Ethical or unethical........

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It seems to me the time to pose a ? like this is before the deed is done not after the fact if indeed you wanted guidance as to how to proceed.


Regards Snow
 
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Well, first of all, It never ever ever crossed my mind that the shop owner had become the owner of this piece of equipment. I saw the name and number on the work order ticket and common sense dictated to me that THIS WAS THE OWNER OF THE UNIT. Shame on me for not thinking it through I guess.

In fact, I would assume the shop owner still considered it the original owners property, otherwise he wouldn't had handed it back over to him, right ???

Not only that, the shop owner wrote DISPOSE on the ticket......so my guess is the shop owner was going to dispose of it. Like headed to recycle....
 
I wouldn't have done it, just seems a bit too desperate to me. I don't need another receiver so bad that I would sour the relationship with a shop I was doing business with. :dunno:

Anyway, on to the most important questions. Did you fire up the receiver yet? What's it doing or not doing? :)
 
Ok guys, gotta unburden my conscience......

Last weekend I went over to a local small electronic repair shop to buy a belt for a Proton CD player... Standing at the counter waiting for the owner of the shop to grab me a belt, I look to my right and on the shelf is a Pioneer SX-3900 with a repair tag on it and the word "DISPOSE" written across the tag. When the owner of the shop came back with the belt, I paid for the belt and I asked him "whats the story on this Pioneer" and he said "its too expensive to fix and the owner doesn't want to pay to have it fixed". I asked him "what are you gonna do with it? Do you want to sell it?" He just ignored me. So I asked him again and he turned around and walked to the back of the shop.

I stared at the repair ticket hanging on the receiver and the owners name and phone number was staring me in the face, so I memorized it and called the owner when I got home. I asked him if he'd like to sell it and he said "sure, I told the shop owner to throw it away, apparently its not worth fixing" I offered to pay the diagnostic fee and whatever he wanted for it --- he said I could have it for free if I thought I could fix it. He already paid the shop fee. I insisted to pay him for the receiver and he finally said "send me $20"

He called the repair shop and told the owner he was sending me down to pick up his receiver..... I mailed him a check and picked it up.... Here it is....

View attachment 1189598


My question......Is what I did ethical ??? I feel kinda guilty. Dan



Had you gotten an answer from the shop owner it may have had a different result, but since the shop owner refused to give you any answer, I don't see anything wrong with what you did.
 
... having someone turn their back and walk away after asking if you can have something they want to be rid of, could be taken as tacit approval for you to take the item.

That's one hell of an assumption to make, regardless of the conditions or circumstances.
 
That's one hell of an assumption to make, regardless of the conditions or circumstances.

Amazing what happens when you remove the qualifications I gave, and quote half the sentence out of context.

There are small businesses around town where I'm on a first name basis with the owner, that if I asked if could have something they were going to dispose of, and I got a smile and a wink before they turned and walked away, I'd have no problem with taking it.
 
The only amazing thing here is justification for indefensible action.

Next time I'm up at Audio Classics I'll be sure to ask how'd they feel about someone casually gleaning and using a customer's contact information - without their knowledge or consent - for ANY reason or purpose. They would be furious, rightly so, and that would probably be the last time that individual would darken their door.
 
Amazing what happens when you remove the qualifications I gave, and quote half the sentence out of context.

There are small businesses around town where I'm on a first name basis with the owner, that if I asked if could have something they were going to dispose of, and I got a smile and a wink before they turned and walked away, I'd have no problem with taking it.

OP didn't get a smile or wink and is not on a first name basis with the owner. Your situation has no relevancy here whatsoever.
 
I don't think the "street value" has anything to do with the ethics of this discussion. Are you saying that if the unit had been a McIntosh MC-275 worth thousands, it suddenly becomes unethical ?? I don't really think what I did was unethical ---- I always try and follow the Golden Rule..... Dan :music:
You’re a dirty, dirty, dirty crook who needs a slappin’. Vintage audio gear- how lame.
 
I think the shop owner made a mistake of leaving customer info out in the open no matter what the situation.

I also believe that in denying repair, paying the diagnostic fee and instructing the repairman to toss it the original owner relinquished possession of the unit and has no more say in what could be done with it. The shop owner handed it over more than likely because he didn't want to start an argument over something not worth a whole lot or maybe the customer brings a lot of work to him and he didn't want to chance losing the business but either way he could have just as easily said "No, it's mine now and I'm going to dispose of it as I see fit." and the law would have been on his side.
 
I think all possible angles have been discussed, Thread Closed
Regards,
Jim
 
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