Several trade offers, just one knife

B

Ben Kelly

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This may not be the proper place for this, but I have a question with trade offers. I recently posted some knives for trade, and one knife in particular received a lot of responses. Most of the replys didn't fit what I was asking for for trade, but I had two very interested parties that were after the same knife. After corresponding with each of them for a day or two, making sure of the condition and specifications of their knives, and answering questions about mine, both offers were still open. At this point I knew that choosing one offer and rejecting the other would leave one party probably feeling led on and upset. The knife I was trading in this instance was for a wedding present for my best friend, which was going to be a surprise, but I ended up calling him and asking which he would prefer. I accepted the offer for the knife that my friend preferred, but...I want to know how to avoid feeling caught between two offers. Both offers were excellent, and both arrived at similiar times. I wasn't sure that either offer would necessarily pan out, so I kept corresponding to both in hopes of finding a good trade. In this case, I feel that I should have handled things differently, but I'm not sure how I could have. I really enjoy this forum and try to avoid a situation like this one. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks,

Ben Kelly
 
One can avoid leading people on by giving full disclosure from the beginning. Simply letting each party know that you were considering other offers, and that your acceptance thereof was at least partially contingent upon the desires of yet another party, would have helped manage your counterparties' expectations.
 
Sounds like you were trying to find the best trade for your knife and that at no time did you finalize a deal until ya had made up your mind . Just good horse trading to me and no one lost anything once again.You have a right to deal with as many folks as you desire and to make up your mind from all information you have choosen to gather.
 
Jerry,
I think that you are right. I hadn't committed to a trade and then backed out when a better offer came along.

Wulf,
I think that you had a good point also, that maybe stating early on that there are other offers being considered might lower others anticipation. I know how it feels to get pumped for a new knife, and then have things fall apart.

Thanks for the feedback.
Ben Kelly
 
I am in full agreement with Wulf. Ben, you did nothing wrong, but letting the people you are dealing with know what is going on will keep these pangs of guilt from cropping up.
 
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