Assume you are a purchasing agent for a business.
You have ethical duties to your company.
Your duty to the company is to first decide what you are buyingand then write detailed specifications for what the company needs. It is ethical to determine exactly what you are buying. Purchasing ethics include knowing exactly what you want.
There are other considerations. It is your duty to the company to insure the goods are delivered at a specified time. If the vendor is not able to deliver, it is ethical to have a penalty in your purchase document (a purchase order) for late delivery.
The manner of shipment should be considered.... UPS, Common Carrier, Ocean Freigh ,Air freight. If freight costs are an issue, it is ethical to tie them down as part of the cost.
As a purchaser, you have an ethical duty to pay for the goods. Don’t order and then refuse delivery because you are broke. Don’r receive the goods and not pay for them.
Companies have an ethical duty to stockholders to make a profit. It is ethical to ask the vendor for a discount.
Buy low, sell high.
That’s the best, non humorous, post so far.
Except the last line. it was incomplete.
Buy low, sell high. Buy straw hats in the winter, and umbrellas in the summer.
Seriously though, very good post.