What would you do?

[LecavalierFan]

So here's a question that I pose to you all: How does screwing someone over count as "good business"? Why would you want to burn a potential future customer from coming back and buying from you again? The potential for further transactions goes down considerably because you wanted to make a few bucks in one transaction? That seems like rather bad business to me.

[cygnusx1]

Interesting thread.

If it's on ebay, I tend to just go with the best offer I get, but I find that's more because in my experience selling on ebay, there are an astonishingly large amount of people who make offers, only to retract them later. So by waiting too long to hear back from someone, I potentially screw myself over. If there's been communication from a member and we're trying to work out a deal, then I will do my best to finalize a deal before looking at someone else's offer.

On the boards though, the first person to show interest will always be given priority, and then the second, and so on. I would never work on negotiations with the first guy, only to sell to the next guy, even if nothing had been set in stone. It just seems fair, as well as being the decent thing to do. If I were trying to pick up a PC card and was in the middle of negotiating a deal, only to have the card pulled out from under me, I would probably question if I wanted to do business with that seller again. I wouldn't make a big case out of it, as life's too short to get upset about such little things, but it would most likely make me think twice about that member.


That being said, I'm not here to judge anyone who feels differently. Everyone has their own set of morals and what they feel is right, etc. etc. Though if you pull that kind of thing on me, I would suggest that you not be surprised if I don't want to deal with you in the future.

Also, I think greed has REALLY seeped into this hobby. I'm not going to be one of the people who claims to "only be in it for the fun of collecting", because that's not entirely true. I do make a profit off of selling cards, but I don't think I would ruin a relationship with a potential trade partner for a quick buck.

[09232003]

100% honor the original deal, my rep is 100% and I like to always pride myself on that

jim

[kylemclaren7]

So here's a question that I pose to you all: How does screwing someone over count as "good business"? Why would you want to burn a potential future customer from coming back and buying from you again? The potential for further transactions goes down considerably because you wanted to make a few bucks in one transaction? That seems like rather bad business to me.

That's fair. I guess my thought on this is that someone should understand that in business $ trumps all. I personally wouldn't take offense to someone telling me they got a better offer, and I assume the reverse should be true too. I guess it's not, and that's fair, but that's how I would have thought before this thread.

[Drewk86a]

I don't go on someone's word just because they say we have a deal doesn't mean a lot to me. People break their word everyday all the time.

Unfortunately, there are many people who feel this way. Not a knock against you for saying it. People have become less trusting in general, and maybe with good reason. But it does make me wish we could go back to when {insert your father's voice here}"A man's word was his bond and a handshake meant something." Is maximizing profit worth potentially losing integrity. How many times can someone say, "Nothing personal, it's just good business" and convince themselves it is true.

Much of the discussion has focused on the Trade Manager and when a deal is posted. Beyond that, what about a trade made at a show, a shop, via mail or the telephone? You could be browsing at a shop, or show, see a card and work out a trade, but you have to go home and get your cards. While you are gone, the cards you wanted had been traded / sold to someone else.

NOTE: I have no ulterior motive for the OP. The recent discussion of the box break cards that went missing, but then turned up is what got me thinking about this.

[theboxbreaker96]

Unfortunately, there are many people who feel this way. Not a knock against you for saying it. People have become less trusting in general, and maybe with good reason. But it does make me wish we could go back to when {insert your father's voice here}"A man's word was his bond and a handshake meant something." Is maximizing profit worth potentially losing integrity. How many times can someone say, "Nothing personal, it's just good business" and convince themselves it is true.

Much of the discussion has focused on the Trade Manager and when a deal is posted. Beyond that, what about a trade made at a show, a shop, via mail or the telephone? You could be browsing at a shop, or show, see a card and work out a trade, but you have to go home and get your cards. While you are gone, the cards you wanted had been traded / sold to someone else.

NOTE: I have no ulterior motive for the OP. The recent discussion of the box break cards that went missing, but then turned up is what got me thinking about this.

Yeah that would not be right. I would give the guy a chance to increase his offer before I make another as I said multiple times in my replies. Im only 20 in college I don't have much money to spend. That's why I say that I would take the best deal. To me it has nothing to do with business that was what Kylemclaren said. Im just trying to get the most out of my cards as I cant spend nearly as much as most people in this hobby.

When Im out of college, have a decent job, have a lot more money (hopefully), and am older my opinion might and probably will change. $10 in extra paypal a card is something that looks like $50-$100+ to a lot people. I have never done this never been in this situation but I don't have a problem taking the best deal out there in my current situation. Could I change my mind when/if this were to come up absolutely but without it ever happening to me before that's what I think I would do.

[SabresGuy]

Honour the deal for sure. It might be easy to say and hard to do, but I have had it happen and did the right thing. I think it will always pay off in the end.

That's just my two cents.

[Drewk86a]

Yeah that would not be right. I would give the guy a chance to increase his offer before I make another

I think this really underscores the notion I was thinking of. Is it right that the first guy should have to increase his offer? I believer that once both parties agree on a price, swap or exchange it is no longer an offer, it is a deal, posted or not. Once there is a meeting of the minds, there is a contract.

Imagine this extreme example: A woman says, "yes, I'll marry you, but up until the time the priest finishes the ceremony I will keep looking for better offers."

Im just trying to get the most out of my cards as I cant spend nearly as much as most people in this hobby.

Disagree with the philosophy, but applaud your honesty.

[canucksfan007]

I think this really underscores the notion I was thinking of. Is it right that the first guy should have to increase his offer? I believer that once both parties agree on a price, swap or exchange it is no longer an offer, it is a deal, posted or not. Once there is a meeting of the minds, there is a contract.

Imagine this extreme example: A woman says, "yes, I'll marry you, but up until the time the priest finishes the ceremony I will keep looking for better offers."

A man walks into a dealership. They have a very rare 1 of a kind car for sale on the lot.

A salesman spends an hour trying to sell the card to buyer A. After some back and forth negotiations, they settle to sell the car for $25,000. As they walk inside, about to sit down and finalize things, another man bursts in the door and says, "I will give you $35,000 cash for that 1 of a kind car".

If you like to play hypotheticals ... atleast make them have to do with what your referring to. This is not marriage, that has no $$$ value. A car, or object X, that does have a value can be a fair comparison.

[sedinfan]

I'd say I'm of the old school 'man's word is his bond' variety, while I'm not much of a seller I have been on the buying side numerous times where I'll have a tentative deal in place only to find the card cheaper for BIN on ebay, but once I've committed I follow through and buy the card no matter what. I end up with the occasional overpriced tradebait but that doesn't bother me in the least... I've made friends who won't hesitate to pick up a card they know i need when they see it at a show because they know I'll treat them right, and even send it ahead of time and just let me know to pay them whenever... to me that's worth infinitely more than making the best possible deal.

I think the age old advice to treat others the way you'd want to be treated is really the best approach, and that's how I choose to approach this wonderful hobby.