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Vendor error in pricing - what would you do (long read)

10K views 85 replies 49 participants last post by  GypsyR 
#1 ·
Hello VMF - long read but tried to make it entertaining.

I suppose this is a follow up to my threads regarding my 20+HP search in the MODS forum. So - a few weeks ago I was doing a random search on 289/302 parts on one of the big online vendors and saw a Super Charger for a ridiculous price. So ridiculous - you may as well say 99.5% below what the other guys were listing it at. So being curious - I said WTH and added it to my cart. Sure enough, it showed up in my cart at that stupid low price. I thought to myself no way it will let me process the payment at this price so I went for it and sure enough.....it processed and I got the standard "thank you for purchase email". Thought to myself I need to throw this opportunity up on VMF but by the time I logged in - the vendor had corrected the price. How do I know this? Because I tried to buy 10 more at that price but they corrected it. Literally corrected within 5 min of me checking out. So now, I'm like there is *NO WAY* they will ship it to me at this price. Surely someone will catch the error and cancel the order with apologies. Nope.....about a week later, Big Brown shows up and my door with a 75lb package full of horse power and torque. Wow. Crazy.

So a few weeks has passed and I haven't installed it yet due to the other requirements for a supercharged engine....you know....brakes.....fuel delivery.....carb....blah blah....and my phone rang. It was the vendor.

Them: "Sir, we made a terrible error in the pricing of the supercharger.....there was an error on the website......we would really appreciate it if you could return the supercharger so we don't eat it with the manufacturer"

Me: "Hmmmmm....I just bought it at your listed price and you sold it to me. How you going to make it right for me?"

Them: "We can sell it to you for 1/2 the correct price......or you can return it and get a bunch of credit (not as much as the value of the SC...but substantial)......but since we sold it at that price - it is up to you if you want to keep it at the price you bought it for. We can't do much about it. We can't charge you more.....it would be really swell if you returned it and took some credits from us"

Me: "So I can keep it at the stupid price you sold it to me....."

Them: "Yes.....we can't do anything about that but we would like it back and compensate you as we said previously"

Me: "So my options are to keep it at the nothing charge.......voluntarily give you 1/2 the price to make you happy......or return it and get some credits (still less than what I can sell the SC for on the market)......"

Them: "Yes"

Me: "what happens if I keep it and say no"

Them: "Nothing. We sold it to you at that agreed price but you maybe blacklisted from buying from us again"

Me: "Okay....thanks for the call - I have to go move some furniture but I'll return your call with an my answer"

Them: "Sigh.....okay.....thanks for picking up the call."

So - I plan on calling them back and I'm 99.9999% certain I have made up my mind. To bad so sad. I stumbled across something they listed wrong - bought it and received it. They shipped it.....I got it. Not my problem......just an opportunity that fell out of the sky and I took advantage of it. They are a gigantic company - they can suck it up. Shoot - I've bought enough stuff from them in the past. Per the guy on the other end of the phone - they sold 7 at that price. He called 4 of the 7 and they all said "go pound sand".

So VMF - what would you do? Like I said - ridiculously priced, Not much of a chance of me ever buying this otherwise.

Thanks
J
 
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#3 · (Edited)
#poundsand......

All day
If it were a individual probably would work it out... big company making millions.... your problem.
200$ million in annual revenue per google.

Hate to be their e-commerce guy right now though.
 
#4 ·
That's a tough one....

On one hand the MORALLY RIGHT thing to do would be to return it and take the offer of credits. That's like the "Do unto others...." philosophy that so many folks seem to have forgotten over the last 50 years.

On the other hand the transaction could be considered part of the "cost of doing business" in this modern age and companies having to recognize that people will take advantage of mistakes.

I think it's going to have to be your conscience that's going to have to live with whichever decision you make, tomorrow and years down the road...
 
#5 ·
Yep, that's a tough one alright. I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do since you're the only one that can make that decision.

For me, well it would probably depend on the vendor. If its a vendor that I'd done business with in the past and received timely shipping and good customer service from, I'd probably feel as though I had a good business relationship with them and every time I drove the car I'd probably feel like I'd stolen from them. So myself, I'd probably give them half their regular price and keep the unit. They did make the mistake after all and should be penalized for it, but giving them something back would probably assuage my conscience enough to enjoy the supercharger.

On the other hand, if its a vendor that I'd been screwed over by in the past? Pound sand.
 
#6 · (Edited)
As a small business owner, if I posted a price I would have to live with it, mistake or not. I would do as the vendor did as far as calling and asking if you, as the customer, would accept my offer to try and alleviate my mistake. If you refused, you refused. The only thing I disagree with from the vendor is "We sold it to you at that agreed price but you maybe blacklisted from buying from us again". I personally would not "blacklist" you for my mistake...

In my feeble mind, I may could recoup some of my loss by keeping you as a lifelong customer by letting you keep your good fortune...

Allen
 
#7 ·
You have to sleep with your thoughts each night. Sure, you can keep it. You can tell people 5 years from now that you got a brand new $50 supercharger, or you can tell people you returned a mess up and scored $400 of credit.

If it were me, I'd return it (them paying freight) and I get a wallet of credit from them for doing nothing more than returning a box. It would make me feel good. Karma's a witch. Sounds like you'll be using the credit in the future based on past purchases.
 
#8 ·
For me, it’s an easy one, but then I’m a really old guy from back in the day. An example from an elder: if you found a pay phone (remember them?) that allowed you to make calls without a dime would you do so? No, because you would be getting something that you did not pay for.
You knew it was a mistake when you ordered it. You got something without paying a fair or even remotely reasonable price. So yes, it is the MORALLY RIGHT thing to do.
 
#9 ·
For me, it’s an easy one, but then I’m a really old guy from back in the day. An example from an elder: if you found a pay phone (remember them?) that allowed you to make calls without a dime would you do so? No, because you would be getting something that you did not pay for.
You knew it was a mistake when you ordered it. You got something without paying a fair or even remotely reasonable price. So yes, it is the MORALLY RIGHT thing to do.

Yeh its Karma. Return it you know you are struggling with the right answer or you wouldn't have asked it. My brother back in the day order a pc from Gateway (remember them?) and received two for the price of one when they duplicated the order. At the time they were around 2k each. He returned it and he was living at home fresh college with not much money and my dad said it was the right thing to do. So what would dad or mom say?
 
#11 ·
So, if you karma guys had a Mustang shell for sale on ebay for $5,000 but you meant to list it for $500, you would say no to the guy that hit the buy it now for 5K?

Just wondering...

I fully understand that the price was wrong on the transaction the OP is telling us about. However, he saw the deal, paid the price and received the part. Did the vendor lose money, obviously. But how is that the consumers fault?

Allen
 
#12 · (Edited)
The point here is the the buyer of the dirt cheap supercharger CLEARLY knew the price was typo, had Jeg's never contacted him after the sale then hurray for him but that's not how it worked out. As far as the ebay comparison, absolutely yes I would tell the buyer of the mustang shell it was a typo, and maybe add that he might want to reconsider hobbies if he thought the thing was worth $5k. Some call it integrity.

A coworker of mine was recently selling a 1959 Bolens lawn tractor for $50 on facebook marketplace, a guy came to his house and told him his price was a little light, gave him $250 and took it home. Proof good (some may say foolish) people still exist.
 
#14 ·
So for $50 you can get close to $1000 of credit with them? Or the supercharger still 50% cheaper than you could have bought anywhere else?

It’s all WIN WIN for you. The only question you need to answer is what will make you feel better. Some dude probably has his job on the line.
Depends on how much you want or need to win. All of the deals are a huge win - not that easy a decision really but there are two choices that are clearly more ethically the right thing to do.
 
#17 ·
Really depends on yr personal Karma. Some people can do anything they want, never look back - guys like me, something always happens. I had a beautiful 66 Benz that had the rear end start whining. I was sitting at a stoplight and a stray thought landed in my pea brain, “maybe I’ll throw some bananas and saw dust in the pumpkin and sell it”. Light turns green and I hit the gas and no fecal matter, the transmission catastrophically disintegrated to the tune of $2000. I have been blessed with “instant karma”. Sooo, I try to keep things simple. If it was a major company like amazon or pony parts that screws people regularly i might trade or sell it -never put it on my car - but if it was Opentracker, I’d want a set of porterfield pads for my granada brakes and he pays shipping ;o)
 
#19 ·
My suppliers make mistakes, and send us 10-times what we are invoiced for on a certain product (adding a zero to the qty), or sends items that we're not invoiced for, or invoices that are priced/billed incorrectly (dropping a zero).

In all instances, regardless of the size or depth-o-pockets of that supplier, we inform them of the error, and settle-up 100%. Otherwise, our integrity with them, and in general, moving-forward is null and void.

I realize that this isn't easy, but I was always raised that right/wrong has nothing to do with peripheral circumstances...

If the crazy old lady who lives next to you sells you a nice 1966 Mustang GT for $1,000 bucks, and two days later (after noticing it's gone), the crazy old lady's husband knocks on your door and explains, "gee, this is awful, and I apologize, but my wife isn't exactly playing with a full deck these days, and she sold you my GT at a ludicrous price, and I just can't part with it at that price, I'm sure you can understand.."...

Would you first consider how big your neighbor's house is, and how much money he might have in savings in the bank, and then tell him, "Sorry old man... I think you can afford this.."..??

The vendor in this case is indeed powerless, and you could indeed keep the kit. It's your call, your conscience..
 
#20 ·
If the crazy old lady who lives next to you sells you a nice 1966 Mustang GT for $1,000 bucks, and two days later (after noticing it's gone), the crazy old lady's husband knocks on your door and explains, "gee, this is awful, and I apologize, but my wife isn't exactly playing with a full deck these days, and she sold you my GT at a ludicrous price, and I just can't part with it at that price, I'm sure you can understand.."...

Would you first consider how big your neighbor's house is, and how much money he might have in savings in the bank, and then tell him, "Sorry old man... I think you can afford this.."..??
I know a guy who did almost this same thing but no crazy lady husband involved. He owns a handyman business in a nearby town, advertises all over the place, and sponsors car shows and other local events. The guy makes big bucks, and isn't afraid to talk about it. He was checking out one of his jobs that his employees were doing at an older lady's home, and sees a 68 coupe sitting on the property. He asks about it, and finds out it doesn't run or hasn't run in awhile. This coupe is clean, practically all original minus the usual maintenance items. He offers the lady $1,200 and she takes it. Of course, he now starts bragging about how he scored this really clean coupe for only $1,200. Does this lady really know what that car was worth? Obviously not. Does she even follow the Mustang market? I would have to say no. Did she want to get it off her property at any price? Who knows. I don't know what the issue was why it wasn't running when he bought it, but he was driving it around just a few days later - V8, factory a/c, no rust, clean interior, no exterior damage.
 
#22 ·
I consider myself a straight shooter, but I would be in the keep the supercharger and don't send them any money camp.

It's not even a moral dilemma in my book. There is no such thing as Karma. This is a business deal.

I would assume that this is one of the items they have drop shipped to you. In other words, they don't ever have to inventory the item. They just list it, sell it, have it drop shipped to you. Collect your money and 30 days later pay the supplier 70% of what they collected from you. Arbitrage.

This time they are going to need to pay a higher percentage of what they collected. Just math. Just an underwater deal.

When it's me against a corporation...I'm going to take my wins where I can get them....because they are few and far between.

Phil
 
#23 ·
Tough decision yep, and what would be your response if someone else on the forum posted this topic? You can't buy integrity, and the actions of others should not affect your own actions. So whether its a multi million dollar company or a couple old folks living on pension your actions should remain the same. Yes tough decision
 
#24 ·
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" . That's in the "old book". What goes around , comes around is the modern adaptation.
 
#27 ·
Great conversation and feedback. Glad I put this up here. Regarding Karma....I don't really buy into that premise. I'd probably be screwed based on my younger years. Been kicking around the Army as an Officer (prior enlisted) for the past 15 years in one capacity or another (in addition to balancing a CIV career) so you can kinda gauge how I try to live my life.

I do have a scenario question based on some of the feedback received.

Say I had a supercharger kit (brand new boxed) listed for sale on the forum at 500$. Deal was struck and someone bought it - which I imagine would happen rather quickly. 2 weeks later I realized I cut it loose way below cost because I made a mistake. I went back to buyer and asked $1K more or to send it back for a refund due to my error. How about the charger being sold for $1k and I went back to you for $500? How about charger being sold for 1$ and going back for $1500?

I'm not suggesting or implying anyone is a scrooge or a softie or a hypocrite.....just wondering when karma (if that's your thing) or conscious kicks in on a too good to be true deal. At what point does it become my responsibility as the seller? I think I know where I stand on it.

BTW @69bossnine - I love me some NPD. Right down the road from my house. Instant gratification.

Thanks again for reading and replying. Very insightful. Wish I could reply to all you directly.

V/r
J
 
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#32 ·
The thing is I never would've bought it at 1/4 price, 1/2 price or full price. SWMBO would have axe murdered me. Strictly me surfing 200 pages of 289/302 "stuff" on their page and that price caught my attention. :shrug:
 
#40 ·
But you did buy it (without ever having an intention to buy a supercharger because of SWMBO) thinking that you would get an error page every time you hit continue in the check out process. But, you kept going anyway. Then when the transaction took, you figured it would not be shipped. You were hoping every step of the way that you were going to get something for next to nothing. Be honest, that is exactly what you were hoping and that phone call from them foiled your plans. Send it back and graciously thank them for the credit.
 
#42 ·
But you did buy it (without ever having an intention to buy a supercharger because of SWMBO) thinking that you would get an error page every time you hit continue in the check out process. But, you kept going anyway. Then when the transaction took, you figured it would not be shipped. You were hoping every step of the way that you were going to get something for next to nothing. Be honest, that is exactly what you were hoping and that phone call from them foiled your plans. Send it back and graciously thank them for the credit.
There is a lot of truth to that statement. Wouldn't say foiled my plans.....more like muddled them and caused my conscious and sensibility to kick in.....hence the post and reading every comment - sometimes 3x over.

thanks
J
 
#36 ·
back in '98 I bought a '65 F100 out of the local paper, they were asking $300 for it. I went and bought it. it was a running , driving truck that was in pretty nice shape. the lady had to get the title, so I left a deposit and went back the next day with my bill of sale from her. she was out, so I met with her husband. when he found out I paid $300 for it he was a bit shocked, said he told her $1300. I asked him if he wanted me to give him the difference, he said nope, that's what she sold it for, that's what you're paying. sometimes mistakes happen, and you live with them.
 
#37 · (Edited)
id work it out with them. they made a mistake you knew it was mistake and someone may lose their job over it.

same thing happened to me when I bought my 93 GT. got the best price in town., I shopped 4 dealers.
she was $2000 less. looks like they gave to me for cost.

(*this was 1993 so porb like $4000 today)

this price was so low I knew it wasn't true. I jumped on it left $1000 deposit and came back with a cashiers check 2 days later

sure as manure when i went to pick the car up they gave me the same run about you just had.
they said they would still sell me the car and its up to me to make good on the mistake if i wanted to.

I settled with them for $1000 cash to be paid within 60 days. I stood by my deal and paid them a few hundred each week

I still got a great deal on the car and no one lost their job over it and any time i went back the lady took good care of me and i refereed her many customers over years.
 
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