I know I am "totally crazy" for doing this but I deliver machines all the time to people with ZERO deposit or payment and it has always worked out fine for me. I tell customers right up front if they back out for any reason I still expect to get paid for my fuel for the trip.

I can understand both sides of the story here but if it was me I would do it with the understanding if he doesn't take the machines the $5k is yours to keep.

I have three basic rules when I deliver machines to anyone. First rule is - I only go as far as your driveway. Second rule - if you don't take the machine I still get paid for my fuel. And last rule all money HAS TO BE CASH.

In your case I wouldn't think your truck rental, fuel cost, etc would exceed $5k. I know there is a heck of a lot of time & work involved but I also understand the other side of the story.

Bottom line is sometimes you have to "take a chance" to make a sale. Some people feel like the risk is worth it other people don't want to take that risk. In the end it is between the two of you but in my eyes $5k non-refundable deposit and selling 14 machines at once is worth the risk. But everyone has their own level of risk they are willing to take.

There are several things that we can safely assume with a transaction like this. First off it is going to involve a heck of a lot of money. Secondly both parties should be taking some risk - it really isn't fair any other way. And lastly buyer must be fairly serious or he wouldn't be willing to send you $5k up front.

If you want to sell these games and are not willing to take some risk it is very unlikely you will ever find a buyer. It sounds like you have a lot of time invested in this already so I really think in the end it just boils down to finding a number that works for both of you and then finalizing the deal.

One last point I didn't add to my previous common about this is you want to make it 100% clear the price is the price once you arrive with the games and you are not going to take a penny less regardless. Keep the deal & the delivery as two separate transactions (as if you already had the money for the machines and you are just acting as the delivery service - not the seller). So let the buyer know there will be NO wiggle room as far as your bottom line price right up front.

As far as the "right number" in my eyes that would be the cost of the rental truck, cost of motels & fuel, plus value of your time at "X" dollars per hour. Assuming you are driving the truck both ways the truck cost is likely going to be around $2500, fuel cost should be around another $1000, motels maybe $500 and if you value your time at a couple hundred a day add another $1000 for your time. So that adds up to around $5000. So looking at it from that direction I would say him sending you $5000 up front is fair to both of you. But again you are the only one who can really decide if it is worth it to you or not.

One last suggestion - instead of driving home with a huge pile of cash I would deposit that cash in a bank in his area and then once you get home move the money from that bank to your bank. If you belong to a bank that is a national chain that will be easy - if not open an account in a bank that has branches near him and near you. There is very little risk carrying a lot of cash if no one knows you have it but seller and GOD knows who else will know you have that cash (since you do know who all the buyer told about the transaction) so it isn't a good idea to travel all the way home with that pile of cash. We did shows for years and we know if several people who were robbed on their way home from shows because they were followed from the shows. In two different cases the vendors were killed over a day later while on their way home. To minimize your risk deposit that money somewhere local to him and withdraw it once you get home.

This really doesn't need to be all that complicated either the two of you come up with terms that work for both of you or just move on. In all honesty I don't think the buyer is asking for too much asking to pay in full once machines are delivered and I can't say that I blame him. On the flip side I do understand the sellers concern about both the risk of transporting these machines & something going south with the deal once he makes the trip.

Bottom line is either figure out a way to make the deal happen that works for both of you or just move on. It really isn't rocket science!

As far as insurance during transport - that is something you would need to research but I would think between the truck rental place & your home owners insurance company someone should be able to help you out with that.

Anyway best of luck getting it all figured out!

You summed up my thoughts exactly on this. I have done "crazier deals" two that come to mine is bought nearly 50 machines out of NC one week drove from PA to NC moved the 35 machines to storage in NC and brought 15 home with me all in one day. 20 hour day moving 35 machines twice and driving nearly 800 miles. Over the next four days I made two more trips down to NC to bring the rest home. Sorted what I wanted to keep and took the rest to the Allentown show less than a week later.

Less than a week after that I bought another 60 machines from a guy in Norfolk VA. Drove 450 miles one way - paid the guy in excess of $50k in cash - he handed me the key to the two storage lockers and we went into the office and signed the two storage units over to me and then I loaded 15 machines and drove home that same day. 26 hours on the road that time around with about 2 hours sleep in the front seat of my van. But another adventure with great memories.

Sometimes it is more about the adventure than it is about the money or the work involved. Either you want to make the deal or you don't - if you want to make the deal just do it. If you don't want to make the deal just let the buyer know and move on. As I have said several other times in this thread I don't think the buyer is being unrealistic. I am not taking sides I am just looking at things from both sides.

Comments like this really upset me. Now that I am older I fully understand where the buyer is coming from. I really want to go the the Allentown Show to see some old friends but my body is shot and I can't stand for more than a few minutes at a time because of knee and back issues. Five years ago I was dragging machines out of peoples basements by myself and yet 5 years later I have a heck of a time just getting myself up a set of steps.

Please think twice before being so negative towards someone. There is a huge difference between being "lazy" and having health issues that slow you down.

Some day you will either have health issues or be old enough that picking up a machine just isn't possible anymore and at that point in life you MIGHT realize what an ass you are for making comments like this. Until then I expect you will continue to be an ass.