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This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
While researching a post on saving money at the movies, I asked Bargain Babe’s Facebook friends for tips and some suggested sneaking in! The idea bothered me for days and got me thinking about five scenarios where I have to chose between taking the ethical high road and saving money.
Is it ethical to sneak into movies? What about buying counterfeit DVDs?
I’ve never snuck into a movie and what bothers me about this is the same thing as buying a counterfeit DVD, made when someone records the movie with a hand-held video camera from inside the movie theater. The person burns the recording onto DVDs, slaps on a cover sheet, and sells it on the street for a big profit. The problem is that the little guy gets cheated. Sure, the movie executives and stars make the big bucks, but the no-names are more likely to lose their jobs when movie studios don’t make the expected money. By doing both these things, theaters have to raise their cost and the buyer goes from being frugal to being cheap.
You’re walking down Canal Street in New York City or the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles and you spot counterfeit brand name items at bargain prices. Ethical to buy?
No. The fake bags, shoes, and shades emblazoned with a designer’s initials or logo may be far less expensive, but you are still paying for the brand name not the item. I have no problem with a bag that looks similar to a brand name bag as long as you don’t try to pass it off as the name brand with fake logos and tags. My reason for not buying knock offs is that I’d be mortified if I got called out by the designer while walking down the street – although not very likely, it could happen. Also, why would I waste money on fake items? I rather work hard and get the real thing.
You’re heading to the movies and sneak in snacks to avoid paying for the expensive theater popcorn and soda. Ethical?
I’ve sneaked in snacks and the only reason I don’t think it’s unethical is because I am not stealing from the theater. If I didn’t bring in snacks, I still wouldn’t buy the expensive popcorn and soda. By snacks, I mean almonds or a protein bar and not a full meal.
You’re in an all-you-can-eat buffet and you wrap a leftover muffin in a napkin and stick it in your purse. Ethical?
I figure the food is headed for the trash so why not pack it up to enjoy later. Technically, I paid for it, but I draw the line at packing an entire meal for later.
You ask for a cup for water at a restaurant with a self-serve drink station and you fill it up with soda. Ethical?
This is one of my pet peeves. I can’t stand it when people do this, especially if they’re eating with me. I feel like any minute we are going to get called out. This is stealing and will force the restaurant to raise their prices so everyone loses.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Has everyone forgot what stealing is? Taking something that is not yours. A movie that’s not paid for.
Movies are copyrighted. A store selling counterfeit DVD’s is breaking the law by selling them and if you buy them you are receiving stolen property.
I guess it boils down to…if you think you’re being sneaky and getting away with something, then it’s wrong and not bargain hunting. Just the way I look at it.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Interesting article.
I too take protein bars into the theater and a small bottle of water. I don’t think it is unethical in the least. The theater is business to make as much profit as possible and don’t fell any pangs of guilt or any remorse that it cost $6 or more for a tub of popcorn that cost them pennies. Starbucks cofee…. Oh sorry didn’t subject. The same goes for the drinks and other refreshments. I am so blatant about it that I walk in with the water bottle in my hand while handing the movie ticket to the ticket taker. They know what’s in the huge bag you’re dragging into the theater, but I’ve never been challenged or searched.
At one time in my life I worked as a part-time theater manager for the Armed Forces (day job soldier) and against my bosses express wished used to let the little Vietnamese children sneak into the unlocked side doors. The probable didn’t understand a bit of the movie, but they could get out of the brutal heat for a couple of hours. Sorry I digress….
Yesterday I was at Kohl’s and found a nice Sonoma polo shirt for $5.20 on the men’s clearance rack, I had a $5 Off coupon the sent to me for giving them my email address, and figured I would pay 20 cents, plus tax, but the cashier made a goof and said “Sir I sorry, but I accidentally rang up the charge incorrectly and can’t void it and I need to give you 78 cents.” I said Oh my, OK if you really need too I understand. Apparently it was so her register would balance or something like that. I just scratched my head, took the 78 cents and left thinking what kind of alternative universe did I just pass through.
One the other register my wife made a similar transaction and was given 21 cents cash on a Kohl’s Cash coupon after using a $5 Off coupon on a $5 item.
Is that taking unfair advantage of Kohl’s? I don’t think so, even though it didn’t make much sense to me to get money back.
OK one more and then I promise I’ll stop.
I was in Golden Corral with my family when I noticed a gentleman with a large paper sack and a couple of to go boxes at the buffet. He proceeded to stuff the to go boxes to the hilt, then after carefully positioning them in the sack started piling pizza slices, baked potatoes and any thing else he could get his hands on right on top of the to go containers. He then walked out and got into the passenger side of a Cadillac parked in the disabled parking spot right outside the door. Is that stealing or unethical? I think so, but he may have thought that he paid for an “all you can stuff in the bag carry out”.
I’m done
August 4th, 2010 at 11:37 am
@Steven You have got a lot of great stories! Many stores have a policy that if they charge you the wrong amount, the item is free. Perhaps that is why you received $.78 at Kohls?!
Also, I take water into the movie theaters all the time. I make a habit of carrying around a water bottle because I hate paying for something that is otherwise (practically) free!
August 4th, 2010 at 11:47 am
As far as the Golden Corral patron, there are a lot of buffet places that allow people to take food to go. Meaning, they aren’t eating at the place, they are given a certain number of boxes and they can fill them. I have seen people do this at Hometown Buffet. They just want to eat at home, not in the restaurant.
August 4th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
well i know the home town buffet by me wont let you do that i wraped a piece of chicken in a napkin to get some of the greese off and was told i can finish my food and not come back because they thought i was going to take it it all you can eat there so i dont go there movies ive gone to a double feature pay for one and go see another 1 after no bad and boot leg dvd well you gotta watch it and its sometimes blurry and miss any subtitles so u get what you pay for but sometimes you get one because you think the movie might suck and pay 5 bucks for it and it does so at least you dident pay 8 for a early movie and knockoff bags yeah right a designer would walk down the street you are on and call you out thats never gonna happen and i get them why should i pay for the name i just like the style i dont see the point in paying 300 for coach when i can get a knockoff for 50 or tiffanys online for 75 for the set when i would pay 150 for a one item i dont got a lotta money so i wanna enjoy the few nice things i can if i get a knockoff oh well and isant copying a form of flattery ?????
August 4th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Tracy:
Use capital letters at the beginning of sentences. Use periods, commas, and apostrophes.
Unless you don’t care if people don’t read your comments because they’re too hard to read.
If your personal presentation is anything like your online presentation, I don’t wonder at the reaction you received in the restaurant.
August 4th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
To each his/her own, but in my opinion all you do-gooders need to get a life. All of the practices mentioned in the article are things I have done, and will continue to do. And yes, I can sleep quite well at night. I would never do anything to hurt an individual, but when it comes to “big business”, I’m all over it! If you want to over-moralize it, for lack of a better term, have at it. Knock yourself out. That and 50 cents will get you a pack of gum in the world we currently live in. Wake up, morons.
August 5th, 2010 at 1:23 am
@Kathy -
Buying pirated DVDs is not stealing, so you are not taking something that is not yours; it’s buying material that is copyright infringement. There is a difference.
Yes it is unlawful but for reasons different than stealing.
August 5th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Sneaking in snacks into the theatre is just as bad as sneaking into the movie. The theatre companies make little to no profit on the movies themselves which is why popcorn and snacks there are ridiculously expensive.
“Most of the money that a theatre takes in from ticket sales goes back to the movie studio. The studio leases a movie to your local theater for a set period of time. In the first couple of weeks the film shows in the theatre, the theatre itself only gets to keep about 20% – 25% of the green. That means, if you showed up to watch Bridget Jones’ Diary on opening night, then of the $12 you put out for a ticket, the movie theatre only got to keep between $2.40 and $3.00 of it.” – The Economics of the Movie Theatres
August 6th, 2010 at 7:24 am
I am sorry, but I do not follow the logic here. Are you saying that the movie patron should subsidize the theater through purchases of food and drink in addition to the cost of the ticket because most of the overall profit on a film goes to others? What are we talking about here? Ethics or the economics of the movie industry?
Let’s say I carry in water, snacks, etc and don’t spend any money for anything else except the admission ticket. How is that any different from a net profit perspective than if I choose not to buy the theater food or drink or just go without? If that is the case then maybe the theaters should engender the idea that all patrons should purchase a program that explains the movie so they can make a little more profit and if you were to watch a movie trailer at home or read a synopsis on-line why that just wouldn’t be right. I could go on with a number of examples along this line, such as buying a copy of the movie, buying memorabilia, etc, but that doesn’t change the economics for the movie theater owner when I choose not to buy the add-ons. I buy an economy car and a matinee priced movie ticket for the same reason – to save money.
August 6th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
The only one of these I’ve ever done is snuck some friut and water into a theatre. I don’t eat candy and popcorn so why should I have to buy these things if I get a bit hungry during a movie?
August 7th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Yazmin addressed packing up “leftovers” to take home from an all-you-can-eat buffet That’s a pretty good rationalization for accidentally-on-purpose(ly) taking too much so that there are “leftovers.” It’s not difficult to take less and then get up for more later if you still want some.
I have to agree with Hilary regarding Tracy’s post. I gave up trying to read it. It was too much work.
Staci, you have perfected rationalization. I thought politicians were the champs of that. Where do you stand on shoplifting? You say you wouldn’t “do anything to hurt an individual.” At least some of the practices within this topic (and you say you’ve done them all) do hurt individuals when the owners or “big business” have to increase costs to make up for the petty larceny practiced by individuals like yourself.
August 8th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Diane, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my comments. I can tell by your style of writing that you are an intelligent lady. In regards to your comments, my first thought is darn…maybe I SHOULD have been a politician! To answer your question about shoplifting,well, it’s not my cup of tea. In fact, I don’t think the issue of shoplifting really applies here. People shoplift for a variety of reasons-most psychological-least of which is to get something for free. However, I must say that I have no interest whatsoever in condemning anyone who shoplifts. You want to shoplift? Go for it! Knock yourself out! The bottom line is that retail establishments will feed you the line that the “petty larceny” that I and others indulge in is the reason that they need to raise their prices. This simply is not true. Prices rise and fall for a variety of reasons, which include the current economy, market share, and supply and demand. There simply aren’t enough people with strong ethical values in this world to change things. This may sound cynical, but it’s true. As far as moral values go, they tend to be hard to quantify, as they are in the eyes of the beholder. I can only speak for myself, and I already summed that up in my statement from my first post. Thanks again for taking the time to read and respond! -Staci