The Case of the Mysterious Clark Forklift

Some weeks ago our fearless leader (Travis) was seeking input in a thread he started about a Clark forklift.
He was wondering what we thought it was worth.  He advertised it on Craigslist under Dallas but with his Temple/Killeen phone number. The cList ad is now gone.

Below is the link to the original heavy equipment thread where he asked for our views about the clark. I thought it had been deleted, but here it is.

http://storageauctionforums.com/vehicles-at-storage-auctions/heavy-equipment/msg29348/#msg29348

Below is the link to the current thread about the Clark forklift (fork lift).

http://storageauctionforums.com/online-storage-auctions/forklift-and-solar-panels/msg29553/?topicseen#msg29553

I was under the impression (wrong?) that Travis actually owned the Clark which he was attempting to sell on Clist, but now as shown in the thread above it sold on STORAGE BATTLES ! as an online auction and Travis has some new feelings about the person who bought the locker ONLINE for over $6,000.

This is an interesting puzzle as it raises several questions, one if which is why Travis would react so strongly about the outrageous price when his very premise for the virtual storage auction business is the promotion of online auctions...whatever the results might be.

Oh well, the web is even more tangled than I thought.  Heck, maybe Travis put the locker on STORAGE BATTLES and is presently counting out those $6K worth of 100 dollar bills in the comfort of his recliner while watching Duck Dynasty! 

Here's the link to the STORAGE BATTLES completed auction: Expired

That is interesting though I think in the thread Travis gave good information about the worth of the locker.  I think once a buyer always a buyer.
Also there might be something about shearing sheep and skinning them involved.  All businesses want good repeat business not someone who maybe felt ripped off.

I think once a buyer always a buyer.

Then you are right in line with Travis as he has said those very words himself. 

I read the original post and I think it was interesting that Travis posted on Clist before he had it.  I think that is pretty smart.  Curious to see what the rest of the community thinks.  As long as no money changes hands it should be a smart business practice.

I read the original post and I think it was interesting that Travis posted on Clist before he had it.  I think that is pretty smart.  Curious to see what the rest of the community thinks.  As long as no money changes hands it should be a smart business practice.

Why am I not surprised YOU would think that ! 

As long as no money changes hands it should be a smart business practice?  My thought would be un-ethical. Not illegal, but unethical.

It would be like having someone like "you" start a thread about the Storage Battles auction (drumming up business for it) when in fact YOU might have a special interest in seeing it go for $3K or more as you indicated.

Nope, all of it is unethical, under-handed, and not right. But then what can one expect...lie down with dogs...get up with fleas.

Wow accusations are flying.  I had nothing to do with the locker in question, I wish I did.  I really wanted to buy it but only under 3k.

I was hoping to get some advice and also clue some members of the forum to the unit.

My partner recently way overpaid for an online unit and the only thing we found except maybe a couple hundreds dollars of ok furniture was some worthless stock certificates.

My thoughts were that online units could easily be staged to make it look more appealing and because of its nature people overpay for the mystery of it. 

My new online plan is to snipe at cheap units that I can move for small profits and load up for a flea market.

Nope, all of it is unethical, under-handed, and not right. But then what can one expect...lie down with dogs...get up with fleas.

First of all...your accusations are ridiculous. Let me set the record straight.

I was interested in the unit for two reasons. 1. I have been wanting to set up a home solar system. 2. The opportunity to make some serious money. That being said, I know nothing about the value of forklifts or solar panels (since there are hundreds of models.) However, I do know that an item is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay, which is exactly why I put the forklift up for sale for $2500 on Craigslist. Only 3 calls in 3 weeks and only one serious offer for $2000. I also sought out the advice of solar professionals to educate me on the quality and value of the solar panels.

Now, I don't know how this could be considered underhanded. All I did was attempt to find a buyer for something I thought I would eventually own. How was I supposed to know that the crazies would come out of the wood work and push the bid into the stratosphere?

Last but not least, the reason I wanted to find a buyer for the forklift in advance was because I do not have the equipment necessary to transport it. Factor in that I live 200 miles away from Dallas and that making multiple trips to Dallas to meet with buyers wasn't an option and you can understand why finding a buyer in advance was necessary.

First of all...your accusations are ridiculous. Let me set the record straight.

They aren't accusations, though they are innuendo. This just goes along with your statement on more than one occasion that you would "...do anything to make a buck".

What would you have done if a potential buyer on clist (on the first day you ran the ad) had said. "I will meet you TODAY with $3,000 dollars for the forklift assuming it fires up." ? Or if someone had said, "Give me your PayPal address and I will give you a $500 deposit based on inspection and will pay you the balance upon pickup tomorrow".

If they did this right when you placed the ad as a FOR SALE item, would you have said "I can't be there until the 30th" or would you have said "Well, I don't really own it yet, I was just trying to see if someone would buy it for "x" dollars". ?

No matter how you and the other poster dress it up, it's not what most people would consider a "good business practice". But that's just MY opinion. 

In the Craigslist ad I said that I wouldn't be able to show the forklift until the 30th. I also said that I would be accepting offers. I made no commitments nor would I take a deposit for something I didn't own yet. All I was trying to do was line up a buyer in advance so that if I did win the unit, I wouldn't have to make an extra trip to Dallas. There is nothing unethical about that. As a matter of fact, I thought it was pretty creative.

There is nothing unethical about that. As a matter of fact, I thought it was pretty creative.

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So did the poster named mhuynh9.

Still, what would you have said to either of the two scenarios I suggested that someone was ready to buy that day or the next?  I GUESS you just could have said..."I can't be there until the 30th", sure that would work.

Then of course when you didn't win the locker you could just tell them..."sorry, it's already been sold". That would be the truth too. Of course if they continued to look at clist or elsewhere and saw it come up again, if they actually met with the REAL owner it might all come out, but what do you care.  You don't.

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So did the poster named mhuynh9.

Still, what would you have said to either of the two scenarios I suggested that someone was ready to buy that day or the next?  I GUESS you just could have said..."I can't be there until the 30th", sure that would work.

Then of course when you didn't win the locker you could just tell them..."sorry, it's already been sold". That would be the truth too. Of course if they continued to look at clist or elsewhere and saw it come up again, if they actually met with the REAL owner it might all come out, but what do you care.  You don't.

If you had read my last post you would know the answers to these questions.

Travis has been revealed to be unethical in several aspects, like re-selling the lockers hes combed through. But what has also been said; he is the leader of the only active forum on the subject.

Travis has been revealed to be unethical in several aspects, like re-selling the lockers hes combed through. But what has also been said; he is the leader of the only active forum on the subject.

All the more reason to be a truthful and responsible member of the community.

Travis has been revealed to be unethical in several aspects, like re-selling the lockers hes combed through.

You say that like I did something wrong. I fully disclosed that the unit was a private sale and I itemized the units contents. The people who purchased the unit knew exactly what they were getting and they bid accordingly. As a matter of fact, they got the unit at a great price and they'll probably quadruple their money. How is that unethical?