opportunism vs. good business... help settle an argument

coldfoot_luke · #1 01-10-2011, 01:37 PM

I want to get some unbiased, outside opinions on this.

I share a house with my brother, we are both mid-20's with steady jobs. Neither of us is hard up for money. We get along really well for brothers who share a house. One of our old housemates found a North Face jacket while cleaning up the bar he worked at last winter. He wore it for a few months, and then gave it to my brother for free. This weekend, my brother tried to sell it to me for a 'greatly reduced price' (his words) for 30$. I didn't ask for it, I don't need it, he just tried to sell it to me randomly.

I know a north face jacket for 30$ is a good deal, but I'm kinda offended that our friend got it for free, gave it to my brother for free, then my brother offered to sell it to me. I told him it was an @sshole move to make that sale to anybody, much less his brother. I told him I felt that he was trying to make money off me and was bring opportunistic. If he paid money for it, sure, I would pay him money for it if I wanted the jacket. Problem is, he's trying to turn off a profit off me after bragging about a jacket he got for free.

He said that he was just thinking about business. He said if I was business-minded I would understand. Funny thing is, I am plenty business-minded, and have had two management positions at night jobs while I was working my way through college. I think there is a big difference between being businesslike and being opportunistic. (Of course, there are plenty of opportunistic, @sshole business people, but that's another thread altogether...)

So... am I over reacting?

tastybasslines · #2 01-10-2011, 01:41 PM

No - he is being an *******. You don't try to make money off family members, period.

**jmattbassplaya** · #3 01-10-2011, 01:41 PM

In a word - yes.

Brothers always try to take advantage of each other, if for no other reason than because they are brothers. I wouldn't worry about it.

MatticusMania · #4 01-10-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldfoot_luke

I told him it was an @sshole move to make that sale to anybody, much less his brother.

This is where you are wrong. It might be an a-hole move to try and make money off of you when he got the jacket for free, but it would not be if he were to sell it to some other person of no relation. Even still, its not that much of a dick move to try and get $30 out of you.

coldfoot_luke · #5 01-10-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

This is where you are wrong. It might be an a-hole move to try and make money off of you when he got the jacket for free, but it would not be if he were to sell it to some other person of no relation. Even still, its not that much of a dick move to try and get $30 out of you.

I guess one of the things that gets me is that he boasted about getting it for free before hand. I know that you have to make a profit from somewhere, and like I said, if he paid money for it I would offer money if I wanted it so I wouldn't be ripping him off. But to brag about getting something for free then try to make money off me for it... that seems dickish to me.

MakiSupaStar · #6 01-10-2011, 02:00 PM

Bah. Who cares. Say no thanks. Forget about it, and then borrow it when he's not looking. No biggie.

MatticusMania · #7 01-10-2011, 02:03 PM

A friend of mine sold me 2 great bass cabs for $100. I dont have a use for them, but had $100. So, I bought them. I put them for sale online for $250 each. I'll probably end up taking $400 for the both of them. Its business.

Its bad business to boast about your profit margin, but hey, what are you gonna do? Do you want the jacket or not? Is $30 a good deal on the jacket? Then whats to complain about? Its not like there is another one of those jackets for sale somewhere at the price of free, so why would you expect to have it just given to you?

coldfoot_luke · #8 01-10-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

A friend of mine sold me 2 great bass cabs for $100. I dont have a use for them, but had $100. So, I bought them. I put them for sale online for $250 each. I'll probably end up taking $400 for the both of them. Its business.

Its bad business to boast about your profit margin, but hey, what are you gonna do? Do you want the jacket or not? Is $30 a good deal on the jacket? Then whats to complain about? Its not like there is another one of those jackets for sale somewhere at the price of free, so why would you expect to have it just given to you?

Did you friend also get those cabs for 100$? Did you tell the guy you sold them to how much you got them for? And did you sell them to your brother?

I'm all for making a profit... my point is there are certain people and certain ways you should not use to make a profit.

billhilly66 · #9 01-10-2011, 02:16 PM

The dick move was swiping it from the bar in the first place. Whoever owned it more than likely went back to see if they found his jacket.

MatticusMania · #10 01-10-2011, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldfoot_luke

1)Did you friend also get those cabs for 100$?
2)Did you tell the guy you sold them to how much you got them for?
3)And did you sell them to your brother?

I'm all for making a profit... my point is there are certain people and certain ways you should not use to make a profit.

1) Not my business.
2) That would be ridiculously bad business
3) No, he's not a bassist, but if he was interested in buying them I'd probably sell them both to him for $300, as Im all for hooking family up with a good deal.

Is $30 for the jacket just too steep a price for ya? You seemed overly concerned that your brother is actually hooking you up with a good deal.

Skitch it! · #11 01-10-2011, 02:50 PM

Sell to my brother? No chance (there is an age gap of 17 years though?). Last thing I gave him was a early 70's Yamaha. Sell to anyone else, sure.

MakiSupaStar · #12 01-10-2011, 03:45 PM

On another note you could buy it for 30 bucks and sell it to the dude that started the 'skiing thread' for 60 bucks.

Ziltoid · #13 01-10-2011, 04:10 PM

Meh, I gave my sister a brand new Ipod touch that I got free with my mac because I already had one.

drteeth · #14 01-10-2011, 04:11 PM

You don't screw over your brother. That's my opinion.

Selta · #15 01-10-2011, 04:17 PM

Meh. For family, I'd give it away. For anyone else, I'll get what I can from it.

DwaynieAD · #16 01-10-2011, 06:41 PM

If I was selling it to my brother I would have asked for $60

JohnMCA72 · #17 01-10-2011, 06:44 PM

What if your brother bought it for $30 & offered to sell it to you for $60? What would that be?

Meyatch · #18 01-10-2011, 06:49 PM

I think you are mistaking not being super nice, for being a jerk.

Its not the same thing.

Items have value.

Hollow Man · #19 01-10-2011, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyatch

I think you are mistaking not being super nice, for being a jerk.

Its not the same thing.

Items have value.

I would agree with this if the OP had asked his brother for the jacket. However it happened, it's his brother's now, and if the OP had wanted it, I wouldn't criticize his brother for trying to get market value for it (whether or not it's turning a profit). However, to randomly offer it up, just to try to grab some cash? Sounds like the OP's brother is looking for a sucker, and IMO it is a slap in the face to assume that one's brother is that sucker, particularly when the brother has already bragged about scoring the jacket for free.

Cabazon · #20 01-10-2011, 07:08 PM

Buy it. Lose his remaining coat(s) at a bar. Sell it back to him for 60.