What is wrong with some people?

[mntim]

So I have been looking to buy a flip over portable for a couple of weeks and finally found a good deal. So I contact the seller and he tells me that he has someone looking at it on Wednesday but if I was ready to come with cash Tuesday night it was mine. I told him I'd b there, cash in hand, at 6pm tonight. I send him another email at 2 this afternoon telling him I was still planning on being there at 6 and be sure he was still good. He said yes for sure and gave me his address and told me to call him when I was on the way. So 30 minutes before I leave he sends me an email and says someone was coming to look at it at 5:45 and is likely buying. I call him and he doesn't answer his phone. He calls me at 6 and tells me he sold it.

Do people not understand what a deal is anymore? The worst part about it was telling my kids we can't go fishing this Satuday after all.

I'm furious.

[Dave]

Nope....it's all about money nowadays to some people, mntim. It is sad.

[Tyler23]

that does get annoying... but you have to look at from the sellers point.. how many people say they will buy it and end up not?..... when i sell something and someone says they will be there i usually hold them to it and make others wait. but many people have done this to me and it does get VERY annoying.....

[Rick]

Try HSOList.com

Lots of fish houses for sale there.

Go to For Sale Used, then Ice Fishing, then fish houses.

[zamboni]

I feel worse for the guy that was gonna look at it wednesday, the seller screwed him over by promising it to both you and the guy that ultimately bought it. Sounds like he was #1 in line. No offense to you, but he is the guy that got hosed.

[mntim]

I feel worse for the guy that was gonna look at it wednesday, the seller screwed him over by promising it to both you and the guy that ultimately bought it. Sounds like he was #1 in line. No offense to you, but he is the guy that got hosed.

You're right, I should have seen it coming because of that, just really irritates me since he knew I was coming and I busted my rear end at work to be sure I could get to the bank for cash and get home in time.

[crappiekid]

this bites and i feel for your kids. I have learned that when buying, if the deal is worth it to you and appears good; you have o take immediate action. This means leaving work at the drop of a hat or going at 9pm. I have lost many buys because i have said i will be there in a few days or even the next day.... Good luck and you will find something else!

[coombia21]

Lots of people need the money and in his mind if he sells it before you get there it is guaranteed money because he doesnt know that you are going to purchase maybe he thinks you might not buy

[herefish101]

The worst part is the seller most likely only made an extra 20 or 30 bucks, thats pretty low. A deal is a deal, or at least it used to be.

[mntim]

The worst part is the seller most likely only made an extra 20 or 30 bucks, thats pretty low. A deal is a deal, or at least it used to be.

I'm pretty sure he sold it for the same price. He knew I was going to buy it, I didn't waffle at all, didn't even offer him lower than his asking price. What's done is done, I'm feeling better, just need to start looking again.

[mntim]

mntim: Know exactly how you feel..that's why I won't sell anything via classified ads anymore. Last year I spent 2 days receiving numerous phone calls and E-mails from a prospective buyer for some pretty high end hockey equipment & skis that I was selling for a bargain price. Only reason I gave him a break and held them for him was we worked in the same complex...then he FINALLY shows up 2 hrs late with numerous excuses, and offers me less than the agreed on price!!! I lost it at that point...he paid me me what I wanted and left REAL quick. People just don't have any respect for anyone anymore. I was brought up that you stick to what you say...your word is your bond. If you don't mean it, keep your mouth shut.

Exactly my thought. I was always taught to be as good as your word. It gets harder and harder to pass that on to my boys when many other people have forgot what that means.

[thedeadsea]

It's sad to say so many people are utterly unrealiable and not good for their word these days.

I have had it happen too many times as both the buyer and seller.

Selling a car is the worst. People want to know where you live so they can do a "drive by" right away. If they don't like the car, they won't show up or even bother to cancel their appointment with you. I no longer give directions/address when selling stuff unless I feel the person is genuine.

[Burnham]

yea i feel for you, thats a bummer. but i was thinking even if you had gotten it, he would have been doing a very similar thing to the guy on wed.. hope you find a better deal and good luck.

[bogwalker]

What goes around comes around. You tried to cut the first buyer out and another buyer cut you out. Sounds like justice.

[northernsportman]

everything happens for a reason. the same thing happened to me this year on one. Two days later i found a brand new one for half the price of the one i was gonna buy before.

[JimmyJames]

I bought a new auger, trying to sell my old on a free classified. It's turning into a bit of a nitemare. I told my wife I'm pulling my ad and keepin it.I also bought a generator on the same sight, I got hosed.I'm done buyin and sellin used.

[Riich]

I see it both ways.

A few years ago I was trying to sell a Honda Goldwing. I had three different people give me times they were showing up to look at it and they just flat never showed. I cancelled plans on two different Saturdays to make sure I was home because I had someone coming to look at the bike. No shows. No caller ID at that time either, so it was easy for people to pull that kind of [PoorWordUsage].

So for me it's first come, first serve. Even if I am the one to appear to be the bad guy. I've been burned one too many..... Sorry.

[NCLaker]

this bites and i feel for your kids. I have learned that when buying, if the deal is worth it to you and appears good; you have o take immediate action. This means leaving work at the drop of a hat or going at 9pm. I have lost many buys because i have said i will be there in a few days or even the next day.... Good luck and you will find something else!

+1 ... If it is a hot item I want then I try to hook-up immediately. I've been pretty lucky both buying and selling stuff on the free classifieds. I personally think it is a great service. But you have to do your homework, be smart, and carefull how you handle hooking up with people.

[shnelson]

I bought a new auger, trying to sell my old on a free classified. It's turning into a bit of a nitemare. I told my wife I'm pulling my ad and keepin it.I also bought a generator on the same sight, I got hosed.I'm done buyin and sellin used.

I've had the same problem before, now I sell my used before I buy the new shiney stuff. Prevents me from accumulating too much equipment

[Stradic]

I know some of you think a deal is a deal but as corny as this sounds, if there isn't a handshake involved then it isn't really a deal to me. Just because you say you'll buy it over the phone or email, you expect the seller to sit around and wait for you to show up when you can. On the other hand you don't know how desperate people can be for money, especially today. Money talks and if I kept getting calls about an item I have for sale, I'll let people know that I have someone coming at such and such a time but if they can get here sooner, then I'll sell it to them. I have no way of knowing if you are going to keep YOUR word and show up when you say you are going to, meanwhile, I need to sell my item. I know what you're saying but this is a complicated one and I understand your frustration. Don't let this experience get you down, you'll find another one.

[PierBridge]

He who shows me the money first...WINS!

[jwmiller33]

i have kind of a similar, but opposite kind of story.

last january, i bought my first ever boat. it is a 1985 16ft lund s-16 delux with 20 hp merc LS tiller, plus a nice trailer for $1000. i found it on Clist. i had been looking everyday on clist for about 2 months prior, just waiting til i found "the one"... finally, this one day, this guy posts this post, i call him, drive to lakeville to see it from st paul, and check it out, and tell him i want it. i told him i could pay him cash the next day, we shook hands, and had a verbal agreement.

as it turns out, $1000 was A LOT less then what the guy could have sold it for. he said i was the first person who called, and i immediately came out and saw it. he said in the next couple hrs he had over 20 people call about the boat. he even had a guy offer him 1250, and then 1500 and then 1750 for the boat, but the guy who i bought my boat from declined and said he had already made an agreement to sell the boat for 1000, so he ended up selling it to me. thank god there are still people out there that will stay true to their word

[thedeadsea]

That is incredible luck JW!

The other guys do have some good points regarding selling to the first person who can view it. I don't think it is right to sell ahead but can understand it in a few circumstances.

If someone called and jacked me around on the phone (one of my pet peeves is when people try to haggle on the price before even seeing the item) and then set an appointment, I would be less hesitant to let someone else view it before them, if the second caller showed genuine interest. Chances are good that if someone is difficult on the phone, they are going to be difficult and/or a tire kicker in person, IF they actually show up. (Can you tell I have had my share of no-shows??) Regardless, the guy selling that fish house should have called to tell him it was sold right away instead of waiting until the last minute. That is not the right thing to do.

Steve

[Getanet]

Had much of the same experiences when my buddy and I were trying to buy a used camper to make into a fish house. Not only were many of them sold almost immediately after being posted, quite a few were sold after we had a arranged times to look at the camper. Even had one person call my buddy while he was on his way to purchase it to say he just sold it.

As frustrating as it was I couldn't really blame them. They had no guarantee that we were going to show up, or that once we did we would purchase it. Eventually realized on online classifieds no deal is a deal until the cash and item has been exchanged.

I guess if you want a sure thing you have to buy retail.

[rcatcherman]

Thats when I sell stuff now I just say 1st person with cash gets it. However there was a Guy I did hold onto a Vex who was coming a long ways from my place and told him a time he had to come and get it by because there was many others who wanted it. He did show up with cash right on time. End of story it was his...