While I agree wholeheartedly with the jist of this thread...once you agree on price, you stick to it, but I reserve the right to NOT sell and change my mind...

I also refused to sell my Supra Turbo to a teen who wanted it...he didn't seem mature enough.

If I advertise an item it in NO WAY obligates me to sell to a stranger....maybe I want to pick the buyer...maybe give it away :)

Again, I am all in favor of getting a proper price for your car. And you can change your mind all you want. It's your car, so anyone else can **** off.

BUT.... don't brag on the internet how you are turning away higher offers because of your integrity, only to bait and switch the buyer with a higher than implied price, which is a direct result of the 2nd buyer you turned away.

The premise of the OP was that money is not important. Read his quote. Clearly, his actions contradict that. That's all.

You guys sure are roasting this guy without any regard for lots of things that could have actually happened.

What if the original buyer showed up at 7:30 like he said he would, maybe brought a 6 pack of beer over, and they shot the $hit for a couple hours, talking 911s. Then, the guy says, "Look, you're selling the car too cheap. I've brought $32K for it. Here you go. No, I absolutely insist. I know its worth more than $32. This is a win-win for both of us".

LOL. I meet all my friends through Craig's list. They always bring beer and gift me $4K cash the day we meet.

Richard is making the same point I made a couple pages back.

No one knows what took place at the 7:30 meeting between prospective buyer and seller.

Whether it involved a 6 pack of beer or not - is not the point, although you certainly couldn't rule that scenario out.

If you weren't there you have zero basis to judge anything.

We have the same basis to judge him as when he asked us to do so in th OP, what he told us. Creating some new storyline to justify his actions is lame.

To funny, I'm looking for a LS 460.

7:30 guy shows up.

"Wow, I really like this car, will you take $25K for it?"

No. I have another interested party who offered more but I told him you were first. Thanks for coming by.

"How do you know the other guy will go through with the deal? I'm here cash in hand"

I don't know that he will but it's my gamble to make.

"What did he offer?"

$xx K

"Fine, I'll give you $32"

OK, deal.

Well put, Scott.

Don't forget the beer.....:)

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Only problem is that the guy who showed up offered $28,250. $250.00 over asking price. Thats why he first lowballed at 26k then came up to asking price plus $250.00, so there indeed was an asking price and it was 28K. The op figured out he was selling too low after the dialogue here and did a price change when the 7:30 guy showed up. Like others have said, if the guy would have driven straight down to see it, he would have had that car for $28,250 or possibly a few hundred more to just beat out the other guy. His car so he do what he wants, but don't brag about keeping your word while pulling a total bait and switch like that.

quit it. there was never any bait and switch. wtf is with you guys?

bait-and-switch
noun
the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods that are an apparent bargain, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods.

If a car dealership did the same thing it would be illegal. Which is ironic, because in his effort to be morally upright and keep his word, he cost the first guy who showed up to lose out on the car entirely, and actually punished the 7:30 guy by raising the price.

Exactly what happened.
...but this is the definition I would cite:

bait and switch

n.
1. A fraudulent advertising claim or sales offer for a product or service that is not available or not for sale at the stated price, made with the intention of luring customers who are then offered something else or forced to spend more money to get the same thing.

2. A deception based on a false claim or enticement that proves to be disappointing.

I've been following this, and I have to side with Henry here.

It doesn't appear there was ever a commitment to sell the car to the first guy during his initial phone call. All that was promised was that Henry would hold off until he'd seen it.

That guy knew it was potentially a great deal. If he'd got there early with $28k he'd have got it, but he didn't get there. By waiting, he knew full well other prospective buyers would see it, and if enough interest was shown, Henry may figure out it was under priced. That was the chance the buyer took.

Henry, true to his word, did wait until the first guy saw the car. Unfortunately for that guy, by then Henry had realized it was under priced. Henry, in my opinion, was perfectly fair in saying that he is really wanting more for it now having had the chance to see how favorable the market was. If the buyer didn't like that he could have walked away. That was the chance Henry took.

At the end of the day, this sounds like a perfectly fair and above board business negotiation with risk taken by both parties. Henry could have lost out if the first guy had turned up five minutes after he called, or if the guy had committed to buy it there-and-then over the phone sight unseen. Henry didn't bait and switch, he simply adjusted his expectation to market demands BEFORE any agreement to purchase took place.

To put myself in the buyers position, sure I'd be disappointed if I thought I was going to get a steal of a deal but missed my chance. However, I would still have the option to say "No" to the revised price. It's a totally open negotiation.



To the point that was raised about a dealer doing this; Don't we see this sort of thing with limited production, or high demand models - dealers asking more than the MSRP? The manufacturer advertises in advance what the price will be, but demand means the dealer can ask more. What's the difference if there was never a contract to sell it at the original listed price?

Good for you Henry. At the end of the day we have a happy seller and a happy buyer.

What silliness. You advertise a car for a specific price, you have made a commitment to sell it for that price. Changing the price upon buyer response is precisely a bait and switch. Imagine if you went to the grocery store, filled your cart and the price changed at the register.

No, legitimate dealers do not advertise a specific car at a specific price...and then raise the price when you go to buy it. MSRP is Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price...which is not the dealer price (hence the word "Manufacturer's), nor is it advertised as anything other than "Suggested."

It's actually not legal for a manufacturer to set the price, that's why it's a "suggested" price.

You can sell it for whatever you want.

OP had a 1st offer (more).

If 7:30 guy had offered asking (less) you are saying OP was obligated to take it?

Now that's silly.

Obligated to take his ask? No but he said in his ad that is what he would take for it. That is his word in my book. Y'all interpretation might be different. Fine, but it surly isn't a black and white situation

The only promise made was to hold the car till 7:30.

OP had a prior competing offer, higher than his listed ad.

At that point in time the ad price was no longer the number.

7:30 guy should have shown up earlier.

Because he did not it cost him more.

7:30 guy could simply have declined to get sucked in but he did not. His choice.

It's not like OP put a gun to his head.

So you see the same with parts posted here? A price is required to be posted, but it is really just the starting price for an auction?