What would you do?

ICDP

ICDP

ICDP

Soldato
Joined
30 Dec 2011
Posts
7,247
Location
Belfast
There are some chancers who try to short change you big time. I sold a perfect condition 27" IPS screen on Gumtree a few days ago. They are £300 new, so had it on Gumtree for £200 and a guy agreed at that price. He came to the house to collect and said, "only got £150 on me mate", to which I replied "then you aren't getting it, sorry we agreed £200". He went out to the car where his (I assume GF/wife) was waiting, came back a few minutes later with all the money. I told him I had decided to keep the monitor. He whined about how I wasted his journey/time and I told him, "all on you mate, when you agree a price stick to it".

Luckily I had another buyer who offered £180 if I didn't get it sold. I phoned him up and he got the monitor at £180. I was happier to sell to a non scummy git who wasn't trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

What would anyone else here on GD do in that situation?

P.S I expect he will sneak back and put pooh in my letterbox :D
 
I had a similar thing happen to me when I sold my big fishtank and stand on Gumtree. We agreed on a price of £190 and when they turned up he said that he only wanted the tank and offered me £150. I told him no way as we settled on £190 for both and it would leave me with a stand that's no good so it's both or nothing. He then pulled out another £40 and said it was worth a try. I took the money. £190 is £190 no matter who it comes from. In your case I would probably have took his £200 rather than sell it for less.
 
I'd have just sold it to the first guy for £200 there and then, save messing about. Although he tried to get a few extra quid off, it wasn't really a reason to refuse the sale, plus you messed him about for nothing.
 
I'd have sold it. I'm not to proud to turn my nose up at £20 extra and less hassle. ;)
He was a chancer - you didn't teach him a lesson because he will still do it because the amount of times no one questions it and accepts £150 is worth it...
 
physichull said:
I'd have just sold it to the first guy for £200 there and then, save messing about. Although he tried to get a few extra quid off, it wasn't really a reason to refuse the sale, plus you messed him about for nothing.
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This

helpimcrap said:
I'd have sold it. I'm not to proud to turn my nose up at £20 extra and less hassle. ;)
He was a chancer - you didn't teach him a lesson because he will still do it because the amount of times no one questions it and accepts £150 is worth it...
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This

OldCoals said:
You missed out on £20 for no reason.

Good result.
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And that.
 
FoxEye said:
Would have sold to chap #1 at £200.
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That is the obvious answer.

However, OP might have got a bad vibe. Some people are more trouble than they are worth and since OP's #1 buyer seems like a grade 1 *****, sending him on his way, even at an ultimate £20 loss, might well have been the best of a bad set of options!
 
helpimcrap said:
I'd have sold it. I'm not to proud to turn my nose up at £20 extra and less hassle. ;)
He was a chancer - you didn't teach him a lesson because he will still do it because the amount of times no one questions it and accepts £150 is worth it...
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I would disagree, he was taught that some people will not tolerate that kind of BS and that he may end up out of pocket and wasting his time. His journey wasn't short in time or distance as he is from a town around 45 miles round trip. So about 1 hours drive an £5 fuel costs.

There was no extra hassle, the other guy came to my house next day to collect and pay for the monitor.
 
OldCoals said:
You missed out on £20 for no reason.

Good result.
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Pretty much this. It's a monitor, and whilst the guy was chancing it at getting a discount price, he came back with the full money after realising said chancing wasn't getting anywhere.

Can you imagine the amount of tea you could buy with an extra £20?

Madness.
 
Orionaut said:
That is the obvious answer.

However, OP might have got a bad vibe. Some people are more trouble than they are worth and since OP's #1 buyer seems like a grade 1 *****, sending him on his way, even at an ultimate £20 loss, might well have been the best of a bad set of options!
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This is the main concern I had. Look at this objectively without thinking about the £20 loss I took.

The initial encounter resulted in this guy assuming I was an idiot ripe for a con. This is not a small matter of "no harm in trying", it is reneging on an agreed price.
This also tells me this person is not remotely trustworthy and to me has zero credibility on morals or ethics.
 
I agree with the op, it would really annoy me if I agreed a price then the guy turned up with less of the cash as an offer. The first sign of anything dishonest (and I feel this behaviour is dishonest) then I would just walk away. Hopefully it teaches him a lesson.
 
Bring the agreed money for the price you've agreed on in the first place then everyone is happy.
 
There's no doubt he was taking the **** and I see where you're coming from.

Personally though, as soon as I'd showed that the monitor was working and he came back with the right money, it's thank you and see you later.
 
I was in the same situation I would just demand the £200 and sell it to the first guy. Saying that I do like your thinking so If I had the chance to think it over for a moment or two I would probably do what you did.

Hopefully he will think twice before pulling the same stunt again, I would gain £20 worth of satisfaction just knowing I had wasted an hour of his time.
 
On second thought you're probably right. Th price was agreed so he had no reason to try and get a cheaper price. Principles count!
 
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