Am I outdated? When is an 'offer' actually an 'offer'?

I always tell prospective buyers that first person that can come up with the cash gets it. Also I always tell people to call before they leave if they aren't coming right then and there. I make an effort to make sure the buyer clearly understands everything. I have been stood up many times by folks telling me they would look at something on the weekend and then not show up.

 

Easy with the big words man, We don't all watch Frasier. haha.

 

Whenever i have something for sale on CL I'll never bargain over the phone or an e-mail. I tell them to come over, take a look and tell me what it is worth to them. If they insist on trying to bargain I'll just tell them I want the asking price, period. Another thing which bugs me is when I guy has a car listed for a price or "best offer" (which I assume means he'll accept less than his asking price), right?. I show up ( fifty miles one way) interested and make a lower offer to start bargaining. Now he says that he's looking for the best offer over the asking price! I guess he thought that he had underpriced the car or that I was good for a few more bucks. I told him what i wanted to pay, he refused and I left. Found a better car at a better price a couple of months later.

 

This is exactly my point, If you agreed to wait and didn't, you have not honored your commitment.

 

Just as a side note, I've actually had a bidding war in my driveway over a dirtbike, sold it to the guy that made the highest offer, which was actually 180 bucks more than I was asking. One of the losing bidders(there were 4 guys) said he didn't think I was being fair, because he had only brought enough money for my asking price. He was a young guy about 16 and was with his dad and older brother, both of whom got a chuckle as I pointed out that the ad said 'or best offer', and even i hadn't expected 4 buyers at the same time on a Saturday morning. I then told him if he'd been there 15 minutes earlier, I had actually been prepared to take about 300 bucks less than asking. Then to rub salt in it his brother says "I got 400 bucks on me, all you had to do was ask." But who knows where the price might have gone, the guy that got it really seemed to want it, and paid more than I would have. As i said, I love this game.

 

Seems that this is projected "blame" from a guy who is remiss about not moving in ernest to purchase your car. It seems to be common place with people who are so egotistical and self righteous and when their plans fail, they need someone to take out their anger or disgruntledness. Don't change the way you do business, there are guys (like me) that appreciate old time moral fiber and the integrity of a handshake. Keep on doing it the way you have been doing it. And thanks.

 

According to 440Dave's story he never said he agreed to wait to the weekend. He only agreed he would take 1500 for it. The statement was - "I was asking 2Gs for it, a guy e-mails me and asks if I'll take 1500, I answer yes. He says he'll be there on the weekend to look it over. My phone # was in the ad, but he never did call and talk to me or give me his #."

The guy asked if he'd take 1500, he said yes - THEN the guys says he be there over the weekend to look at it.

You guys are crazy if you would have let the guy with the money walk because some guy emailed and said he would come look it over the following weekend.

Grits you are twisting the story.

 

Just to be clear, I never agreed to wait. His last communication was that he'd be there on the weekend, thats all.

 

When I bought my welder I called the guy and offered to paypal him the money or a decent deposit as I was 200+ miles away at the time. He was nice enough to say that it was mine and he would meet me the following Friday but I didn't ask for favors or expect any.

I've always felt that the first guy there with the cash in hand or a decent deposit is the one who has bought something.

 

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this guy. If he did bother to show up, he would have probably tried to knock the price down further from the $1500 you agreed to. If he was serious, he should have set an appointment with you rather than wasting your time waiting to hear from him. Tell him to have a nice day and to not let the doorknob hit him on the ass on the way out.

Unfortunately these days,too many of the responses to car sale ads are either tire kickers or test pilots with no money.

 

You have to be smarter than what you're working with. Young guys today especially don't mean or understand words in the same context that you do. It's important NOT to assume anything, but belabor the point until you and they are convinced that what you both "mean" and "understand" are the same. It's just a fact of life that needs to addressed.....It simply takes more work that "speech" used to involve. Be sure to "axe" the right questions....get my drift? If not, we'll "conversate" again.....Centurion9

 

I'm not into playing bull shit "games"

"Honor and Commitment"

 

Hind sight is always 20/20,but I think its all in the dialogue. Maybe next time it goes a bit like this, "Yeah I'll take 1500.00 but from whomever gets here first". I was trying to give away a coke machine free on Craigslist recently and held it for the first few callers that were on their way, when they didn't show, I just stuck it curbside, relisted it, then told the callers whoever got there first could have it and it was gone in 20 minutes.

On a related note, I have been trying to raise some cash to get my interior done, so I have been selling off a lot of items here on the classifieds. Pretty amazed and dissapointed with how many members here either make you an offer, ask for special pics, or request shipping then can't even respond to a PM with a "no thanks" if they don't like the counter offer or the shipping price. Even at a swap meet if your offer gets refused or countered most guys would at least say "no thanks". No biggie I guess at the end of the day, just a little irritating..

 

Well knowing this changes things for me. My only things was if you agree to meet a guy at a time and place over a even a potential deal then you should have waited. I agree then that if the guy just said he'd be there and you didn't agree to an actual appointment as in "when will you be there?" "I will be here at (x) time" "I will meet you then" then you are ok. To make it clear though I would have told the guy what others have said which is the first person with cash takes it. It might have made him more interested in making an appointment or getting their quicker.

-Panelrodder

 

Geemann51 - Did I by chance see your car once in KS at Kool Rides in Ark City?

 

Agreed! If others were their first then I'd prolly just hang in the wings and see if the deal falls apart. Just like the line at the water fountain in elementary school, if someone is in line you wait your turn.

-Panelrodder

 

I certainly can understand that some people don't like haggling, or 'the game' as I like to call it. But the popularity of swap meets and Barrett-Jackson attest to the number of people that do. I'm one of 'em.

 

I might add to that is someone does seem halfway interested but puts off coming a few days I will tell them up front to call me first to make sure it hasn't sold. Usually though that comes after at least a phone call or quite a few question and answer emails back and forth.

 

Yep, it was in town getting fixed up by Jeff Myers, Lee and Kirby added their touch by crafting some tear drops for the dash.

 

Ok, now I'm getting irritated, get your fucking story straight then we'll talk.

 

i would of sold it to the kid

 

My point entirely.

 

Don't haggle on the phone. Haggle with cash in your hand, standing in front of me. If you won't take time to take a look see, then don't waste my time.

 

Geemann51 - Well Its a beautiful car. Jeff's a hell of a builder/painter . I heard what happened with the hood. I would have probably cried.

 

With the bike, it was in the driveway with a for sale sign on it, as well as an ad in the buyandsell. I looked out and there were 3 cars parked and all 4 buyers were looking at it. I went out and talked to all, started the bike, let 3 diferent guys take it for a rip around the property etc. It was probably 20 minutes before anyone even mentioned money, making a lowball offer of 2/3 what I was asking I declined and another guy offered a little more, and before I answered 2 of the other guys were offering more, and I had a spontaneous auction going. The only guy who was dissappointed in the end was the young guy. Both the ad and the sign on the bike said 'or best offer'.

 

Thanks, I did cry but Jeff made it all better.....

 

I had the same thing happen to me several times. I bet if you call the first guy up and tell him to come and get it he will leave you alone.He sounds like he wants an easy way to bow out and make it seem like it's your fault he is a dick. You know what they say money talks,BS walks. First guy with the $$ or deposit get the item.

 

Geeman, I want a ride in that car at round up and the hood looks like that little problem never happen. I love that car man.

 

Haha i thought i was the only one that did stuff like that! I was selling a pickup I had and a guy kept jerking me around, saying he'd show up and not be there, or show up late, making excuses. I tacked an extra $100 on the price because i wasted so much time waiting for the guy.

I've also gone the other way aswell. I was selling my enclosed trailer, buyer calls me up says he has cash and he would come the next day at 8a.m. He pulls in the driveway at exactly 8, looks the trailer over, shoots the shit a little while and says it looks great and is exactly what he was expecting. Gave me full asking price because he knew it was worth it. Went to hook it up and he brought the wrong size ball. Because he was such a good guy i gave him the ball off my truck and told him to keep it, being such a solid guy he offered me the ball he had in trade, i told him dont worry about it.

 

1st come 1st served. It ain't sold until money changes hands. I had a boat for sale once, a guy calls me up from half way across the country, offers me 25,000, I said how do you know the motors run? If a guy makes me an offer before seeing it I know he is a bullshitter. I bet if you hadn't sold it ,the 1st guy would never have shown up.