Anwar, With so many sales on the forum is there no way that double dealng can be curtailed. A friend of mine made a deal on the site and did not know that the seller had commited the equipment to both him and another flyer. Both were asked to deposit the money in the bank and a mail was sent to the person who was 2nd to deposit, intimating him that the sale had been completed.
Is it the right thing to do?

It goes without saying that it is not the right thing to do.  I am pretty sure it is comparatively rare when the total number of classifieds sales on the forum are considered.  And in many cases, it is because someone commits to buy, but does not send the payment in a reasonable amount of time (for whatever reasons, including looking  or waiting around for better deals), so the seller assumes that the initial buyer is not interested and asks the second in line to send the payment.  By that time, the first buyer also send the payment, and the seller is in a tough spot as to whom he should sell the item to.

Some simple rules can help avoid all this.

1.  If you are committing to an item, please say that openly on the forum.  That alone pretty much avoids all such issues.  The seller can also reciprocate by acknowledging the same publicly.

2.  All efforts should be done by the buyer to send the payment at the earliest, instead of waiting around un-necessarily. It is particularly bad to keep a seller on the hook by committing to an item them wait around looking for better deals and then back off at the last moment.  It is like buying almost anything (or even arranged marriages ), "there is always a better one around the corner"    So draw your line, and follow it through !

thanx for bringing this up doc 

sellers to note please Items on sale here is not on bidding please.

If any one wants sell on bid please post it in ebay.

rules of sale on ebay or here or any forum are very simple I believe.

If no one was interested to buy it at asking price and if the buy it now price has been reduced and committed from the original asking price and if some one has approached you to buy it at that price before someone "right to buy that product belongs to that first buyer" Most of all please keep everyone dealing appraised about all offers. saves everyone from lot of heartburn and unpleasantness.

Many like me at the age of 40 Plus who are well settled in their life, buying anything plus minus 30-40 % of its original cost does not make much difference to us as the hobby is very dear to us but there are lot of aspiring youngsters in the forum for them every penny they spend make lot of difference to them. when they are also involved along with us we would like to keep it absolutely fair especially what is being offered is a second hand. I can always order brand new for me from HC or Towers or Mr Sai, RCD... are always there.

I would like to thank my fellow buyer for saving me from the blunder.

Mr Anwar may please amplify this aspect in the guidelines of classified.

 

Hit the nail on the head and let's not beat about the bush here.

Sellers please note that once you've committed to sell a product for a specified price in the open forum, it is callous on your part to say,"I got a higher price and sold it elsewhere."

I've had a recent bitter experience (I would rather not go into specifics here), which resulted in a heartbreak for a 14 yr old who wanted to buy his first equipment. The seller confirmed a price to me. This boy had to beg and coax his Dad into letting him buy it.

This is what I Pm'ed him on 2/11:

"The deal is final. Just give me 3 days to deposit the money into your account. Pl let me have your account number and IFSC code."

His reply on 2/11

"Gr8 mate..Trust me you will not repent this and am glad this ______ is going to a good rc enthusiast & kind natured man." Followed by his bank details.

On 4/11 he PM'ed me that he had sold the product elsewhere as he got a higher price.

When I said that it was unfair on his part to have done this without any intimation to me, this was his reply at the end of the day on 4/11

"well its my _______ and I know its condition and its worth. If am getting more money then why not Huh??

Don't tell me you would have not done it ?

anways..It took you 4 days to get (the money) so I was not sure even if I would have emailed you things would have changed..."

To add insult to injury, he even offered me to match the higher price (at which he had confirmed to the second buyer) and then he would pull out of the second deal and sell the product to me. Unbelievable!

There are 2 reasons why I choose to post this today:

1. Members be aware and beware, that such callous acts ARE happening on our forum.

2. To request the Administrator to take some punitive action against these guys. They are getting away scot free. This forum is degenerating into a bazaar. I'm sorry but I am disgusted.

A gentle caution to the seller concerned, PLEASE don't even try to justify your actions here. I have kept the entire thing cloaked in anonymity (your name, the product, the price band). Please don't defend your actions here, it will make matters only worse. Also PLEASE desist from sending me any apologies, taunts or threats via PM. I've had enough.

I am deeply saddened to see this   Looks like basic human decency is being ignored again and again; and money seems to be the final word on everything. 

I have never had to say this so far... but I expect people to show better respect for one another in such matters... otherwise I will consider removing their privileges on this forum.  Playing this role is the last thing I want to do, and I hope I never have to do this.  In fact I shudder at the thought of doing something like this.  We are trying to build not only a free and open forum, we want it to be built on honesty and mutual respect too. 

I hope this is the last time we all get to hear something like this.  Keeping one's word is something no amount of money can buy. 

So sellers should not fall for bigger offers after committing to someone. And no buyers shall offer more money for an item that has PUBLICLY been committed to someone by a seller.  To reduce the chances of such things happening, I request buyers and/or sellers to post confirmation messages publicly if they have reached a deal.

Also everyone please use the seller rating system thingie.. I make it a point to rate the seller every time I buy something..

VC -

It was nice of you that you did not name the seller. One part of me says that you should. 

This forum has always been blamed for being full of classifieds and sales activities, and I have never felt that is a bad thing.  If we are able to make things available (and more importantly, accessible) to others, I see good in that.

This "bazaar" needs to stay a decent bazaar.  I hope short term gains do not prevent people from seeing why it has to be so.

Also, next time post a message publicly that you have claimed the item, as soon as you have reached an agreement with the seller.

Understood Sir.

Seller has apologised profusely and the second buyer has also confirmed that I should get first preference.He and the seller are both willing to let me buy it. Seller now wants to sell to me at the original price agreed upon. I'm confused. What should I do?

Guess everyone deserves a second chance

This restores our faith in humanity (particularly the RC India audience).  Apologizing comes from people who are good deep inside, and are only distracted momentarily.  You should buy it, with the conviction that you will harbor no ill-will going forward.

Done Boss.  Your wish is my command. I am going ahead with the deal. It is human to err.

"As per your sms and PM's to me, I confirm the purchase of this item for Rs x + Courier (Max Rs.250/-). The money will be deposited into your account by Saturday (6th Nov 2010) evening.

Please confirm."

I've sent this PM to the Seller and am waiting for his confirmation.

VC

And then?

Sahil is back with a bang

"And then... the princess lived happily with the prince ever after" 

..........and then the little boy got his Tx and has not used it ever since. I met him a few days ago and he never mentioned RC or Aeromodelling. C'est la vie.

Welcome back Sahil!

Hello anwar n VC how are u guys ? got some free time so lurking around  

Hi Sahil,
where had you disappeared? Good to hear from you