new at selling horses

[Zelda]

I am very new to this forum and usually only read.... I know you are not suppose to post about sales but this is more of a sales related question not so much about mine. If I have several people interested in one particular horse, how do I let people know politlely before the spend good money and make travel arrangements that there are others interested. I don't want to put anyone off but don't want to offend them when they are set to come and the horse is sold. I am not used to selling so I don't know how much to tell people. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Doobie]

I would do just what you said...

Let them know that others are looking too,

let them know you are there to sell your horse,

that you don't want them to waste their time but there is always that chance...

I know I try to do all my busness with honesty and as I would like to be dealt with.

 

[ontherisefarm]

usually when I sell horses I give first priority to the first one who inquired providing they are serious and the horse is a fit for them. Then so forth and so on. If I have a person who is interested I ask for a deposit to hold the horse. Or give them first right of refusal. If I have someone coming out say on saturday but someone else wants to come out sooner I let them come look but let them know that the other party has first call. I try to be fair. Sometimes it works out sometimes it doesnt. I just dont want to sell a horse out from under someone else just because some one can get there sooner with cash. Selling horses is a trial and error thing on what works for you. I just try to treat the people like I would want to be treated.

 

[Skylight_minis]

When selling money talks. If you have multiple people interested in the same horse and someone offers you less than the asking price i'd tell them that other people are coming to look at them. Make sure you get their info just in case the others decide not to buy. Theres a chance that the second person will give you the asking price no quarrels. And then theres the chance that they wont be interested which then you can decide if you want to accept the offer of the first people.

I know that money in hand doesnt just talk sometimes it screams. If you decide to take the cash just be nice enough to contact the other people so they dont waste their time and money looking at a horse that isnt there. I know one lady that drove 9 hours to see a horse and it was gone by the time she got there. She had even told the lady that she was pretty sure she wanted to buy her. She was not a very happy woman when she got up there with a horse trailer and no horse to put in it.

 

[Magic]

I once had a guy that came out to look at a horse, he was interested but declined to put any money down on the horse, then disappeared for two weeks. In the meantime, someone else came along, was interested, and bought the horse. The first guy showed up out of the blue and was upset that I'd sold the horse. Well, I gave him every chance to buy him, he just figured the horse would sit there until he was ready to decide, apparently, but that isn't how it works.

IF the guy had even given me a way to contact him, I would have checked with him before selling the horse to someone else, but that wasn't the case.

If one person is interested in a horse, and another person comes along who is also interested, I let the second person know that someone else has first chance, and then let the first person know that someone else is interested. If the first person puts money down, it's theirs, but if they can't decide, and the second person is willing to put money down, then they get it. Don't hold a horse for more than a day or so just on someone's word unless you KNOW their word is good-- I know of too many people who have lost out on sales that way, and all the previously interested buyers went on to buy other horses, and the one who spoke for the horse ended up changing their mind. The sellers had to start all over again. OH!

 

[Haviris]

I'm glad someone asked this! I don't plan on doing much selling, but it was very informative!

The first mini I was going to look at I was going to see on a Sunday, I was very excited and felt pretty sure I was going to get her, until I got a message on Friday that she was sold, I didn't even know anyone else was looking, I could have bumped up my appointment if I'd known. At the time I was very disappointed, but in the end I got my mini (well minis) and am very happy w/ how things have turned out.

I breed Nigerian Dwarf goats, and sometimes find myself in a situation that I'm not sure how to handle. I get alot of inquiries! But some I hear from once or twice and never again, some seem really interested and we stay in touch for a week or more before disappearing forever. Not long ago I had someone interested in a couple kids, after a week of promptly getting back to me I didn't hear from them for a while and someone else came along wanting to come and look, suddenly the first people were back in the picture. I ended up stalling until the 2nd people could come and look, they were undesided and wanted to come back w/ family, so I told the others I had deposits and didn't yet know which they were getting (not completely true, but I was sure they were serious, and still not completely sure about the 1st buyer), as it turned out the second ones took one the others were interested in and one other, and I guess the 1st ones realized it was a snooze you lose kind of thing and sent a deposit the next day for the other kid and one other.

I'm just never sure if I should say there are others interested, simply because I don't want to seem like I am pressuring them. For me I don't hold a kid unless I have a deposit, however, I will make an exception if I have someone scheduled to come out, and I will hold onto a kid for up to a week while someone gets transport arrangments. Also though, even if someone is coming out and I have several avaliable and they are not sure which they are interested in and someone else is interested in a certain one and wants to put down a deposit (or pick it up if it's ready), then I will mark that one as sold.

 

[~Lisa~]

Here is what I do and why.

About 10 years ago I was looking on the sale board and saw a gelding I wanted very bad a few ads down was a stallion I was interested in from the same seller. I emailed and heard nothing over the weekend. I heard from her on a Monday she was at a show- stallion was available - gelding someone inquired before me and was requesting a video. I offered the seller more money then she was even asking and told them I didnt need video or pics I wanted him. She stuck to her guns and said No fair is fair she asked first (her email came in first) and I told her I would send the video I was a bit irked but will tell you I highly respected her for this. Over a week goes by and then I hear this gelding was being bought by the first party. I was disappointed but did by the stallion. I have to say I never forgot her ethics there and her sticking to her word to the first person and giving them time to decide on the purchase. I will always do the same. She showed me it was not just about the $ but her reputation .

The rest of the story short version goes the horses were delivered and said gelding spent the night at my place on the way to his new home and I fell in love. I found his new owner and kept in touch- she put some more training on him- showed him and then had her life circumstances change- I of course had always told her if and when you sell him I want him. So he came to live with me about 7 years ago. I love this little horse he will never leave here and Raven has won many a class with him and has now broke him to drive by herself.

I have since bought several more horses from this seller yes I love her horses but more so due to that first contact and the fairness and character she showed. It really made an impression on me and actually found her practices to be what I was used to from the "big" horse world

I would not ever want to push someone into buying a horse from me before they were sure they are not like a pair of shoes that if not the right fit can be put in the back of the closet- I might in the end lose a sale and have to hang on to a horse a bit longer but in the long run I feel it is better for me, the buyer and more importantly the horse.

 

[Cathy_H]

Honesty from the get go. Give the person looking X number of days to get the deposit to you if applicable.. If after that x number of days no deposit & they suddently dropped off the earth go to the second person. Tell each person up front what the situation is... Let each person know what the status is as soon as you know it........ I have done this on several occasions... I know some sellers automatically do this to pressure a buyer into a quick sale & I tell them this is NOT the case. I've actually had people come back later that just missed out on one before.

 

[Katiean]

It is the same as when you are selling anything First come first served. However, when you are talking horses there are some verriables. Such as do they have suitable place to keep the horse? Do they have knowlage or are they willing to learn about carring for Mini horses? Is my horse a fit for what they want to do with him? I hate it when someone says to me or when I have to say "There are others interested in the horse" . Even if it is true I hate saying it because I feel like it is a presure sales tacktic. Also, I don't hold with out a deposit. Then I only hold for a set time (deposit non-refundable).