Am I in the wrong?

[tyhuck]

I am a member of several forums, one of which is full of members primarily from Texas, so when I go to sell something large online I always post it up there because most of those guys are close enough that they can be serious buyers and I don't have to worry much about shipping.

 

So, I had worked out a deal on an item with another member for a given price, discounted off my regular asking price as a courtesy to him for being a fellow forum member. The only kicker was that he would have to find someone to pick it up and bring it to him because neither of us wanted to drive the 3 hours to meet the other. I figured I was fine because its a very common practice to find other members to run sold items back and forth between buyer and seller. Most guys making long trips across the state volunteer to do that for anyone that needs an "Express" run anyway. So anyway, he finds a guy that will be coming through my town headed his direction some time 3-4 weeks from now. I say "Fine. Just have him contact me so he can pick it up." At this point, no money had changed hands. I figure we could take care of that once the transport details are finalized, in case something happens and he cant buy it anymore.

 

In the mean time, I have had 3 offers of my full asking price. So when the fellow forum member contacts me, I tell him that there is another person interested in the item and I will keep him updated as to the status of the sale so if it falls through, it falls back to him if he still wants it. One of the other potential buyers I had was coming but ended up having to work. Another was coming but wrecked his truck on the way, so he will not be needing it anymore. So I message the guy and told him that its still available, and he relies all bent out of shape about the fact that I was going to sell it out from under him, and how we had a verbal agreement, guys on that forum don't treat each other like this, the agreement we had was just as good as a handshake, etc.

 

Am I in the wrong here for selling it to someone who offers my full asking price and not sitting on it until the other guy can find a transport? I don't consider a deal concrete until I have cash in hand. I would never have played him against other buyers to try to get more money from him. I would have honored the agreed price for him if he found the transport for it. Am I in the wrong for thinking the way I do?

 

I have another potential buyer meeting me in half an hour, and if he offers me full asking price, Im gonna take it. Just kinda wondering if anyone else feels this is wrong, or if he is just being a little sensitive. To me, its first cash, first serve, but maybe that's not a good policy. Whats your opinion on the deal?

['01LS1]

You think had he found the same item cheaper closer to where he lives from any other seller he would have honored HIS verbal agreement?

 

If it was something he needed immediately or had to have, he would have rolled over to pick it up. I would have to

insure it was mine.

[SarahsGMC]

i dont hold anything for anyone unless they put cash down, im not going to sit around waiting on someone when i need the thing gone.

[RyanbabZ71]

No

 

No money was exchanged and he couldn't arrange pickup

 

You were losing money waiting

 

 

Ryan

[tyhuck]

That's what I told him in my reply. I sell knives that I make in my spare time, and I have held knives for people in the past and not sold them to others that were looking, only to have the first person back out. Usually by then the others that were interested are not anymore.

 

He did reply back basically apologizing for being "crappy" (his word) to me, and asking back in on the deal. Too bad I had already sold it to a guy who wanted everything I had as a package. Made him a deal as a condolence to kinda keep the peace. Its a forum I am a vender on, and I don't need anyone going around running their mouth about me. But, I did not apologize for the way I handled the deal. I only said I was sorry that he felt the way he did.

 

Ive never actually met the guy, and granted that our community on that forum is pretty tight knit, but you would have thought we were related and I had taken his money and run.

 

I dunno. Miscommunication is a terrible thing sometimes.

[dgrinnell]

Cash in hand or its still for sale.

[mike94silverado]

Guess next time put "Cash in hand" in the ad or when the deal is worked out on the PM.... Don't think you were in the wrong but can't blame the guy for getting pissed although if he "Had to have" it he could have drove.

[KARNUT]

He should have made the drive, you did nothing wrong. If its something you make he can put down a deposit.

[Danthaman69]

Agree with above posts. If you gave him your word then you shouldn't sell it to anyone else. That's why I don't give ppl my word when I'm selling parts. Just something to learn from. You can't please everyone.

[txab]

Eff em. i wouldn't loose any sleep over it. He should have sent the money to seal the deal. If he found the same thing somewhere else, you would have never heard from him again

[tyhuck]

Agree with above posts. If you gave him your word then you shouldn't sell it to anyone else. That's why I don't give ppl my word when I'm selling parts. Just something to learn from. You can't please everyone.

 

 

Never told him ide hold it, just that Ide take the price he offered.

[Danthaman69]

Never told him ide hold it, just that Ide take the price he offered.

Then he is in the wrong. Nothing to worry about.

[music]

He owed you a deposit, at minimum, for holding, but it sounds like miscommunication to me. He thought you had sold it to him on word alone, but that's not standard practice (except between friends/family). Personally, I'd apologize for not clarifying that up front, and let it go. Easier to take part of the blame than to duke it out. Yes, I'm married...

[tyhuck]

He owed you a deposit, at minimum, for holding, but it sounds like miscommunication to me. He thought you had sold it to him on word alone, but that's not standard practice (except between friends/family). Personally, I'd apologize for not clarifying that up front, and let it go. Easier to take part of the blame than to duke it out. Yes, I'm married...

 

 

Yeah, that's the route I took. As far as Im concerned, its done, its over, and there isn't much I can do about it since everything is already sold. So, if he isn't over it, Im not too concerned about it. I don't even know who the guy really is because all I know about him is his handle and his avatar, so its not going to affect me in the least how he feels about me. Im pretty good at diffusing conflict (Im a HS teacher, and yes Im married too), so I wasn't too worried about the situation. I was just seeing if the majority consensus would think the same way I do, and it appears they do.

 

Told him I was sorry we had a miscommunication, even offered to make him a deal on a custom project built just for him. I didn't have to, but I figured even if he didn't take the deal, the conflict would be over as far as I was concerned. Im pretty sure he came around to see things from my perspective, but like I said before, it wont matter either way.

[sahls01gmc]

He owed you a deposit, at minimum, for holding, but it sounds like miscommunication to me. He thought you had sold it to him on word alone, but that's not standard practice (except between friends/family). Personally, I'd apologize for not clarifying that up front, and let it go. Easier to take part of the blame than to duke it out. Yes, I'm married...

This made me laugh. I was reading that and thought to myself...hey, that's me! Then you said you were married. Man, I'm not the only one in that situation. Great minds think alike I suppose.