I don't know if it's "out of line".. but it WAS kinda rude...

Now, if you and the guy had not come to a deal, and he started walkign away, then I'd say guy#2 would have been perfectly within his rights to say "hold on a sec...." and make a deal.
But cutting in to the middle of YOUR deal?  Rude.

Paul F.

You're not nuts, and he was out of line. People like that should be told so too.

USA it was rude, China the normal way to do business. 

Boats

Occasionally a table holder will put someone in his place who tries to butt in by saying " I'm dealing with this gentleman right now, I will talk to you when we are finished" or something to that effect. Its really in the tableholder's best interest to maintain some proper curtesies in dealing because  it cuts both ways, they will be the ones cut out of a deal as often or more often than anyone else. Gun show promoters should also promote the observance of common curtesy. However, it seems like in the last few years, the situation has deteriorated a little bit. Occassionally I do hear someone insist on proper etiquette, but I have also seen people make an offer right while the potential buyer is examining the item in his hands. Very rude and offensive, but becomming more common. Joe S

i have never had a problem like this

I agree with the spirit of the Dave's post, but I don't see the the guy in the original post so mujch as a good samaritan as someone highballing a  low ball offer with slightly higher low ball offer.

I accidently ended the prior post before I was finished, so I will finish in a separate post. In the tool example, the neighbor who was robbing the old lady wasnt dealing with her at the time the other fellow bought the rest of the tools. In the business of buying and selling, its Buyer and Seller beware, buyer has to know what he wants to offer and seller has to know what he wants to get. If either makes a mistake they pay the price. Its a little bit different if you lie to someone for your own benefit. I am not talking about a situation where someone intentionally deceives another person. Some people have a conscience, some dont. I have been collecting one thing or another for about 40 years and some of the people that preach the most about collecting ethics are the ones to watch out for. I know this sounds a little wierd, but if you see someone "taking advantage of someone else" ( which is one way of saying they are getting a good deal), I say let them end the negotiations before you get involved. Do you want to intervene because you want to help the one person or because you want to get in on the deal too? IN my earlier days, I needed the rent money on Monday and got it by selling about $2,000 worth of stuff at a gun show on Sunday for about $600.  At the time, I was happy to get it because I needed it right then. Did the buyer take advantage of me? I dont feel that way. I was happy to find a buyer and dont regret it even to this day. Dont feel too sorry for the seller who sells too cheap, they might know more about the product than you think, and have their own reasons for accepting the price. Sometimes the buyer who makes a good faith offer gets burned because the seller uses that to get five cents more from someone else. I offer what I am willing to pay, if its not enough, I am not offended if the Seller says " no thanks" but I am offended if someone butts in.  Just my 2 cents, fwiw. Joe S