they actually want it back.

You know, with all the complaining about companies screwing the consumers over, wouldn't it be hypocritical if the consumer screws over the company? I believe that maintaining integrity and upholding good ethics is important. As much as it probably sucks, I would say, give the 360 back.

@JRock: the odds are good that if you walked into a best buy and told them they gave you the xbox by mistake, one of the employees would simply take it back, click a few keys and take the xbox home with them.

If they don't have your credit card info, sell it and buy a bunch of smaller toys and give them away to charity this year.

I have to say I'm a bit confused as to what exactly occured by the story. But I'll use my understand of the the OP's description, which was that he got another XBOX and received store credit, meaning he's duped Best Buy out of several hundred dollars.

That said, the OP already knows the right thing to do here, but wants support for doing what he's already done-stealing, albeit because of the incompetence of their employees, their sales/support systems, or both.

Best Buy or not, this is stealing, and its not okay. Its not okay no matter how shabbiliy the last cashier treated you, or how stupid the last salesman you spoke to was, or....

C-

@Incredulous1:
Bingo. I wouldn't have any sort of moral dilemma about this. Give the thing back.

@El_Red: What? Where does it say they resold his info without his consent?

Personally I'd return it rather than have the specter of them realizing their mistake and sending an invoice for it. You know that if it does happen, it'll probably show up at the worst possible moment.

Then again, I'd have never have bought the thing at best buy in the first place.

My daddy always said, "If you're gonna steal, steal big."

This ain't big enuf...

@HomerSampson:

Amen to that. Stealing is wrong no matter who does it. Two wrongs don't make a right etc.....

@Floobtronics: For about four months sometime ago, Barnes and Noble online kept sending me someone else's things. It wasn't even someone who lived in my state. For some reason, the stuff just kept getting diverted. I got a book and two CDs. Every time, I called B&N to tell them what had happened, and all of the CSRs seemed puzzled as to why I was calling them about it. One, I didn't want other people's things to show up at my home and two, I didn't want to keep merchandise that wasn't mine. Even after they were aware of the problem, I think all of the CSRs were puzzled at my insistence that I send the items back to B&N.

dont lower yourself to their level. I've returned items for much less that ended up in the bottom of the stroller or my child put in the cart and i didnt notice until i got to the car. Or I simply walked out without putting it on the belt. yes, they're evil, yes they're greedy but dont be like them. If you keep it you're no better IMO