🚀 go-pugleaf

In a recent "for sale" posting, the seller listed several items that he/she
had for sale, along with the prices that he/she was asking for them.  At the
end of the list were written some terms for the sale, including the notation
that prices were negotiable, best offer would take them, and discounts would
be considered for purchases of more than one item.

I happened to have read the newsgroup just before the posting came out, then
checked it again before logging off -- almost immediately after the posting 
was made.  I responded, within minutes, that I would take one of the items
for the price listed.

I later received an e-mail message from the seller that there was a lot of
interest in that item, and would I care to bid higher for it?  I am not
accusing this person of intentionally being deceptive (that is why I am not
naming him/her), but this sort of thing just isn't the way we should be
doing business with each other on the net -- we wouldn't tolerate it if
retailers did the same thing.

Please, folks:

If you want (or will accept) $X for an item, advertise that you will sell
it for $X -- then stick to your offer.  Sell it to the first person whose
system-dated reply was sent to you first.

If you will take $X, or the next-best lower offer, say it is for sale for 
$X, o.b.o.

If you plan to sell to the highest bidder, say something like, "This will
go to the highest bid e-mailed to me by [date]."


I think that we owe each other the same ethical treatment on the net that
we would demand of those who deal with us on the "outside."

Bill