I’d like to take a moment and complain. Why? Because I’m good at it and because I just need to get something off my chest.
I posted an ad on a parenting message board for spare tickets I had for the San Diego County Fair. I got stuck with these tickets when two of my daughter’s friends didn’t follow-through on their commitment to purchase. Selling Fair Tickets should be easy, don’t you think? I let it be known in the ad the price I was seeking for the unlimited fair admission and offered up the two tickets to the members. By noon, I had someone tell me they wanted the tickets and to call or text them. I sent a text to the lucky “winner,” and told her that I would be calling within the hour. I called her and then waited 4 hours for her to call me back. During this time I had another inquiry for the tickets that I passed up.
The “winner” called me at 4 o’clock. I’ll call her M. M said that yes she still wanted the tickets but was wondering if I would take less for the tickets. I said no. She asked me if I was aware that another person was selling hers for less on the message board. I responded that yes, I was aware; however, it was that seller’s choice to sell the tickets at that price and that they were only single day tickets and not multiple use tickets. She replied, “Well, I’m only going to the Fair once so you should give me a discount.” I told her that I had advertised that they were the multiple use tickets and if she didn’t need multiple use then she shouldn’t have responded. She went on further trying to get me to come down in my price by saying that I “only” had 2 tickets and that she really needed 4 so it would be a real inconvenience for her to find 2 more tickets for the rest of her family. I told her that I had also advertised the fact that there were only 2 tickets and that if this was such an inconvenience, why did she respond? She also told me that I was asking for full price wherein I replied, “No, the multiple use tickets are $22 and I’m selling mine for $13. Good for me for doing my homework!
She then became concerned that I was going to be “stuck” with the tickets and that for a reduced price, she could take them off my hands. I told her that I was not going to give them away to a stranger and that I would rather give them to my friends. Or I could use them for a contest I didn’t know I was having.
When I would not go down in price, she said she would have to talk to her husband and get back with me.
For $26. Yes, she had to ask her husband.
Meanwhile, after waiting another 40 minutes for M to get back with me about the outrageous $26 price, I called the second interested party who said she was still interested in buying the tickets. She only needed two tickets and would pay full price. Chaching!
I emailed M to let her know that I decided to go with the 2nd buyer. Now, my assumption is that money is so tight that she cannot afford the full price. Silly me! Here’s her response with all the typos fixed: “That sounds okay, Cathie. Sorry about the delay. My son was about to be picked up but my nanny messed up so I had to do the pick-up.” No wonder she can’t afford San Diego Fair tickets — with the nanny’s salary, her family must just be making ends meet.
Bloggoneit's Blog 
Oh that would lead me to want to write a blog post too! Geesh. I think there is something to be said for all the deal sites that are out there – it has everyone thinking they can pay less for EVERYTHING! Holy mackeral – people sometimes can’t get through the day without doing their due diligence bargain hunt ; )
I’m okay with a person seeking a deal but it was the fact that she kept me waiting all day long, then I had to wait even longer for her husband to approve. At one point I realized that I was giving her far too much courtesy and to go onto the next person. As a follow-up for the second lady, she called the next day around noon wanting the tickets. She apologized for not getting back to me but said that the evening got away from her and that she had to work when she wasn’t expecting to. I felt badly about the situation but told her that when I didn’t hear from her I thought she was no longer interested and sold them to a woman who e-mailed me at 9 a.m. and by 10:30 a.m. picked them up. Now that is follow-through!