Ethics of buying from a kid

[coxfan]

At a University of South Carolina baseball game around mid-season, I saw that a middle-aged man had bought a HR ball, just hit by a gamecock, for $20. He bought it from a boy aged about 10 or 11. The boy's parents weren't around, as this occurred on the wrap-around concourse at the gamecocks' new stadium. People can walk around that concourse and see the game from any angle, including the outfield, so HR balls are readily caught out there.

Usually there's a gang of kids everywhere, so adults have little chance for balls hit on the concourse. But I wonder about the ethics of buying from a kid. Does he understand the true value of a potential life-long memory? Does he feel uncomfortable saying "no" to an adult?

The issue became more significant when the gamecocks won the College World Series with a spectacular NCAA run, though nobody could have predicted that at the time of this mid-season game. Opinions?

[Jules9]

He's probably the same guy that goes to Toys r us in the morning and runs to the Hot Wheels and Mcfarlane sections.

No reason to buy the ball from the kid. Christ.....it's just a ball.



On the other hand, the ball might be worth 5 bucks and the kid received more than he ever would have gotten if he tried to sell it later

[Chris78]

At 10-11 years old, if the kid really wanted the ball he would have said no to the adult. The ball is not worth $20 either so the adult is not ripping off the kid.

Chris

[34swtns]

He's probably the same guy that goes to Toys r us in the morning and runs to the Hot Wheels and Mcfarlane sections.....

In which case he's probably wasting his time. The employees pick through that stuff and take the "chase" items before they ever hit the shelves at all the stores in my area. They know what to look for and what it's worth.

[treant985]

I guess going to the parents can't hurt, but I can't count how many times I've gone to games where parents are making their little kids go to the dugout to ask for cracked bats....which the kid doesn't want, but the dad sure does.

I've bought some bats from people who are about 17yrs old. At that age, I don't feel bad if I get a good deal on the item. These people are old enough to get a drivers license (notice I didn't say old enough to actually "drive"). But I usually let them set the first price, so that way I'm not unduly influencing them if I start with a lowball offer.

All I can say is that if people hadn't dealt with me when I was 12 yrs old and buying basketball cards, I never would've gotten into collecting. Even when you're 12, you learn real fast which people you can trust.

[trsent]

He's probably the same guy that goes to Toys r us in the morning and runs to the Hot Wheels and Mcfarlane sections.

I know that guy! Every morning for 15-20 years he is at Target when they open their doors. Now get this, he won't sell any of his findings. He bought like 50 Hot Wheels for $8.00 each, told me they are going for $50.00 each on eBay. I said why don't you sell 25 and the other half are free and profit. He didn't like that idea. He thinks they will be worth more down the road.

Most everything he has had has gone down in value down the road, and the funny catch is the guy is always broke! Go figure.

This thread reminded me of when I used to set up at card shows and there was this dealer's kid that would go around and try to trade with other dealers. On more than one occassion, I saw the kid's dad go storming to the dealer that the kid traded with and demand the cards back. Us dealers use to say that it was really the dealer's cards but that another subject in itself.

I think legally you cannot trade with a minor and you can be forced to return the trade (money for goods and vice versa). I know of some dealers who at least ask the kid if he get his dad's permission before pawning off his unwanted cards. Personally, I told the kid no thanks for his offer to trade.

In your example, personally I think its unethical for the transaction to occur. To me, whether he got fair value is the transaction is not the point. It's the behavior of an adult who feels its acceptable to negotiate with a kid that is wrong. I think the best thing for the man to do is to ask the parent first before asking the child. I can see this being a difficult and uncomfortable situation for a kid. I would be upset with any man who offered money to my kid without my knowledge.

As a former sports card store owner I can clearly tell you that if you buy/trade with a minor, the parents have legal rights to void the contract as you cannot enter into a contract with a minor.

Buying or selling or trading with a minor, this is a risk all merchants take but it is also when common sense has to be used.

[Chris78]

As a former sports card store owner I can clearly tell you that if you buy/trade with a minor, the parents have legal rights to void the contract as you cannot enter into a contract with a minor.

Buying or selling or trading with a minor, this is a risk all merchants take but it is also when common sense has to be used.

I remember back when I was that age that I had bought at baseball card shows. Some dealers sold to me while others may have wanted a parent. However, the real reason why I may have gotten my father would be to help "deal" with the dealer depending on the situation. My father told me then that sometimes you may not have to pay that price and he was normally correct. A dealer is more likely to "deal" with an adult then with a kid.

As far as with the situation mentioned with the college ball for $20, it would probably be a good topic for a college business classroom discussion. You could add info to it (i.e. middle aged man was player's father, 10-11 year old wanted a cracked bat from team store that was $20) to see how people's opinions would change on the topic. Personally, as I stated above, the ball is probably not worth $20. A grown adult buying a ball from a kid could be viewed unethical and I personally would not do this unless the ball was very special to me in some way (my child's, relative's home run ball and I would talk to the parents as well to show the meaning of the ball). Also, nobody has stated that the ball may not have had that much meaning to the kid and the $20 might mean a lot more as he could buy something that means more to him. Should the kid have to keep the ball then if the ball does not mean anything to him?

[treant985]

In which case he's probably wasting his time. The employees pick through that stuff and take the "chase" items before they ever hit the shelves at all the stores in my area. They know what to look for and what it's worth.

Did you just self-identify as 'that guy' who goes to toys r us in the mornings to get hot wheels?

[sox83cubs84]

At least he gave the kid something of value. Back in the 1990s at Wrigley Field, one Ballhawk of the era used to hang buy the bullpen areas, as home runs that were thrown back were tossed to the closest bullpen once they were retrieved by the outfielder. This guy would run down and ask the kid excitedly to "see" his home run ball. The parents were almost always distracted by the game, cell phone calls, or whatever, so the kid would hand this Ballhawk his home run ball. The 'Hawk would examine it, but would use sleight of hand to pull a switch and give the kid a relatively worthless BP ball back instead of his home run. The guy once bragged to me about his switcheroos, and was proud that no kid had ever caught on to the deception. Pretty lame way to gyp a kid out of a home run ball.

Dave Miedema

[joelsabi]

This thread reminded me of when I used to set up at card shows and there was this dealer's kid that would go around and try to trade with other dealers. On more than one occassion, I saw the kid's dad go storming to the dealer that the kid traded with and demand the cards back. Us dealers use to say that it was really the dealer's cards but that another subject in itself.

I think legally you cannot trade with a minor and you can be forced to return the trade (money for goods and vice versa). I know of some dealers who at least ask the kid if he get his dad's permission before pawning off his unwanted cards. Personally, I told the kid no thanks for his offer to trade.

In your example, personally I think its unethical for the transaction to occur. To me, whether he got fair value is the transaction is not the point. It's the behavior of an adult who feels its acceptable to negotiate with a kid that is wrong. I think the best thing for the man to do is to ask the parent first before asking the child. I can see this being a difficult and uncomfortable situation for a kid. I would be upset with any man who offered money to my kid without my knowledge.