The conscience of a buyer

What does it mean to have a conscience of a buyer? This question has been raging in my mind after the shopping experience that I had with Chai Joo this afternoon.

As usual, it was a normal lunch out together. Over lunch, Chai Joo shared that he had a colleague from the Marketing department who has an offer to get a 21-inch Hitachi pure flat screen TV at $255! I thought that it was quite a good offer because both Harvey Norman & Best Denki is selling the exact same model at $399 retail price. So technically, we would save about $150 through this 'inside' StarHub dealer connection. Still wondering whether I should buy... My Mum said go ahead, but I'm still considering... Hmm...

I was trying to listen in while Chai Joo was enquiring from the Harvey Norman sales person. Indeed, I discovered that there are ways of enquiring about things, without giving away your actual intention of asking. Its like a fascinating conversational skill to me. Something tricky, yet... useful?

It came to mind how strategic it can be, even to be a buyer in the business world. I'm not even going into buyer-seller business relationships, etc. This is purely an intention to purchase a simple economical TV set. Yet, there seems much into it... Like I said, it feels pricky & tricky... yet... Aiyah, I really don't know how to classify it.

The buyer wants (hopes) to get the best deal from a promotional deal / offer. Some go to much great extent to enquire & 'dig out' the best avenue to purchase an item. On the other hand, businesses also go to large extents, trying to get the right & hopefully best channel of distribution to purchase something. Its really like one party trying to bite off as much as they can from another party, at the expense of something else, even a peaceful conscience. Yet in the process, one does learn how to 'cut corners' & get around the 'rules' of the business / market place. Its really like learning to be screwd, though the Bible does include that, plus an additional aspect of being innocent as doves. What a contradiction! At this moment, I really can't figure this all out...