when is a sale a sale?

[pags13]

Just looking for anyone's advice on how to go about solving a situation where an individual had verbally, via email, agreed to purchase a game used jersey (other than banging my head against a wall). The price was agreed upon, the potential buyer's own words were "you got a deal" and "consider it sold" and after a mutually agreed upon period of time was given (let's say 30 days/longer was fine with me) to round up the funds to pay for the jersey, the potential buyer inexplicably sent an email approx 20 days later asking how much for the jersey if paid for by a personal check. Knowing the agreed upon price already, (the payment options I originally offered as acceptable were PayPal, postal money order, or personal check, buyers choice) so I don't understand why when I replied with the original mutually agreed upon cost (I cover shipping myself), the potential buyer responded that they were going to think about it awhile. 25 days later, no contact. The obvious is a change of heart regarding buying the jersey, everyone has experienced those. But shouldn't saying "you got a deal" and "consider it sold" not be said if the verbal agreement to buy wasn't really intended? Any hesitations should be put to rest before giving your word that a deal was agreed upon. I figure the sale isn't happening, due to a lack of hearing from the person. Just a bad all around feeling when you think you have made a sale, only to realize it was all just a deal in words, not actions. The ugly part of the hobby I suppose. Oh well, lesson learned. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched, as the old saying goes.....

[ncbadges]

Don't feel bad. Almost the same thing happened to me just yesterday...only I was the buyer. Had made the deal and even sent the Paypal payment. Got up yesterday morning and found a refund in my Paypal acct with the message "my wife said I was selling it too low and I have to readvertise". PATHETIC as this was going to be a Christmas gift for my son.

ncb

[cohibasmoker]

Don't feel bad. Almost the same thing happened to me just yesterday...only I was the buyer. Had made the deal and even sent the Paypal payment. Got up yesterday morning and found a refund in my Paypal acct with the message "my wife said I was selling it too low and I have to readvertise". PATHETIC as this was going to be a Christmas gift for my son.

ncb

ncbadges - Man does that suck or what? It's happened more than once to me but what can you really do? I just move one.

From a Seller's perspective, I'll occasionally be asked if I would accept a payment plan. I don't have a problem with that because, with the exception of our Federal Government, we all have restraints on how much money we can spend. What I do is, I'll ask the Buyer for a non-refundable deposit. If the Buyer agrees, I send them a PayPal payment request with the terms clearly outlined. Once the Buyer pays the PayPal request, I know we have a deal - if the buyer does NOT pay within the agreed upon time, I keep the deposit.

Jim

flaa1a@comcast.net

[cigarman44]

ncbadges - Man does that suck or what? It's happened more than once to me but what can you really do? I just move one.

From a Seller's perspective, I'll occasionally be asked if I would accept a payment plan. I don't have a problem with that because, with the exception of our Federal Government, we all have restraints on how much money we can spend. What I do is, I'll ask the Buyer for a non-refundable deposit. If the Buyer agrees, I send them a PayPal payment request with the terms clearly outlined. Once the Buyer pays the PayPal request, I know we have a deal - if the buyer does NOT pay within the agreed upon time, I keep the deposit.

Jim

flaa1a@comcast.net

Thats a great idea. Ive been burned in the past as well letting someone make payments.

[pags13]

wish I would have thought of the non refundable "down payment" proposal, that is an excellent way to at least get a "buyer" to think twice about saying one thing and doing the opposite. Thanks for the great advice. Chalk it all up as a hard lesson learned. I feel worse for the buyer who sent payment on the item only to have the seller change their mind on the deal, absolutely awful......

[legaleagle92481]

Try my rule first who pays gets until the cash is in my hand the item is fair game to any other interested parties and I don't hold anything.

[Preston]

A few months ago I had sold something to someone (not a member on this board, another collecting board more autograph-based), and they saw the pictures, got the item and it looks the exact same, and got mad at ME when I wouldn't refund their money.

I've had that agreement with people that a sale is a sale and they back out...unfortunately because of a sudden shortage of funds I, too, had to back down on someone for a sale once that I had said I was interested in purchasing...and I felt horrible. Granted there's a HUGE difference in a change of heart and a change of ability to afford the item - I definitely would take that in context. If someone doesn't want the item all of a sudden, I wonder if they ever really did?

[pags13]

A few months ago I had sold something to someone (not a member on this board, another collecting board more autograph-based), and they saw the pictures, got the item and it looks the exact same, and got mad at ME when I wouldn't refund their money.

I've had that agreement with people that a sale is a sale and they back out...unfortunately because of a sudden shortage of funds I, too, had to back down on someone for a sale once that I had said I was interested in purchasing...and I felt horrible. Granted there's a HUGE difference in a change of heart and a change of ability to afford the item - I definitely would take that in context. If someone doesn't want the item all of a sudden, I wonder if they ever really did?
while I can understand a change of heart to a certain extent, potential buyers should not say things they do not really mean. the most puzzling aspect of it all, is that the person, from the time the deal was "agreed" upon, couldn't have changed their minds for a lack of funds, as they sold roughly $2400 worth of items on Ebay (and what they were buying was nowhere near that amount). so I can't see how the funds wouldn't be there to follow through. in their own darn words, they say consider it sold, but don't pay. I am done talking about it, it only makes me angrier the more I re-hash it. thanks to all who shared their stories of their own misfortunes, makes me realize it happens regularly

[Preston]

while I can understand a change of heart to a certain extent, potential buyers should not say things they do not really mean. the most puzzling aspect of it all, is that the person, from the time the deal was "agreed" upon, couldn't have changed their minds for a lack of funds, as they sold roughly $2400 worth of items on Ebay (and what they were buying was nowhere near that amount). so I can't see how the funds wouldn't be there to follow through. in their own darn words, they say consider it sold, but don't pay. I am done talking about it, it only makes me angrier the more I re-hash it. thanks to all who shared their stories of their own misfortunes, makes me realize it happens regularly

I completely understand...and I feel ya, I really do. Nothing is a bigger letdown than a busted sale.

Fortunately in my situation... working in the law field I know that the person who tried to get their money back did something TO the item and then said that it was different than the one they received...and I told them that they'd be best to let it go because I would file a fraud claim with PayPal and with a DA where they lived (with my job I have a list of EVERY DA/Attorney General in the US and contact lists for Government officials in Canada) - never heard from them again :) I didn't minor in pre-law for nothing!