Money Moral Dilemma: Should I sell student discount laptops?

210 Posts
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:
I'm a student who can get 15% off laptops, plus a free warranty that would normally cost £200. I've bought a few laptops and then sold them on eBay with the warranty. The buyer pays less and I make a little too – only the computer firm loses out. My friend thinks I'm abusing a student discount offered as goodwill. Is she right?
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Should I be selling laptops I buy with my student discount?
I'm a student who can get 15% off laptops, plus a free warranty that would normally cost £200. I've bought a few laptops and then sold them on eBay with the warranty. The buyer pays less and I make a little too – only the computer firm loses out. My friend thinks I'm abusing a student discount offered as goodwill. Is she right?
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Your friend is correct you are abusing the privilege.
I hope the taxman catches up with you and makes you pay tax on your profits and seizes your computer assets until you pay up.
As a student you are unlikely to earn enough to have to pay tax (unless you are selling hundreds of laptops per year) but the previous post is correct - ebay 'business' sales are indeed liable for tax.
The retailer is offering you a discount to attract your custom and, if you're making multiple purchases, they've clearly succeeded so are making more money than if they didn't.
You are selling them on to a third party for a profit and that is absolutley fine - let's face it that is the whole basis of our economy
Couple of cautionary points for you to consider though - what is the status of the warrently on the goods - does it transfer with ownership? Secondly, don't forget to declare all income/profit to the taxman - boring I know but better safe than sorry
If I was in your position, I would.
I looked at discounts I can get with my work but by the time I have added selling fees, PayPal fees, it wouldn't be worth it for me. Local Facebook selling pages aren't that great for what I have to sell either.
When I want specific answers, I'll provide the information.
However, you do have to follow the ebay rules, and you also have to declare the income to HMRC (not just because better safe than sorry, but because it's the law and it's the right thing to do). Phone them and tell them the situation. And you should probably check the small print in the warranty, to make sure that is still valid when you sell them on.
does the student discount T&C say specifically that you can't sell on to make a profit? if not, I echo luke above.
if so, then you should be careful
say the laptop costs £300 less 15% student discount
costs buyer £255
ebay buyer pays say £290
seller then gets £290 less 10% less 3.4% paypal & 20p so in theory isnt making anything if sold at slightly less than they would normally pay