Selling on Gumtree - changed my mind

NickITQA

I recently advertised a bike on Gumtree and got a call from a very pushy guy wanted to travel for 1.5hrs that night to get it (for less than advertised). I agreed but just as I had sent my address to him (stupid I know - should have met somewhere) I got 2 more messages telling me the bike was rare and I should not sell it for the price I was asking - turns out to be true as far as I can tell. I rang the guy and explained what had happened and that I wasn't happy letting the bike go so cheaply as it's been in my family 50 years and I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing. I apologised for wasting his time and told him I would let him know if I was looking to sell again.
At this point he started ranting at me on the phone that I had to sell it to him at the agreed price and I'm a bad person etc, etc - then offered me more money for it and told him it still wasn't for sale. This went on for 20mins.
He has now text this morning and asked again for a price and I told him it is no longer for sale so he text swearing at me...then made another offer.
I realise agreeing to sell it and then backing out 20 minutes later wasn't great on my part but I apologised and gave my reasons so not sure what else I can do.
Very long rambling post to basically ask that up until the point of sale I'm not obligated to do anything for this nut job am I? Also I haven't responded to any more of the texts - should I reply once more to tell him to leave me alone or I'll report him for harassment? I've clearly stated the bike is no longer for sale. Really regretting giving him my address and all I have is his phone number. I honestly think he's just annoyed he thought he was going to get an incredible bargain but missed out because someone warned me off.

pinkshoes

NickITQA wrote: »

I recently advertised a bike on Gumtree and got a call from a very pushy guy wanted to travel for 1.5hrs that night to get it (for less than advertised). I agreed but just as I had sent my address to him (stupid I know - should have met somewhere) I got 2 more messages telling me the bike was rare and I should not sell it for the price I was asking - turns out to be true as far as I can tell. I rang the guy and explained what had happened and that I wasn't happy letting the bike go so cheaply as it's been in my family 50 years and I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing. I apologised for wasting his time and told him I would let him know if I was looking to sell again.
At this point he started ranting at me on the phone that I had to sell it to him at the agreed price and I'm a bad person etc, etc - then offered me more money for it and told him it still wasn't for sale. This went on for 20mins.
He has now text this morning and asked again for a price and I told him it is no longer for sale so he text swearing at me...then made another offer.
I realise agreeing to sell it and then backing out 20 minutes later wasn't great on my part but I apologised and gave my reasons so not sure what else I can do.
Very long rambling post to basically ask that up until the point of sale I'm not obligated to do anything for this nut job am I? Also I haven't responded to any more of the texts - should I reply once more to tell him to leave me alone or I'll report him for harassment? I've clearly stated the bike is no longer for sale. Really regretting giving him my address and all I have is his phone number. I honestly think he's just annoyed he thought he was going to get an incredible bargain but missed out because someone warned me off.

The deal is not completed until it is collected, so no, you are perfectly entitled to change your mind. Call it a pricing error!

As it was a verbal conversation I doubt he can prove the agreed price.

And given his aggressive tone, then you do not want to be dealing with this sort of person. If he keeps texting, just reply saying you made a mistake with the price, the item is no longer for sale, and you wish to have no further contact with him due to the aggressive nature of his language.

NickITQA

Thanks for the reply. I suppose I just wanted to make sure. I've never dealt with anyone like him when seeking stuff online. He's definitely not someone I want turning up on my doorstep! I haven't heard anymore since this morning so I'll continue to ignore him unless I hear anymore. He seems to switch between insulting me to making offers but think he's just looking for a fight now

ssparks2003

Just block his number on your phone and move on.

wishuponastar

If you were willing to sell it to start with, I don't get what's changed really. Okay you made a 'pricing error' not realising it's value until someone pointed that out to you but if they hadn't done so, you were happy to sell it and had listed it with the intention to sell it right?


Is it that now you feel it is worth more, you want to keep it or something else?


Were his other higher offers he made not acceptable?

askmeaboutsofas

So the second OP said they no longer want to sell, the buyer started ranting about how they're a bad person - I'm going to guess OP no longer wants to deal with an abusive buyer!

Never deal with abusive customers. They are never, ever, EVER worth the trouble, whether you're running a business or just selling your old things.

NickITQA

Apologies I didn't get notifications there were more replies to this thread.
I was willing to sell at 1st but given advice from 2 strangers that the bike was a lot rarer and potentially valuable and I didn't want to feel like I was screwing myself over. I rang the guy and apologised and explained what happened and that it held some sentimental value for me as well so I didn't want to regret selling it. He was very rude from that point on.
The higher offers he made would have been acceptable but the impression I got was he was trying to bait me to agreeing to the price just so he could reiterate that I was just a money grabbing (insert expletive of your choice here). As well as that after how he'd spoken to me and my partner on the phone he could have turned up with a suitcase full of cash and I'd still have told him where to go.
I still have the bike despite receiving more offers from others as the whole thing really disheartened me and I'll probably hold on to it for another couple of years yet.