Ethical or Not?

[StormRichards]

Okay folks. I will put one out there for debate. I am not going to give specifics but the scenario below is comparable.

A company is having a contest with potential prize codes available inside the packaging. The company screwed up and the customer is able to see through the packaging and whether the code says Sorry or Winner. The product can be removed from the shelf and examined to see if there are any winning codes. If there are winning codes, the customer is able to purchase them and ultimately win the prize. Although this product is sold in various stores, this contest is specific to a particular chain of stores.

Of course there is no guarantee that any particular store will have the product with a winning code, but there is a clear advantage of being able to see the prize code.

So is it unethical to go through the product that is in the store ready to purchase, and cherry pick the winning codes?

[disneysteve]

It sounds like the customer doesn't have to do anything wrong in order to see the code, so I'd say that's just exploiting a loophole. Though I suspect that as soon as the company discovers that, they'll cancel or modify the rules of the contest.

Now that does not mean that you should go to every local store and rummage through all of their stock of this product and either leave things a mess or just be a general nuisance. Don't be a jerk about it.

[StormRichards]

It sounds like the customer doesn't have to do anything wrong in order to see the code, so I'd say that's just exploiting a loophole. Though I suspect that as soon as the company discovers that, they'll cancel or modify the rules of the contest.

Now that does not mean that you should go to every local store and rummage through all of their stock of this product and either leave things a mess or just be a general nuisance. Don't be a jerk about it.

I did multiple Google searches and I have yet to see it posted on any of the forums. It is definitely the type of situation I would expect to get posted on slickdeals at some point.

[StormRichards]

Now that does not mean that you should go to every local store and rummage through all of their stock of this product and either leave things a mess or just be a general nuisance. Don't be a jerk about it.

I should have included in the OP that any product not purchased is put back neatly, as I agree that would otherwise be a jerk thing to do.

Updated the OP to reference chain of stores. Prior to this discovery, my patronage of this chain was to 99% to a single location. There is another location that is about 10 minutes further that I have stopped in since my discovery.

[disneysteve]

I should have included in the OP that any product not purchased is put back neatly, as I agree that would otherwise be a jerk thing to do.

Even just going in and going through the product could be an issue. If you walk into the store, head straight to the display of this item, take all of them off the shelf to examine them, put them all back, and leave, I think that would be inappropriate behavior even though you wouldn't have actually done anything wrong. It's just kind of shady.

[FLA]

I would specifically avoid this store to prevent temptation on my part

[StormRichards]

Even just going in and going through the product could be an issue. If you walk into the store, head straight to the display of this item, take all of them off the shelf to examine them, put them all back, and leave, I think that would be inappropriate behavior even though you wouldn't have actually done anything wrong. It's just kind of shady.

Every single trip to the store has resulted in purchase of this product, with the majority being non winner codes. So it isn't a case of me not finding a winner and then putting all the product back. I just figure that if I am going to buy the product, why shouldn't I see if there is a winning code among current stock.

[StormRichards]

I would specifically avoid this store to prevent temptation on my part

It is a store that I have gone to on a regular basis for 20+ years.

[disneysteve]

I just figure that if I am going to buy the product, why shouldn't I see if there is a winning code among current stock.

I see nothing wrong with that. It's no different, really, than the other day when I rummaged through the yogurts on the shelf to find the ones with the latest expiration date, which happened to be way in the back, of course.

[StormRichards]

What is surprising to me is that I have yet to see the details of this blunder reported online. I thought for sure it would have made sites like slickdeal by now. Members there thrive on posting information like this and getting upvotes in hopes of making the front page.

[Outdoorsygal]

Okay folks. I will put one out there for debate. I am not going to give specifics but the scenario below is comparable.

A company is having a contest with potential prize codes available inside the packaging. The company screwed up and the customer is able to see through the packaging and whether the code says Sorry or Winner. The product can be removed from the shelf and examined to see if there are any winning codes. If there are winning codes, the customer is able to purchase them and ultimately win the prize. Although this product is sold in various stores, this contest is specific to a particular chain of stores.

Of course there is no guarantee that any particular store will have the product with a winning code, but there is a clear advantage of being able to see the prize code.

So is it unethical to go through the product that is in the store ready to purchase, and cherry pick the winning codes?

If it stated in the game rules as against the rules, then it's cheating. Otherwise, no. Most people don't bother to play those games anyhow. I never even look, too much trouble

[disneysteve]

What is surprising to me is that I have yet to see the details of this blunder reported online. I thought for sure it would have made sites like slickdeal by now. Members there thrive on posting information like this and getting upvotes in hopes of making the front page.

If I discovered something like this, you can be darned sure I would not be posting that discovery online until after the contest had ended. I'd be keeping that secret to myself.

[StormRichards]

If it stated in the game rules as against the rules, then it's cheating. Otherwise, no. Most people don't bother to play those games anyhow. I never even look, too much trouble

I can't say I usually take the time to read contest rules, but I can't imagine there would be anything stating "do not try to read the code through the package."

I personally don't view these contests as too much trouble but I do believe many view it that way. For me, if it is a prize I would actually like to win, then I take the time to enter a contest. If I think I would end up asking myself "why the crap am I going to do with this thing" then I don't bother.

[StormRichards]

If I discovered something like this, you can be darned sure I would not be posting that discovery online until after the contest had ended. I'd be keeping that secret to myself.

That is the approach I am taking. I think if I come across another package with a winning code, I am going to take a picture of it so I have proof that it happened.

[Outdoorsygal]

I can't say I usually take the time to read contest rules, but I can't imagine there would be anything stating "do not try to read the code through the package."

I personally don't view these contests as too much trouble but I do believe many view it that way. For me, if it is a prize I would actually like to win, then I take the time to enter a contest. If I think I would end up asking myself "why the crap am I going to do with this thing" then I don't bother.

That's true, you can just logically assume they would not put that disclaimer in there.
I guess my point was, if you can logically know it is probably against the rules, then it is more likely to be unethical.
In this case, they just screwed up and others will benefit from it. Perfectly fine.

Reminds me of that youtube video of that autistic guy who won on the price is right.
Totally confident he knew ahead of time how much that prize was worth and he knew he already won it. How?
He watches every single day. And saw that prize being used in another show. A pretty funny video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_96_ITeIFo