Moral Dilemma

[GreenGiant 287]

So, here's the scenario:

Customer 1; Mr & Mrs A

Customer 2: Mr & Mrs B

Car: Nearly-new. low mileage, high-spec sporty number

Mrs A sees the car in our showroom. Says all the usual things..."it's lovely, I'd like that, will be back for a test drive etc.

Comes back 3 days later, has test drive and says must talk to husband, he's away on business etc. I tell her that it is on sale until it's sold and if someone comes in with the money, I'm selling it.

Comes in 2 days later with Mr A & has another test drive. Tells us they're very keen, but there's a mark on the interior trim that's putting them off. I say, we'll work on the trim and call when we're happy.

Next day, Saturday, I call Mrs A (husband away again) to say that the mark is 80% gone. She says that should be OK but will check with Mr A and has to speak to insurance co as previous car was write-off and need to confirm premium and detail change etc. I say we'll take the advert offline whilst she sorts it out, but we need her to come in and sign the order etc. Mrs A says she'll be in 'either tomorrow or Monday'

Next day, Mr & Mrs B roll in, see the car, love the car, want the car. Part exchange valuation agreed and balance paid in full. Nice deal, full up, retailable P/x. Happy days.

Today, I call Mrs A to give bad news...... Pompeii-style eruption ensues. We 'promised' her the car, we knew she wanted it, it's 'her' car, why didn't we contact her when someone else was looking at it? (wasn't possible - was in hospital with sick mother yesterday and the Sunday guy didn't have Mrs A's details)

 

What should we do/what would you do?

[sparky 274]

If it was me, no doubt about it, Mr and Mrs B would still be the proud owners of a shiny new car.

 

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to leave the car advertised online.

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

The car is only sold when money changes hands. Mr & Mrs A have had 3 chances to leave a deposit. Money talks and it sounds like Mr & Mrs A could find every excuse not to part with their deposit. The reason the have erupted is because they thought they were in control only to find out you were.

[jimreidvehicle 255]

We have had similar situations happen to us in the past, so we only ever set a car to one side for the customer on receipt of a £250 deposit.

 

Even if Mrs A turned up with the deposit in hand and Mr & Mrs B was out test driving the car, it would be Mr & Mrs B's call, as Mrs A had her chance! Only place you have gone wrong is by saying that you would set the car to one side and remove it from the online adverts, to Mrs A that sounded like the conclusion of a deal!

[James Baggott 227]

I'm with Sparky. I think if you take the car off the website that says to the customer that you're holding it for them. It certainly would suggest that to me.

 

If that hasn't happened and couple B walked in and bought the car then couple A knew they should have put a deposit down on it. 

 

Not an easy one to deal with now... unless you can 'source' them a similar car at a better deal. Win them over.

[GreenGiant 287]

We have had similar situations happen to us in the past, so we only ever set a car to one side for the customer on receipt of a £250 deposit.

 

Even if Mrs A turned up with the deposit in hand and Mr & Mrs B was out test driving the car, it would be Mr & Mrs B's call, as Mrs A had her chance! Only place you have gone wrong is by saying that you would set the car to one side and remove it from the online adverts, to Mrs A that sounded like the conclusion of a deal!

I appreciate your thoughts. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place at the mo. As far as we're concerned, as sympathetic as we are to A, B have put the money down and signed the order.

 

We all know there's a hell of a jump between 'i want it' and 'here's my card details' and one does not automatically lead to the other.

I did say we would remove the ad from AutoTrader, but the car was still on display with no deposit and no signed order. I wasn't available yesterday and the salesman did his job.

Incidentally, this £250 deposit you take to hold the car - is that refundable?

[LawJaw 50]

Mr and Mrs B rightly got the car. You’re in business and you’ve sold it...well done!

[jimreidvehicle 255]

We always tell the customer that the £250 is NON refundable, based on the fact that we will remove it from classified online advertising and start re-conditioning on it , although you get the odd rumble of complaint most agree that this is fair!

 

Jim

I appreciate your thoughts. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place at the mo. As far as we're concerned, as sympathetic as we are to A, B have put the money down and signed the order.

 

We all know there's a hell of a jump between 'i want it' and 'here's my card details' and one does not automatically lead to the other.

I did say we would remove the ad from AutoTrader, but the car was still on display with no deposit and no signed order. I wasn't available yesterday and the salesman did his job.

Incidentally, this £250 deposit you take to hold the car - is that refundable?

[used car seller 8]

thing is, if you had told mrs a that you can only hold it with a deposit she might have thought you were trying to corner her ! you cant win in this game ! from what i read mrs a had ample oppurtunity to " get a quote for insurance " and coming in 'either tomorrow or Monday' is not a firm confirmation on her side neither, youve done zero wrong ! have a little bet with you, bet you a tenner if you phoned her back up and told her the other clients backed out then you still wouldnt get a sale from her, there will be a reason and its probably her husband saying you know we cant afford it !

trouser the money and carry on

and regarding deposits, i remind customers that YES  there deposit is fully refundable BUT  i am entitled to compensation because they have broken the agreement for buying the goods, this compensation could come out of there deposit money because i have spent money based on there order [ cancelled adverts, mots, taxed, storage list can easy cover deposit ]

[Tom 164]

First person to put the money down wins on my forecourt. The end. 

[umesh 336]

1st person with the money wins every time!  Its happened so many times and will continue to do so.. I've had the same when they say they want it but don't want to leave a deposit ..I always say the car is still for sale until someone puts a deposit on it .

Had one a few years ago who said can you ring me IF someone is very interested .. I said How can I ? If I have a customer in front of me wanting to buy the car - I cant say to him - Hold on I just need to make a call - can I?

if YOU want it enough you should buy it and not wait until someone else shows interest , to say I sold it to another customer the next morning , so I rang the 1st man and told him I'd sold it ! you can image all the names he called me !! I said if you really wanted it WHY did you not put a deposit on it.

I also explain the £250 deposit is non refundable should they decide not to proceed !

strange we all say £250 deposit .  the Higher the deposit less chance to cancel ... with some I get full payment when they sign the order ! #EveryLittleHelps

[c_cars 56]

As a side note to this, what are everyones views on holding deposits subject to viewing?

 

I know quite a few dealers who take a car off sale with a refundable £100 until the customer gets there to view, sometimes often days later.. possibly missing other opportunities in the meantime only for customer A to say 'sorry its not for me, Id like my deposit back' therefore loosing two sales?

[Andy Entwistle 96]

I'd get on the trade wires and find another identical car, you have a ready made sale !

[jimreidvehicle 255]

Chris great question, the only time we ever do that is if the customer is traveling a bit of distance and only 24 hours before and it has to be £250

As a side note to this, what are everyones views on holding deposits subject to viewing?

 

I know quite a few dealers who take a car off sale with a refundable £100 until the customer gets there to view, sometimes often days later.. possibly missing other opportunities in the meantime only for customer A to say 'sorry its not for me, Id like my deposit back' therefore loosing two sales?

[LawJaw 50]

I'd get on the trade wires and find another identical car, you have a ready made sale !

We do not sell cars and probably do not understand the difficulties in finding an identical car... but this makes good business sense!

 

2 x Sales + Issue Sorted = RESULT

[GreenGiant 287]

Thanks all for the opinions.

Mrs A still pi**ed off, but I have promised to try and find a similar (or better) equivalent. trouble is, the one she wanted had a ton of extras that I haven't seen on any other car.

Mr & Mrs B, however, over the moon and we have two nice px's to sell.

I agree with pretty much everything you say, although we employ a couple of slightly different tactics especially with regard to 'holding deposits'

We never, never just hold a vehicle whilst someone makes their mind up. As Chris said, why leave ourselves open to the possibility of losing a sale twice? If, however, someone is travelling a fair distance to see a car, I will take it off sale for them, if they ring when they are leaving, until they arrive.

Deposits are £500 minimum - creates obligation and stops them shopping around after agreeing to buy ours. If they ask if deposits are refundable, it is obvious that they are not obligated and therefore more needs to be done to get over the line.