Did I Do Wrong?

[Jade Emperor]

Hello.
Yesterday, I went thrifting, which is one of my favourite things to do.
I found a gem - a lovely little nut bowl in heavy crystal glass and the place had $6 on it.
I immediately snapped it up and when I took it to the counter, I told them that I couldn’t pay $6 for it. I had to give them at least $20.
It’s a piece that I know is worth at least $200 and I just couldn’t give them $6.
Anyway, this action became contentious with MrJade because he said that I should have just given them the $6 they wanted and walked away with the steal. I didn’t think it was right to not give them at least more considering its value.
What say you?

 

[Katie H]

Hello.
Yesterday, I went thrifting, which is one of my favourite things to do.
I found a gem - a lovely little nut bowl in heavy crystal glass and the place had $6 on it.
I immediately snapped it up and when I took it to the counter, I told them that I couldn’t pay $6 for it. I had to give them at least $20.
It’s a piece that I know is worth at least $200 and I just couldn’t give them $6.
Anyway, this action became contentious with MrJade because he said that I should have just given them the $6 they wanted and walked away with the steal. I didn’t think it was right to not give them at least more considering its value.
What say you?

You did well as a thrifter, with a good conscience, but I would have paid the asking price, enjoyed the glass item for a while, then maybe sold it later on.

 

[jennyema]

I like what you did!

 

[dcSaute]

one has to live with one's conscience . . .

 

[Marlingardener]

I have found items at a thrift store or an antique store that are under priced. If at a thrift store that supports a charity, I pay what it is worth on the open market. If at an antique store, I think the seller ought to know the value, and pay the asking price even if the item is undervalued. I support charities, but not ignorance of the ware's value.
Jade, you did the right thing.

 

[Jade Emperor]

Oh yes. It was a charity shop. I should have said that.

 

[caseydog]

What say you?

No.

CD

 

[taxlady]

I have found items at a thrift store or an antique store that are under priced. If at a thrift store that supports a charity, I pay what it is worth on the open market. If at an antique store, I think the seller ought to know the value, and pay the asking price even if the item is undervalued. I support charities, but not ignorance of the ware's value.
Jade, you did the right thing.

I was thinking the same.

 

[HeyItsSara]

you couldhave paid the price then made a donation

 

[grumpyoldman]

you did the right thing !!! good for you

 

[Steve Kroll]

I guess I would have just paid the $6. But if I'm being really honest, I probably wouldn't have bought it at all.

Many years ago, I spent some time in Turkey and was convinced by my then wife that I needed to buy some Turkish rugs and meerschaum pipes because they were cheap in Turkey, but could be sold back in the US for a healthy profit. So I bought 3 rugs and had them shipped back to the states, along with a couple of the ugliest pipes I've ever seen.

Long story short, I couldn't give any of these things away. No one wanted the rugs, although they kind of grew on me (one is still used in a spare bedroom). The pipes ended up occupying space on a shelf in the basement until I moved. Then they got tossed.

 

[caseydog]

When my dad sold his father's home, he wanted to sell it as-is, with everything in it. Well, I vetoed that decision, flew down to Florida, rented a van, and drove it back to Texas. I mostly wanted grandpa's desk. My uncle wanted a few things, including my grandmother's cedar chest, so I had a full van of mostly family heirlooms.

One thing I found was a single setting demitasse set (cup and saucer) that had White Star Lines on it. That's the ocean liner company for the Titanic. I knew it wasn't from the Titanic, but figured I'd take it home and do some research. Nobody in my family had any idea where my grandparents got it.

It turned to be from the First Class section of a White Star Lines ocean liner. I put it on eBay, and it sold for $385.

CD

 

[lastmanstanding]

It's always about how much your conscience will or will not forgive you. Only you know it. I hate to take a tourist to some gem shops because they add a commission of 40-50% to the item, for the guide. It's robbery I believe. While a commission is not a crime, charging that much really is. Imagine you pay 5000 USD for something that's only valued at 1500. So it doesn't matter whether the buyer or the seller, if you think it's a huge difference from what it genuinely should be... you know what to do.