Should the buyer give it back... or not?

[brainpicker]

I recently sold a like new laptop that was a box I opened and turned on once to be sure it worked. I then bought and installed an extra 512MB of RAM as I was planning to keep this laptop for myself and not sell it. Things happen, so I advertised the laptop for sale (here and elsewhere) using it's model number and factory specs both, and listing the RAM as 256MB corresponding to the model number in the tabook. The buyer knew the RAM was only 256MB and even asked a question about the RAM to confirm the size. In addition, when testing the laptop he commented that the 256MB size wasn't a problem as he bought a 1GB stick to add to it. The day after delivery I get an e-mail from the buyer telling me there was actually 768MB of RAM in the laptop. I FORGOT TO REMOVE THAT EXTRA RAM I BOUGHT & INSTALLED before I met with the buyer the previous night. Right away I explained what happened. I've asked for the RAM to be returned and even offered to pay for all costs involved, but the buyer who had always answered e-mails instantly, hasn't responded for two days.

My question is this... If you were this buyer, knowing that in all cases the item was represented truthfully by the seller as per above, and you found the extra RAM and was then informed it was an honest mistake, would you return it or ignore the seller and keep it? The buyer is a forum member though I didn't find this out until after the sale (he lives nearby and purchased it in person). I don't think this is a case of "finders keepers" but I'd like some feedback on it from others. I won't give the name of the buyer or his forum ID at this time, even though I'm very concerned about this.

Thanks,
Yak

[dsvochak]

This isn't a hard moral question. It's analogous to getting change for a $20 when you paid with a $10.

The buyer has only two reasonable choices:
1) return the extra memory
2) grow a beard so he won't have to look at himself in the mirror every morning.

[tfflivemb2]

I think that the buyer should step up and return the RAM, granted it would be at your expense, as it wasn't their error.

I would hope that the buyer hasn't responded due to a lack of checking their email. Afterall, they were the one that pointed it out in the first place. If they were being "sneaky" about, the most likely wouldn't have said anything in the first place.

To use the aforementioned analogy...if a customer were to call a store about receiving change for a $20 instead of a $10, they are most likely more honest about it and would return it. The alternate would be not even notifying the store of the mistake in the first place.

Lets just hope that this person will step up and continue to do the right thing.

P.S.
At the prices that you were offering these laptops, it was a "steal" in the first place.

[JaneL]

but the buyer who had always answered e-mails instantly, hasn't responded for two days.

It's the holiday season. The buyer may have already left town on vacation. Take a deep breath, have a cup of eggnog and wait. Check back with us after the New Year.

[rvehock]

but the buyer who had always answered e-mails instantly, hasn't responded for two days.

It's the holiday season. The buyer may have already left town on vacation. Take a deep breath, have a cup of eggnog and wait. Check back with us after the New Year.

I am the buyer and I was out of touch for the past few days. I have taken steps to resolve this issue, unfortunately I had given the RAM to a co-worker so I have reimbursed brainpicker a fair amount for the RAM that I never asked for. I wish I had seen his email before I given away the RAM, now I am out money that I could have used for other things!!!

[AlphaKilo470]

I think that it'd be nice and honest to give back the surplus parts but at the same time, since it's the seller who made the mistake, I wouldn't hold the buyer to much of an extent to return the item.

[tfflivemb2]

I am the buyer and I was out of touch for the past few days. I have taken steps to resolve this issue, unfortunately I had given the RAM to a co-worker so I have reimbursed brainpicker a fair amount for the RAM that I never asked for. I wish I had seen his email before I given away the RAM, now I am out money that I could have used for other things!!!

Why didn't you just ask for the RAM back from the co-worker, explaining that it was a mistake? Most reasonable people would understand...accidents happen. I mean as opposed to shelling out the money.

[rvehock]

I am the buyer and I was out of touch for the past few days. I have taken steps to resolve this issue, unfortunately I had given the RAM to a co-worker so I have reimbursed brainpicker a fair amount for the RAM that I never asked for. I wish I had seen his email before I given away the RAM, now I am out money that I could have used for other things!!!

Why didn't you just ask for the RAM back from the co-worker, explaining that it was a mistake? Most reasonable people would understand...accidents happen. I mean as opposed to shelling out the money.

That is not something that I would choose to do, I gave it to someone who needed the memory. I would rather give up a few bucks for someone elses mistake than have to disappoint a friend.

[GomJabbar]

I commend you rvehock for not being an "Indian Giver". [If that is even P.C. to say anymore.]

I am seeing two sides to this issue. While I don't think it was wrong to ask for the RAM back in the first place, I think the preferred thing would be to suck-it-up as it were. As the buyer, it would be preferred to return the RAM once asked for it, but I am not sure it is incumbent upon him to do so.

I don't quite equate this with the change for a ten example given previously. I do agree that if you are given the wrong change by someone, it is your moral obligation to return it.

I don't claim to be the moral authority here. I am just putting in my 2-cents worth. Not much help I guess.

[brainpicker]

I came back to this thread tonight to either delete it or close it out as the buyer did, on his own accord, send me compensation for the RAM without ever being asked to do so (I surely never expected all the responses to my initial post, and the wide variance in opinion on this). I received payment notification about an hour or so after my initial post here, but I can't say that this posting had anything to do with the result (I'll assume not, as I did not and was not going to mention names or ID's. He came forward on his own.). Yes, I would have much rather had the RAM returned (at my expense) as it was Genuine IBM branded RAM, and while I can't replace it for the amount paid to me it is the going rate for a regular stick of the same size RAM at most discounters, and I'm satisfied, so the matter is now closed. I commend the buyer for his effort to resolve the issue.

When I explained my side (again) via an e-mail tonight I was reminded that I was mainly at fault for leaving the RAM in there in the first place, and I did (and do) admit stupidity for that. I think I was also stupid for going out of my way to obtain the Bluetooth module and antenna he needed, since when buying the laptop he claimed to have no source for parts besides IBM. But during that very brief period after purchase when he gave his friend the RAM, he was also able to obtain the Bluetooth parts he needed too . Luckily it's no big deal as the guy I begged them off of took them right back. No harm done.

As far as I'm concerned everything's eirie.

Yak