£10 moral dilemma

[Peterpetrole]

I purchased a £300 electronic gadget earlier this year. Last month the manufacturer (unexpectedly) released an upgraded version and offered a trade in deal for £200 more, which I've taken them up on.

Part of that trade in deal was "you will be advised how to return the old version"

They've now said I should post it to America, they haven't sent me a shipping label, I queried this and they advised "sorry, but it shouldn't cost you much, just regular post is fine, doesn't need tracking or anything".

It will now probably cost me another £10 to send it, plus the environmental cost of air freighting something worthless over the Atlantic.

It's a bit of a niche golf related gadget, the old version is very unlikely to have any value (it's not like old model phones that probably end up in India etc), far as I know the old version is "deactivated" as you use the same email account for the app for the new version.

So shall I just tell them I've posted it and not bother actually doing it?

Never really experienced this before, even if something very cheap on Amazon turns out to be rubbish they always either send you a returns label or tell you to keep the broken item.

[Durzel]

Was the gadget originally bought from the same American company?

If so would it not have been obvious that being expected to return it would involve it being shipped to America?

If you bought it from a UK supplier and they want you to send it back to America unexpectedly then fair enough.

[Baldchap]

You've spent £500 on a gadget with no inherent value and you're haggling over £10.

You know the right answer.

[Peterpetrole]

Durzel said:

Was the gadget originally bought from the same American company?

If so would it not have been obvious that being expected to return it would involve it being shipped to America?

If you bought it from a UK supplier and they want you to send it back to America unexpectedly then fair enough.

It originally came from a company in Europe, so not America no, which just reinforced my idea that the old version is worthless.

[Badda]

To salve your conscious, just mail them and say that postage costs weren’t part of the deal when it was offered. You’ll happily post it back to them but they need to send you a label.

[CammyN]

Must admit that I take a different view.

If they really want you to return the item then they can organise a postage label, at least, or even collection from home.

[768]

CammyN said:

Must admit that I take a different view.

If they really want you to return the item then they can organise a postage label, at least, or even collection from home.

They don't. He's getting a free upgrade.

[Peterpetrole]

768 said:

CammyN said:

Must admit that I take a different view.

If they really want you to return the item then they can organise a postage label, at least, or even collection from home.

They don't. He's getting a free upgrade.

No, no, have another read, it's cost me £200 to upgrade and paying for postage was never part of the contractual offer.

[768]

Ok, not free, but a trade in against the new version at the value of new (are there still holes in that, probably? ).

[Glosphil]

Would you have taken the deal if it had cost £210 & included a pre-paid shipping label?

[blueg33]

Golf Gadget £500? Did i read that right?

All you need is some sticks with a lump on the end and a ball, maybe a bag to put your sticks in.

madness!

You may have realised - I don't get golf. I'm convinced it was invented by bored shepherds on a hill side.

"oi see that rabbit hole, I bet I can get a stone into from here with my crook, in fewer hits than you"
"ok - you are on"

500 years later the shepherds are paid millions to do do the same thing, and people spend £500 on gadgets!


Sorry - i know many people enjoy hitting balls into holes, I am pleased you all enjoy it

[Peterpetrole]

Glosphil said:

Would you have taken the deal if it had cost £210 & included a pre-paid shipping label?

Hard to say. Probably?

My issue is it feels like wasting £10, and damaging the environment, sending something back that appears to have no value.

[LimaDelta]

Got to be a wind up surely?

Spends £££s on disposable electronic devices (will there be another, 'better' model next year?), which if he doesn't return will end up as landfill anyway, but worries about the carbon footprint of returning it.

[Monkeylegend]

What will you do with this worthless gadget if you don't send it back?

[Peterpetrole]

Monkeylegend said:

What will you do with this worthless gadget if you don't send it back?

It will go in the loft obviously

[Monkeylegend]

Peterpetrole said:

Monkeylegend said:

What will you do with this worthless gadget if you don't send it back?

It will go in the loft obviously

Maybe you need to review your moral compass a bit then

[dingg]

Peterpetrole said:

Hard to say. Probably?

My issue is it feels like wasting £10, and damaging the environment, sending something back that appears to have no value.

Don't jump on that damaging the environment bandwagon

Its about the tenner

£10 moral dilemma innit

[Peterpetrole]

LimaDelta said:

Got to be a wind up surely?

Spends £££s on disposable electronic devices (will there be another, 'better' model next year?), which if he doesn't return will end up as landfill anyway, but worries about the carbon footprint of returning it.

Not just me though is, it. If a thousand of their other customers end up sending worthless boxes across the Atlantic then yes there is an environmental footprint.

[Randy Winkman]

Peterpetrole said:

Durzel said:

Was the gadget originally bought from the same American company?

If so would it not have been obvious that being expected to return it would involve it being shipped to America?

If you bought it from a UK supplier and they want you to send it back to America unexpectedly then fair enough.

It originally came from a company in Europe, so not America no, which just reinforced my idea that the old version is worthless.

The company in the EU might have a legal obligation to ask for the old item back for recycling or suggest some other route for that to happen. But that shouldnt include asking you to send it to the US.

[Skeptisk]

blueg33 said:

Golf Gadget £500? Did i read that right?

All you need is some sticks with a lump on the end and a ball, maybe a bag to put your sticks in.

madness!

You may have realised - I don't get golf. I'm convinced it was invented by bored shepherds on a hill side.

"oi see that rabbit hole, I bet I can get a stone into from here with my crook, in fewer hits than you"
"ok - you are on"

500 years later the shepherds are paid millions to do do the same thing, and people spend £500 on gadgets!


Sorry - i know many people enjoy hitting balls into holes, I am pleased you all enjoy it

For context I bought a new half set of clubs (2 woods, hybrid, 5 irons and a putter) including bag and covers for £330 last week. So £500 for a gadget seems a lot. But then I am really st at golf.