Would you exploit a web glitch to get a high demand, low production watch?
So, I’d like to see how my fellow Crunchers would respond to a brief thought experiment.
A well-respected brand is putting an affordable but very limited production watch on sale to the world via the web only. There aren’t enough to go around and it is likely that the price for one will be higher on the secondary market than buying new. You absolutely want one and have the money to buy it, so budget is not an issue. The watch is set to drop to the public at a specific point in time on a set date, and is not supposed to be available to purchase prior to that specific launch time. In your excitement the day before the launch, you visit the product webpage. Rather than see a greyed out countdown timer, the webpage’s “Add to Cart” button is active in what appears to be an error. You click it, and the webpage confirms that the watch, which is not supposed to be on sale, has landed in your cart. Do you:
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Jay
My problem isn't that I want a watch....it's that I want ALL the watches.
Parkland, FL, USA
Member since
Last active: 3 hrs ago
Take the W if it happens. But if they catch it, they’ll cancel the order anyways and live with the L.
Yeah I’d probably give it a try.
But I wouldn’t program bots to snatch them all up and immediately list dozens for sale at triple the price.
Wait..there are ethics and scruples in this hobby? 😝😉❤️🤙
Wait..there are ethics and scruples in this hobby? 😝😉❤️🤙
Only on days not ending in the letter Y
Yeah I’d probably give it a try.
But I wouldn’t program bots to snatch them all up and immediately list dozens for sale at triple the price.
Sorry…”would” or “wouldn’t”? 😂
I would take it as a sign that the watch has potentially 'soft launched' so that their servers aren't hammered to death at launch. If the site takes my money, happy days. It's on them for setting it live, not me.
If it's a mistake, it's on them for not investing enough in their e-commerce platform lol. This is where it helps to have some kind of higher social purpose as a company so that your customers feel bad for you - otherwise it's open season with checkout glitches as far as I'm concerned...
I’d order 2.
The likelihood of it appearing on Chrono24 or Reddit at twice the value is just too high. I don’t see an ethical dilemma if the company has it for sale — whether intentionally or not, I’m not sure that’s your responsibility.
I'd probably take 2. 😁
None of the above. I am not going to be clawing to get something (timefactors is famous for this stunt) online like a lunatic.
I have been in a similar position when a retailer’s website had a high end watch showing as on “sale” for about 5% of the RRP.
Of course I thought it was too good to be true but I duly put it in my cart and completed the checkout and payment - and received an order confirmation too.
Sadly the order was subsequently cancelled and the monies refunded by the retailer - all with no communication.
I even then read dozens of detailed T&Cs which confirmed that they were entitled to cancel and refund.
Still I enjoyed the two days wondering whether I might actually own a watch I could never afford … maybe next time?!
Sorry, what's the issue here?!
#opportunistbasterd
If it’s a watch I want and it appears to be available for sale, then I will attempt to purchase it. I don’t think there’s anything unethical about trying to buying something that appears to be available for purchase. If it’s a mistake on the seller’s part, then the seller will cancel the order.