Thread: Moral advice needed

OK, so on Tuesday I was walking past a small gentleman's shop -- sells tobacco, pipes, cigars, lighters, pens and a few straight razors and DEs for good measure. I've never really stopped as the stuff they have is usually overpriced and unremarkable.

But on Tuesday they had a little Dovo stand with 5 blades stacked up on display. The two bottom blades were the Mammoth ones with crusted mammoth ivory scales, a 5/8 blade (I'm guessing) and the cute little mammoth engraving on the blade. The scales were amazing. Finished to a high polish, one set had the beautiful blue colouring and the other was mainly white but with some very interesting ivory cracks/veins.

So I'm guessing they must cost a lot, probably £300+. I'm not looking to buy at the moment, but the shop assistant was standing outside the shop having a smoke and I thought to ask the price. He looked young and inexperienced, but pleasant enough.

So he tells me the mammoth ones cost £140 each.

Exsqueeze me? I say. And he confirms £140. The ones above them (fake MOP Dovo) are £110.

I went home, looked up a few sites, and saw that his quote was less than half the price of anywhere else I looked.

So here's the moral conundrum. Do I go bag myself one of those blades at £140 and feel great about the blade I snagged but guilt at maybe taking advantage of a young inexperienced shop assistant who might get it from his boss when he finds out and get the sack? Or do I buy it with less guilt and assume the pricing error was the boss's? Or do I not go back and tell myself to stop being such a greedy tosser and I have plenty of nice blades already?

I see no wrong in your part. If you like it and want it, go buy!!! You asked for a price and were given it,PERIOD. Maybe the shop was able to get them on the cheap and just want to unload them,,who knows. Grab the razor and enjoy.

wow, you must be one saint compered to me
The tought of not taking advantage of this would not even cross my mind.
I meen, its not like finding a big bag of money with dollar signs and blood stains on it..
BUY BUY BUY!

Pfff morality is for ordinary people not the übermenschen and bargain straights..hehe
But hey you gotta get one for me too mate

But seriously i don't think the guy you talked with sets the prices, i mean, thats the bosses job innit?
But you could ask the guy again if he really is sure about the price and maybe ask why it is so cheap considering the type of razor..or something like that. Maybe even mention what the price is in other places.
But I mean if you do this all, I really cant see why it would be morally wrong. I mean if thats the price he is offering then thats the price he is offering, you cant force him to raise the price can you?

I'd ask again. If you give them the chance then they're fair game. There may be no mistake on the price, just cheap. Buy them both though! The mammoth Dovo's have disappointed many due to the quality of workmanship not justifying the price, but for 140 notes, I repeat,
BUY THEM BOTH!!

Erm - now hang on - where did you say the shopwas exactly.................?

To me the question is, do you buy one for yourself and the other mammoth to resell for what they are getting on the web.

That's easy. You ask the clerk to double check the price since you think it's exceptional. If you really want to feel comfortable about it ask the clerk to double check with the boss. If the boss isn't there then buy one or both, get a receipt, leave your contact info and ask the clerk to double check with the boss. You'll feel better about it. If the boss calls back and says he made a mistake tell him you understand and ask if he'd be willing to sell it to you at his cost.

Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

To me the question is, do you buy one for yourself and the other mammoth to resell for what they are getting on the web.

That's not a question, that's a plan!

Well, I have one which I got on Eboy for as I recall about $120. Its a nice razor and a quality blade however the scales unbalance the blade and because of the way the scales are it seems awkward in the hand. For what I paid its worth it but I wouldn't pay more than maybe $160 for it. Mine had poorly matched scales appearance wise and the polish on the ivory was second rate. I had to polish them myself. I also thought the little mammoth on the blade was kind of cartoonish and the satin finish on the blade was not in keeping with a razor meant to sell for around $400.