Promotional codes: moral dilemma?
Promotional codes are there for certain members of the public to benefit on certain commercial deals. For example, I keep getting offers from ocado for a few pounds off my shopping, as my account has lapsed. A code supplied in the email allows me to claim this discount at online check-out. (In actual fact, my wife now holds our ocado account, and she gets no such offers—frustrating.)
But often, the codes that are issued are not tied to specific user accounts, and are advertised on the web. While halfway through the process of registering a package online to send via Parcelforce the other day, I decided to Google for such a number, and easily found one that offered 15% off any Parcelforce order, taking the price down from £72 to £61.
I used the voucher, but is this morally wrong? Or should we be happy to exploit the fact that companies put generic vouchers out there for anyone to use.
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4 Responses to “Promotional codes: moral dilemma?”
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Relax, no company gives out these codes to sell at a loss, they still get your money and make a margin – it’s all part of the marketing game of pulling in punters.
I have worked on this area and it is deliberately done, somethings someone like Hoover make a mistake, but discount vouchers are very manageable.
don’t be daft.
generic online codes are no different than coupons sent in the mail. companies are well aware of this and sometimes even suggest you share them with friends.
For a start 15% off 71 leaves a bill of 61.20. Given your constant whinge on detail I would have thought at least you would have mathematical standards.
And yes is is morally wrong.
Thanks, u-kok. I am aware of the mathematical anomaly (although I think you mean 72, not 71); but I rounded for convenience. The post is not about the maths, it’s about the concept of promotional codes.
And as for their morality, I’m with Sinbad and Elise…