Easiest $90 I ever made... Ethical or Not?

I don't personally see anything "wrong". But as far as legality goes, if people can sell their old stuff, I don't think there's anything wrong with the not so old . But hey, I'll leave that for someone else to clarify.

I believe what you did was pretty great business. People don't like seeing others becoming rich, so that might explain the first 2 emails you got.

If it was worth the price, I don't see what's wrong with it. There is always people that will pay what they think it's worth, or pay what they have to get what they want. Does that make sense? It's late here

If the guy was happy with the price and product, who was hurt?

Your sure not the only one doing it. People buy and resale all the time.

Hey Ben

I read somewhere that someone paid a fantastic amount of money for a piece of used gum that was alleged spit out by Brit spears. ( and they were likely happy about their purchase)

By the sounds of it you delivered a quality product for just under the going rate.

Well done IMHO.

Regards,
Vince

Ok cool, I feel better about it now. I knew what I was doing was legitimate but when I got those negative emails I started to doubt myself. I guess I'm just insecure.

Tristen, yeah it pretty much is dropshipping... kinda. They're still selling those same guitars for the same price so I might just leave the ad up and see if I get anymore responses.

Thanks guys

Ben

P.S. Vince, I just had a business idea... gonna start stalking gum chewing celebrities.

Good job What you did is called arbitrage. Not only is it legit, it is one of the best ways to make money. The entire currency carry trade is based on this. You should do it as much as possible.

It was your sale and they can't do anything from preventing you. If you got someone who is willing to buy, great!

Yep, nothing wrong here. You did what every retail store does, buy a product then sell it at a profit. Anyone could have done what you did, but you were the one that took action. Nice job!

How can you ask if it was ethical? OF COURSE! You did business 101... He was happy, you were happy. I buy things because of quick delivery, VIP or whatever other 'awesomeness' that is involved.

People buy for their reasons, not yours. So whatever his reason was, you don't have to think about it, just be happy you walked away with $90 and if I were you, I'd do this all day, 50 times if I could.. Heck even hire a kid to find the products cheaper for me

I Say Nice Work, Very Entrepreneurial!

- Chris

It's pretty obvious that we have a consensus here - you did good Ben!

Congratulations on your sale...


Bill

Nothing is unethical with this, all the big companies do it. Its called marketing

Ha! Your question is no question at all! Of course what you did was ethical. I would have been unethical if you sold a guitar that you know was defective.
The entire global trade works on the same principle of buy low and sell high. The nasty emails that you got must have been from your competitors, who are jealous that somebody has cottoned on to their "niche".

I know people who buy Amazon Gold box deals and then flip them on eBay.

The deals are normally pretty good and if you can keep your money tied up for a few weeks, you can double it.

I dont think anything is wrong with this buddy, thats what an entrepreneur would do right?

You didnt sell anymore then RRP. infact $10 under, so well done in my books

The first guy: was a competitor.

The second guy: I'd tell him to and buy that $90 guitar...what's he doing hanging around my ad then. Yep, tell him right off to go and save some money and get it where he found it cheaper.

The last guy: well, they were a genuine customer! $$$

Adeel

This is the art of trading! Congrats! If they were happy then you have done the right thing. Do it again!

GoGetta

Not unethical, you offer and people accept at their own discretion. You are completely clean unless you are selling guitars that fall apart two days after the purchase.

No you didn't do anything wrong. Reselling items is perhaps one of the best businesses around!

You will get e-mails from people saying that it's a rippoff. (just as you experienced)

BUT

Some people don't care about the price. They see something, they like it and they buy it.

AND those are the people that you should target!

This is exactly what shop owners do: they buy at 25$, place it on sale and sell it for 50$.

Nothing wrong, and the way to make cash: buy low, sell high.

It's called opportunity and free enterprise. It's done everyday, everywhere. I know someone who goes to the local thrift store, buys things (particularly on the 50% off days) then spends the weekend selling the items at the local flea market--for 5X more.
Anyone could have gone to the thrift store, instead of the flea market, but didn't.
I had a friend that sold an old collectible on Ebay--cheap. Within days, the buyer reposted it at a much higher price (she didn't know what see had). She wasn't mad, she thought it was funny. But it's the name of the game...opportunity!
I've bought things at garage sales and ebay that the people didn't know what they had and resold for much, much more because I did know the value.
Nothing wrong with it at all. Envy is a prevalent cancer in society today.

No one forced him to buy it from you, this is how business are done, buy Cheap to Sell it with Profit.

Hi Ben,

You provided a service: you made the guitar available at a lower than usual price, to people whose homework stopped at the classified ads. You told the truth about what you had for sale, and nobody was hurt. Sounds to me that's in tune with ethical business.

Regards,
Allen

That's what makes America great!! Capitalism!

There's nothing wrong with what you did....there is always someone who will pay for something that they want....and it's not like you ripped them off....they got a guitar out of it!!

Ben, if you think that's unethical, you should be a pope.

Hi Ben:

There is nothing wrong with selling a product for a profit as long as the item doesn't have a financial ceiling on it. For example in the U.S.A. there are only a handful of places where you could buy concert tickets/sporting tickets and even if you were offered a million dollars profit be able to take the money. Most states have a reseller restriction above a few dollars past the face value.

For the guitar if you got 700.00 that was simply good business. The only part I don't understand is why would somebody talk about being a rip-off and want to report you? If they see it cheaper they have the right to get it for less but how did your post upset anyone?

Thanks and keep making money!

Ha, I would like to do the same thing.

I don't see anything wrong with that scenario at all! Well done. I would have done the exact same thing

Nothing wrong with your cases...I can say, its nice job mate...its really easy money...lol

This is how business works... buy low, sell high. Perfectly fine in my books!

Not to mention, I'm sure that guy is really happy to have gotten it for $250. I personally think that the ethical problem that you have lies in in the fact that YOU don't think the guitar was worth $250 (which makes sense since you bought it for $160).

It's nice to see that you're trying to help everyone out by getting them the best deal possible. You have a good heart.

However, business is business. It's not about ripping people off, it's about selling things that people want at a price they are willing to pay.

Actually, it was very unethical. Please send me the difference and I'll go give it back to the person you ripped off. Really. You can trust me. Really.

TomG.

Hi Ben,

All I can say is well done. There is absolutely nothing you did wrong, but everything you did right. I guess the 4th guy wanted it bad enough to pay to get it. Tough cookies to the other guys.

Jackie