It could have been worse, at least you didn't make the trip and get there to find it sold to someone else.
Buying from the general public is often, for lack of a better word - sucky.

"I decided to keep it" = Translation: Someone else gave me more money so I sold it to them.

Exactly what I was thinking!!

Nothing pisses me off more.

Your title reads that you the buyer backed out - just a bit confusing...

I am confused. Shouldn't the title be the seller backed out?

This seems to happen so much here, LOTS of flaky sellers
But don't be disheartened too much, I have found when this happens I was soon guided to a much better pin that I could have only dreamed about before,

Everything happens for a reason,

Be sure to post your BETTER Flash that you end up finding

Seller backed out?

He's the seller - YOU are the buyer

I've had this happen too - comes with the territory. Probably happens in every hobby.

That is a bummer.

It is actually part of what makes this hobby really exciting. Until I have the machine in the back of my truck, all bets are off. I am glad that all of the people I have bought machines from have been super cool and haven't pulled any of that nonsense.

happens all the time. until everything exchanges hands, assume it may fall through.

I've had this happen over the phone. Usually it's "My son wants to keep it and fix it up." All you can really say at that point is "That's great! Let me know when he gets frustrated with trying to fix it and want to sell it to me!"

that sucks dude but happens too much. I find the faster you can get deal done is better so they can't change there mind/sell to someone for more $$

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Is it available? Drop everything you are doing and run to get it. Otherwise, there could be good chances the deal will fall through, either someone else snatches it, the seller changes his/her mind, or whatever else could happen.

Unless you love heartache, don't even call on a game if you can't go pick it up that evening.

Break a deal, face the Wheel.

You mean break a deal, face the seal?

Pins aren't like real estate. You don't sign a contract with financial approval and other contingencies. In this business cash on hand is king and so is the first one there. Some people have ethics and keep their word. They are the good ones. Then there are a bunch of dbags that say one thing and do something else. They usually have a whole list of reasons and excuses really for their lack of ethics.

Yes it sucks and I don't agree with your seller's ethics. But consider it a lesson. Have the cash on hand and be ready to pounce. If you can't swing a purchase that way, then maybe you already have too much tied up in pinball.

Not a bad decision but you still have to be careful.

That is very noble of you but I also think you are taking this "Pinball" a little too serious.

It happens. You'll get over it.

In a few months.

Even had my deposit of $500 returned for a lotr. He said he changed his mind and was keeping it. I called bs and later found out he sold it for $200 more. He told me he a lot of money and didn't need to sell it. When I found out I thanked him for being a liar and not a thief. Lol.

Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens a lot in this hobby.

People tend to get attached to their pins, and sometimes do actually get buyers remorse and back out.

People sometimes stick a game on Craigslist or Mr Pinball and end up accepting an offer because they need money, and a better offer comes along. Before you show up with $$ and a truck to seal the deal, they get greedy.

A lot of people stick something on Craigslist, having zero idea of what it's worth. Your 'bargain game' may be the way they are putting food on their table this month, paying their past due mortgage, or God knows what other problem they have.

I value my integrity, and when dealing with me, a deal is a deal.

But, I understand not everyone has the same morals or ideas that I do, and I also understand sh*t happens.

I hope you find an even better deal next time. Don't let one bad deal sour the hobby for you, most of us would've lost a lot of fun if we did!

Was it me?

Not really. There is still a spot of pain in my heart for a Swords of Fury deal I had that went south years ago.

Had this happen to me but I found out after I sold a game and was delivering it to a area close to the seller and had already started the 6 hours trip each way. Luckily I was planning on going anyway and I held up my sale even though I only sold it to help make room and money for the new game

This happened to me this week! Replied to a CL ad and got a text from the seller that he still has it. I was currently working so I told him I will call and make arrangements with him after work. About 20 minutes later I get a text saying he just sold it. I was next in line to buy this pin and I called him to confront him. Asked him why he sold it when I said I would call and make arrangements after work, he just simply says its a first come first serve basis. That's bull crap. I was chained working and wasn't given a fair chance on getting this pin only to see this pin freaking being flipped on eBay the next day. People who can't give the courteousy to hold a pin long enough time so I can finish my shift are simply a holes.

In retrospect, Solach, how many times has a seller held an item for someone and told others it was sold, and that person showed up and tried to haggle the price down, or never showed up?

I've listed something on CL, and waited *24 hours* to respond to a potential buyer, because I was waiting on a previous party to show up and inspect it - who never showed! And the person I responded to after 24 hours sent me a nasty response in return because I didn't respond quickly enough?

You can't win sometimes, whether you are the seller or the buyer.

I use CL for *free* items and that's it. Put it on the curb, post the address and a picture, and once it's gone, delete the ad. A lot of the people on CL are flakes.

Call me in the minority, but one with honor in my word - a long lost art to too many. No excuses should be made for seller or buyer. When the word "deal" is spoken on both sides, see it through. If not, I'll get over it. Karma is a bitch.

But I do keep a list and share it with other collectors. I have very nice games that I will not keep forever. But I will have them buried with me before I sell to any of you who have gone back on your word.

Rest of you make excuses. To each their own. Word is word. Honor is honor. A dick is a dick.

Sorry, that sucks, but I don't blame the guy at all. CL is full of flakes and tirekickers and scammers and assholes, and I mean the buyers. If you're not prepared to leave RIGHT NOW WITH CASH then you're probably gonna lose out to someone else. Because no seller wants to hold something for some guy they don't know, who may never show up, or who might be a lookie loo with no intention of buying, when someone else shows up with cash in hand.

I'm picking up a pin this weekend, have nothing but a verbal deal for it to be held until then. But it's a fellow pinsider, we have mutual friends, and there's a trust basis established. CL lacks all that.

At least he was a nice enough guy to let you know right away so you didn't waste your time.

I've lost out by minutes, it happens and it's frustrating, but it's a game of timing, and you can't be there first you're gonna lose out. To a flipper most likely, which is why they get no love here.

Forget CL and ebay flakes, I had a deal with a Pinsider: after price agreed, payment info exchanged, shipping quote obtained, and I sold a game to make the deal worked. The seller only turned around to make another deal and acted nothing wrong. People's word isn't worth sh*t these days.

Agree. Also, it's not just the fact that a deal falls through, it is being dragged along on a ride you never had a chance of taking.

See that I can't make excuses for, that's weak. CL is anonymous bullshit land, anything can happen, hard to blame sellers for seeing cash and going for it. Pinside is a community, you can check references, and we should have each other's backs. Don't make a deal with someone like that and then bail.

I dont get it? So what if a buyer no shows or backs down while potential other buyers have to wait to see a sale has fallen through or not. If the first potential buyer was first in line, that person should have first shot. If it falls through then there is another potential buyer in line. The seller is going to sell the pin regardless, so why be a jerk and give false hope? Sure theirs "flakes" on cl, but justifying not honoring a commitment just because the buyer is not available at a moment's time makes that seller as much of a flake. I would never do such a thing to anyone if I knew the person or not. Actions does show what kind a individual can be.

There is a easy solution to this scenario. Don't tell the other buyers it is sold when it really hasn't. I've been second or third in line in regards to a pin and simply told them if the deal falls through let me know. No hard feelings and no reason to either.

+1. When I've sold while waiting/arranging for that buyer I'll take a second or third inquiry and let them know it is potentially sold, and they are up next if the deal falls through. Just saying you will screw over the first buyer without giving them the opportunity to complete the deal so you can take the "ready cash" guy is not an honorable way to do business. Sure you can lose a deal, that's a part of playing the game fairly and honorably.

I agree with badbilly27, that a man should stick by his word! If you made a deal, be a man and stick by it no matter how much more you get offered!

Karma is a bitch.

I have had people make a deal on CL and come to the house and low ball, I had people make a deal and not show.

That is why cash in hand gets the thing. Unless you already have some form of relationship with the other party. IE friend, prior customer, etc

Frustrating but at least you did not show up and it happened.

Some threads of buyers driving out only to find they sold it.

The cash in hand policy is fine, but as long as you state that UP FRONT to the potential buyer. Don't make a deal through email or phone leading them to believe that it is locked in for them and tell them later you sold it to someone else, or have them show up and tell them you sold it out from under them. That's the difference that would make you the jerk.