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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was this person who wanted to buy our shelf a CF or AIBU?

60 replies

Kittypillar · 11/01/2018 10:58

Tad weird but reckon my DH thinks I was a bit of stickler for this...

At the moment we've been having a massive clear out of stuff and my DH put a few things on FB marketplace. It wasn't much but the bits we thought would be a shame to chuck out completely. One of them was a bookshelf which we bought new a couple of years ago (think it was about £90ish) but now we've moved it's just the wrong shape for DH's office unfortunately.

So DH put it on sale for £24, not sure why he came to that amount (did point out it was a bit of a random figure but hey ho). Someone messaged him and said that yes they wanted it and asked when they could pick it up. DH said fine, gave them the address. Anyway, they turned up late so I was at home and DH wasn't, but I knew how much he'd agreed on. Turns out buyer had turned up at the house over an hour later than he said he would and without the right amount of cash. He sort of shrugged at me and went "oh sorry, I've only got £10 notes, so..." and trailed off expectantly Hmm

It was quite clear what he was hoping would happen, that I would say no worries and let him have it for £20. But I just felt so annoyed by it because it seemed so blatant. Maybe I'm just being a grumpy pregnant lady. So instead of saying fine, I smiled and said "oh no worries, there's a corner shop at the bottom of the street, will only take you 1 minute to get the right change!". He blinked at me and stammered a bit, then said okay and walked off. Funnily enough, he didn't come back...

DH has been finding flaky people on FB marketplace etc really irritating, so when I told him what happened, he seemed a bit exasperated that we still had this stupid bookshelf he just wants rid of! He wasn't angry, just you can tell he'd prefer it if I'd just said fine to the £20...

I personally think that buyer was a complete CF and knew exactly what he was trying to do. If he'd wanted to negotiate price, he could have said explicitly, or said so when he was chatting to my husband and agreeing to come and fetch it. AIBU for thinking that?

On another note, does anyone want a bookshelf?! Grin Wink

OP posts:
greendale17 · 11/01/2018 11:03

YANBU- he could have bargained with you. Timewaster

fastfrank · 11/01/2018 11:10

Nah he's a cheeky fucker. A price is a price.

Original poster
Kittypillar · 11/01/2018 11:11

Thank you! DH was just so exasperated about it I was starting to think that I'd made the wrong decision!

OP posts:
Jafinar · 11/01/2018 11:12

He was definitely a CF. I'm glad he had a wasted journey Grin

clippedcasuals · 11/01/2018 11:15

I would have let him have the bookcase if I wanted it shifted quick. Also you probably should have had some change if you are selling something. YANBU though if you weren't happy and felt he was trying it on. He obviously was as he didn't come back or maybe the shop was closed or they wouldn't give him any change! Grin

ginghamstarfish · 11/01/2018 11:28

I've sold stuff on Gumtree, and it seems these CFs sort out their cash into different pockets etc... so they can pull out money from pocket A and say 'oh I've only got xxx ...' with pocket B having a different amount.

TammySwansonTwo · 11/01/2018 11:31

This happens all the time when I sell stuff on gumtree. I'd never have the nerve.

KayaG · 11/01/2018 11:33

You were right to say no, OP.

FluffyWuffy100 · 11/01/2018 11:33

If I was selling something for £24 I would have had £6 in change.

firawla · 11/01/2018 11:35

He is a CF but you should have had some change ready too. I would have given it for 20 just to make space though!

Pleasedontdrawonyoursister · 11/01/2018 11:37

This happens all the time. I sold a kids jumper for £3 and the woman shoved £2.50 in my hand and walked off. I was gobsmacked, I mean 50p? Really?

MoveOnTheCards · 11/01/2018 11:39

I’d have said ‘ok, we’ll shall we say £30 then?’

CF.

RhiannonOHara · 11/01/2018 11:40

I get your DH's frustration at not getting rid of the bookshelf, but you were right and the guy was a CF. I like your way of dealing with him too. Grin

NoParticularPattern · 11/01/2018 11:40

I think he’s probably a CF, but if I was selling something for £24 (or any other amount really) I would have change ready for the nearest £10/£5. Whilst it would be great if people showed up with exact money I wouldn’t do myself out of said money by not being able to change a tenner or something.

Ikanon · 11/01/2018 11:40

I have given something away when the woman said she'd forgotten her purse. She seemed genuinely annoyed with herself and offered to come back. I told her to pop the money in a charity box. I've since had more CF try it on so I always have change now. It's the £3 item 'I can only find £2 will that do?' 'No' 'Oh here's another I just found' Hmm

If I was you I'd have done what you did. CF deserve nothing.

kmc1111 · 11/01/2018 11:42

He was cheeky, but frankly getting £20 for a used £90 bookcase is a win anyway, so I'd of let it go.

usualGubbins · 11/01/2018 11:44

I think Facebook market seems attract that sort of CF. I mistakenly put a phone on there (was posting it to local site and that came up as an option that I clicked). Copious messages 'can you post', 'will you accept..?' etc. I took it down as it was getting ridiculous!

Snowysky20009 · 11/01/2018 11:44

CF, you done the right thing! I'd like to think I would do it, but I'm such a soft touch I's say have it for £20. But reading these posts, I will definitely wise up.

Original poster
Kittypillar · 11/01/2018 11:45

Absolutely hear what people are saying about the change. I think my DH had change ready as he had arranged it, so it would have been an option if the buyer had turned up on time, or at least on time-ish. But as he turned up quite a lot later than he said he would, DH had to leave for an appointment and didn't leave the change with me for whatever reason. He should have but I guess he didn't think about it and I know he was wondering if this chap was going to show up at all!

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 11/01/2018 11:45

He was a CF, but seriously, 20 quid for a 90 quid used bookshelf is pretty good.

Leeds2 · 11/01/2018 11:46

I would've done exactly the same as you!

MsHopey · 11/01/2018 11:47

I buy lots of shpock and Facebook.
I always pop to the corner shop on the way and get myself a drink or something to give me the correct change.
I will haggl online. But if I've agreed on a price I will always take that exact amount with me.

Youshallnotpass · 11/01/2018 11:48

I've had this happen to me, an attempt to knock a tenner off a dining room table we were selling (selling it quite cheap anyway!). as only had £20 notes

Its a piss take really. They know exactly how much the table is when they see the advert. We like you stuck to our guns on the price and strangely she magically found a tenner in her bag, funny that..

Looneytune253 · 11/01/2018 11:48

Shoulda told him oh wow thanks and took £30 haha

Original poster
Kittypillar · 11/01/2018 11:48

@usualGubbins sounds like it's a typical thing, DH was getting so irritated with people. It does sound like quite a frustrating exercise, so suspect he won't bother in the future!

OP posts: