Rogelio Villarreal, a Mexican doctor, recently experienced an incredible stroke of luck when he stumbled upon an apparent pricing error on the website of luxury jewelry maker Cartier.
While browsing the site, Villarreal discovered a pair of gold-and-diamond earrings listed at just 237 pesos ($14), a fraction of their actual value of 237,000 pesos ($14,000). Seizing the opportunity, he promptly ordered two sets.
What followed was a lengthy and contentious back-and-forth between Villarreal and Cartier.
The company initially offered him a consolation prize instead of honoring the advertised price, but Villarreal remained steadfast in his pursuit of the earrings.
Mexican officials, including the country’s consumer protection agency, Profeco, sided with Villarreal, asserting that Cartier should respect the published price.
After months of perseverance, Villarreal finally received the earrings at the price he had paid, documenting the unboxing in a video posted online.
However, the public attention surrounding his case quickly became overwhelming, prompting him to express his desire for people to focus on other aspects of his personality beyond the earrings.
Villarreal’s situation ignited a heated debate in Mexico, particularly in the lead-up to the country’s presidential elections on June 2.
Some critics accused him of exploiting an honest mistake, suggesting he should return the earrings or pay taxes on them. Others went as far as labeling him a thief.
Villarreal, who claims to have never been financially fortunate, defended his actions, stating that he had to fight for months to get Cartier to deliver the earrings and that the company had even offered to send him a bottle of champagne as a substitute.
In the end, Villarreal expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, having purchased two sets of $14,000 earrings for a mere $28, giving one set to his mother.
While the ethics of the situation remain a topic of debate, Profeco’s spokesperson, Jesús Montaño, affirmed that companies must respect their published prices, and that mistakes are not the consumer’s fault.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.