Okay, a big thing right now in the crafting world is paint chip crafts. Just google it or search for some ideas on Pinterest, and you will be overwhelmed with ideas.
Is it just me, but there is something that just doesn't seem right about this... A whole crafting movement built on walking into a hardware store and grabbing handfuls of paint chips (with no intention of ever buying the paint associated with them) and walking out.
It just kind of seems like...stealing.
Paint companies probably invest a lot of money in making these paint chips (designing them, printing them, shipping them, stocking them, etc). And they stock them in the stores for their prospective customers to use. But then crafters are swooping in and taking advantage of this set up as an opportunity for free card stock.
I have no issue with someone taking paint chips they've collected in the painting process and turning them into something crafty, fun, and/or useful. But to take paint chips for the purpose of crafting with them, just seems wrong to me.
It reminds me of the time I was at work and found out the person in charge of shipping our textbooks was taking those Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping boxes from the local post office, and turning them inside out, then shipping the textbooks in the "new boxes" using FedEx. I immediately told him that #1 that was stealing, since we weren't paying for the boxes. And #2 it was going to reflect very poorly on our organization when our customers received their textbooks and saw what we were doing. At worst they would recognize that we were stealing, and at best they'd just see us as unprofessional. (Like receiving a package from a poor college kid who can't afford to buy a proper box.) But he told me that this is what the assistant director told him to do.
I went straight to the assistant director and demanded this practice be stopped. He couldn't understand my complaint!! He saw nothing wrong with it! Or did he? Because the moment I mentioned taking it further up the chain of command, to University officials, he backed down and agreed to stop the practice immediately.
I'm sorry that our already very low budget department had to now budget for the additional expense of shipping boxes. But, taking something that is "complimentary to customers for the intention of using our services" and taking something to commandeer and use solely for your own purposes just isn't right to me. And this goes for business or personal use, to me.
What do you think, Sarah?
Amber,
I have to say that I am not in the least bit concerned about paint companies and the money they're investing in these paint chips. However, it is disappointing that someone would think it morally acceptable to waltz into a hardware store and take as many as they wanted. I don't think its stealing, but I definitely think its in poor taste. Like going to a restaurant and stuffing your pockets with sugar or sweetener packets--bad call ol' chap.
Your story about the USPS boxes however is bugging the heck out of me. The USPS is already struggling. They provide a service, deliver letters from one end of the US to the other, for a mere .49 cents. Really people, just buy the boxes you need or put the word out that you're in need of boxes. Retailers and consumers alike tend to have more boxes they could ever need.
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