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A new MBP for $20.00!? Almost...

Steve686

Steve686

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 13, 2007
3,910
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US>FL>Miami/Dade>Sunny Isles Beach>Condo
I went to buy my MBP yesterday and went up to the desk to pay for it after the shopper handed me my laptop. I told the girl that was going to ring me up, that I needed a firewire cable for my laptop. I am standing right in front of her with the MBP box right next to me on the counter.

After she rung me up, she said, "That will be 'twenty one dollars and thirty nine cents'." Well I was just STUNNED!. I almost just instinctively told her that I think she forgot to ring up my laptop with the cable. WOW, did she turn redfaced.

She said literally I could have walked out with the MBP, and she wouldn't have even noticed, but come on. You all know that would be the wrong thing to do and would catch up with you if you tried it. No matter that she said a wrong price, you'd be hard pressed to convince the police and a judge that you honestly thought the laptop was 20 bux! <help on the legality here please>

Oh, it would have been nice, though.:D
 
stevetim said:
She said literally I could have walked out with the MBP, and she wouldn't have even noticed, but come on. You all know that would be the wrong thing to do
Click to expand...

Sadly not only do "you all" not know it but now days it's the minority that knows it.
 
Ya. The girl thought I had bought the MBP already and came back in for a firewire cable. I really do wonder what they do when they inventory and find a missing serial number in their store. It's gotta be flagged somehow if they are as diligent as they are in getting back the display iPhones when people come in and rip those off.

She told me how the police found some kid who stole one while he was using it in the area by locating him through the GPS.

Makes me wonder....
 
That would have triggered the alarm at the entrance though, wouldn't it?
 
+1 for the honesty
+1 for possibly saving that girls job there (unless she hated it, and wanted to get fired by giving away that MBP).
 
+1 for honesty

I did something like that tonight when I went out for dinner tonight (On a much smaller scale). I noticed that one of our dinners was billed at a lower price than what was printed on the menu so I notified the server that we were undercharged.
 
seattle said:
+1 for honesty

I did something like that tonight when I went out for dinner tonight (On a much smaller scale). I noticed that one of our dinners was billed at a lower price than what was printed on the menu so I notified the server that we were undercharged.
Click to expand...

>.<

Should've just given him/her a bigger tip!
 
At a place like Apple, if she forgot to ring up the firewire cable. I would have happily paid for the computer and walked. Apple has enough of a margin to let you have a free cable. The other way around though, thats just too much and I doubt the difference could be made up with the cable.

+1 for you.

I had an experience a few months ago when I called up a music shop and ordered some software and a $2000 synthesizer. While still on the phone I decided to hold off on the synth and just get the software. Got my total and paid. When my software arrived I noticed that box was a lot bigger then it should be. Turns out the guy I talked to on the phone had removed the synth from my order, but when getting the order ready got distracted and forgot I didn't buy the synth. Well I REALLY wanted this thing, but I consider these guys friends and they are really good at what they do. Also $2000 of stolen goods across state lines is not a good thing. I called them up and was offered to keep the synth for $1750.

So it did work out being honest.
 
If you did that, your computer would not have had a warranty. Apple activates the warranty at checkout, I know for.... because I know.

You would've just screwed yourself later by paying full price for repairs, or the genius would've figured out that you "stole" a laptop.

Honesty pays, my friend.
 
Though it would be cool to get a MBP for $20, I couldn't live with the guilt or the fear of getting caught.....
 
A guy at a coffee shop once tried to give me change from a $20, even though I handed him a $5. He was confident but I insisted I gave him a $5.

Honesty feels good. :)
 
I'm glad you were honest... because it saved you from maybe getting arrested on top of it all. If you had decided spur of the moment to exit the store, and somehow she sensed something funny and sent a security guy after you, what would you have said then? You would have had to admit to knowing you didn't pay for the laptop, which would have presented a huge problem, called being charged with theft. Ouch... all due to succumbing to that unexpected temptation which seems so easy to do... Definitely follow your gut, honesty keeps you clean and out of trouble. Besides, as mentioned above, it feels good.

Good for you. Besides, something we really want just feels better and tastes better when we pay for it. It gives it value and legitimacy.
 
Oh no way did it really cross my mind to try and walk out with that thing without paying for it.

I've bought so much stuff there, and regardless of the warranty, I would fear even walking into that Apple Store again, which is exactly 300 yards from my front door. Seriously, 300 yards.

Ya, I just thought a lot about it after I walked out and what "would have" happened. I'm a very analytical person so I had to play out every scenario in my head that I could.

I love the new MBP so much that I honestly didn't mind shelling out some hard earned cash for it. It's a very satisfying feeling.
 
synth3tik said:
At a place like Apple, if she forgot to ring up the firewire cable. I would have happily paid for the computer and walked. Apple has enough of a margin to let you have a free cable. The other way around though, thats just too much and I doubt the difference could be made up with the cable.
Click to expand...

So how much money is your integrity worth? Exactly what is the dollar amount where dishonesty begins?
 
The exact same thing happened to me several years ago at Comp USA. Young guy rang up my software but forgot to ring up my computer. I actually got to the car before I realized it - honest! - but went back and fixed it. I might have enjoyed getting away with it for a little while, but knowing the guy probably ultimately would lose his job would have taken all the fun out of it.
 
You did the right thing, the store would very soon find out that they are missing 1 computer in their inventory and would trace it back with video footage and you'd have been caught out.

edit - Also, if you brought your computer in for warranty you'd be caught out, but then again one would have to be pretty dumb to bring a computer they stole back to the shop.
 
It's interesting that this thread started with someone mentioning honesty and integrity and everyone offering congratulations and support. It's got around 20 replies. In another thread someone brags about stealing $150 from the Apple store and it gets twice as many replies congratulating someone on being a thief.
 
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