Bartertown.com

Okay, I'm in a quandary. I started negotiations for a trade. I kept great contact with the guy, who was interested in what I posted. At that point, I hadn't looked up his history. So I look up his history and he has BTR's. I'm thinking okay, he'll have to pay/ship first. Not that bad of a deal. We talk for a bit, and then I hear nothing from him at all. Almost two weeks pass by, so I edit the post for the items (as one batch had sold) and also give a more concise listing of what I'm selling/trading off, and also mention that I'm afraid the interested party is about to backout/no contact me - so I'm soliciting interest. Lo and behold, the interested party contacts me today. He was supposed to compile a list of things he could offer when I last talked to him two weeks ago. Sent him a few messages after that, heard nothing. Sent a message Friday that if I hadn't heard from him by yesterday, that I would consider him not interested. And then I hear from him today. He says he doesn't have the two things I'm looking for, but will go over his stuff - which, is kinda what he said two weeks ago. While I was waiting, I had looked him up, and he has a Backout post as recent as April 4th. So I send him a message, glad you're still interested, thought you weren't. Mentioned that I had even changed the price, lowering it and/or what I wanted in trade.

I get a PM from an interested party tonite, clean record.

So, if the new party is seriously interested... and I opt to go with "clean record" over "poor record and poor communication" - does that make me a backout trader on the first guy? I don't want to backout on anyone - but I also don't want to wait another two weeks to even find out what the first guy is willing to trade. I believe in being up front, so am willing to send the appropriate pm to the first guy (who I'm trying to be nice and not name) - and I let the second guy know that I'm waiting on the first guy. But I don't want to lose a legimate trade waiting for a "hopeful" trade, either.

So... I told the second guy I would appeal to the all-knowing at BT and get some opinions. Anyone wanna take a shot?

The first guy drug his feet for 2 weeks and you've made no commitment to him.

It would not be unreasonable for you to PM him a "nevermind" message after making an agreement with the second party.
If it was me, I'd explain to the 2nd party that someone had been in contact with me first and, while we have no deals yet, I've been discussing things with him and would like to do the right thing & give him a chance at the items. I'd ask him for 48 hours.

Then, I'd PM the first guy and tell him I've got someone else who's interested. He has right of first refusal, but only for 24 hours. I'd say that, as it's been 2+ weeks already, I feel that to be a reasonable amount of time to give him to provide me the promised list.

I'd handle the deal based on whether or not the first guy got me the list in 24 hours. If he doesn't get your PM in time to get you the list in your time frame... Oh, well. Ya snooze, ya lose.


Eric

If it went down as described you never got past negotiations.
No deal was made or agreed to- right?

If that is the case, offer a ''thanks for your interest'' and move on to the legit trader.

Edit: Refer to what MM said, he beat me to the punch