Halcyon Books

Red wrote:

Had an experience with this seller. I purchased a 1972 Hobbit HC for $100 usd. I received confirmation of sale and funds were exchanged. I then received a cancelation of sale. The price was "incorrect." The book was then relisted and resold at what I assume was a price higher than $100 usd. Had hoped the vendor would have honoured the sale, or at least given me the option of buying at the "correct" price. Odd business practice.

That's pretty sad that they didn't give you the chance to buy it at their "corrected" asking price. I would definitely place the blame with the dealer here.

Did you report this to eBay (or whatever site it was)? Pr are you able to leave them feedback? If you didn't see it relisted, it might have sold in a brick and mortar store.

Consumer rights. The price was fixed and agreed. Then they realised their mistake. But that’s their fault! I’m sure you have rights, so look into it. You have proof in emails too.

Huan wrote:

Consumer rights. The price was fixed and agreed. Then they realised their mistake. But that’s their fault! I’m sure you have rights, so look into it. You have proof in emails too.

This depends where one is based, but also where a seller is based when the sale takes place online.

In the UK for instance, a retailer operates under a term known as ' Invitation to Treat'. This means that at any moment without notice, the retailer can refuse to sell, or can refund a sale that has already taken place if the item has not been handed over, or in the case of an online sale, shipped.

Pricing errors are a human error and a seller cannot be compelled to honour the price when it was a genuine error on their part.

I did follow up with AbeBooks to see if I had any options there. They were sympathetic, but not willing to engage the vendor on my behalf.

Red wrote:

I did follow up with AbeBooks to see if I had any options there. They were sympathetic, but not willing to engage the vendor on my behalf.

I had a sale cancelled on Biblio because the Seller wanted to add $20 to the quoted shipping (which was already showing a fairly high amount) due to it coming from the UK to the US. They at least gave me a chance to pay the amount, but it still made me angry.

Luckyshot wrote:

Red wrote:

I did follow up with AbeBooks to see if I had any options there. They were sympathetic, but not willing to engage the vendor on my behalf.

I had a sale cancelled on Biblio because the Seller wanted to add $20 to the quoted shipping (which was already showing a fairly high amount) due to it coming from the UK to the US. They at least gave me a chance to pay the amount, but it still made me angry.

ABE books star rating does factor in cancelled sales. So if a dealer does this fairly regularly it’ll be reflected in that rating.

I feel your pain. I had similarly bought (on ABE), and then had yanked away by the seller, a copy of A Spring Harvest — in dj no less! — presumably because someone else had made him a higher offer directly, and without even being given a chance to make my own counter offer. That for me is still a painful “one that got away”. (If it was snatched away by somebody here, I hope you are happy and I am NOT AT ALL BITTER!…)

Did you receive a confirmation of sale email before they canceled? According to onthetrail, the vendor can simply cancel the sale at any time prior to you taking possession. That sounds like a useful mechanism for vendors of goods with a fluctuating value; they can simply delay shipping, and if the value increases, cite an error and re-sell at an increased price. Seems like shady business practice to me.