Selling Etiquette

[Inspire]

Right,

I've provisionally managed to sell my bike. We've shaken hands but not exchanged cash (stupidly I forgot to take a holding deposit!). We have agreed to swap bike for money on Thursday. If I get a better offer before then, would I be a cnut to take it?

I'm not sure what the etiquette is for this. Afterall, if he went and bought another bike in the meantime there is not much I could do about it anyway!


Rob

[G]

Can you contact the buyer and ask for a deposit - this would be considered quite reasonable in my opinion?

I would be quite pissed off if someone agreed to sell to me, then didn't.

[dodsi]

I sent a deposit for the bandit on the basis the seller knows I am serious.

Its only fair!

[Nath]

If the buyer didn't offer to leave a deposit to prove he's coming back for it, then he can't complain too much if you say you suspected he was messing you around.

But I would still be pissed off if I was the buyer.
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[Craggles]

Call guy with current offer and ask for a deposit - £100 or something sounds reasonable to me (depending on price of bike - no one wants to loose £100 if they're not serious though!).

If he refuses, tell him the bikes still on the market and accept offer from other guy. If he does give you a deposit the gentlemen's thing to do would be stick to the initial deal - even if you do loose some cash over it.

Craig
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If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[karen_moomin]

If I was the buyer, and I really wanted the bike, I'd make damn sure I gave the seller a deposit to make sure he/she knew I was serious.

I agree with Craggles, just make sure you tell the guy that without a deposit you're still open to offers, so then the ball is in his court and you've made yourself perfectly clear.

[Sadie]

[mrchips]

I would always leave/expect to be left a deposit.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[Sadie]

[karen_moomin]

[ZaphodBeeble]

This is a difficult one really, it depends on the individual. I'd accept a handshake and stick to the bargain, but I've been caught out many times in the past. These days I always ask for or leave a deposit when buying/selling stuff.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.

[Inspire]

Hmm, thanks for your replies!

The bike is still advertised so I'm going to do the gentlemanly thing and hope all is fine on Thursday. If I get any other interest in it, I can just be honest with them and say it might be sold but I'll call them back if it isn't.

The seller seemed keen when I met him yesterday and we've been back and forwards on the email since.

Fingers (most definitely) crossed!


Rob

[Sadie]

[R4nger]

How low can you go?

[karen_moomin]

[Inspire]

[Chriss]

Glad to hear it.
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[veeeffarr]

Good stuff.. Good to be honourable