They sold something that I reserved

[Mylovemine]

I reserved furniture in a second hand furniture shop that I needed last week for this coming Monday and I have just told been told that it has been sold to someone else on Friday. So I don’t have enough places for everyone to sit. I don’t know how it’s happened and am really disappointed as I could have got something else but now I need to wait for them to get new furniture in.

That is annoying, but can some of your guests not bring folding chairs or something?

When we moved abroad it took us a few months to buy a new property and our furniture was in storage. As it was around Christmas, our stuff wasn’t arriving for a couple of weeks so we ‘rented’ some furniture from the local furniture charity shop and when our own furniture was delivered, the charity shop took theirs back. We paid them a fair fee and they were delighted to help out.

Usually a shop might 'hold' something for a couple of hours or maybe a day. But I'd expect at least a deposit if it was for longer (because most people reserve things then don't come back)

I don’t know how it’s happened and am really disappointed

Understandable you’re disappointed but it’s clear to see how it happened, you saw the furniture last week reserved it, I’m guessing by your silence on the question of a deposit asked by many posters you didn’t leave one. The shop still had the furniture a week after you said you’d be back for it a buyer then came and took it immediately. Not everyone who says they are going to come back to buy something do and the shop can’t wait indefinitely for your return

Surely at the point of reserving the item the shop would have mentioned a deposit?

I would expect a shop to communicate with me re how reservations work eg deposit or not, how long they reserve for etc.

@Tandora that's far too logical!

The fact that op won’t answer the did you pay a deposit tells us all we need to know

It’s a business. They sell to the first person waving cash. Imagine if you had never came back and they turned down a customer!

Right.

Ive known second hand shops to reserve something for a few hours without deposit.
I think youve likely misunderstood. Nowhere is just going to keep it aside without a deposit for very long

Years ago, family coming round for a meal and on the day two people arrived who I hadn’t expected.
Lovely as that was, i was short of dining chairs at the last minute, so in a panic went around to my next door neighbour and asked if they needed all their dining chairs for the next couple of hours.
Luckily they didn’t and were happy to lend me two and the husband even carried them round for me.

So you asked them to keep it but hadn’t paid for it or or paid a deposit?

What was the actual conversation?

i get it’s annoying, but just one those things. You will need to either buy new or look in other second hand shops

The number of times I heard of my craft work - "Ooo, I like this. please reserve it for me & I'll come back for it" and I never see them again. I now ask if they would like to pay a deposit - they never have taken me up on that offer! Sadly too late for now, but always pay a deposit at minimum, or ideally in full.

By way of helping you out with your immediate problem - try the recycling sites, such as Freegle. You can check what people are offering, and also ask for things. I managed to find a great table in about an hour and chicken wire in 40 mins! And all for free bar my petrol to collect