ULPT Request: I want to sell something I already sold

Posted by ChefDJH@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 47 comments

About six months ago I sold a large patio table because I needed some spare cash. People paid for it and never collected. They hadn't even seen the table in-person. They wanted to reserve it before I sold it to someone else, and asked of they could pay a deposit. I said I am not comfortable holding it, so if they want it they must pay in full. They did, and said they would arrange collection because they lived 80km away.

A couple of weeks went by and no collection. I reached out again, and they said they would still arrange but were just a bit snowed under with other things. Again, no collection. A month later I reached out and they said they will come in the following week, but never did. I eventually lost contact. I cleared my whatsapps and FB messenger chats and no longer knew who it was that purchased the table. I thought perhaps they would reach out when ready and they never did.

I need cash again. I placed the table up on FB Marketplace and have a few interested buyers. I got a whatsapp from the first, original buyer saying they completely forgot, asking if they can come and collect this week. I need the money. What could I do?

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Chris-TT@reddit

I sold something for £12,500 ($17,000) three years ago and they still haven't collected it, I last had contact with them about six months ago. Crazy this sort of thing even happens really, but here we are.

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Jumpy-Jello-@reddit

What was it?

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Chris-TT@reddit

I own several leisure businesses, someone bought high grade replica combat guns from me (its a bit like laser tag but with full feedback when you shoot, and a belt that gives you a high intensity electric shock if you are hit, new the kit cost me about £100k) They have paid for it, and just never collected.

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sexual_toast@reddit

Honestly that sounds super cool and I'd love to hear more about whatever pain laser tag is cause I so want to play that

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Chris-TT@reddit

Sure. I’ve been involved in family entertainment centres across the UK since leaving uni, including Laser Tag, and managed one while I was at college/uni. The product I’m talking about here is iCOMBAT. Honestly, it’s a really cool concept and great fun, look it up.

That said, it comes with its challenges. Maintenance can be a pain, and the margins are tighter than you’d expect, mainly because of the CO₂ costs and fewer birthday party bookings compared to traditional laser tag. I ended up stepping away from this system because, while it was still profitable, it needed more time and effort than I could justify, so decided to sell the kit.

Looking back, it’s a bit frustrating. The time it’s been sitting in storage waiting for this guy to pick it up, it could have generated around £200k in turnover just running it how I did, more if someone really dedicated themselves to it. Just one of those things where time and other projects got in the way.

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hitlerswetdream69@reddit

Sexual services,

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Boobslappy@reddit

“Leisure”

Freyjas_child@reddit

Tell them they can come and collect it as soon as they pay the “storage fee”. Which is substantial since it is a large patio table.

Antlerbot@reddit

ULPT: just sell it again. What are they gonna do, take you to court?

SoyboyCowboy@reddit

How did they pre-pay you? You may have fallen for a scam.

Giraffensindcool@reddit

How is it a scam if op has the money and the sold good?

It depends on how OP got paid. The fact that the supposed buyer never came to pick up suggests that they paid via Zelle or similar. There is a common Zelle scam that works like this:

Scammer Sal sends me a $500 Zelle payment using fraudulent info, money from another person's (Steve's) bank account. I receive $500 and think I got paid, woohoo. Something comes up and Scammer Sal says "Return the $500 please. [Insert scenario here]" So I send back the Zelle payment with $500 from my own bank account. Meanwhile Steve's bank is conducting a fraud investigation and finds that $500 of the missing money is sitting in my account, so they reverse it. I'm out the $500 that Scammer Sal sent me, and the $500 of my own money that I thought I was refunding to Scammer Sal.

lilcummyboi@reddit

Why would you ever just refund the money just because someone asked though? People deserve this shit if they're that gullible.

Key-Algae-9245@reddit

If it was me, I’d tell them this is the last chance to pick it up. If they don’t come this time it’s gone along with their money. Karma will pay you back ten fold.

Jman15x@reddit

Absolutely this

Excellent_Wonder_578@reddit

Just resell the table and offer their money back. They will get their money back in cash because you're worried about digital scams. Let me know when you want to come over and get your money back.

No-Spoilers@reddit

He doesn't know who they are anymore unless they message him

Read post again

ze11ez@reddit

I think this is the middle ground for the OP situation

Glitchy-9@reddit

“I sent you a message that I was leaving it out for your pick up as I moved and wasn’t able to hold it any longer. Assumed it was you that took it when it was gone”

5pens@reddit

Then how do they have it again to sell?

BigSisLil@reddit

He had 2

gl0ssyy@reddit

XoticVet@reddit

Genius!

panic_bread@reddit

They abandoned the item. They didn’t pay you to store it indefinitely. Go ahead and sell it again.

Forward-Surprise1192@reddit

Be prepared for them to decide they are ready to pick it up immediately after the table is no longer in your possession. It’s coincidence sure but it happens a lot that way. You could always check your transaction history in the payment platform and send the money back. I’m 99% sure you would find their info in it.

redditreader_aitafan@reddit

You sure it's the original buyer?

TradingDreams@reddit

Unethically? List other nice things you don’t own and demand advance deposits until Zelle cuts you off and play Bad Boys loudly any time there is a knock on your door.

posterum@reddit

This should be up there.

writinglegit2@reddit

Jameesh, iw, naw con meesh naw nomna nah noiiiiice!!!

zamfire@reddit

The ai bots are starting to break

5w4gm4xx1ng@reddit

they abandoned the table.. they paid for the table, not storage as another commenter said. the real unethical pro tip wouldve been to block them so they wouldnt have seen your repost in the first place but i guess i'd just say sorry mate but i did all i could to arrange your collecting and you never did after x months so i considered it abandoned and forfeited. no refunds. then move on

ChefDJH@reddit (OP)

I couldn't block them because I couldn't remember who it was after all this time, and had cleared all messages.

RedactsAttract@reddit

Why tf would you clear all messages if you’re a buyer/seller?

increddibelly@reddit

Because selling is irrelevant at the time someone is going through their messages in a fit of cleaning up, thinking who the fok are you, and removing them.

How in the HELL could it be irrelevant when the only time it’s relevant to keep messages is if you’ll need them later, which occurs in the case of buying and reselling ??

it wasn't smart to not screenshot all those messages/attempts at scheduling pickup with timestamps etc tho so, idk you've also played a bad hand here