Nothing new here; I'm sure this issue has been regurgitated many times over.
I bloviated all over a parts seller's thread this morning. I have since deleted it because it was an inappropriate place to post general comments, which were in no way directed at that particular seller. I posted out of frustration. It was literary diarrhea for sure.
However, let there be no mistake that my comments below are aimed squarely at those guilty of slimy practices.
It has been my experience that a seller posting here will reply to a buyer after a commitment is made to purchase an item. Either to work out payment details or to acknowledge that another buyer has dibs. This process can take 2 minutes or 2 days but I think all would agree acknowledgment and acceptance/decline has to take place at some point. Obviously a seller has the luxury to sell to whomever he wants but if a buyer publicly commits to the item at the given price and is the first to respond, that seems to be protocol for a done deal.
I have on far too many occasions had situations where there was no communication from the seller after I was lightening quick with the buzzer. Behind the scenes a buyer who was not first in line has offered more money. This sliminess is not just from a buyer but seller as well; it takes two to dance. If you post a price have the decency to honor that price and the integrity to acknowledge who was actually first in line. If you want to have an auction, put it on eBay.
It is happening more frequently to me in the sale of cars. I'll tell a prospect that a tentative deal has already been made and he'll offer me more money to unwind the deal. I will clarify "So you want me to go back on my word so that I can get more money?" He will stutter and say... "well... yah... I guess, if you want to put it that way." After I ask if this is how he would want his mother treated if she were the first buyer and I insinuate that only a piece of crap would do something like this the conversation abruptly ends.
What happened to The Golden Rule?