It shouldn't be, no, but the situation is slightly different.

7:30 guy probably said something along the lines of "I'm interested, but I can't get there until 7:30. Would you give me first refusal". That's pretty much what I'd have said, and I'm guessing most here would do the same. At that point, Henry has only committed to giving the guy first refusal, NOT to sell it.

If 7:30 guy had said on the phone "I'll BUY it, but I can't get there until 7:30. Will you save it for me." then the price shouldn't change. But most of the time you go to LOOK at a car before negotiating the price.

The guy who showed up and offered more essentially secured a place in line behind 7:30 guy, unless a subsequent buyer turned up and offered more. Until the guy with first refusal shows up, views the car, and negotiates the price accordingly, all bets are off. Now, after looking at the car, a buyer would normally expect to be able to negotiate the price to their advantage, which would be down. However, in this instance there are other higher offers on the table, so the negotiation works in the seller's favour and the price goes up.


With parts listed here, or anywhere except an auction, it's very different. The expectation in that case is that the buyer will commit to buy them sight unseen. Basically, as soon as one person says "I'll buy it" it's a done deal.

I don't see any honor in sticking to a price that you set low because you weren't aware of the current value of something you own. That is a very different situation from setting a price low deliberately.

I see the honor in giving someone first refusal. Obviously the guy who had first refusal on this 911 already knew the value of the item, and was willing to pay.

It is just like offering a part here at a price and then auctioning it when the second or 3rd or 5th person in line offers more.

He didn't do that, did he ? Everybody has an opinion. I stated mine, and will be moving on.

I think Henry is fortunate that people stopped him from underselling his car's value. In business, a deal should be fair for all concerned. That is perhaps not about honor, and more about ethics. Honor can take you places when a sense of fair play would bid you to stop.

The issue is not selling it for maximum price, or even the bait and switch.
I have no issue with him changing the price once he realized he underpriced it.

The problem is bragging on the internet that you don't care about selling for a lower price in order to keep your word.
But, seller did not do that. Ergo, seller is a liar on the internet.

Some can do that....some can't :)

When you offer an item for sale at a certain price it is incumbent upon you to have already determined the price you offered it for is one you will accept. Allowing others to bid the price up after a potential buyer has contacted you and is apparently ready to accept your offer is pretty cheesy. If the buyer had agreed to pay asking price...and later changed his mind and wanted the car for $4K less (because he suddenly decided that he offered too much...and might get a similar car cheaper elsewhere) would be equally cheesy and the OP's position would likely be exactly the opposite of what it is now.

Pretty strong words imo....

I took the OP's intent differently for this thread....IMO, he did no wrong, but someone else wanted him to go back on his promise to wait...YMMV.

Sorry Fint...placing an ad does not mean you have reached a deal with a buyer....not in my world.

Wow, it's a different world out there than what I grew up with. I would never pay someone anything over asking price for a car, or a house, no matter how popular, or underpriced it is. By setting an "asking" price, you are hoping to get the figure shown, (or possibly a bit less)....never more money. I would walk away from any deal, that the seller all of sudden became flaky on, and raised the price.

The whole other subject of this thread is about bragging how ethical you seem to be, but in reality, are very flaky in my book. If you needed more money after placing the add, explain the issue, and don't promise anything.

Of course, that is not what I said. I said that by listing it at a given price, you have offered to sell it for that price. Otherwise,why would you ever list a price if you do not plan to sell it for that amount..and it is really just a ploy to attract a buyer and enter into an auction? What else is that price you list other than the amount you are willing to sell for?

I didn't brag once. You guys asked, I told. I'm just glad I didn't get screwed. Like I said, I told second guy first guy had first shot at it. That's all!

It was an honest mistake.

Considering most negotiations do not go in the sellers favor intentionally listing a lower price on the hope that it starts a bidding was is a very risky move and IMHO not very smart.

All OP did was promise the guy he'd have a chance to see the car and make an offer.

That's it.

He kept his word.

OP never promised not to show the car to others or accept other offers.

OP is not responsible for other interested parties offering more.

And to reiterate, buyer could have told OP to **** off.

Obviously that did not happen.

And I respectfully disagree....

While I would never go back on my word once a price has been agreed upon, placing an ad does NOT mean you are committed. The two cars I would not sell to the buyer at the ad price...had nothing to do with price...I had no obligation nor agreement....thus no deal.

Sometimes one might place an ad in order to see what the "real market value" is (unique real estate for example)...even though one has no intention to actually sell it. And I'm not obligated until I reach an agreement. I've got a couple of somewhat unique properties like that...you think I would sell to a developer (at any price they offered) if I thought they were gonna bulldoze them for a housing development? No chance....

I sleep well at night too :)

LoL. You started the thread!

I still think that if the first person who called had come straight to your house after he called, he would have been able to buy the car at the listed price. That's the dividing line for some, obviously not for all.

Enough commenting. Congrats on the sale.

I just feel like this entire thread was a bait and switch. First, presented a story where honor was paramount...and I got on board with that...and then...it really was unimportant. Seems too much like situational ethics to me...and from your original story, I feel you did accept/agree to a price...to the point that you shook hands with second guy...then you increased the price, knowing that if one walked away, you still had a sale.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-used-parts-sale-wanted/565525-15-x-wide-bbs.html


As I said earlier, I was nearly in the exact same situation on this very board with this thread. I found out with in an hour of posting that my price was way below market. At that point I asked MANY people (in real life and the internets) if I should honor my listed price. almost everybody said to honor the price at that point.

I guess a lot of y'all would have been OK with me raising it.

You own an 84 930, huh... So you may or may not know what the market is for those now. You list it for $35k - the average price of just a few years ago. Two hundred emails later - in an hour - you have offers of $100k. Whatcha' gonna do? Be honorable? Or be a sucker?

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