I did a ms where it is a purchase and return. I have to keep the item for 24 - 48 hours and then return it. I unfortunately can not get back to that location for 48 hours. Should I use the item, knowing that I am returning it, or just leave it in the box? I could really use the navigation feature these next 24 hours.
What would you do?

Leave it in the box. Unopened and unused they can put it back on the shelf. Otherwise it hits the clearance table or gets shipped back to the manufacturer.

I wouldn't use it.

Is it an ethics issue? Lots of people buy things, open it, try it on or try it out and decide they don't want it. It's well withing the norm. Unless the instructions forbid it in any way I don't see it as an ethical issue at all.

Then again I'm in it for the money

Yes people try things and either have buyer's remorse or find the item doesn't work the way they thought. The OP only bought it to fulfill the purchase portion of the assignment and knowing full well she would be returning it.

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> The OP only bought it to fulfill the
> purchase portion of the assignment and knowing
> full well she would be returning it.


That makes the difference to me - knowing I were going to return it, I would not feel right using it.

Isn't he supposed to be "acting" as a normal shopper?

Gypsy, the fact you asked the question indicates you already know the right answer for you. If you had no problem with using the item knowing you're going to return it, you would have never asked the question. Of course there will be different opinions and different answers on this issue. All that matters is what matters to you. I would not use the item.

Put the system on your wish list. and leave it where the people whom matter to you most will see. If they don't understand because they do care, well......purchase it for yourself. early birthday present or a new gadget for your new truck.

it could be my Easter gift...

It would indeed be a lovely Easter gift.......and so much more practical than a new Easter bonnet......

I wouldn't use it.

As Travis McGee's buddy Meyer would say: when in a moral quandry, the thing that's the hardest to do is usually the right thing to do.



(Any other Travis fans out there?)

cease

ceasesmith Wrote:
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> I wouldn't use it.
>
> As Travis McGee's buddy Meyer would say: when in
> a moral quandry, the thing that's the hardest to
> do is usually the right thing to do.
>
>
>
> (Any other Travis fans out there?)
>
> cease

I've read all the colors, and reread them on a regular basis.

Such a huge fan I went to his Estate Sale years ago at his house in Sarasota, FL for mementos and my favorite earrings are some from his wife Dorothy(?). And if you like the Travis stuff you will probably also appreciate Carl Hiaasen.

Cool, a couple of McGee fans!

I can't bear to read Hiaasen.

Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe is for me!

It seems as I age, my memory is failing. The ONLY bright side of this is I can regularly rediscover
McGee!!!!



cease

Some places charge restock fees for opened electronics. Ethics aside, I wouldn't use it for that reason.

Ethics not aside, I also wouldn't use it because it would be dishonest to do so. If you used it and then return it on the pretext that you decided you didn't want it, you're going to have to lie about it -- saying it's defective when it isn't, saying you didn't like it when you did, whatever.

People who buy stuff (such as a special dress) use it (for a special occasion) and then return it with the carefully-preserved tags for a full refund (because they really couldn't afford it) steal from everyone because a lot of those items end up losing value when the store finds that perspiration stain under the arm and have to trash it. It's like shoplifting the use of the item. Retail stores aren't there to rent you items -- for free-- for 48 hours.

There are costs involved in restocking an opened item that aren't a factor in a sealed-box return as Lisa pointed out. We're not supposed to cost the client any more than they agreed to pay us for the shop.

So . . . my opinion is don't do it.

dspeakes Wrote:
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you're going to have to lie
> about it --


I would never lie on a mystery shop

Ethics to me are black and white. As someone explained, it's what you do when no one else is looking. Since you're asking, gypsymonkey, I'm concluding you know what's right, but hoping that someone comes up with a convincing argument to the contrary. Sigh....

Since you asked, I would implore you to do not use the item because that would be unethical...........

(heart)

actually my whole reason for starting this thread was to see how others think and to see what others would do.

Personally I don't think your question has anything to do with whether it is a mystery shop or not. If you feel it would be okay to use something and then return it for no other reason than that you can get away with it, then by all means use it if it is not spelled out in the mystery shop guidelines.
If you feel like some others do that it would be wrong to use something you are not intending to keep in the first place, whether a mystery shop or not, you have your answer.
I err on the side of ethics...if we are speaking of ethics, no it is not ethical to use it and then return it. If you don't care about ethics then you have your choice.
I will be thanking you the next time I purchase a new item off the clearance table. But, I am never happy when I think of all the waste in this world and the extra cost to all of us when prices are marked up in stores due to people taking more than their share of advantage of lenient return policies.

On another note, I have never seen an instruction in a mystery shop saying it is okay or not okay to use the item first that you are returning. I believe the msc think this must be obvious to the shoppers so they have not addressed that issue. So, if you use it in the future there might be another paragraph of instructions we need to read to explain about this. We have enough reading of instructions already.

gypsymonkey, if this was just a hypothetical situation you should have stated that from the beginning. Many of us have been here for a while and it would not take you long to ascertain our ethics by reading our other posts.

Sorry I wasted my time trying to address what I thought was your problem. I don't participate in unpaid surveys, but I didn't see you coming.



gypsymonkey Wrote:
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> actually my whole reason for starting this thread
> was to see how others think and to see what others
> would do.