To think my friend shouldn't be making a profit from me.

[musingsofawannabemumpreneur]

First post here, please be gentle!

Back story: I sell second hand toys online. I have a friend whose LG loved the particular brand of toys which I sell, and so if she wanted any particular sets then I would sell them to my friend at cost, without making any profit on those items. Supply has always been an issue for me, i.e. I cannot find enough to buy to satisfy demand, so selling stuff on at no profit was a bit of a pain but I didn't mind as she's my friend and has done me lots of favours.

My friend's LG has now grown out of these toys, and I had always assumed hoped that my friend would sell these back to me at the same price when she was done with them, so I could sell them on and make a profit on them.

I saw last night that she is selling a set online, which I only sold her around 6 weeks ago. She's selling it for three times what I sold it to her for. I'm really cross about this, and feel she is profiting from me. I'm tempted to message her to request that I have "first dibs" on any more that she gets rid of. AIBU or should I just accept that I made a mistake by not profiting from my sales to a friend?

I would mention it yes

What is an LG? (Grandchild?)

I would say something, yes. That's really off.

Definitely say something.

I'd stop selling her them at cost.

Surely she would realise that her behaviour is a bit bloody cheeky.

Charge her your normal prices in future as she'll still make a profit when she sells them on.

Yes ask her, cheeky bint

On one hand it's hers to do with what she wants once she's bought it. On the other hand it is bloody cheeky!

She is not profiting from you. You sold to her at a price you 'didn't mind as she's your friend'.
Did you explain that you would want them sold back to you at the same price, whenyou sold them to her?
Why would it be ok for her to sell them back to you so that you could then make a profit, when really, you should have added a profit margin to them in the first place.
Once she bought them from you, they became her property, to do with as she wishes.
There are no friends in business. Accept this as a mistake you made and move on.

She is profiting from you, she knows this is your business. You didnt do her a favour because she's skint, you did her a favour because she's a mate.
I just wouldnt sell her any more at mates rates.

Maybe the answer is that you have a business and you shouldnt be selling stuff at cost, even to friends.

Maybe as a one off, but if the toys are selling at 3x the price you sold them to her, the. You really arent doing yourself a favour at all.

Easy don't sell her any more or discount for her

I would absolutely say something. Tell her that you've been supplying them to her at cost, but if she's going to re-sell at a markup then you'll charge her normal rates like any other customer.

Btw, if she had had the toys for several months and the child had grown out it, then fair enoough.
But selling the toys within 6 weeks and 3x the time you sold them to her, then yes she takeing advantage of you, massively.

She's selling at a humongous profit, toys she only bought from you 6 weeks ago at cost?

She's using you as her supplier you fool

She won't be buying any more from me anyway, as her little girl is losing interest and moving on to other toys, so I won't have the opportunity to charge her full price in the future. Perhaps a lesson learnt for selling to other friends though.

I think you could have made it clear that you wished her to sell it back to you. However it's extremely cheeky of her to sell it on at three times the price. So, indirectly making a profit out of you. I would have to mention it.

She is setting herself as YOUR competitor selling toys you have sourced for her. Wow.

Stop!

Yanbu. The only thing i'd do is check it is the same one yousold her. In case eg her parents bought if for dgc and she's selling the new one to raise funds for xmas. I suspect not but i'd check.
And then i just wouldn't get her any more bargains. She obviously doesn't appreciate the work involved.

LG =Little Girl.
Some friend she turned out to be !
OP, I would certainly mention it, but wouldn't get hung up on it.
She has shown her true colours, and greed, in my opinion.

I actually agree with the above pister who said she is NOT profiting from you.

You have already admitted that by buying back at cost from her, you would then sell on for a profit so actually, you would be doing the exact same thing you are accusing her of doing.

Put this as a lesson learnt. If you do not want others to sell something that you sold to them for a higher cost then it's your loss for bad selling. Once she bought that product from you, no matter what price, the product is hers to sell on as she sees fit.

poster! Oh my word!!!

6 weeks?!

I think you've been had TBH.

banging You have already admitted that by buying back at cost from her, you would then sell on for a profit so actually, you would be doing the exact same thing you are accusing her of doing.

Eh? No she wouldn't. She'd be effectively lending her friend the toys for a while at no cost!

if she had had the toys for several months and the child had grown out it, then fair enough. But selling the toys within 6 weeks and 3x the time you sold them to her, then yes she takeing advantage of you, massively.

^^ THIS ^^

She's taking advantage od you. I would refuse to sell her anything else at cost (or even at a reduced rate)and would teller why.

This is just mean.

Legally of course you sold it to her she is entitled to do with it as she wishes.

All these people saying "lesson learnt" the only lesson learnt here is that this person is not and never was a friend, because decent people regardless of the legality don't do this to each other. Perhaps if it had been a year down the line it would be less unreasonable but to take something at cost (knowing this is your friends lively hood) to sell it just six weeks later is incomprehensible to me, this person is not a friend at all.

Business and friendship - bad combination.