Who's right ? ?

[selector]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bryanbell

... he accepted the $3 offer.
Was it wrong to step in and try to offer more, not really. You have just as much of a right to secure the best deal you can. It was up to the dealer to say no and honor the original deal. As a matter of courtesy, ...
Bryan

I don't follow you. How can it be wrong (unethical) of the seller to renege on a deal, and for not the person offering to usurp the original negotiator's purchase...because that is what it was? Sort of like Evil shrugging and saying, "I only suggested that he (name the crime or sin).

I suppose that is the difference between a Utilitarian and a Deontologist. For the former, the end justifies the means, but for the latter, the means justify the end.

[jacon12]

I would not even THINK of making an offer IF the seller and just agreed to the $3 offer. As far as I'm concerned the transaction was final at that point. Even if the seller was standing there thinking should he take the $3 offer or not, I wouldn't make an offer. If the seller had said no to the $3 offer I believe I'd have looked at the buyer and asked if he was going to raise his offer or not. If he had acted in any way that the answer was no, then I'd have made an offer.
I have to lean to the 'it was wrong' side on this one.
Jarrell

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Suppose you see a person wrestling a log that had trapped a freshly killed rabbit. The trapping was accidental, but the person who had found the rabbit is obviously intent upon securing his next meal. Just as the person gets to the point where he can free the limp carcass, you reach into the space and grab it for yourself. When he asks you why you have usurped his catch, you reply that it was within your reach.

Geeze Crandall, don't you folks have butcher shops or grocery stores up there in B.C.? I hope you're not speaking from experience[;)]

[tatans]

I Usurped the box of cars ? ?---- does that make me the usurper ? ? now for the Oxford dictionary. ( I think we are running about 50 %) +- Spidge- I think you have the most reasonable and socially correct response, I must try and remember that.

[bryanbell]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

QUOTE: Originally posted by bryanbell

... he accepted the $3 offer.
Was it wrong to step in and try to offer more, not really. You have just as much of a right to secure the best deal you can. It was up to the dealer to say no and honor the original deal. As a matter of courtesy, ...
Bryan

I don't follow you. How can it be wrong (unethical) of the seller to renege on a deal, and for not the person offering to usurp the original negotiator's purchase...because that is what it was? Sort of like Evil shrugging and saying, "I only suggested that he (name the crime or sin).

I suppose that is the difference between a Utilitarian and a Deontologist. For the former, the end justifies the means, but for the latter, the means justify the end.

The original seller and the buyer were negotiating a purchase price and it was agreed upon. A deal was struck between the two, it should have been honored. The person offering a higher amount had nothing to do with the original negotiations. They are looking out for their own interests, they are trying to secure the purchase for what they perceive as a deal. Its not wrong to try to secure the best deal for yourself as long as you haven't already made a deal with someone else. In this case, the dealer sold the same item twice.
If the original $3 price wasn't agreed upon then none of this would be an issue. There would be no deal so the dealer could secure the best offer they could.

Bryan

[3railguy]

QUOTE: NOW was I wrong to interject on the transaction along with the other guy who bid? ?

You weren't unethical but the dealer was unethical for accepting a counter offer.

[dinwitty]

I agree its rather an open free market, do whatever, but I like to respect the other buyers, but I get in try to find what I want and make the purchase quick before others find out about it....I find sellers often drop prices to get rid of things. I feel for the guy who was getting a good deal and lost out tho. But I don't like that he made it more than a lost deal, but its easy to see you can get dissapointed when you lost out. I bought a Bowser Big Boy kit and I heard someone looked at it but passed it up, I found and bought it, then the guy came back and...oh dern....

I have been looking for the NKP products IC electric cars, once in a while they show up on EBAY, but they sell too high. I found a plan of them in the mag search and found the mag they were in on ebay. Bought the mag set and got the plans.
1943 MR, great shape. I will use them to build/kitba***hem. Thats a good deal.

[Pruitt]

Interesting. If I was the $3 guy and was still haggling, then somebody bid more out of the blue like that, I'd either up the ante or hand the new bidder the item and walk away, saying "Thanks anyway" to the seller.

If I was handing the guy the money and somebody jumped in and the seller reneged, then I'd be perturbed about it, but I'd just tell the seller to go do something with himself and still walk off. I certainly wouldn't start a shoving match because of it.

[oleirish]

IMHO I think you should have stayed out of it ,my 2cents worth!

JIM

[loathar]

Show admission-$10
Box of train junk-$10
Watching a guy blow his stack and get thrown out a train show-Priceless....

[IRONROOSTER]

I think the issue is: was the deal concluded? If it was, then additional offers should have been ignored. If the process was ongoing, then other people can step in and make offers. The haggler is trying to get it for less than the seller wants and if someone else will pay what the seller wants or closer to it, then they should get it.

Enjoy
Paul