[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is this stealing? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/9/2009 1:29:50 PM EDT
| I was watching some show on one of those home improvement channels and a couple were at a store looking at a shelf or a cabinet and were not sure if it would fit. The guy grab a tape measure off the rack uses it to measure the item, see it will fit, puts it in the cart and hangs the tape back on the rack. His wife/SO/GG say he stole from the store because he used it but did not buy it. he said he didn't and besides he is buying the item he measured which he would not have if he was unsure of the fit. I paraphrased because I can't remember the exact word exchanged but that was basically it. I say he was not stealing. |
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Not stealing.
I guess a weak argument could be made that it's not 100% ethical to quickly "borrow" the tape measure from the store, but it certainly wouldn't be "stealing" My guess is that if you asked the store employees or managers, if they'd prefer that you just used a tape measure from the shelf, or you came to hassle them to come and measure it for them, they'd almost certainly prefer that you just do it yourself with a tape measure off the shelf. ETA: That said, if I need to measure something at a hardware store, I bring a tape measure from home (and hope they don't accuse me of stealing it). |
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Quoted:
I'd love to see this at a store. Excuse me sir......you are stealing.  WAT?Haha. Somehow, with some of the older guys they hire sometimes I would see this being possible. Ironically, when I am at a Lowe's or Home Depot I ALWAYS look for the older people working there because they know what the fuck is going on when you ask them a question and actually help you. |
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I fail to see how that's stealing. I'm honest to a fault, but I use store tape measures all the time then put them back. I don't damage it, I don't take it out of the packaging and even if it was the last one in the store, I'm not going to be using it long enough to prevent the store from selling it. I used to ask a clerk to use his, but most of them don't carry one anymore and half of them wouldn't even know how to use one if they did carry one. |
| not stealing at all. did not devalue the tape measure, and actually used it to complete the sale, making them a profit. had he done something like take a drink of a water or something, that's theft. but to use a tape measure to measure something, not stealing even a little tiny bit |
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Quoted:
Who the hell said yes, and are you serious  Somebody just wanted to be different.... 
ETA: Please - those who said that it is stealing. Explain yourself: Not trying to stir up the shit, I'm just really curious to hear your line of reasoning. Quoted:
ETA: That said, if I need to measure something at a hardware store, I bring a tape measure from home (and hope they don't accuse me of stealing it). I take my tape with me. I *WANT* them to accuse me of stealing it - it has a "HECHINGERS" logo on it. (Their competitor that went bankrupt several years back.) 
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This is different, but related.
I sometimes get a cold Coke Zero and drink it while I shop. Sometimes, I'll eat things from the deli and/or share them with my partner. BUT, in ALL cases, I pay for that which I have selected. I HATE shit bags that take the stuff, eat and drink, and never pay, and those that let their animals (shildren) do likewise. |