Selling stuff...
By aseretdd
@aseretdd (13730)
Philippines
January 28, 2009 10:23pm CST
Is it okay to sell stuff that was given to you... like as a gift?...
Well, last month... a friend of mine who migrated to the US gave me some travelling bags... they are in very good condition and were slightly used... one is an original Ferragamo briefcase...
I have no use for these stuff... and they are now part of the clutter in my apartment... i wonder if it is okay for me to just sell them... i have never done such a thing in my life... since i believe that something given should be treasured... but since we are in a sort of financial crisis... i thought of looking for people interested in buying them...
Am i crossing some ethical boundaries if i push through with my plan?... or should i just keep them and wait for a situation when i will actually use them?...
What will you do if you were in my situation?...
6 people like this
29 responses
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
29 Jan 09
That is a tough call. I personally wouldn't mind if I gave someone a gift and they were going to sell it because they had to use for it. However, like you I would feel pretty guilty about selling a gift. If I were in your position, I would most likely hold onto the gifts for a bit longer and see if there was anything else I could sell at the moment. Then at a later time I would decide if I wanted to keep the gifts or sell them.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
29 Jan 09
I am not really into selling any of my stuff... but this thought came to my mind... since we really need money to pay for something right now... and we do not have any ways and means of getting the amount... so the money that we will get from selling the bags would be a great help... but like you said... just thinking about it is enough to make me feel guilty...
Thanks for the response...
@Roseo8 (2947)
• India
29 Jan 09
Of course not aseretdd,its not at all wrong to sell things you dont actually need even if it has been gifted to you.......On the other hand very often we are handed over gifts which we do not have any use of,but which we cannot refuse,for fear of offending the giver.....But you dont have to keep it,and you need not have any emotional or guilty qualms about disposing it.....After all you are just being practical only..believe me.........
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
Yes, times like these... we need to be practical rather than emotional... if the situation was different... i would have given the stuff to others as gifts too... but then... i am in a sort of financial crisis... so i definitely need to be practical...
Thanks for the response...
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
Well, i have no intentions of telling her... but i will tell the truth if she asks... i just hope she won't be disappointed when i do sell the stuff... but that is better than asking other people for money... and i also don't want to borrow...
Thanks for the response...
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
1 Feb 09
I believe that if someone gives you something then once it is yours you have every right to do what you need or will with it.
I think your friend will understand if you sell it because you need the money.
1 person likes this
@youless (112586)
• Guangzhou, China
29 Jan 09
I think there are some people will not agree with me, but I think it's alright to sell a stuff that is a gift. As you don't need it and it will be a waste. Why not sell it and it will be useful for someone else? Besides, you can earn from it and I don't think it's a bad idea.
I love China
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
29 Jan 09
I'd think it depends on what the gift is and who it came from. If someone close to you gave you a piece of jewelery which you may never wear, perhaps you should still keep it for sentimental reason. But if you receive say a toaster, and you are already using one that is in good condition and will likely last for some good years, it may not be wise to hold on to it for a long time stowed away in the cabinet, because electrical gadgets not used for some time may malfunction. It may be prudent for some items received not to hold on to them if they are never going to be used. It may be better to give them away or sell them off so that we don't waste them, because someone else can benefit more from having them. This is just being practical and it is not about making money out of the situation at the expense of the giver.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
This is like a very different way of looking at the situation... and i really appreciate it... and i think you are right... it would be a waste to just let the stuff rot inside my apartment... and should put it into good use...
Thanks for the response...
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
30 Jan 09
Wow, thank you for your vote. Glad you appreciate what I shared. You know, I am one of those who do not like to quickly dispose of gifts I receive if they are not useful or appropriate for me. I actually don't feel good about passing them on quickly, because the gift was meant for me. But over the years, I have actually kept quite a number of things in my cabinets like a toaster, a crockpot, vases, shirts, briefcases and a couple of other items. These were gifts from relatives. I feel it is such a waste I have no use for them, and after these years, I still have to pass them on or sell them off. I merely delayed the process of disposing them when I could have done that long ago. Someone else definitely could have benefited earlier if I had taken action rather than keep them around neglected.
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
29 Jan 09
would the friend of yours given the travel bags if he was not migrating.I think it is a kind of unloading the excess used luggage to someone who is worth.Well now it is your property and you can do whatever you like with you.Your friend is not going to keep a regular tab of the bags he has given to you.I do not think that these travel bags do not attach more personal sentimental values.
"Spread a smile"
"Spread a smile"
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
30 Jan 09
H[i]i aseretdd,
If you think it's no use for your for this time and for the couple of months, I believe it is better to sell it and other people will enjoy using it and you will also get a great amount for that..
I have tried doing that and no regrets since I believed, it will be useless when it is only kept![/i]
1 person likes this
@oyenkai (4394)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
That seems to be quite tough to decide on. I think that if you are uncomfortable selling the stuff because you feel guilty about it, then you can just message your friend and tell him/her of your plan - he/she might not mind (if he/she would listen to the voice of practicality). But if you're quite comfortable with it then just go ahead and sell them, avoid mentioning that they're gifts though because the buyer might haggle for the price - since he knows you got it for free then he'd keep on asking for a cheaper price :)
Thanks for the response on my discussion!
1 person likes this
@Nhey16 (2518)
• Philippines
5 Feb 09
I think it's ok, if the gift was given to you for a long time and you had made use of it. I know how it feels to have clutters around the house and sometimes we should be getting rid of things we like but are of no use to us, unless we have a spare room for those things. And most of the times, it's really hard to get rid of those treasured things but we just have to. :)
@suzzy3 (8341)
•
29 Jan 09
If you have no room and things are tight.The thing is as soon as your friend gave them to you she wanted you to benefit is some way .If it makes you feel anybetter ring them or email them and see if they mind,lets face it if you are never going to see them again what is the difference,or you could spend some of the profits of a photo frame and put a nice photo of your friend in it and there you have something nice to keep forever.Or just keep the brief case but sell the rest,I expect your friend will not mind in the least after all they left them for you to do with what you want.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
1 Feb 09
I agree... they were given to me so that i can do whatever i want with them... she actually gave me a lot of stuff... and i am using most of them... except for the luggages... so that is why i thought of just selling them so that i can use the money since i am currently in a sort of financial crisis...
Thanks for the response...
@mikkymyde (182)
• Nigeria
30 Jan 09
really it's not good to sell stuffs given to you as gifts but sometimes when i'm cash trapped and there is no where i can get it from and i have something i could convert to cash immediately...i go for it
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
1 Feb 09
Well, that is like survival... the most practical thing to do is to sell those stuff that we do not need... so that we can use the money to buy things that we really need...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
@chocolatechilli (246)
• South Africa
29 Jan 09
I'd say if it was given to you, it is yours to do with what you want. You also get different types of gifts. Some things come to you purely because they no longer have a place in the previous owner's life, in which case I wouldn't feel to bad about selling it. If it came with a 'because I especially wanted you to have this', then selling them might seem like a slap in the face to someone's good intentions. Go with your instinct, though. If you feel it's wrong to do it, then life will reward you for doing the 'right' thing later. If you decide to sell it because you really needed to, a true friend would understand that.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
1 Feb 09
You are definitely right about that... a true friend would indeed understand why i need to do what i have to do... and that is better than just letting the stuff clutter in my apartment... when i can use it to help me in my current situation...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
@kimberly99 (54)
• United States
29 Jan 09
tough decision huh!,.i never tried to do that in my life, but if i am in your situation i would feel guilty by doing that because its a gift, somebody give it to you because he/she wants to make you happy..but thats up to you...
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
1 Feb 09
Well, this is actually a first time for me too... but there is always a first time for everything... but just thinking about it is already enough to make me feel guilty... so i need to make the right decision...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
I am very familiar with ebay... since when i was working abroad... i would always ask my friends to buy some items for me there... but never tried selling... and right now i am lookinga at the auction.ph... and thinking of the posibilities if i can sell some stuff there...
Thanks for the response...
@wondericequeen (7876)
• Hong Kong
29 Jan 09
Well, if I were you, I would sell the stuff that I don't use even they are gifts from someone, because I think if I don't use them, then I'd rather sell it to people who would make better use of them. Otherwise it would be a waste!
1 person likes this
@CRIVAS (1815)
• Canada
29 Jan 09
Well truthfully I would just sell it, I am sure that your friend would understand that you could use the money more than the gift. I am sure that she will understand that they only thing the gift is doing is cluttering you place up. Although just to be on the safe side, you might not want to tell her about it. Hope you decide what to do with them,LOL.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
1 Feb 09
I am still trying to decide... but already looked at some sites where i can sell them... and i don't know if i will tell her... i guess it would be best not to... and you are right... i can use the money more than the items cluttering my apartment...
Thanks for the response...
@anjel016 (329)
• Philippines
29 Jan 09
If I were in your position, I would just keep it until the time comes that I really have to use it. Just try to put your shoes in your friend's condition, what if you saw your gift has been sold by someone whom you gave it to? Wouldn't you feel sad? Of course they would say that they understand your decision being practical and all, but for sure you hurt them emotionally.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
That is why i feel guilty just thinking about it... i haven't sold the items yet... nor did i ask around if they want to buy them... but i am really considering it since i could use the money right now...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
Well, i agree... there are gifts that are meant to be kept like forever... and some should be given away... or in some cases be sold... since it will be a waste to just keep them inside the closet...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
@burki1994 (141)
• Turkey
29 Jan 09
If its not a gift , think there is no problem about selling it but he mustn'T learn about it-.-
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
Well, they are not exactly gifts... but i always consider things given to me as gifts... and not telling my friend about selling the stuff would just make me feel a lot guiltier...
Thanks for the response... welcome to mylot and i hope you enjoy every minute of your stay here...
