Idiot on craigslist- have to vent

[AaronCF]

So I check cl this morning- hex db's 5-50lb with stand $100

I call, we arrange that I'll pick them up saturday as it's a long distance, time restraints, etc...

Just got a phone call 10 minutes ago saying "sorry, but I sold them, guy just picked them up"

I guess he didn't recognize our conversation this morning as a verbal agreement. Bastard.

[FERRUM_MAXIMUS]

So I check cl this morning- hex db's 5-50lb with stand $100

I call, we arrange that I'll pick them up saturday as it's a long distance, time restraints, etc...

Just got a phone call 10 minutes ago saying "sorry, but I sold them, guy just picked them up"

I guess he didn't recognize our conversation this morning as a verbal agreement. Bastard.I hate people like that,they have no Honor.As far as I'm concerned if your word is no good then you're scum.Don't feel to bad though,I've driven 150 miles before and then been told that it's been sold,but the guy gave me gas money to keep his jaw intact.

[stunmai3]

Sorry I disagree- Saturday is a long ways away to wait and see if a buyer shows up... If you asked him to hold them until the evening, that's reasonable... but all week no...

[FERRUM_MAXIMUS]

Sorry I disagree- Saturday is a long ways away to wait and see if a buyer shows up... If you asked him to hold them until the evening, that's reasonable... but all week no...I agree,but if he told him that he would hold it then he should honor his word.At the very least he should have called him and told him to come and get it now or he's going to sell it to the other guy,not call him after the fact.

[FNULNU]

Sorry I disagree- Saturday is a long ways away to wait and see if a buyer shows up... If you asked him to hold them until the evening, that's reasonable... but all week no...


I agree,but if he told him that he would hold it then he should honor his word.At the very least he should have called him and told him to come and get it now or he's going to sell it to the other guy,not call him after the fact.


At least the guy called to say he sold them and a Saturday drive wasn't wasted. But I agree, poor seller.

[AaronCF]

Sorry I disagree- Saturday is a long ways away to wait and see if a buyer shows up... If you asked him to hold them until the evening, that's reasonable... but all week no...

No, he should have said, well if I don't get any other bites I'll hold them. We had a conversation regarding myself working 100 miles away and saturday being the only day I could come pick them up. He told me saturday was fine with him. Sold.

Yeah, at least he called me, but he goes down in my book as a jackass.

[ira_est_a_donum]

poor seller...

he should have said hey if you cant come and get them now, then i will take other offers on them. First come 1st served, unless you wanna pay me now (pay pal or whatever) and come get them later. At the very least he should have called you before the guy came and got them and said hey they other guy says he can come and get them now and pay for them, unless you want to come and get them now then im gonna sell them. Which gives you 1st option.

(bc we know how many times people flake out on following through with buying something they say they are going to buy on craigslist)

Craigslist is a 1st come 1st pay gets the deal... so if you see a deal you better snatch it up right away or else it will be gone...

my gf gave away a shed on craigslist for 25 bucks... hell every asked to hold it... she said 1st to confirm they were on their way to get it gets it and if they didnt show up with in a time frame the next in line gets it... fair and simple to both parties...

[Squeebo]

I disagree too. Saturday is days away, and he doesn't know whether you'll actually show up or not. If you sell things on Craigslist often, you'll know how flaky the buyers are. Most never show up. He has no idea if you're the type to keep your word or blow it off, and he isn't going to wait that long for a promise like that, without some sort of deposit, when he's got a guy in front of him with cash in hand. It's your own fault. :)

If he were an actual retailer it would be a different story, and they'll often hold items for you, but not an individual seller who isn't trying to build a customer base.

[jhashey]

Im on the line on this one. Yes Saturday is a ways away, but he should have held his word. To be a legal contract, there has to be consideration, ie, you give something up for him to hold it. What I have done is send a 10 dollar paypal payment to the person which makes them legally obligated to hold it until the time we agreed.

Outside of the legal mumbo, he should have held up his word.

[AaronCF]

Im on the line on this one. Yes Saturday is a ways away, but he should have held his word. To be a legal contract, there has to be consideration, ie, you give something up for him to hold it. What I have done is send a 10 dollar paypal payment to the person which makes them legally obligated to hold it until the time we agreed.

Outside of the legal mumbo, he should have held up his word.

Yeah, that's what I'm upset about. He said saturday would be fine and he sold it from underneath me. It's about keeping your word.

He had my phone#, where I worked, and a 10 minute conversation... I don't feel like I sounded like a typical flake buyer...

[Keetman]

I don't understand how some people could be on the fence here, it may not be a LEGAL contract, but he gave the man his word. Yes, he could have chosen all sorts of different ways to handle this originally, but he chose to say I'll hold them till Saturday....he should have kept his word, period as far as I'm concerned. There isn't anything wrong with first come first serve and I understand all the pitfalls of noshows on Craigslist, but I just prefer to do what I say I'll do and that's what I would expect when I'm a buyer too.

I actually had a similar situation in reverse a couple of months ago. I had a bench for sale and some SOB calls me at 11 pm wanting to buy it. I had already promised it to another caller, so I told him I'd call him back if the guy didn't show. He got pushy and kept trying to tell me it should be 1st come/1st serve. I kept telling him that's not how I do things. Finally he just hung up on me. So, he called way too late, acted like an ass, and then hung up on me. I jotted down his number so I'd know who he is if he called back and refused to sell anything to him. Ironically, the 1st guy was a noshow and if the 2nd dude hadn't been a d.ick, I'd have called him back just like I told him I would. I sold it a day later to a young kid wanting to get in shape. Win, win ; except for the asswipe.

Again, the method of doing business here is irrelevant, lots of right answers there. The point is honesty, or lack of it.

[Squeebo]

It really depends on how it went down. The OP didn't say that the seller said he would actually hold them for him. He just said that there was an arrangement, which could mean "I'll come get them Saturday ok?" "Ok". That's what I assume happened.

[stunmai3]

The thing is, I wouldn't be mad at the seller, I would be mad at myself for not making it a priority to get out there that same day. If I decided that it was not important enough for me to put aside what I needed to do that day or evening, I would face the possibility of loosing it. But you know what... there is ALWAYS another good deal around the corner!

[Keetman]

It really depends on how it went down. The OP didn't say that the seller said he would actually hold them for him. He just said that there was an arrangement, which could mean "I'll come get them Saturday ok?" "Ok". That's what I assume happened.

Fair enough, the conversation that took place would be key I guess. After I reread the OP I see it was vague on what the "agreement" was. It just seemed like some other posters were taking the side of the seller because he chose to sell it FCFS.....which is fine, if he was up front about it.


The thing is, I wouldn't be mad at the seller, I would be mad at myself for not making it a priority to get out there that same day. If I decided that it was not important enough for me to put aside what I needed to do that day or evening, I would face the possibility of loosing it. But you know what... there is ALWAYS another good deal around the corner!
A deal that good would motivate me to get there as soon as possible...I sold a similar set for $350 2 months ago, so that was a good deal. It doesn't sound like the seller even gave him that much time though. I again say that (if there was an agreement) the seller shouldn't have pulled the plug on the OP. I've already stated my case as to why.

Oh, just remembered another similar deal I had...in reverse. A guy emailed me with his number accepting $150 for 6 stall mats. I call him 15 minutes later to get directions and he says he got another offer and they're sold. I was pissed, but what could I do. Well a week later he emails back saying the deal fell through and wants to give me the chance. I already found some other mats so I decline, but I wouldn't have bought from him anyway.

2 stories, 2 mishandled situations.....both could've ended up with what they wanted but they didn't because they treated me poorly. You gotta treat people right and you gotta honor your word. Maybe that's just me.

Oh, I would agree that another deal is just around the corner though, so if somebody screws ya, move on and start looking for the next one.