Where Saving Money and Ethics Collide

The Mighty Bargain Hunter blog presents us with a money-related ethical dilemma: what do (should) you do when someone has priced an item way too low? He shares several stories that illustrate how this quandary can occur, and the response alternatives primarily boil down to two options:

1. Say nothing, buy the items, and know that you’ve gotten a great “deal”.

2. Notify the seller of their mistake, allow them to adjust the price if needed (or decide not to sell it at all), then determine whether or not you’d like to buy it.

In our capitalistic society, the economy is a competition between buyer and seller — the buyer wanting the lowest possible price for a given good or service and the seller wanting the highest possible price. Where they reach agreement determines the market price and is supposed to be a point where both are satisfied. But what if the seller has made a mistake due to error or simple lack of knowledge? Should the potential buyer be obligated out of sheer courtesy and good will to bring this to the seller’s attention? Or is it every man for himself?

The Mighty Bargain Hunter favors keeping your mouth shut and scoring a great buy. Do you agree or disagree?

What do you do when someone has priced an item way too low? [Mighty Bargain Hunter]

FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: consumerisn’t)

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