My New Zero Tolerance Craigslist Attitude.

[john_g]

I read it as the buyer claimed to be running late because of all of the traffic, wanted $50 because of the hassle and then when he was told “no” then he was magically almost there.

Exactly. And, even though I likely wouldnt have done the same, everyone (especially on TB) say things like "a seller can ask whatever price they want/its their sale, etc etc" but have an issue with something like this. Every time (except once about a month ago) when I tried to sell something on CL, the potential buyers try something like this. Mostly its just in emails but ive had a few people show up and pull the "i only have this much on me" bit. Screw that. I make it clear in my ads and when I talk to the person i make it clear the price is firm and thats that.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I understand. After he was told he would no longer be sold an item at the agreed upon price. I’d be pissed too. Show one person on TB that wouldn’t be.

Actually, the buyer would be considered to have rejected the agreed upon offer - by attempting to renegotiate by expressing his intent to back out unless he could get the item cheaper, he rejected the original offer and made a counter offer.
So again, the buyers fault. When the would-be buyer said “forget I said anything I’ll pay $600”, that was a counter offer, not the original offer at all even though the dollar amount on paper is the same.

I seriously hope you don’t use this technique in your business dealings.

 

[WardEarth]

He did not say that. And it’s a stretch to infer that was even what was meant. Read the original post again.

Furthermore, the buyer immediately reaffirmed his commitment to the agreed on $600 price.

It was the seller who called off the entire sale with no warning or real reason. A classic flounce if there ever was one.

The buyer had zero to gain by walking away. He was ready, willing, and able to meet the original price.

The seller had a chance to recoup his $50 misquote. Which in his own words was something he could “get any day.”

“ Cui bono?” as a certain cynical but wise Renaissance man once said.

I’m not saying that was the OP’s motivation. But what I am saying is that the buyer had absolutely nothing to gain by letting the deal fall through. And apparently the buyer felt the same way. Because he tried to immediately get it back on track before bring rebuffed.

I’m all for rallying behind a fellow TB member. But that doesn’t mean I’ll rubber stamp approval on something I think was a major misjudgment on the OP’s part.

So did you see that the op was holding the item buyer and not selling it to anyone else?
It was very rude to ask for a discount after holding the item, wasting the op’s time. No
Major misjudgement, just average misjudgment imo.

 

[gorneyg]

Everyone wants a deal. I've had people agree to a price lower than I was asking...then tell me why the item was worth LESS than the agreed upon price before the see the item. No thank you.
I've told buyers to not bother coming to my home unless they have the agreed upon or FIRM asking price...and they usually show up with the agreed amount. When they don't...they leave empty handed.

 

[40Hz]

I guess you're reading it differently than I am. Buyer says: "Would you consider $550? Haha thinking about turning around this traffic is horrible." But then when he was told "no" he magically was almost there.

I am reading it differently.

For one thing you’re linking the first sentence with the second. Why are you automatically assuming a confrontational attitude and interpeting the comment “thinking about turning around this traffic is terrible” is a negotiating volly? Why would you automatically interpret “would you take $550” as a serious offer? There was no indication on the part of the OP the initial negotiations were aggressive. Why would you assume there was a last minute squeeze play like the OP did? The OP wasn’t happy about the misquoted price to begin with. But why attribute nefarious intentions to the buyer just because the seller made a mistake and didn’t attempt to correct the misquote?

I recently concluded a purchase. It was something I saw on Reverb I had been thinking of getting. The price was listed as “firm” and it was significantly more than I wanted to spend. But it has been sitting there for about five months with only two watchers. So I messaged the seller that I understood the price was listed as firm and I respected that. But I noticed it had been sitting for some time, so I wondered if there was currently any flex in the price tag, and if not please disregard my message and sorry to bother you.

I got a reply back in a few days. During my text conversation with the seller he told me he really needed to sell, and was there anything he could do to help move things along fairly quickly. I said (jokingly) how about knocking 25% off? The seller wasn’t offended. He didn’t call me names or insult me. He just replied “LOL - and no, I can’t do that.” I replied I didn’t expect him to. And we went on to wrap up the deal on terms we both felt was fair for both sides.

Imagine how differently it might have gone if he was offended by my inital message (since he did say firm) or my joking request for a ridiculous discount?

 

[WardEarth]

+1

It seems more and more common now that people feel the need to lie to make their point. I get so sick of it; don't tell me what you think he meant and then say that's what he said. If your point is valid, why do you have to lie to support it???

Right the buyer didn’t say that exactly, but it was a soft threat. Much more classy to ask for the break in person, instead of fishing for the discount.
They agreed upon a price and the seller was holding it for the buyer at said price, even not selling it to potential buyers for more money.

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

Unless you skipped several parts of your conversation, you’re the jerk here.

 

[74hc]

I understand. After he was told he would no longer be sold an item at the agreed upon price. I’d be pissed too. Show one person on TB that wouldn’t be.

Me.

As soon as the buyer countered with $550, there was no agreed upon price any longer. Agreeing upon price means negotiations has ended. Clear?

If you're a buyer and agree upon a price, then try to negotiated a lower one, you take risks.

 

[WardEarth]

I am reading it differently.

For one thing you’re linking the first sentence with the second. Why are you automatically assuming a confrontational attitude and interpeting the comment “thinking about turning around this traffic is terrible” is a negotiating volly? Why would you automatically interpret “would you take $550” as a serious offer? There was no indication on the part of the OP the initial negotiations were aggressive. Why would you assume there was a last minute squeeze play like the OP did? The OP wasn’t happy about the misquoted price to begin with. But why attribute nefarious intentions to the buyer just because the seller made a mistake and didn’t attempt to correct the misquote?

I recently concluded a purchase. It was something I saw on Reverb I had been thinking of getting. The price was listed as “firm” and it was significantly more than I wanted to spend. But it has been sitting there for about five months with only two watchers. So I messaged the seller that I understood the price was listed as firm and I respected that. But I noticed it had been sitting for some time, so I wondered if there was currently any flex in the price tag, and if not please disregard my message and sorry to bother you.

I got a reply back in a few days. During my text conversation with the seller he told me he really needed to sell, and was there anything he could do to help move things along fairly quickly. I said (jokingly) how about knocking 25% off? The seller wasn’t offended. He didn’t call me names or insult me. He just replied “LOL - and no, I can’t do that.” I replied I didn’t expect him to. And we went on to wrap up the deal on terms we both felt was fair for both sides.

Imagine how differently it might have gone if he was offended by my inital message (since he did say firm) or my joking request for a ridiculous discount?

You’re going to write whole pages but not actually read other ppls responses nor the op’s responses? Shooting the moon with a blindfold.

 

[lfmn16]

Right the buyer didn’t say that exactly, but it was a soft threat. Much more classy to ask for the break in person, instead of fishing for the discount.

My point was the erosion of the truth. Some people seem to have gotten to the point that they don't even know when they are lying. I agree that if you agree on a price, both sides should honor it.

They agreed upon a price and the seller was holding it for the buyer at said price, even not selling it to potential buyers for more money.

Yes and the buyer said he would pay the agreed on price after his ham-handed negotiating tactic was rebuffed. So the only damage done was that the OP was butt hurt.

 

[Rabidhamster]

He inspired it by being kind of a jerk. All he had to do was say no.

It would be different if buyer said sorry I know I agreed to pay you this but I have to back out because I just realized I only have this, is that enough?
Instead buyer tried to get extra on the chance that buyer was desperate and tired from setting aside time to meet and wait, but it didn’t work out. He lost on the deal entirely because he got greedy.

Would I be bummed if I was the buyer? Sure maybe, because things didn’t go my way. Would be buyer was definitely a jerk.

 

[braud357]

Sorry, but I cannot take the OP's side on this one !

 

[40Hz]

So did you see that the op was holding the item buyer and not selling it to anyone else?
It was very rude to ask for a discount after holding the item, wasting the op’s time. No
Major misjudgement, just average misjudgment imo.

If the buyer were in fact angling for an additional discount, all the seller had to do was say no, and that $600 was the deal.

The buyer immediately tried to reaffirm the $600 deal.

The seller is the one who walked away.

Why would the seller do that when he was about to get the price he agreed to?

I don’t think the buyer was being rude. I think it was a simple case of the seller misinterpreting an innocuous remark and and running with it.

As far as rudeness (real or imagined) goes, I’d like to pass on a bit of advice I was given many years ago when I started my first business - and was still in my “angry young man” phase of emotional maturity:

If you insist that everybody you deal with treats you exactly the way you want to be treated as a condition of doing business with you, you won’t be doing any business at all.


​

 

[Jscriv]

I once had a bass up for 1400, but said willing to take offers within reason. I a guy message is me expressing interest wanted to check it out. He tells me he has an extra $1, 000 on hand and wanted to buy a new bass. After I arranged a meeting and specifically told him 1000 would not do it, so bring more cash than that...he showed up, played the bass and tried to give me 1000. It didn't work. Maybe he thought I'd have face to face. He ponied up the rest of the cash out of a different pocket. I can't blame the OP here. If you agree on something.....honor your word. Don't try and snake someone just because you think you have them stuck in a situation.

 

[bassstrangler]

I've had guys waste a whole Saturday morning of my time. I had a guy recently who was going to drive 2+ hours to come and buy a bass. I sent him extra pictures. I gave him all the opportunity to ask any questions. I even cut him a deal on the price. I cancelled my afternoon plans, to accommodate his arrival. He bailed at the last minute because he didn't know if he could spend the money right now. I sent him a text letting him know what a jerk move it was, that he wasted a great deal of my day off, and if he changed his mind the answer was no, not for sale to him anymore.

I've learned to recognize the signs now. If they ask if they can come over and play it, the answer is "I'll meet you in a public place and you can buy it". Some things I've found helpful to put in ads are "price is firm", "no trades", "no tire kickers", "pickup only", and "I will only meet in a public place". I'll bring a portable amp to ensure it works, why invite a problem to your home? Not oh that, but playing through my rig isn't going to give you an idea of what your rig will sound like.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Lowballers get bounced for sure. I'm selling things on Facebook Marketplace these days cause there's no shipping. Some clown thought two empty gorilla guitar combos equalled a decent entry level parts bass.

 

[mcnach]

Last week, a guy drove up from about an hour + away to check out my bass. I had it listed for $650.00 which I could have gotten all day. But I made a mistake and was thinking of another bass and told the guy six hundred instead of $650 and even though I made a mistake, that I would still honor $600 because I said it, even mistakenly.

On the drive up the guy texted me this:

Buyer: "Would you consider $550? Haha thinking about turning around this traffic is horrible."

Me: Turn around then. You responded at full price, and then because of my mistake which I honored, you would have gotten $50 off the price, which you agreed to and now you're trying to squeeze me for more?

Buyer: Forget I said anything, I'm almost there. I'll give you $600.

Me: No thanks. I don't want to sell it to you anymore.

Buyer: Mother******.

Me: Go **** yourself.

Feels DAMN GOOD.

If you're going to play the game, be prepared to also lose.

love it

 

[Gorn]

I had it listed for $650.00 which I could have gotten all day.

Did you get your $650 yet?

 

[74hc]

The seller is the one who walked away.

That is wrong. Look at the order of events:

1. Seller lists bass.
2. Buyer and seller agree on price of $600.
3. Buyer calls seller afterwards, and says he'll agree to $550. Buyer goes back on his word and reopens negotiation before inspecting the bass.
4. Seller can counter back with his intended price of $650 or higher if he wants to, but decides to end the circle jerk from the buyer.
5. Buyer is butt-hurt because he wants not to keep his word, but force the seller to.

Buyers don't get to re-open negotiations without some risk. And in this case, the risk is losing the originally agreed upon price. At least the buyer should have inspected the bass first. Then claim a further $50 deduction of price due to something not described. BUT, he didn't do that.

Furthermore, this is a common tactic by unscrupulous buyers that have no intention of keeping their word, and had always planned to offer a lower price at the moment near making the deal. They are hoping the seller is weak, and just want to reach the finish line to conclude the deal.

OP did not fall for this shenanigans. I would have countered his $550 offer with a $700 offer, but that's just me.

 

[InhumanResource]

It would be different if buyer said sorry I know I agreed to pay you this but I have to back out because I just realized I only have this, is that enough?
Instead buyer tried to get extra on the chance that buyer was desperate and tired from setting aside time to meet and wait, but it didn’t work out. He lost on the deal entirely because he got greedy.

Would I be bummed if I was the buyer? Sure maybe, because things didn’t go my way. Would be buyer was definitely a jerk.

Disagree. Inquiring about a better price is to be expected. Seller throwing his toys and withdrawing while buyer is en route is not nice or classy.