What Would You Do? (Need Advice Here)

Scottie15

Senior Member
Long story short, I submitted a deposit for an expensive kit, with the idea that the kit would allegedly arrive within the next 2 months (there was ambiguity behind shipping times from the manufacturer due to the pandemic). The dealer has been great to work with.

In the meantime, I got an offer (with an opportunity to counteroffer) for the same kit, but different color, at nearly $500 cheaper (not including tax). I’m assuming if tax was included, there would be about $180 in savings pending any additional negotiations.

My question: is it unethical to try to negotiate the best price from the first vendor based on the offer I just received despite the fact that I’ve already confirmed an order with the first person (and submitted a deposit but haven’t paid the remaining balance)?
 
Well I'm not going to say if it's unethical or not... but i think the question is if you want to jeopardize the relationship you have with the first dealer?
$180 sounds a lot, but if you paid 2500 (for example) personally i wouldn't think it's worth the effort to safe a few bucks on that amount anyway.
Besides that you could lose some money if you cancel the order (don't know if there is a cancellation fee, but sometimes there is).
 
Go with your original purchase, you stand to lose more than gain. as ICe stated.
I would still call them and ask if they are giving any type of discount due to this covid , never hurts to ask. I did when I ordered my new Yamaha SC and they said sure no problem and got $ 150.00 discount
 
Do you value your relationship with the "dealer that has been great to work with"?
Will you be buying sticks, heads, and accessories from this dealer?
Is it worth destroying your relationship with this dealer for $180?
Are a man of your word, or do you flip-flop for $180?
Have you considered talking to this dealer about this development?

I’ve had clients bail on me for a $50 savings on a $5000 job and that was all I needed to know about them.
 
If you've already placed a deposit on a kit and settled on a price, stick with the original agreement, even if it costs you a bit more. The time for negotiation is before a deposit has been made, not after. Never look back on a deal. Pay the price and move on. Consider it a learning experience.

100% this.

Kind of past all the deal searching etc. - but I understand that $500 is no joke to any of us.
 
Thank you everybody for the sound advice. This why I love this forum, understanding situations from different perspectives and creating learning experiences.

Just as a heads up, I've never had any relationship with the dealer prior to my initial outreach. He was just the only one at the time (early April) who happened to have the kit already on order, so I went with him. He isn't local (all of our local shops no longer exist), however, he has been responsive albeit a bit ambiguous with the delivery times due to COVID-19 and the manufacturer working in a limited capacity.

There really wasn't much negotiation on price at the time, because he was going to have the kit in stock (everyone else had exponential wait times) and he still cheaper than the rest of the options OTD. So far, I've only put in a $1,000 deposit to old the kit when it arrives at his shop, before shipping it out here.

Still, I am a salesperson myself (software, so slightly different), and have been in many situations where I've tried to view situations from the buyer and seller's perspective.
 
Five-hundred bucks is definitely no joke, which is why it's important to search the market thoroughly before making a deposit in the first place. :) Live and learn, however. Sometimes, losing money is the only way to recognize the value of money.

The most recent offer didn't come in until this week. They just got the kit in stock, nearly 3 months after I reached out to the initial dealer. Now, if I had the kit in hand, or if the kit was currently being shipped to me, I wouldn't bother thinking twice. However, the ambiguity behind the actual ship date (was supposed to be June originally) and the fact that I still have another month before the kit is supposedly supposed to arrive had me thinking a bit. Up until yesterday, I had my mind set and everything was in place, albeit a few loose ends on the delivery date (very fluid).

Then out of nowhere I see the same kit on an online marketplace (that also has an actual storefront) and they provide an offer that is $500 cheaper. Part of me is thinking that $500 isn't just chump change and that I should let the original dealer know about this, and other part of me is thinking "I know it's tough to ignore, but try to ignore it and just carry on as usual".
 
Has it been longer than two months for the first deal?


Yes, however, the deposit wasn't placed until later in April. A delivery estimate to the dealer was June, at which point it would then need to be shipped here. Fast-forward to this week, and I get an offer for the same kit for a few hundred less, with a potential opportunity to counter-offer.

The reason I started this thread was to understand, from other musicians who may have been in the same situation, how they would deal with it.

The original dealer did not charge tax, only shipping. This newer offer, although cheaper by nearly $500, would most likely charge tax, which would be about $300.
 
The most recent offer didn't come in until this week. They just got the kit in stock, nearly 3 months after I reached out to the initial dealer. Now, if I had the kit in hand, or if the kit was currently being shipped to me, I wouldn't bother thinking twice. However, the ambiguity behind the actual ship date (was supposed to be June originally) and the fact that I still have another month before the kit is supposedly supposed to arrive had me thinking a bit. Up until yesterday, I had my mind set and everything was in place, albeit a few loose ends on the delivery date (very fluid).

Then out of nowhere I see the same kit on an online marketplace (that also has an actual storefront) and they provide an offer that is $500 cheaper. Part of me is thinking that $500 isn't just chump change and that I should let the original dealer know about this, and other part of me is thinking "I know it's tough to ignore, but try to ignore it and just carry on as usual".

I can certainly see how you're torn. I'm not underestimating the implications of your dilemma. Only you can choose how to proceed. I sense that you're leaning toward attempting to terminate the original agreement. If you can do it without violating a formal contract, the ethical implications are yours to synthesize. I can't absolve you of internal conflict. My norm is to adhere to agreements once I've made them, unless the other party has violated a critical clause of some sort. If aspects of the first deal, owing to its ambiguity, are troubling you, perhaps a discussion with the manufacturer is in order.

Vital item: Are you certain your deposit is fully refundable? If it isn't, case closed.
 
I can certainly see how you're torn. I'm not underestimating the implications of your dilemma. Only you can choose how to proceed. I sense that you're leaning toward attempting to terminate the original agreement. If you can do it without violating a formal contract, the ethical implications are yours to synthesize. I can't absolve you of internal conflict. My norm is to adhere to agreements once I've made them, unless the other party has violated a critical clause of some sort. If aspects of the first deal, owing to its ambiguity, are troubling you, perhaps a discussion with the manufacturer is in order.

Vital item: Are you certain your deposit is fully refundable? If it isn't, case closed.


Nothing is troubling about the original deal, as I completely understood the reasoning behind the ambiguity on delivery date. In fact, even with this new offer, I was still leaning towards adhering to my agreement with the initial dealer, primarily due to the fact that the dealer was great to work with, and the kit is in the actual finish and color I want. That being said, part of me was still thinking about the savings, and how that money could go to other pieces of hardware needed for the kit (clamps, stands, etc.)

Not sure if the deposit is refundable. I didn't even bother to ask since I had my mind set. Another reason why the interest of good faith is pushing me to stand pat.
 
Scottie15. Stay with the original dealer and deal. From what you have been saying, he sounds like a good person to work with. Down the road, who knows it might pay off big? I would not backout now, but that's just me. Good luck.
 
Nothing is troubling about the original deal, as I completely understood the reasoning behind the ambiguity on delivery date. In fact, even with this new offer, I was still leaning towards adhering to my agreement with the initial dealer, primarily due to the fact that the dealer was great to work with, and the kit is in the actual finish and color I want. That being said, part of me was still thinking about the savings, and how that money could go to other pieces of hardware needed for the kit (clamps, stands, etc.)

Not sure if the deposit is refundable. I didn't even bother to ask since I had my mind set. Another reason why the interest of good faith is pushing me to stand pat.

You might try contacting the first dealer for an update, mentioning that the wait is dragging on, that you need the new kit soon, and that, though you'd rather not explore them, other options exist. Maybe you'll land a discount for your patience. You know how the sales game works. :)

The status of your deposit is paramount. If you can't get it back, sitting tight is the best route. Again, talk to the first dealer and see what comes of it.
 
will using the kit make you $500 dollars? If so, then you have not really lost any money technically. If it is just for personal enjoyment in the basement, then the dillema stays the same...
 
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