Quote:
Originally Posted by taustin
Immoral is such a loaded word. I find "unethical" more descriptive. In many cases, a perfectly reasonable view, even if I don't generally agree with it.
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I don't see anything unethical with it at all, not unless the market economy is an inherently unethical construct.
Fact is, if the shopper's decision to buy online was already set in stone, there would be no reason for them to visit the showroom at all. They would just order online. They may EXPECT that they will buy it online, but if they are showrooming, they are shopping, and if a merchant is lucky enough to have them shopping in HIS retail store, he has the chance to sell to them, which he'd not have had if the person had made up his mind and clicked Buy Now.
A tangentially related anecdote: A few years ago, a local Mercedes dealer send out invites: Come in for a free test drive and get a fairly high-dollar-value Amazon gift card (I can't remember the amount, but it was generous). I brought the invite in and said "I'm here in response to this bribe."
They laughed and said "Do you really want a test drive or can we just give you the gift card?" I took the gift card. That left me feeling pretty good about the place. As I was walking out, I looked at the cars. They were very nice. And some were really not as expensive as I thought they'd be. I'd never considered getting a Mercedes before, partially because of the perceived cost, and until then, I would never have stopped in when I was really car shopping.
But now I was thinking about it. Because they got me in the door, treated me well, and showed me some value I wasn't expecting.