Trying to scam me?

So we are selling our soft side pool to replace it wil a metal wall pool. It's in great shape. Comes with everything but the ladder. We have to have it for the new one.
So I've emailed back and forth with this lady and actully took $25 off the price for her since she had kids who really want it.
Her and her husband and kids came by tonight and put a deposit on it. Right after she left, I went and put a deposit (non refundable) on our new one.

I just got this email from her

hi its ________. we have alittle problem i didnt tell my boyfriend that urs didnt come w/ a ladder and i thought ours would work, so ive been on the phone and looking online for a ladder and we can only find them on ebay for 75.00 to 150.00 so i was wondering if you can give us a break of 50.00 bucks so we can buy one. please...hes really mad and he said if he would have known he wouldve went for it.please let me know asap so we can buy us a new ladder....thankyou __________


I emailed her back with:

Ouch.... I don't think I can. My husband would be very upset because the agreement was if we bought this new one we had to sell this for for no less then $X. I can't refund the money either because I already paid the $X to my friend I bought the new from. He came by about 20 mins after you left and I still owe him more money.

If you look on craigslist you can find them rather cheap



I wrote her a reciept saying she paid a deposit.... I almost feel like they're trying to get something for nothing outta me...

Even my ad on craigslist says no ladder


We decided to get a metal side pool.
This is an easy set up with metal poles. Not metal sides.
Comes with everything but a ladder. (We're keeping it for the new pool)
I want it out of here ASAP so we can have room to set up the new one.
To buy it new is over $350.00. It even has a cover to it and the tarp for undeneath. It only took us 45 mins to set it up and start filling it.
This is a stock photo.

Your description pretty much says it all. I wouldn't worry with her unless someone else decides to put a payment on it. Maybe then you can tell her Ok. She might just be bluffing anyway... Good luck!

It sounds like she knew the ladder wasn't included, but she's playing it off as she didn't so that she can get a better deal. I wouldn't budge on your price if I were you. If she doesn't want to continue with the deal, then she can loose her deposit and look elsewhere.

The ad is very clear that there is no ladder. Why should her stupidity become your problem? If she was that worried about a ladder, she should have looked for one first, not tried to get you to cut your price.

Ugh thats why I don't like selling to the general public anymore. I had too many people like that on eBay.

Anyhoo, yes to me it sounds like she's trying to scam you. If she weren't she would be asking for her deposit back rather than asking for a deeper discount. She's also trying to take advantage of the fact that you said in your ad "We need it out ASAP".

Did you tell the person also that her deposit isn't refundable? She may get a little angry on that. FYI.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

Ugh thats why I don't like selling to the general public anymore. I had too many people like that on eBay.

Anyhoo, yes to me it sounds like she's trying to scam you. If she weren't she would be asking for her deposit back rather than asking for a deeper discount. She's also trying to take advantage of the fact that you said in your ad "We need it out ASAP".

Did you tell the person also that her deposit isn't refundable? She may get a little angry on that. FYI.

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I told her that when I handed her the reciept. She said "Don't worry, we'll be back tomorrow "

I don't know if they are trying to scam you, they may be just trying for a discount.
On the other hand if they can't afford the $50.00 they really should not be buying the pool in the first place!
On the other hand, people who try to nickel and dime are usually a pain in the A##. In my experience, they will call for this and complain about that....
On the other, other hand, maybe just knock off the 50 and get it and them out of there!!

Originally Posted by JuJubee

I don't know if they are trying to scam you, they may be just trying for a discount.
On the other hand if they can't afford the $50.00 they really should not be buying the pool in the first place!
On the other hand, people who try to nickel and dime are usually a pain in the A##. In my experience, they will call for this and complain about that....
On the other, other hand, maybe just knock off the 50 and get it and them out of there!!

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You have 3 hands!?

I'd be careful with these people- they sound like they are trying to get something for nothing!

Originally Posted by babyharley

You have 3 hands!?

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Sounds to me like she wants something for nothing.
She read the ad or she wouldn't have come to look at the pool and the ad is very clear that the ladder DOES NOT come with the pool.

If it were me I'd tell her that the $25 discount you already gave her is the best you can do.
I'd probably go as far as telling a little white lie and say that if she doesn't want it at the price you agreed on that you have someone else interested and they're willing to pay the original price WITHOUT the $25 discount.
Chances are they'll come and pick up the pool within the hour.

Some people will try anything to get something for much less than it's worth.

You have 3 hands!?

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What, don't you?!?

Originally Posted by JuJubee

What, don't you?!?

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Let me check...

Nope!

I will admit though that when first reading the ad I skipped the line that said "Comes with everything but the ladder". I personally often skip lines when I'm reading on the computer.

However from your post I'm taking it that this has been repeated several times between you and the woman as that's why you took $25 off in the first place (since her kids really wanted it).

If you're selling it at a competitive price minus the ladder then this lady is just trying to get a bargain (I would really define a scam she's asking for much more taken off). There are people up here that bargain all the time, especially at garage sales. They annoy me as they even try to bargain 5 cents on an item that's 25 cents

That sort of thing happens all the time, people just don't read ads properly.
Sounds a bit like she can't afford it and if thats the case then she shouldn't have even inquired about it.

I wouldn't change the price any.

You were very clear in the ad, so it is her issue, not yours!