Have you ever backed out of a sale?

[Bill Blackwell]

I have backed out of transactions and have had people do the same to me. The deal isn't final until money changes hands. Even then sometimes we reserve the right to return the item during a specified period of time.

This isn't the Gestapo - you always have the right to unashamedly change your mind.

So why are you beating yourself up over it?

 

[TheHub]

Anyway, I thought maybe some people here might have some experience with this, either with cameras or something else. Anybody?

I backed out of buying an M3 from Youxin Xe. It had an M6 VF and scratches and he made rude comments about my screw-mount Leica so I walked.

I almost bought a Praktica 35mm SLR-type thing yesterday (junk for $45) but it had a super cloudy lens and the speeds were a little off.

 

[350D_user]

The only sale I've backed out of was for a Zorki-4 (iirc). The back had some commemorative inscription around its top edge, and it wasn't the "usual" centenary inscriptions either.

The seller told me, "The camera not work. I send similar kind, or I refund". I did say that the backs can be swapped between those cameras, the seller told me that (s)he wasn't going to swap any backs over, before again repeating "I send similar kind, or I refund?"

One refund later... *sigh* 🙁

 

[thomasw_]

I have never backed out of a commitment to buy. What the OP did was just plain lame, unless he was in some sort of emergency financially.

In selling, I will not hold an item, it will ship to the first who pays me in full. The policy works, it is simple. I had one guy get all pissed off about it, though. Still I maintain as a seller that I have no commitment to anyone to hold or ship an item until I have been paid.

 

[Bassism]

I've never backed out of buying something after saying "I'll take it" but I have backed out after a few PMs back and forth with the seller. In my mind, there is no deal until somebody says "I've sent paypal."

Luckily, I've never had anybody back out after saying "I'll take it". It is kind of annoying when somebody expresses interest then ultimately doesn't buy the item in question, but I don't mind too much.

 

[varjag]

Not backing up when the deal is settled, mainly because I'm afraid to look like a clown.

 

[BillBingham2]

I've had several folks back out of stuff here and on EvilBay. Problem is that once they back out most other buyers bail worried there is a problem, no recovery.

I wanted to bail on my last purchase but spent the bucks and am very happy I did.

B2

 

[climbing_vine]

I have never backed out of a commitment to buy. What the OP did was just plain lame, unless he was in some sort of emergency financially.

In selling, I will not hold an item, it will ship to the first who pays me in full. The policy works, it is simple. I had one guy get all pissed off about it, though. Still I maintain as a seller that I have no commitment to anyone to hold or ship an item until I have been paid.

I hate this, and would never in a million years buy from someone with that approach. No offense to you personally--if it works for you, more power to you. But personally I think people who send someone money without a firm agreement that they are, in fact, the one who will get the item are... taking a risk, to put it mildly.

 

[chris00nj]

I have seen people have items get "lost" after an eBay sale doesn't go for what they'd like it to. (This seen from looking through user feedback)

After my Komura 105/3.5 sold for $27 on eBay last week, I can see why people may be upset after something doesn't sell for what they'd like it to, but that is the fault of the seller, not the buyer.

 

[BillBingham2]

Chris,

There are lots of things that impact selling price, not just what you are selling. The price is low but on the other hand it's going to someone who is going to be very happy with it.

B2 (;->

 

[Quinn Porter]

Simply do your best to act with honesty and integrity when using the classifieds. Honest communication goes a long way. I've bought and sold several items and have seen the full range of behavior. It's always the quality of communication that determines the quality of the transaction. If you must back out of a deal, do it the right way. Let the other party know as soon as possible. Give a general explanation as to why you are backing out. Apologize.

I've had a couple of buyers back out on deals, and the only time it bothered me was when the guy didn't make an effort to let me know. After waiting I finally emailed this person and he responded that he assumed I had figured out that he changed his mind. That's not cool.

Once you've bought and sold a bit, you figure out what works for you and you can lay out your ground rules in your posts. Letting others know your expectations is good communication.

 

[Matthew Runkel]

A contract requires an offer and an acceptance. If someone offers to sell something at a particular price, and you accept the offer and agree to buy the item at that price, that is a contract. For subject matter like camera equipment, it does not matter whether the agreement is in writing or only oral, emailed, etc. (For something like real estate, the contract likely does need to be in writing.)

Price is an essential term of a contract of this sort and if the parties have not agreed on a price, there is no contract but only ongoing negotiations.

Note that if the seller's offer is phrased as "first one to send me the price gets the item", then the only way to accept the offer is to send the money.

The legal remedy for a breach of contract is almost always money damages rather than forcing the party in breach to make good on his promises. In the typical RFF reneger situation, damages would be so minimal (e.g., the difference between what you would have paid for the reneger's summicron and what you ended up paying for a different one at KEH.com) that few rational aggrieved parties would pursue them.

Legalities aside, it's the easiest thing in the world to just not type and send an email to someone saying you will buy their equipment. If you say you are going to do something, you should do it. You should think through potential commitments before you make them, and be prepared to stick with those you decide to make. Otherwise, you will soon gain a reputation as a flake.

 

[novum]

I have buyers back out on purchases from me on occasion.

I accidentally responded to somebody else when I meant to PM David once. But we had a smooth transaction thereafter.

 

[Gumby]

In the typical RFF reneger situation, damages would be so minimal (e.g., the difference between what you would have paid for the reneger's summicron and what you ended up paying for a different one at KEH.com) that few rational aggrieved parties would pursue them.

Unless you are a lawyer and know something I don't know... that does not fit the definition of "damages". I can envision someone getting laughed out of small claims court for such an assertion.

 

[Alberti]

I've never backed out of a sale, but I came close once. I was "interested" in a lens and told the seller just that, but I wanted to see better pictures of the glass. The seller sent me better pictures and said they were trying to portray the glass at it's worse, as to not deceive. But after seeing the close-ups, I realized that the glass was in worse shape that I had originally thought.

You are smart.

 

[Disaster_Area]

I had to back out of selling an item on the bay multiple times this weekend. I clearly stated in the description I would only ship to North America, to a confirmed paypal address, and the buyer must contact me first if they have 0 feedback. I had a buy it now price on the item and I had 4 different buyers choose to "buy it now" who violated some or all of the above restrictions. Ebay will let you set requirements for buyers but lack some very obvious clauses. You can't specify a user must have a minimum GOOD feedback, only that they can't have negative feedback. You can set it so they must have paypal, but not that they must have a CONFIRMED address in paypal. And most stupid of all, you can set it so that the buyer must be from a country you ship to but North and South America are grouped together. I would really like to see eBay REQUIRE a confirmed address from buyers and sellers... right now only sellers must be confirmed.

 

[kermaier]

I've had sellers on RFF classifieds back out of a sale, having decided not to sell the gear. I was disappointed, of course, but as long as no money had changed hands and I haven't irrevocably passed up other items in the interim, that's no big deal to me. I can easily sympathize with a sudden reluctance to part with great gear, particularly vintage stuff that's hard to replace.

On the other hand, I think it's more problematic if a buyer backs out after having committed to buy. This is simply because the seller will likely have told all other interested buyers that the item is sold.

::Ari

 

[Papa Smurf]

The law says...

The law says...

Maybe once or twice in my life but not on a camera. I've had it done to me a few times and annoying as it can be I think it's the buyer's right!

When I think of all the lemons I've bought in good faith over the years that were supposedly perfectly functioning items I think the seller still has the wood over the buyer generally ... the term 'let the buyer beware' comes to mind ... no such saying for the sellers.

"Its a jungle out there!" 😛

I like to quote Keith, he has had similar life experiences and he expresses himself so well. In a law program that question was asked of a law student. The answer is that the courts have held that the party most able to absorb the harm is the one that is held to blame.

I do not remember ever backing out of a deal, but several people have renegged on deals with me, either backing out entirely or severally altered the conditions of the transaction. Was it wrong? Maybe, l don't know, but let us consider what if you had found out that the seller had withheld or substantially altered the facts, would you still feel like a heel? My Grandfather taught me that it was not enough for and Honorable Man to be honest; he had to be totally forthright. Were you forthright in your dealing with this individual? If you were, then you do not need to feel badly about changing your mind. It happens. People change their minds. If we were not allowed to change our minds how many of us would we be willing to commit to anything?

 

[NIKON KIU]

Nobody takes "PM sent" messages seriously, do they?
😉
I once bought a lens on ebay, the seller said he dropped it while he was packing it, sent me pictures too, poor thang took a good hit to the top rim...
So I backed out of buying it and he backed out of selling it!
Does this count?

I have backed out of buying things but somehow, I've never backed out of selling, once I make my mind up, I won't stop untill the thing is gone, kinda becomes a challenge.

Kiu

 

[Papa Smurf]

cheers

cheers

This is a right principle to respect and follow, not a religious dogma to commit suicide, like anything else.

Cheers Picket,
Ruben

Ruben, even though I have stated that people change their minds, I do not personally believe it is the right thing to do. As far as the PMs go, I had an acquaintance that would negotiate a deal to death and finally, agree to buy the item if the seller would hold it for a few days. Weeks, sometimes months later, he would pay, but only after he had found someone else that would buy it from him at a profit. Was that dishonest? I think so. The seller eventually got his/her money, but how many other buyers would have paid on the spot in the interim? They lost out , suffered damages, and so did the seller.

An Honorable Man is forthright in all of his dealings. Does that mean that he can never change his mind? I do not think so, but as one poster commented, "we are slaves to our words and the Master of our silence." Don't ask, don't tell unless you are willing to accept whatever comes of the negotiations. A man's words might be the only thing that he has total control over.