Money Moral Dilemma: Should I buy and sell on a lamp that may be worth more than the owner thinks?

JayD

Is this such a big deal?

Will it keep you awake at night?

It's not exactly a £5 lamp that can be sold for thousands is it?!

Not sure why you haggled down though if you now need to ask a forum about not telling the seller it's real worth!

Jeez we all love a bargain, you got a bargain, lucky you - and the seller probably couldn't care less (as not many would).

brewerdave

How do antique dealers make a living ? Buy low - sell high -hardly a morality issue !!!

Caterina_Amato

No I wouldn't feel guilty because the converse could happen in that I can't find a buyer and it would be money that I thrown away so it's up to him to know the value of the item and then it's up to me to get as much for the item as I can.

primrose_penguin

If you are concerned about what you pay for the item why did you haggle the price down? Pay them what they asked £10 and if you want to sell it do so, but you may be wrong, it might be marble if you are going by an online picture and have not examined it.

MalMonroe

First of all, it's not a huge profit.

Second of all, if you weren't aware that that kind of lamp was worth more then you'd just buy it at the price the buyer has agreed to anyway.

Once you buy an item, it's yours to do with as you wish. 

Plus when people buy on eBay, most of them are looking for bargains. I'm not sure that the buyer would get £30 plus for the lamp anyway and they probably would have put it on freegle but are trying it on eBay first.

Once you buy an item, it is yours. Then if you want to sell it, it's yours to sell. 

It's not sneaky or underhanded in any way. That buyer could easily do some research of their own to find out the true 'worth' of any item. 

Don't feel guilty. It's not a crime. And take no notice of the naysayers, you're not harming anyone at all.

Aleann

Transactions are conducted on an offer and acceptance basis. In this case, your opinion on the nature of the item appears to give you an advantage. The difference between asking price and the true value of an item is irrelevant, accept the sale price and resell with a clear conscience; it’s called business!

Benstickland

Slightly off topic, i have given away baby stuff / furniture for free before to those who would use / needs it, only to find that its back up on facebook market for profit - which is wrong. its a  grey area to take advantage of someone knowing its better than what it is and to still haggle. 

2702

What happens if you are wrong and it is not this serpentine stuff, will you ask him for a refund?

Pollycat

Benstickland said:

Slightly off topic, i have given away baby stuff / furniture for free before to those who would use / needs it, only to find that its back up on facebook market for profit - which is wrong. its a  grey area to take advantage of someone knowing its better than what it is and to still haggle. 

If I'd given it away to someone I knew, I'd be furious (on the basis that I could have made profit on it but was doing a relative/friend a favour).

Sapindus

I would have no hesitation in doing what the OP proposed.  I wouldn't do it if the person I was buying from was a friend or colleague.

But on the other hand I would also consider telling the seller I thought their item was worth much more, and then walking away, just for the warm glow of having done someone a good turn.