Advice on problem with machine I "sold" on PM

sandiapaul · Apr 21, 2018

I sold a lathe to a member here back in January. The buyer sent a down payment and I agreed I would hold the machine until May when he would come pick it up and pay the balance.

I have been trying to contact him since April 1st but he does not respond. I have emailed him, used PM here, and found him on linkedin, no reply to anything.

Maybe something happened to him or maybe this is some sort of scam? I can't figure what the scam might be. My thoughts are to just return his money. He has never posted here on PM and only joined on the day he contacted me about buying the lathe. He lives in MN.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Joe Rogers · Apr 21, 2018

Did the check clear? Give him a while and keep the money so you can refund. Sell the lathe to someone else after the end of May.
Joe

CarlBoyd · Apr 21, 2018

sandiapaul said:
I sold a lathe to a member here back in January. The buyer sent a down payment and I agreed I would hold the machine until May when he would come pick it up and pay the balance.

I have been trying to contact him since April 1st but he does not respond. I have emailed him, used PM here, and found him on linkedin, no reply to anything.

Maybe something happened to him or maybe this is some sort of scam? I can't figure what the scam might be. My thoughts are to just return his money. He has never posted here on PM and only joined on the day he contacted me about buying the lathe. He lives in MN.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

From my perspective if he does not follow through before the end of May he forfeits the down payment and you are free to sell the lathe.

CarlBoyd

David J. · Apr 21, 2018

Last I looked the month of May had 31 days in it, none of which are here yet......
We don't know if you told him May 1 or May 31.
If you have no contact by whatever date you agreed on spend your money and
re-list it.
David

Rob F. · Apr 21, 2018

I agree with Carl and Dave,
It seems he gave you money as a deposit to not sell it until May. He is paying you for the inconvience of passing up an imediate sale. If he does not follow through on his end he if forfiting the deposit.

sandiapaul · Apr 21, 2018

Agree...but I told him that I would need to know when in May as I am planning vacation. 21 days with no response on when he is coming is a bit much. At this point I made my plans and he will have to work around them(as long as he is still coming!)

I have no intention of selling to someone else since he did give me a deposit. The deposit was substantial too.

Would I be out of line trying to contact him at his place of work? I found that on linkedin.

David J. · Apr 21, 2018

sandiapaul said:
Agree...but I told him that I would need to know when in May as I am planning vacation. 21 days with no response on when he is coming is a bit much. At this point I made my plans and he will have to work around them(as long as he is still coming!)

I have no intention of selling to someone else since he did give me a deposit. The deposit was substantial too.

Would I be out of line trying to contact him at his place of work? I found that on linkedin.

No, you are actually doing him a favor.
David

Lanso · Apr 21, 2018

Be sure to keep plenty of proof of your efforts to contact him.

Marty Feldman · Apr 21, 2018

I can understand why some would advise just going ahead and spending the money, but in my view I would not do that. In the absence of knowing what the story is with him, I'd be inclined to cut him some slack and keep trying to contact him, certainly including the attempt to reach him at work either directly or through a supervisor. As long as there remains the possibility that the guy has come up with a serious illness, or has died or something, I'd treat him as I would want to be treated if I were in his shoes and in rough shape. After the expiration of your "agreement", which I trust is documented, all bets are off.

-Marty-

eKretz · Apr 21, 2018

I agree with Marty. You don't know what could possibly have happened. I also think that since he hasn't replied for so long, you scheduling your vacation is okay, and he will just have to work around it if it impacts his plans. If I were "the guy" in question, I sure wouldn't hold it against you. If he hasn't gotten back to you by May, I would try contacting him through the work information you found. You might find that he's no longer with us, God forbid.

Mark Rand · Apr 21, 2018

Given that he asked you to hold it until May, it's entirely possible that he is completely unavailable until close to then. I certainly had major problems in the mid '80s when expecting a carpet fitter to arrive at my house in the UK for a complete laying of new carpets when I was stuck too long at a power station in South Korea. Had to tell the site manager and my managers back home that they'd be paying any additional costs I incurred as a result.

thermite · Apr 21, 2018

What Mark just said.

The other thing... long years now, MANY folk with obvious and ordinary Day Jobs are also not-so-obviously Military Reservists.

Sometimes, they are called-up and not in a very good situation to sustain communications, back at the ranch. Nor even THINK about it.

I'd not be fussed 'til early half of June, actually.

Mind - no reason to NOT try to contact him and/or get more info. Always possible he's been jailed. Or even buried. Someone at the last-known Day Job might at least hint at the first, and tell you outright about the second.

2CW

hanermo · Apr 21, 2018

I disagree.
Sandiapaul is doing what 90%++ of US sellers are doing.
Given money, they try to do the best for the buyer and assume the best.

He the buyer paid till may .. thus no favour points accumulate till may passes.
Sandiapaul is being nice, honest, correct, as most us people are in sales ime.
The other party might contact him when he is on vacation.
So what ?
They then talk later and settle details.

David J. said:
No, you are actually doing him a favor.
David

Bobw · Apr 21, 2018

Could be worse, I sold a 4th axis and air operated tail stock to a guy here 8 or 9 years ago... Turned
out the shipping was CRAZY, so its still sitting here.. I can't even remember his name its been so long,
just his location, and I haven't seen that particular location pop up in many many years...

I told him "no rush".. But....

I figure at 10 years, I get to sell it again. It wasn't big money.

rons · Apr 21, 2018

sandiapaul said:
I sold a lathe to a member here back in January. The buyer sent a down payment and I agreed I would hold the machine until May when he would come pick it up and pay the balance.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

He might be on vacation, business trip, family emergency, etc. You agreed to hold until May, so wait it out.

Tonytn36 · Apr 21, 2018

Yes, very possible he is on assignment with his company out of the country and unable to check his regular accounts or he may be on active military duty and temporarily stationed in BFE.

StinkyDan · Apr 22, 2018

I dont know if i would contact his employer, depending on what kind of work he does. What if hes buying the machine to compete w his current employer?

Rob F. · Apr 22, 2018

I would just wait until he contacts you at this point. You tried to get a hold of him, he probably knew he would not be able to pick up the machine untill sometime in may and made plans with you accordingly. By the end of May or mid June then start to worry.

Richard King · Apr 22, 2018

I live in MN and can do some checking. private message me his info and I can try to track him down....

Alloy Mcgraw · Apr 22, 2018

A number of things could be the case, yet all of the above is pure speculation....More likely he told you May for a reason, and he is not available until then.

If I voluntarily entered into such a deal, I wouldn't think about it again until May came and went. Only then would I attempt to contact him outside of the contact info he gave you(His place of work, etc).

If the check cleared, and you have the lathe in your possession, I don't see any reason to sweat it.

Advice on problem with machine I "sold" on PM

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