Yard Sale Ethics Question

[ScottSwing]

As I posted before, it would cost me money to deliver them. With my back, I wouldn't be able to help with the dishwasher, let alone the wishing well. Renting a trailer would probably be at least $20, the labor for at least three guys to put the items on the trailer, deliver them, and set them up where the lady wants them, she would end up with the items and I'd end up with a couple of dollars left over. Doesn't seem too fair to me.

Put an ad on Craigslist explaining your situation and see if someone will do it for free. People like to help old ladies.

 

[nageov3t]

I think it would be an OK compromise between right and nice to tell her that you're going to attempt to resell them and, if they sell, you will return her money to her (and if not, she's SOL)

 

[SKORPI0]

Should have posted a sign in the yard sale like, "All sales are final, cash only, pick up and go, no deliveries". :sneaky:

 

[Ruptga]

the OP shouldnt have to do anything here. Its not his fault she couldnt take care of her side of things.

^^ Tell her to make a final decision; either she forfeits the goods and the money or she gets somebody to pick the stuff up. Tell her if she says she'll get them and doesn't come in another month you'll sell them to somebody else.

Frankly this whole thing is ridiculous though, who'd have thought you'd need a return policy for a garage sale

 

[SZLiao214]

The most you should probably do is offer her 2 more weeks to get the items before you sell them. By her not keeping in contact with you she really doesn't reserve any additional help.

Might seem a tad mean but she is the one that screwed up not you.

 

[ciba]

First, you should e-mail to the ethicist. I'd love to read Cohen's thoughts on this.

Mine suggestions of a balance between right and decent. Give her options:
1) Pick them up
2) Walk away
3) Offer to sell them on craigslist and provide her with the proceeds, up to the amount she paid.

I think offer three is completely reasonable. You get the upside risk for your hassle; it frees you of the situation; and you can move them quickly without realizing a loss from your current position.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Fvck her if for no reason other than hanging you out like that for two months.

Tell her it's her stuff, the money is spent. She can pick it up by the end of the week or else you're having a dump company pick it up and that you've not yet decided whether you'll bill her for that, too.

These things are not yours. She owns them. They are simply on your property. Imagine if you bought furniture from a store, said you'd pick it up in a week, and two months later say sorry I'm not coming anymore can I have my money back, what do you think the store would say?

I feel strongly about this because people are idiots. I hate people acting like stupid asses over stuff like this, she should at the very least eat the loss and chalk it up as a learning lesson. If she's that hard up for money why is she buying a well. the hell?

Give her a time limit or else she'll keep dicking you around.

I have to agree with this. GIVE HER A TIME LIMIT!!!

If you tell her she has a week to pick the items up and she does not comply then resell the items and pocket the cash...no one could expect someone to hold something for months and then ask for their money back. The woman is old and therefor should have some level of being wise...shes a dumbass...give her a week to put up or shut up...after a week resell the items and enjoy the extra cash.

Nuff said.

 

[NetGuySC]

Offer to refund 1/2 of the money for storing the property for her or send her a certified letter stating that she has 30 days to pick up the property or ownership shall revert back to you.

 

[boomhower]

Give her 30 days to pick them up or she loses them. You have been more than fair at this point. I understand her situation but at some point something has to be done. If you have some friends that would be able to pitch in and get them items to her cheaper than she can pay someone and you don't mind sure, go for it. But don't spend a dime of your own money.

 

[Perknose]

Weeks went by, and we never heard back from the woman who bought the items. I cashed the check and waited. After two weeks, I called the number she had given and left a message. A full month after the sale, she showed up at my door, told me she had had surgery, and that's why she hadn't been able to pick the items up. She said she would come back within a few weeks. Again, we waited, and did not hear from her.

Today I received a letter in the mail from her, that said she was now unable to pick up the items, as her friends couldn't do it, and it would cost her $300 to have a company come and get them. She asked me if I would send her back the money.

Personally, I think if she is living on $800 per month disability, she shouldn't have bought the items in the first place, but there was no way for me to know that when she bought them, and it's really none of my business. I was thinking of telling her that we could try to sell both items again (through Craig's List or maybe a friend's yard sale), and if we can sell them for the same price, we can send her the money.

There's the whole question of whether she's even telling you the truth. Several parts of her story really sound fishy, except, I guess, she could have incurred her back injury right after buying your stuff.

Sill, the underlined smells fishy to me. If her "friends" couldn't pick the stuff up, isn't that on her and her "friends"?

I don't know and you don't know, but her whole story sounds fishy to me.

I think I'm just going to write her a letter and tell her that the items are here for her if she can get them, and if I can sell them for the same amount, I'll send her the money. I'm not going to try to make more money off of them, I feel that THAT would be unethical, but I'd be more than happy to sell the items for her.

MORE than fair.

I would make two small changes to your plan.

If you sell the items for exactly what she paid for them, I would deduct some amount for your time and effort in selling them. If you can sell them for more, I suggest you keep that money for the exact same reason.

 

[AMCRambler]

Tough call. Sounds like you could easily sell them again so I'd probably give her back the money. Better yet sell them again and if you can't get $125 for them, give her whatever you get for them. Essentially sell them for her.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Should the OP be bothered to sell them for her benefit? I dont think so. Give her a limited time to pick them up...after that point sell them and keep the money. Its not the OPs job to have to sell shit he already sold to pay back the person that he sold the items to.

 

[0roo0roo]

she *ucked you over for weeks, she can take the hit. don't give her back her money. she's trying to use you.

 

[gorcorps]

I haven't read the thread, so this may have been covered, but I'd personally try to sell the stuff again and if/when you sell it THEN you can give her money back. I'd tell her this too. Just say "Due to the length of time you've waited, I can't give your money back immediately. I will try to resell the items again and when they're sold I will send your money back. However I can't make any guarantees on how long this may take."

That's just what I'd do. Seems to be the least dickish move that still benefits you

 

[shortylickens]

I always thought Yard Sale and Ethics were mutually exclusive terms.

 

[lxskllr]

MORE than fair.

I would make two small changes to your plan.

If you sell the items for exactly what she paid for them, I would deduct some amount for your time and effort in selling them. If you can sell them for more, I suggest you keep that money for the exact same reason.

I like this.

 

[preCRT]

There's the whole question of whether she's even telling you the truth. Several parts of her story really sound fishy, except, I guess, she could have incurred her back injury right after buying your stuff.

Sill, the underlined smells fishy to me. If her "friends" couldn't pick the stuff up, isn't that on her and her "friends"?

I don't know and you don't know, but her whole story sounds fishy to me.



MORE than fair.

I would make two small changes to your plan.

If you sell the items for exactly what she paid for them, I would deduct some amount for your time and effort in selling them. If you can sell them for more, I suggest you keep that money for the exact same reason.

This.



I've never heard of a yard sale accepting a check, usually it is cash only [and no refunds]. The onus is on the buyer to arrange pickup & delivery. What if you were having the yard sale prior to moving? It wasn't reasonable for her to expect you to store her property, especially for more than a week.

 

[masterxfob]

tell her you'll refund her once the two items are sold. if they sell for less, tough shit.

 

[Raduque]

No refunds, all sales final. It's a YARD SALE, not Wal-Mart.

Oh yea, charge her storage fees.

 

[0roo0roo]

yea there was a verbal agreement.
you did your part.
she deserves nothing.
in fact she cost you money.
so at best, offer her half the money back, the rest you keep as storage/troubles fee.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm the only one curious to see a picture of this wishing well?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

YOu should give her some money back and tell her that this inconvenienced you. Be nice about it though. Keep like $25 and toss them on craigslist or soemtihng.

 

[DrPizza]

You can take the high road, or you can take the low road. Regardless, you're still going to have those two items left at your house, so you're probably going to have to put an ad on Craigslist anyway. So, you may as well let her know you'll refund her money after they're sold & gone.

 

[dpearson]

I'm the only one curious to see a picture of this wishing well?

6.5 feet tall and 600 lbs is impressive. I want to see pics as well.

 

[cardiac]

I'm the only one curious to see a picture of this wishing well?

I thought the same thing.....