An elastic shorts ethical conundrum
What is our obligation to make “good faith” returns to an online behemoth?
Going into last week I didn’t own a single bathing suit. This is problematic — I swim. At the neighborhood pool, at my dad’s, in my neighbor’s hot tub when they are out of town. I’m too old and too prideful to be a guy wearing gym shorts to the pool.
Two weeks ago I ordered a pair of swim shorts from a little online shop called Chubbies: The Havana Nights in 5.5" inseam. Incredible shorts. A day later, I got the itch, and ordered another pair of shorts from the same website. Fast forward a week: the second pair is in my hands, and the first pair is languishing in the liminal space between DHL and USPS. Unmoving.
I wait a couple of days. I’m a little nervous. I need them by this weekend.
Yesterday, I emailed Chubbies and said “I’m going out of town soon and I really need this — what can I do?” Their customer service, being incredible, emails me back in moments, says “No worries! We over-nighted you a new pair! If the first ones arrive, just let us know, we’ll send you a shipping label to send them back.” (emphasis mine)
A few hours later I got a notification that the first pair was moving — effectively I would be receiving two pairs of the same $80 shorts, one of them for free.
Here’s the question: Should I let them know?
There’s nothing preventing me from just keeping both pairs of shorts. Yes, they will be identical, but so what? I think they are awesome, and if I always have a backup pair, the more the better.
On the other hand — I didn’t pay for them. Sure, it’s a bunch of crap I gotta do to get them back to them. But, the shorts aren’t cheap and it is a business, after all. They did me a solid. Do I owe them a solid?
Perhaps I can assuage my guilt by simply thinking “I’ll be a lifelong Chubbies customer now, that’s worth more than one single gratis return, right?”
Let me know what you think in the comments. I need advice! They both arrive today!
