Oh, don't you love it.

[conuly]

This twit of a girl posted asking if people had ever switched prices on books in order to steal from a used book store.

And one person replied that she had never thought of that, but it's not really stealing since you're giving them some money, and anyway, it's not like used books give any profit to the author.

And then had the nerve to get huffy when informed that, actually, it is stealing, because (as she put it) "I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT!!!!111". So what? You're still stupid if you don't recognize that it's stealing, and you still need those stupid ideas drummed out of your head now that they've been placed there.

Comments

[marveen.livejournal.com]

Okay, I will admit to having switched prices to get a better deal. BUT--it was at Goodwill, where all of their stock is donated to them for free to begin with, and it was also to change a totally preposterous price ($7.50 for a teapot with a broken spout and no lid?).

I have NEVER swapped prices at a bookstore of any sort, nor ever thrown away a book (even the ones falling apart because of superannuated paperback glue). And as others are saying, most of the used bookstores I've been to either have a posted price list (Paperback Exchange, Half-Price Books) or pencil the price on the flyleaf (Orca, Powell's).

[(Anonymous)]

people who switch tags at goodwill defeat their mission statement. all the money they get from you for buying their stuff goes to help people with barriers to employment. so, when you rip off their [very reasonable, when you actually compare them to other stores] prices, you're being a jerk. plus, this very definitely is considered stealing, and that in itself makes you a jerk. you can't justify stealing by trying to qualify it with "but they get their stuff free" -- it still doesn't belong to you. jerk.

i've had goodwill help out a few of my friends who needed jobs but had things in their life that prevented them from getting one. i find it remarkable that you think it'd be bad to rip off a small business, but think nothing of ripping off a nonprofit business.

Posted anonymously. How courageous.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

To address the point, I don't think the loss of $3.50 (I retagged it at $3.99) is going to make or break Goodwill. They get lots of my money, regularly. My point was that by repricing, it was not "cutting into their profits" because there was no expense of restocking involved.

My other point was that this price was NOT reasonable. If it had been, I would have paid it. For something that is not only broken but incomplete, anything over $5 is too much.