What would YOU do?

[Dale Thompson]

This is a poll and may belong in another Forum. Please transfer me if that is appropriate! HEY! MODS - WAKE UP!

Hi Folks,
Please allow me to set up a totally hypothetical scenario and ask you what you, as a woodworker, would do. Do NOT let the season or non-season of the year influence your response. Also, remember that this is a fully anonymous poll. The only reason that your name and address would be turned over to the "Bloods" and the "Cripps" is if you disagree with the opinion of your humble pollster. Here it is:

You ordered a new tool over the internet at an incredible savings below its retail price. The $200.00 price was about 1/3 of its MSRP. You received the tool and the invoice for $200. However, complicating the issue, you also received another, even MORE expensive tool as part of a "Combo" package. The second tool was listed at about $1200 MSRP.

The "special" advertised price of this $1800 MSRP "Combo" was $800. You now have an $800 "Value Package" with a financial obligation of only $200.

Your shop does not contain the "second" tool in the "combo". On your own, you would not have purchased it but it may come in handy as an "occassional use" tool.

Your "Legal" obligation is probably clear. In Wisconsin, as in most or all states, you have NO obligation to pay for or return any merchandise that has been delivered to you that has NOT been ordered!

What would YOU do?:

A. SMILE and put it in your shop!

B. Call the vendor and NEGOTIATE a "special" deal on the unordered tool. Remember that the Law is on your side.

C. RETURN the unordered tool.

[Bill Simmeth]

Call the vendor and explain what happened. Ask them to dispatch UPS to come pick up the unordered product. You should not have to pay to return it, but it should be returned. Now, if you go through this process and they never dispatch UPS to pick it up, THEN keep it!

[Corey Hallagan]

Come on Dale, what was it? Hate to send out the computer goons to rough you up!



Corey

[Jim Dunn]

I probably agree with Bill, just to keep my concious straight this time of the year especially

[Mark Carlson]

I hope I'd do what Bill said. Its easy to say you'd do the right thing, its another to do it when your looking at a free machine you'd like to have.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'd call and tell them about the obvious mistake and tell them you'd like to have them pick it up. If they want to negotiate a deal to keep from having it returned...play hardball!

[Richard Wolf]

The whole story is way to complicated to understand. If you return it, it will probibly cost someone their job anyway.

Richard

[Dale Thompson]

Come on Dale, what was it? Hate to send out the computer goons to rough you up!

Corey

Corey,

My anonymous hypothetical source will not tell me.

I can say, however, that it was NOT the cardboard that Mod "Spring" sent to me for my drawer bottoms. In fact, he inflated the weight by soaking down his entire years load of recycled cardboard by soaking it with water.

MORAL of the story: NEVER trust a Cheesehead with a wax mustache!

Dale T.

[Dale Thompson]

The whole story is way to complicated to understand. If you return it, it will probibly cost some their job anyway.

Richard

Richard,
A REAL possibility!

Dale T.

[Dale Thompson]

just to keep my concious straight this time of the year especially

Jim,
I asked that everyone ignore the seasonal aspect! At least that is what my anonymous source requested.

Dale T.

[Bob Weisner]

But what if it was a more expensive tool? Say..... A BRAND NEW FELDER 731

[Dale Thompson]

...play hardball!

Ken,
The last time that I played "Hardball", I tried to field a hard sinking line drive. I went home with my teeth in my hand, a broken nose, two black eyes and a couple of PAINFUL fingers! I was three years old!

Dale T.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Co-worker (gourmet cooking hobbist) had almost exact same scenario, except with cooking utensils. $200 plus $1000 pots & pans set. In Iowa you have 3 business days to cancel any contract over $500. She cancelled the $1000 purchase via letter, email and phone, and received an email reply confirming the cancellation. Two weeks later received the $200 order, two days after that she received the $1000 order.

Contacted company explained the situation. Told them if they sent a pre-printed UPS label she would be glad to affix it to box and take to the UPS drop-off, but she was leaving for a vacation in two weeks.
A couple of days before she left , no label, so she called them. They told her to keep it as a "thank you" for being a valued customer.

[Jim Dunn]

Dale i thought you meant by seasonal was a tool to use outside or inside, I'd still call and try to return it summer or winter. By the way look at my recent offtopic post and you'll understand.

[Frank Hagan]

I would have to call the company and find out what they wanted to do. If they wanted to make me a deal, I would consider it. But I wouldn't start with that assumption either.

And, if the company has an employee who is sending out $800 machines to customers, and it is not stopped, that company could go broke. Then all the employees will be out of a job.

In the end, I try to think how I would explain it to my kids if a movie were made of the situation, and they saw it. Or, if Mike Wallace popped out of the closet and started asking me questions about it.