Morality Question: Am I being an ass?

[rondog]

I don't think you're being an ass, because I don't read where you actually DID anything, you just "felt" like saying something.

[Oscar77]

I don't think you're being an ass, because I don't read where you actually DID anything, you just "felt" like saying something.

No I didn't do anything.......... so I guess this a theoretical moral question..............
But there was a part of me that said to myself: "Why start pointing out their mistake? Noone, lost out.......... It was just extra shipping charges that the buyers saved. So mind your own bees wax."
So I was curious to see if any one else felt that way.............. and no.

[hatidua]

Many years ago a friend who hadn't been out of the U.S. since his stint in Vietnam asked if he could join me on a trip I was taking to Latin America. I figured there was no harm so I told him he was welcome to come along. As luck would have it, we had to change the date of our return flights. The agent at the checkin desk for the return flight changed our tickets and as we were just about to walk away from the desk, my friend asked the American Airlines agent (who was already mid way into handing us our boarding passes) "but you forgot the change fee".

Thank goodness he was of high moral character as I'd have strangled him otherwise.

[bryjcom]

From what I understand the fees are to cover the licensing that is subjected to the business in order to ship hazmat

The shipping companies don’t charge per delivery. They just won’t let you ship it unless you have the appropriate licensing to do so.

The seller can choose to pass on the costs or choose not to

[FoxtArt]

Depends. If it was Walmart or Amazon hypothetically selling primers, then I'd secretly hope they could be bankrupted by it. Any business that doesnt have billions upon billions in revenue, absolutely notify the owners. Your deal comes at the expense of an actual person. I wont say it is theft, but it is immoral.

PS: I have $80 Kendra tires from a walmart pricing error. Thank you BP? I think thay was you. Yet I even returned CASH dropped onto the ground to customer service (who I know 99% pocketed it). Lead children by example. But nobody gets Karma points for returning mistakes to e.g. the IRS. That is roughly where the majority probably draws this moore.

[FoxtArt]

Another example: gas station puts the decimal in the wrong stop. Tons of dicks line up to get 90% discounted gas, they self justify it as a deal. YET, compare to a different situation. A man has a hole in his pocket and a dollar bill falls out about once every fifteen seconds. Do you follow him around town, covertly picking each dollar up, and call it a "deal", and call your friends to follow him when you get tired? Similar circumstances. Those that fail this basic ethics test are often the shittiest candidates for friends.

PS...I have encountered this, and I did IMMEDIATLEY notify the station. It's been ~20 years ago. Utterly disgusting the lines of selfish opportunists. If they'll do it there, they'll 100% do it anywhere they think there.is no risk of consequences (and that is all that it boils down to... )

[DDT951]

The opposite side of the argument (I am not taking a position either way) is that businesses theoretically run by professionals who [should] know what they are doing.

Sometimes (as in the gas example) businesses choose to have loss leaders to generate business. This happens at the “gas war” intersection of I25 and 119.

If professionals make errors, isn’t on them?

Another example. “Professional drivers” (e.g. CDL) are supposed to be “professionals” and held to a higher standard.

Once someone hangs a shingle out doing business, the laws do treat them different.

[eddiememphis]

If professionals make errors, isn’t on them?

Sure it is.

The original question is when recognizing that error, what is the morality of exploiting it for personal gain, before that professional realizes and corrects it.

[theGinsue]

Those Circle K/Kum & Go/7-11, etc typically aren't owned by the employees or even the station manager. Same thing at the grocery store and the online firearm/reloading parts providers. Many of those places will charge the employee for the error either in direct loss values or in fines. One persons mistake could be the difference in whether or not they've got enough money to pay their bills this month.

People make mistakes. The moral and just thing to do when we realize this is to let them know about it to give them a chance to correct the mistake. Taking advantage of those mistakes isn't the right thing to do, regardless of the advantage we may gain from it. I think one of he biggest problems in our world today is how every mistake is exploited for personal gain, with zero consideration for the one who made the mistake.

[eddiememphis]

...Taking advantage of those mistakes isn't the right thing to do...

If you know about it and take advantage of it, it is theft.