Keeping an Item aside for someone

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giovannidc

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I'm selling off some equipment and a guy who was really interested asked me to keep the stuff aside for him so that he could gather the money. I verbally agreed to this and now that the guy wants to pay, but another guy caught wind of the deal and has offered me quite a bit more.

Am I obliged to honor my verbal agreement? Or can I chalk it up to business is business? What would you guys do?
 
Ethically, you should keep your promise to the first. Call the guy and tell him you have received a better offer, so he should collect his stuff within say 24 hours. Remember you may be getting a bit more from the second guy in the shorter term, but you would have lost a future customer for life.
 
Contact the first guy.. tell him if he can get the money to you by the end of the day the equipment is his. If not it will be sold to someone else who has offered you more money (as long as the other offer has cash and is willing to pay you on the spot)
 
I'm moving to Cape Town so I'm just selling some stuff I cant take with. I know its a douche move and I feel kind awful, but this other guy offered my almost double what the other guy wants.
 
giovannidc said:
I'm selling off some equipment and a guy who was really interested asked me to keep the stuff aside for him so that he could gather the money. I verbally agreed to this and now that the guy wants to pay, but another guy caught wind of the deal and has offered me quite a bit more.

Am I obliged to honor my verbal agreement? Or can I chalk it up to business is business? What would you guys do?
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Money talks
 
giovannidc said:
I'm moving to Cape Town so I'm just selling some stuff I cant take with. I know its a douche move and I feel kind awful, but this other guy offered my almost double what the other guy wants.
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Business is business. I've got to admit I was leaning towards don't be a dick but, almost double is almost double.
 
Well, just tell him the other guy is making a better offer, can he match it?
 
Almost double?

If he can pay cash, then you tell the original guy, if he can match the offer the equipment is his if he can pay first... otherwise the equipment goes to the other guy.

Douche move or not, money is money these days.
 
Venomous said:
double?

is this via sms/email with the promise of an eft?!?

:erm:

run forest, run
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The offer came from a friend who didn't know what the other guy offered. Didn't think he was serious until he said he is at the bank and wants to draw the cash.
 
If its some random guy, do it. You're not there to make friends, and if he doesn't come up with the money, then who's the dick?
 
giovannidc said:
I'm selling off some equipment and a guy who was really interested asked me to keep the stuff aside for him so that he could gather the money. I verbally agreed to this and now that the guy wants to pay, but another guy caught wind of the deal and has offered me quite a bit more.

Am I obliged to honor my verbal agreement? Or can I chalk it up to business is business? What would you guys do?
Click to expand...

Quite astounded by some of the comments in this thread. Anyway, if you verbally PROMISED the guy the stuff at an agreed price, ethically you should honor it. And no, you shouldn't even ask him for more. As long as he is in his agreed timeline to pay you, he should get first option. If you made it clear that it was first come first serve however, then you free to sell to the second guy.

Don't sell ethics or values for a few extra bucks. Also, next time, know the value of what you are selling before you agree to such an arrangement.
 
It really comes down to whether your morals or money has more value to you. Simple.
 
Well put yourself in the first guys shoes.
How would you feel if someone agreed to sell an item to you at a set price, you save up, and they turn around and say that the price has gone up?
 
Sepeng said:
Well put yourself in the first guys shoes.
How would you feel if someone agreed to sell an item to you at a set price, you save up, and they turn around and say that the price has gone up?
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If he put himself in the first guys shoes he wouldn't have an item to sell.
 
Keeping your word is priceless.
Plus karma will eventually get you. Sell to guy no. 1
 
Singal said:
It really comes down to whether your morals or money has more value to you. Simple.
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It's not a moral issue. The first buyer loses nothing if the deal falls through. Plus in these situations the seller loses the sale all too often. It's a business ethics question if anything and the first ethic in business is sell high. If you want to secure a purchase pay a deposit.
 
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