Hypothetical question: Would you keep a wrong ordered lens, if it was in your favour?

Just getting the disclaimer out there: this is totally hypothetical.

I'm sitting here waiting for my lens to arrive, so it got me thinking.

It must've happened to people in the past, but what would you do if you received lens that is better than the one you ordered, but they only charged you for your order (basically a mispackage)?

For example, you order a 70-200 f4L, and get a 70-200f4LIS?
Or an EF-s18-55IS, and you get a 17-55 IS?
50mmf/1.8, get a 50mm f/1.2?

I'm fairly moral, the guilt would probably eat way at me, and I'd like to think that I'd return it...but to be brutally honest, I'd probably consider it at least. At the very least, I'd open it and play with it probably...

Has this happened to anyone? What did you do?

Would it make a difference TO YOU, if it were different stores? i.e. BestBuy vs. B&H, or Amazon vs. some Mom&Pop store? Off an bay seller?

Would the price difference matter? For example, you get something $100 in your favour vs. something thousands of dollars?

'Stealing' is stealing, but people's morals always cover a gradient...

Interesting question. I'd return it. Wouldn't make a difference to me what store I ordered from. Maybe add a poll - you might get more honest results...

mrkgoo wrote in post #8796235
Just getting the disclaimer out there: this is totally hypothetical.

I'm sitting here waiting for my lens to arrive, so it got me thinking.

It must've happened to people in the past, but what would you do if you received lens that is better than the one you ordered, but they only charged you for your order (basically a mispackage)?

For example, you order a 70-200 f4L, and get a 70-200f4LIS?
Or an EF-s18-55IS, and you get a 17-55 IS?
50mmf/1.8, get a 50mm f/1.2?

I'm fairly moral, the guilt would probably eat way at me, and I'd like to think that I'd return it...but to be brutally honest, I'd probably consider it at least. At the very least, I'd open it and play with it probably...

Has this happened to anyone? What did you do?

Would it make a difference TO YOU, if it were different stores? i.e. BestBuy vs. B&H, or Amazon vs. some Mom&Pop store? Off an bay seller?

Would the price difference matter? For example, you get something $100 in your favour vs. something thousands of dollars?

'Stealing' is stealing, but people's morals always cover a gradient...

you've just provided the yeast for a long, drawn out, nasty thread that surely will come to no good end. why is that?

ed rader

Jeff81 wrote in post #8796247
Interesting question. I'd return it. Wouldn't make a difference to me what store I ordered from. Maybe add a poll - you might get more honest results...

+1 add a poll. would be curious to see the results.

RiaGurl wrote in post #8796282
+1 add a poll. would be curious to see the results.

add a poll and move it to one of the off-topic chat forums. make sure to list the various dollar amounts that participants would sell out at.

ed rader

I would return it without question. If you do put up a poll it would be interesting to try an accretion how many people would do nothing if the mis packaging was to their detriment rather than to their favour.

If I ordered a 400mm 5.6L and someone sent me a 400mm 2.8L lens. The guilt would get to me and I would return it............ after a few years.

Maybe put it in my will to return it after I'm dead

if i ordered a 50mm 1.8, and got a 1200mm 5.6, i would contact them and let them know, but i would first get lost in the excitement of the lens, that it would take me a lifetime to get my head on straight in order to do so

CountryBoy wrote in post #8796298
If I ordered a 400mm 5.6L and someone sent me a 400mm 2.8L lens. The guilt would get to me and I would return it............ after a few years.

Maybe put it in my will to return it after I'm dead

but how pissed would you be if you ordered a 2.8 and they sent you a 5.6.

RiaGurl wrote in post #8796313
if i ordered a 50mm 1.8, and got a 1200mm 5.6, i would contact them and let them know, but i would first get lost in the excitement of the lens, that it would take me a lifetime to get my head on straight in order to do so

Ok, I laughed at this

I'd wonder why my 50 f/1.8 was shipped on a crate.

Ed: A poll makes sense, but I guess I'm not so interested in the actual numbers over the discussion.

edit: Oh, and you're probably right,this could be a very bad thread...well, maybe no-one's going to own up to having this happen to them and them keeping the lens (for sure they'd get blasted for it). I sometimes forget this forum is not as 'anonymous' as your usual generic forum.

neil_r wrote in post #8796329
but how pissed would you be if you ordered a 2.8 and they sent you a 5.6.

But that wasn't the question, was it ?

CountryBoy wrote in post #8796354
But that wasn't the question, was it ?

no the question was at what dollar amount would you become dishonest.

ed rader

CountryBoy wrote in post #8796354
But that wasn't the question, was it ?

I agree but I think it is a valid extrapolation of the original question.

(But I am sure that no one posting here would have such blatant and immoral double standards)

CountryBoy wrote in post #8796354
But that wasn't the question, was it ?

Yea,h I refrained form bringing that up - it's obvious what the reaction to getting sent a lens that is less than what you ordered. You'd be angry and you'd definitely contact the supplier.

Regards to the topic, one must also wonder if the supplier knows about the mistake as well. What if Canon sent you back a different lens from repair?

The bottom line is, if you have the wrong lens, then someone else also has a wrong lens.

You know what, something similar to this happened to me on an eBay transaction that was unrelated to lenses. I had ordered an item, I think it was a pocket digital recorder at like $40, and when I received the package (which was properly addressed and everything), it had 2 extremely nice personal digital recorders that retailed for well over $100 a piece. At first, I was just confused. I scratched my head and looked at the invoice in the box. IT had my name on it, but my paypal account only showed the $40 taken out for my original order. I quickly realized that someone had messed up and I had gotten someone else's order. Well, then I thought about the person somewhere else in the country who was opening their box to find a $40 recorder in place of the $200 order that they had placed. Then, sadly, I emailed the seller and had the recorders shipped back. I say sadly because I am human and there of course was a part of me that selfishly wanted to keep the items. But if you put yourself on the other side of the coin (business owner who lost a lot of money, or the person who expected the more expensive item and got shafted) then it makes the choice a little easier.

My $.02