WARNING: Pinside user: Csulli1023

So I respond to the seller's ad for a Fish Tales. I made an offer and the seller stated that they cannot go lower than a certain amount. I told them to let me know if they change their mind

A day or two later I see the price dropped. So I reach out again. I'm told seller said he had 2 other people interested and would let me know if anything falls through.

Seller contacts me and said he needs the cash and if we can agree on the original price, they would agree to it. They also stated they would only agree to the price if I did not re-negotiate. I only made 1 offer and I do not renegotiate. I suspect this was stated because the pictures showed a much poorer condition of the machine than the ad states. And if I saw the machine in person, they suspected I was likely to change the offer price.

I ask seller when will I be able to pick up. Seller indicates that she needs to speak with her husband. I noticed the next day that the e-mail thread had been deleted and the ad pulled. I contacted seller suspecting that the game was sold. I was told that a previous buyer showed up and offered full asking price +200.

I then left negative feedback stating that seller sold the machine to another buyer after agreeing on a price

My feedback
Quote: “Agreed to purchase Fish Tales machine and then seller decides to sell machine to a previous buyer who offered more money. Buyer beware.”

Seller then responds to the feedback
Quote: “Awful buyer, comes to house and tries to renegotiate

And leaves me negative feedback
Quote: "Ridiculous lowballer who shows up at your house and nitpicks to try and get more off, seller beware. This guy is a total scammer.

I never went to the sellers house. I don't even know where they live. And I did not renegotiate. My original offer was the only offer I made. I guess the seller didn't like being called out on selling to another buyer after agreeing on a price so they made up a story.

I've agreed to sell many things at a certain price. I have never agreed to a deal and then sold to someone else if they offered more money. It's not something I do. As such, I expect the same in return. A deal is a deal. And if you sell to someone else after we agree on a deal, expect to be called out on it.

But no need for lies in giving someone feedback.

Pinside user: Csulli1023

Here's the ad with user comments

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-fish-tales-great-shape

I suspect that they didn't want any renegotiation because there would be issues in person that I would see that would conflict with the ad description.

I certainly would expect something like "Sorry, we couldn't make a deal"

But I came to their house? Seriously?

I did not.

But of all things to write, that I would just get up and decide to go to someone's house. Who does that?

Then call it dumb. I see lots of negative feedback from people who have agreed to sell and then backed out. Either flaking out or just deciding to sell it to someone else for more money.

I had another guy about 2 months ago do the same thing. Agreed on a different machine and then he said someone showed up to his place and offered him full asking price so he sold it. What is with people these days? If you want a bidding war, sell on ebay.

A deal is a deal. I guess honesty and keeping one's word is severely lacking these days.

Possible, but doubtful.

Yeah, shame on me for giving someone the benefit of the doubt

IMO, once a deal is agreed to, negative feedback is deserved whether the seller changes his mind 1 minute later or right as I’m loading the machine

If a deal was never agreed to, different story

They already agreed to the price.

She said she has to confer with her husband in when I could pick up and if he could help me load it.

I owe it to myself and to others to warn them about people like this

My real concern is that if this is the case and I have no doubt that it's true, why hasn't anyone posted negative (or at least neutral) feedback for this seller just to give potential buyers a heads up?

Is it just not worth the effort?

A potential buyer could see that the seller has no negative feedback. Nobody would know there are potential issues in reality.

Based on that price, I would have overpaid.

But wear to me is not a big deal.

I have a Diner I bought last year and the cab is in rough shape and playfield rough in a spot or two.

Nobody who's ever played it has mentioned the cabinet or the playfield wear.

Then again, people that are playing it are just enjoying it for what it is.

I think one of the downsides of a good economy is that people have way too much excess disposable income to spend

If I am to believe the seller, the buyer (a previous buyer of said seller) paid at least 3300 (200 more than whatever the asking price was since he changed the price after the condition was called out)

So either the buyer is completely clueless or just had enough spending money and didn't care (price be damned)