Rooftop Tent Moral Dilemma... advice?

Seriously. Have some ethics. How entitled do you have to be to buy something, regret it, and try to return it after using it. His truck only looks slightly used too. Maybe he could return that as well.

 

How many days did you spend at the festival? How much would a hotel cost for that time? 1700 minus the possible hotel cost = the least you need back to break even.

Me, I would use that and drive to places that most folks only dream about getting to. You talk about backpacking, use this to get and stay overnight to the trail heads and then you get up early, pack the tent back and get an early start on the trail. WIN WIN!

Edit: as a member of law enforcement, what would you call it if someone just took something from a store and returned it after one use? Is it still stealing even though they returned it after the one use?

 

Below is their return policy cut and pasted directly from their website. The key piece being "If your not 100% satifsed with your REI purchase, you can return it for a replacement or refund within one year of purchase".

Once again their policy.

Return Policy
Published 11/08/2017 03:31 PM | Updated 05/17/2018 07:23 AM
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed


We stand behind everything we sell. If you're not satisfied with your REI purchase, you can return it for a replacement or refund within one year of purchase, except for outdoor electronics, which must be returned within 90 days of purchase. Outdoor electronics include activity monitors, GPS-enabled devices, bike trainers, emergency-communication devices, and cameras.

REI’s guarantee doesn’t cover ordinary wear and tear or damage caused by improper use or accidents.

 

But he was not dissatisfied with the product, just his choice to buy it and use once.

 

IMO, if you're not satisfied with the product that you purchased, return it. If you made a purchase and have remorse over spending $1700 for a one-time use, then don't put that on the retailer.

 

The key word there is Satisfied, or not Satisfied as the case may be. You were (I assume) satisfied with the product; you just don't need it anymore. Like those guys who buy a Snow Blower at Home Depot just before a big blizzard and the want to return it once the storm is over.

My two cents: Sell it privately on eBay or Craigslist.

Think about it: Suppose when you bought that tent somebody had already returned it, and the REI resold it to you and tried to pass it off as a new tent. Would you be pissed off? I'm guessing yes.

So sell it privately, get what you can for it and mod on.

 

+1 to everyone saying to sell it privately or use it to get out more and camp more.

I am sure you can get at least $1300-1500 out of it. So you had an awesome camping setup for the festival and only lost a few hundred. Money back in your pocket and you won't be walking around feeling bad about abusing REI's return policy.

REI has local employees who are knowledgeable and friendly. They have helped me many times. Eventually, too many return policy abuses could lead to loss of jobs if there are cutbacks.

 

OP I bought a RTT, used it for 2 months/3 nights of camping total. I decided it wasn't for me for various reasons. I bought it for $1,199 and ended up selling it for $1,200 within a couple weeks of posting it. So in the end I profited $1. I would try and go that route first.

 

I think the most important factor here is how hot your fiance is? We need a picture.

Seriously, you are 'satisfied' so policy does not apply ethically. Sell it and go no lower than the cost less what a hotel would have cost you.

Lastly, as a future husband you set the ethical standard for your home and life.

 

I'm not sure if you're accusing me or him, or both, of lacking ethics. If you are making that accusation, then apparently disagreeing, or seeing another logical viewpoint, on a situation is unethical... Which is idiotic. Reasonable minds can disagree, which is what I assumed was happening here. I may be wrong.

How many businesses have return policies that state a variation of "if you're not completely happy, return _____ for a full refund"? (Side note: As a REI member, I'm pretty damn sure the return agreement, or at least the ones I've seen, states that.) If a customer utilizes that agreement, they're being unethical according to you? Come on now.

 

The impression I got from his OP was that his intention was not to use it once and return it. He bought it for a purpose, immediate and future, but his situation changed so he's asking whether or not to return it.

Again, that's my impression and if correct, I see nothing unethical about this because the intent to decieve and abuse the return policy did not, and does not, exist.

 

Like @honda50r said... Who cares what people think, including everyone in this thread.

 

OP is badged LEO per his profile.

Asks TW members about the ethics of returning an item he bought, used and has nothing wrong with it other than he paid $1,700

 

Well if you knew all that why did you buy it? Come on yo knew before you bought it lol "Well, now I've realized I probably won't use it for another trip for years. Any future camping requires I can have mobility... so, here's the moral dilemma... do I return it? I bought it on sale from REI and it cost a total $1700.00+/-" " I just don't have the space to store it and won't really need it again."

Bro you got pressured by a female

Flip side you keep it and find time to use it

Return it or sell it, honestly id return it if you can. Why take the loss selling it if you don't have to

 

rtt's hold value and sell fast. Id list it and see what you get. From a guy who has entered and left the rtt game 3 times i came out pretty even with all of the tents. If you list now during camping season you can make pretty close to what you paid.

its up to you what you want to do, people here will judge you on any decision you choose. If you dont use it, get rid of it and put the money towards something you will use or need.

 

Return it at a different rei you dont shop at then you dont need to shame yourself. Wont see them again

 

Power of the P.... we've all been there lol

 

did the product he purchased live up to what it was supposed to do? It sounds like it was great, so it's not a dissatisfaction with the product, it's the actual purchase that bothers him now.

It's a retail store, not a rental or borrow store.

Ask LLBean how their return policy affected their bottom line.