FYI readers, since this has not been brought up to date on this thread … The “GoFundMe”, created about 4 days ago on Feb. 19th, has had 4 donations for a total of $150, out of a goal of $6,000, assuming I am seeing the latest information. Last donation was the day after it opened. (No link to it in this post, just the update info. )
Not an attorney, this is just imo …
Seller
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Seller’s remorse can be as real as buyer’s remorse, and the reasons for it don’t really matter. I do understand that especially given too much time to dwell on the sale before what was sold was finally gone from their sight. But like buyer’s remorse, it is too late, unless you NEGOTIATE an agreement with the buyer to void the contract. Some decisions are harder to undo than they were to do.
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You have not disagreed with the Buyer’s basic chain of events, aside from all the feelings and opinions. The time to vet your buyer is BEFORE the sale. No matter what your opinion of the buyer is now, why wasn’t all that just as important before you signed the contract and accepted the sale? This is accountability on your part.
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Time to let the pony go OR NEGOTIATE your way out. You listed the pony for sale, you were inviting just such a discussion from anyone who expressed an interest. You signed, took money and sold. It’s done.
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Being ‘talked into it’ doesn’t work as an excuse for voiding the sale. I think it’s going to be hard to prove you were told lies - sounds to me like different perspectives on the same set of circumstances. You don’t really want to leave it up to the court to figure out.
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If you really did send the buyer taunting messages about voiding the sale, if the law officer really did consider you to be intoxicated when the pony was to be picked up, you are not behaving in a way that puts the pony first. Those facts will stay with this drama as it goes forward - if it goes forward.
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Anticipate the impact of your behavior & decisions before you act! That’s the only way forward for you, whatever outcome you pursue.
Buyer
- I supported you on the initial presentation of the facts, and even the seller has not contradicted those. BUT – IMO, you are making two gigantic mistakes that are so very much not worth the potential negative consequences.
a) Believing you know what a judge will do in a court case, rightly or wrongly. It could be incredibly costly to you - rightly OR wrongly! Stay out of court as much as possible in your life for that reason.
b) Taking it to Social Media. This is potentially a bigger mistake than #1. #1 may have been justified. #2 - what on earth where you thinking? You could make the decision on #1 without a convention-hall crowd of strangers chipping in.
You do realize that several thousand people read this thread now, more in the future? People you know, people who know of you, and others of course. The vast majority do NOT post, so count the individual posters and multiply by a factor of 5, maybe 10.
Re SM - If you could just talk to the most knowledgeable and sanest of the social media participants, on or off COTH, yes, they can help anyone immensely.
But you KNOW that PUBLIC threads like this get broad exposure and attract all kinds of funsters and negative nellies. These issues in public take on a life of their own that the originator cannot control. And they almost inevitably turn on the OP, if they go on long enough. All names are outed, reputations can potentially be damaged. And you have no power to remove whatever happens from public view.
You might have been ok to carry on with the court case … but understand that if you do so NOW, assume that everything will be picked over and criticized online, whether you contribute or not. SM has the power to turn right into wrong and vice versa - to a broad public, including everyone who passes this on even further through barn gossip.
Buyer, imo you should re-consider your position as of right now, post-social-media-storm - which will get only worse so long as more episodes are fed into it - and potential reputation impact. Rightly or wrongly.
Right now - What is your common sense move in your own long-term best interests?
Right now - What is the best outcome for you if you pursue the court case? Does it outweigh the potential downside? Both monetarily and in terms of chaff on social media? Keeping in mind that you will be on the seller’s turf.
In your shoes, if I could still get the refund and walk away from this, I would do it in the next hour, post that information in this thread with no other comment, and ask the mods to close this thread. In your career shoes I would recognize that, as someone who works with the public, social media may be the biggest issue. Not the pony, not the court case, not even the money.
You have no control over what you set in motion re social media. Best to turn it off now - just imo.
[QUOTE=ssslll;8540857]
If anyone would like to know why I have voided the sale of my sweet pony from this lady. Feel free to email me. I will send you all of my screen shots of reasons why I would never let my pony go to Kris Jenings and her Mother Donna Bolk who she says is her so called client. Infact just Google her name and you can see for yourself why. My email address is sarahlynnhall93@gmail.com[/QUOTE]
I searched. Saw some random chaff. I didn’t find anything unfavorable about any of the names that have been referenced to the Buyers in this thread. You, seller, I haven’t yet searched.
Maybe I didn’t find what is out there. To bolster your social media case, you need to provide the links. Otherwise you may not be helping yourself that much by engaging in the social media end.
[QUOTE=Kwill;8541549][B]I said all along to let it go – and at this point, no one seems to be lily white in this drama, but that’s typical of life, it’s messy.
Seller, I think you have to give them the pony if they don’t accept the refund, you signed the contract. The legal mess is probably not worth it. Next time, vet your buyers. Who sells a beloved horse to a sight unseen buyer 3 states away that doesn’t even come to try?[/B]
[B]Buyer, ethically you should let this go. Seller doesn’t want you to have the pony and you could respect that and take your money back and move on. Whether or not she’s right about holding on to the pony, you could be a nice person and let her keep it, take your money back, and find another pony. However, in point of fact, you are in the right here since a contract was signed and the money was paid.
Sad story about a transaction gone bad. Sellers, you have the ability to control a sale, slow it down if you are unsure. Same with buyers.[/B][/QUOTE]
*** exactly - well said! ***
I don’t expect human beings to be ‘lily-white’ in a drama becoming more complex all the time. But, both sides need to own up to their mistakes to themselves, if not in public. Both sides need to put the emotion and power struggle aside. Each should take the common sense course that is in their own best interests. Assuming the pony has a good home either way.
[QUOTE=Alagirl;8540898]Doing a wine run.
Anybody need anything from the store?
Beer, popcorn?
:lol::lol::lol::lol:[/QUOTE]
Large economy size margarita mix, please. Here’s some money, get something for yourself, too. :winkgrin: