Don’t think I was wrong ?

[Follysmum]

Opinions please
Advertised a trailer , had someone ring yesterday to say she would like to view sometime today, he would get back to me to arrange a time .

In the meantime I had someone ring and pay a deposit, trailer was exactly what she wanted. As soon as this happens I ring the first person and explain that I’m really sorry it’s been sold and deposit taken.

Gosh he went balistic on the phone , telling me I never gave him the option of paying a deposit and how awful I was for letting someone jump in.

After slamming the phone down I get a text telling me that I obviously don’t know how to run a business as I’m really unprofessional!

Wow some people

 

[ihatework]

He’s a prat. Wallow in smugness that a nice person has got the trailer instead.

 

[Follysmum]

He’s a prat. Wallow in smugness that a nice person has got the trailer instead.

Exactly

 

[Time for Tea]

I think you were polite to ring the first person back, many would not have bothered. Also many phone and say they are coming to view an item, then are never heard of again. A bird in the hand etc, the old proverb.

 

[scats]

I’m a bit soft so I’d have rang the first person to say someone wanted to put a deposit down so if he wanted it, he needed to act fast (ie. Now)
At least it would have given him the option.

Slightly different, but Someone wanted my tortoise stuff and said she would collect the next day.
About half an hour later, a lady messaged wanting it so I explained it was sold pending collection. She offered me treble the amount to take it immediately. I told her that I felt I should honour the lady I had said could have it originally, but if she didn’t collect, I would let her know.

As it was, the original lady turned up the next day and got it for the original price.
Maybe I’m the fool for turning down more money, but I felt it was unfair when I had told someone they could have it.

I’m like that with the business aswell. Too soft and loyal to people sometimes. I’ll never be rich!

Edited to add- even more soft am I. Second lady who I turned down, I felt so bad that I dug out my original tortoise table from the shed (smaller and not including lamps/accessories) and said she could come and have that for free.
She was absolutely delighted and very grateful.
So I didn’t feel too bad

 

[Equi]

This is why whenever I sold any trailer I stipulated in the advert first to pay takes it!

 

[Follysmum]

I had been let down a few times so in my opinion first come with the money then it’s yours . I get I could have offered them a deposit but they hadn’t even viewed so didn’t feel it was appropriate.

This is why I hate dealing with people when selling something

 

[Keith_Beef]

I’m a bit soft so I’d have rang the first person to say someone wanted to put a deposit down so if he wanted it, he needed to act fast (ie. Now)

If a seller did that to me, I'd walk away. I think that OP did exactly the right thing.

So many times, I've been in a shop looking at something and the seller says "if you take it right now, and pay in cash, I can give you a 20% discount (sometimes this goes up to 50%)."

This, to me, is like waving a big red flag marked "I know you'll find it somewhere else for less if I give you time to shop around, so I want to push you into taking it at my price".

Just on principle, I've quite literally turned my back on the seller and walked out.

 

[Patterdale]

I had been let down a few times so in my opinion first come with the money then it’s yours . I get I could have offered them a deposit but they hadn’t even viewed so didn’t feel it was appropriate.

This is why I hate dealing with people when selling something

I wouldn’t give it another thought. If it was him selling, he’d have done the same.

I once had a woman go nuts with me for not selling her a pony. It was in Covid when everything was selling unseen instantly. He was a nice pony and I had lots of interest, but didn’t want to sell unseen as I wanted the right home for him. I chose my favourite prospective buyer and said they could view first. This other woman was furious when I told her he was being viewed, could not understand why I wouldn’t take her money right now, said if viewing was that important she’d load up the (poor) child and make the journey ‘THIS MINUTE!’
She absolutely could not understand it, she believed that if she had the money then that entitled her to the pony, she could come and take it.

She was the worst but buying and selling always brings out the bad side of some people.

 

[Marigold4]

This happened to me when selling a lorry. Two people very interested but wanted to carry out an inspection of the lorry; another (who I knew and who knew the lorry) said they would take it and paid the same day. Other two were furious, but I really needed to sell the lorry as I had just put a deposit on a newer one. It was a bit mean but the reality of being paid immediately is difficult to resist!

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I've been told I wasn't very kind when I was giving some stuff (old roof and floor tiles away) and someone told me she was interested in some stuff but had to speak to her husband first. In the mean time someone else got in touch and said they would take the lot of my hands the same day. So messaged first person to let her know the tiles weren't available any more. She wasn't happy. As far as I'm concerned, until you've given me a firm time to pick up, it's still available. As it was the family that picked took even more stuff that I didn't want and filled up the rest of their van with stuff to drop off at the tip for me, so no regrets on my part.

 

[Nicnac]

Block and move on. Recently did same with truck. People interested arranging viewings but somebody put a large deposit down. I contacted all interested parties to let them know and would het back to them if sale didn't go through. They were all lovely. They were all women!

 

[lynz88]

it's no different to a house....the house will stay on the market until someone fronts the money; it won't hang around just because someone else is interested but has to go and discuss with whoever....it's the good old saying: you snooze you lose.

 

[Kaylum]

Get it all the time save this and save that but I need to check it fits. 2 days later they come back to you and it's sold, paid for and gone. Sometimes it a month later.

 

[madmav]

Had a fair few angry emails via freecycle when giving away an old telly. Chose someone who I thought most likely to turn up and collect rather than those who replied first. It was my property. I can give it to whoever I like! Likewise when you’re selling something. People are quite odd at times.

 

[honetpot]

Worse than selling is giving stuff away for free, they think they have the right to it because they called first. No, its the first to turn up with the cash or if its free the transport to take it away.
Selling stuff on Facebook is tough, they either ask you lots of questions and never even view, or turn the next day to pay what you asked and collect.