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Can asking price be changed after offer is made?

Is it ethical to change your asking price after you receive many offers?

Last night some one ran TWO ads for the same model of Billy Bag stand for $200. I made an offer on one ad and the seller told me that he will make a decision later. Then on this same ad (same item number), the seller changed the price to $300.00. The other ad still has the price of $200 but it was marked SOLD.

Seems like greed speaks louder than ethics. Can an user do anything about the fact the item price is jacked up *after* the buyer made an offer? I wanted to contact audiogon service but cannot find any link to send them an e-mail.
cuonghuutran

Showing 3 responses by bomarc

bomarc
501 posts
 
I'm not a lawyer either, but I do know that a contract requires the agreement of both parties, and placing an ad does not constitute agreeing to anything. And while it may be annoying to a buyer to make a full-price offer and then see the price hiked, that is well within a seller's rights, and I don't see anything unethical about it. Of course, if you're annoyed you don't have to do business with the guy.

Also, CW, if you will permit a mild criticism, why are you posting? It doesn't look like you followed up with the seller to find out what he was up to. That should have been your first step, before taking this public. (If you did and got no response, I apologize, but you didn't indicate that in your post.)
bomarc
501 posts
 
'Fraid so, pardner.
bomarc
501 posts
 
Moto_man: An offer to sell at a certain price and an unqualified acceptance is a contract. But I don't think any court in the US would interpret that to mean that a seller who places an ad is obligated to sell just because someone agrees to the listed price. And that seems to be the issue here.
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