So let's talk about flipping. Say you don't really want Metal Gear Solid 3 -- not your kind of game -- but you like that it's 60% off, so you buy it with the intent of returning to a store that will give you the full price in store credit, which you use to buy a $50 game that wasn't on sale.
Apart from the fact that so many stores are scanning driver's licenses so that they can keep track of, among other things, who the repeat offenders ("devils") are in this area, do you see an ethical problem with this? Let's lay out some different scenarios. You've purchased a $50 game for $20 and, rather than keep it and play it, you
a) sell it to a guy off the street for $40
b) sell it to a guy off the street for $50
c) sell it to a guy off the street for $60
d) sell it back to a retailer for $50 in store credit
e) sell it back to a retailer for $50 cash
Which of those strike you as wrong? In most cases for (d) and (e) you're (a) lying about where you got the game from and (b) taking advantage of stores' return policies, which are not exactly legally required and not exactly simply a courtesy, either. We can consider a game you have purchased to be a commodity that can be sold to whomever you want at whatever price they'll pay, but is returning to the retailer really the same thing as selling it to them?
Curious as to CAGs' thoughts on this.
Apart from the fact that so many stores are scanning driver's licenses so that they can keep track of, among other things, who the repeat offenders ("devils") are in this area, do you see an ethical problem with this? Let's lay out some different scenarios. You've purchased a $50 game for $20 and, rather than keep it and play it, you
a) sell it to a guy off the street for $40
b) sell it to a guy off the street for $50
c) sell it to a guy off the street for $60
d) sell it back to a retailer for $50 in store credit
e) sell it back to a retailer for $50 cash
Which of those strike you as wrong? In most cases for (d) and (e) you're (a) lying about where you got the game from and (b) taking advantage of stores' return policies, which are not exactly legally required and not exactly simply a courtesy, either. We can consider a game you have purchased to be a commodity that can be sold to whomever you want at whatever price they'll pay, but is returning to the retailer really the same thing as selling it to them?
Curious as to CAGs' thoughts on this.