[SEL] Dealing Etiquette

[Judge Tommy Turner]

Mark
	The other fella may not have known another deal was in the
works.  I'd place the majority of the blame on the seller.  Anytime that
I make a deal with someone like your deal with this person, I give them
a down payment.  If its over the phone I drop them a check in the mail
the next day for a portion of the purchase price and quote the details
on the check (for example, if I buy something for $1000 I might send a
check for $200 and note on the "for" line "4 HP Stover engine, $800
balance owed".  I've only had to call on this one time when I purchased
an engine off a gent.  I told him when he priced it to me that it would
be several months before I could pick it up.  He said no problem.  I
told him I was going to send him $500 down on it and he said not to but
I insisted and that when he got the check to please initial the memo
line in regards to our deal.  When I went to get it I counted out the
cash for the balance.  He said "you're $500 short".  I told him that was
the price we agreed to.  I pulled out the canceled check and showed him.
He apologized that he was wrong and everything was fine.

Tommy Turner
Magnolia, KY



-----Original Message-----
From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
[mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Mark
Shulaw
Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 11:56 AM
To: sel at lists.stationary-engine.com
Subject: [SEL] Dealing Etiquette


Hi All,
  What ever happened to a little trading or dealing etiquette? When I 
came into the engine hobby back in the late 70s there was a few 
unwritten rules that everyone seemed to follow. #1 was, Never 
interrupt a negotiation in progress.
#2 If a price is mutually agreed to the deal is done, neither backed 
out both honored the deal. These were amongst the top of the unwritten
rules. Heres what set this question in motion. Friday I was talking to a

fellow that I buy engines from occasionally (Nationally known US 
engine parts dealer fellow who shall remain nameless) and he told me 
of a engine he got the other day, It was for sale. I asked for a 
price and he quoted and after a few minutes of discussion of the 
engines condition I accepted the offer he made without dickering the 
price. It was a fair price and when a price is fair I do not like to 
dicker. Well I got the rug yanked out from under me. Remember he 
quoted me the price and I accepted that price. Then he called me 
yesterday to say he got a "Better offer then Mine" from another 
fellow and he accepted it. Needless to say I was a little browned off 
to say the least. First I told him was I had not offered the price 
that was agreed to, He had offered the price I accepted.  And that I 
had thought the deal closed. He didn't even give me the insulting 
courtesy of a call for a second chance.
  Now when I offer someone a price and they accept it, that's it the 
sale is complete pending payment in a reasonable time period as they 
say. I do not yank the rug out from under them. What ever happened to 
integrity in engine dealing? Is everyone just throwing their word and 
honor out the window now? Its been getting worse for a few years 
now.  Its almost like there is no honor in dealing any more. Like a 
mans word means nothing.
  Also these last few years theres a growing problem of people 
interrupting a deal in progress to butt in. Used to be the etiquette 
was if two people were dealing you stayed out of their negotiating 
till the dealing fell thru  then you could start to deal,  Or walk 
away if they come to terms. YOU NEVER BUTTED INTO the middle of 
negotiations in progress! The other fellow was there first. Did not 
matter if you would pay a higher price then was being negotiated!
  What's the matter, Am I wrong now a days. Do I need to throw the 
old unwritten rules-integrity out the window and go ruthless?    Mark



For those passed we remember this Memorial Day.

Mark Shulaw
454 Co. Rd. 33
Bluffton, OH. 45817  USA

Frappi at wcoil.com / 419.358.5206  Home / 419.516.2996 Ver. Cell. Hobby
Collector and Dealer in Maytag Multi-Motor Engine parts.
Check out the Maytag Collectors Club web site   www.Maytagclub.com  

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