I'm listening to a conversation at Starbucks..

123 replies
And the guy is talking about building a basic website.. with a few marketing strategies in place.. and charging $5,000+

But the guy talking has no clue what he's talking about and definitely feels like he's trying to screw over the guy listening.

If you were in the same situation and just overhearing a conversation.. would you...

A. Be the nice guy and share your opinion

B. Just sit there and let the transaction happen

C. Provide a better solution for much cheaper

The guy is literally pulling out his credit card and signing up for it right now :\

*cough* I already made my decision and went with C... You can call me a jerkwad for getting in their business, but letting people get screwed over is BS.

Justin Lewis
#conversation #listening #starbucks
  • Profile picture of the author tritrain
    Personally, I think you did the right thing.

    Although, next time I bet the guy charging the 5k will probably choose a seat away from everyone else.
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    • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
      Originally Posted by tritrain View Post

      Personally, I think you did the right thing.

      Although, next time I bet the guy charging the 5k will probably choose a seat away from everyone else.
      I'd likely still be the asshole that sends his business running That's just me though... I get so irritated by people who are just using others like that.

      The guy listening also had no clue what he was buying, he was promised all these things and yet the one offering the service had no real understanding of what he was offering at all.
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  • I think you did the right thing. If people are intentionally screwing others over, they should expect others to jump in. Sadly, people typically don't, which is why the scam artists keep making money.

    Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author ivcan
    Yes, option C was the best thing to do. You saved probably a good fellow from being scammed, provide him with a better and cost efficient solution and get some business while at it. Win-Win!
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  • Profile picture of the author HamzaW
    I think you did the right thing but I'd *love* to know how you did it!
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  • Personally, I would never interfere with someone else's business transaction in that way.

    The person offering to build a basic website with a few marketing strategies in place and being able to charge $5,000+ is pretty admirable in my opinion. What you did, not so much.

    I understand your motivation to save someone from being screwed over, but you taking business away from someone that probably worked hard to get it, by simply interfering and offering your lower price for more services, is similar to someone finding a way to redirect traffic from your business to theirs, simply because they can offer much better coaching for much less. Which I trust you would not appreciate.
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    • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
      Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

      Personally, I would never interfere with someone else's business transaction in that way.

      The person offering to build a basic website with a few marketing strategies in place and being able to charge $5,000+ is pretty admirable in my opinion. What you did, not so much.

      I understand your motivation to save someone from being screwed over, but you taking business away from someone that probably worked hard to get it, by simply interfering and offering your lower price for more services, is similar to someone finding a way to redirect traffic from your business to theirs, simply because they can offer much better coaching for much less. Which I trust you would not appreciate.
      I didn't direct traffic to my business in anyway.. personally I wouldn't have taken on the client. And the one trying to screw them over.. was doing exactly that. Offering a service/program that I've heard of in the past (and you likely have as well) that has scammed more people that I can imagine.

      You might think it's admirable.. but a scammer is a scammer.
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      • Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

        I didn't direct traffic to my business in anyway.. personally I wouldn't have taken on the client. And the one trying to screw them over.. was doing exactly that. Offering a service/program that I've heard of in the past (and you likely have as well) that has scammed more people that I can imagine.
        You might think it's admirable.. but a scammer is a scammer.
        I do see your point about the client possibly being overpriced for what you feel could be done for much less. I fully understand that.

        However that does not mean that the seller knowingly is trying to scam. It simply means to me that he was able to find a ready and willing $5 k client for the offer that he proposed.

        The seller could have very well delivered exactly what the client was looking for, and the client could have very well ended up feeling that it was well worth the $5 k. My objection is that you took away his business with minimal effort, while the seller might have had to work hard to get that client.

        I do believe in healthy business competition, however I personally would never step in between a transaction between a seller and a willing buyer.

        What I mentioned earlier is that this would be "similar" to someone finding a way to redirect traffic from your business to theirs. Kinda like hijacking your order form after you paid for all the promo etc.
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        • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
          Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

          However that does not mean that the seller knowingly is trying to scam. It simply means to me that he was able to find a ready and willing $5 k client for the offer that he proposed.
          I find that argument valid as I was actually going to add that into my original response. I felt better just saying a scammer is a scammer because even without knowing you're a scammer, you're a scammer.

          The same would be for a thief. A thief is a thief. I know some people may come into situations in their lives where they can say, "I have no other option..", but they do. They just choose to go the easiest route.

          It sucks, but it's reality.

          And I would definitely not do it for someone that is offering a legit service.

          But let's just say this service was the same as someone saying, "Hey I'll setup an account for you on Facebook for $500, that way you don't have to go through all of the struggle.. it's a really hard process and takes weeks to do", the same thing was being said just in a different light, completely lying about what he was offering.

          Justin Lewis
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          • Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

            But let's just say this service was the same as someone saying, "Hey I'll setup an account for you on Facebook for $500, that way you don't have to go through all of the struggle.. it's a really hard process and takes weeks to do"
            The above just might be the case for some people, as unbelievable as that may sound, however, maybe not for you and I.

            Ironically there are hundreds of services online and offline that offer exactly that, and to people willing to pay for it. Only it's usually more targeted towards businesses. (Setup Facebook accounts for people for a fee).

            Ever since the offline business model became popular for internet marketers, I have seen huge monthly recurring fees being charged to local businesses in exchange for simply setting them up with a domain name, some hosting, a simple WP install, oh, and a Facebook page.

            Now both you and I obviously don't need such services as we can probably get her done ourselves within a few minutes at cost, thus we would most likely decline such services to anyone walking into our door offering us the above for a few hundred bucks a month.

            But would we run after the seller as he walks into the next store and block his game right about when he is signing a deal with the store owner? And then on top of that offer to do it for cheap because we feel no one should pay that much money monthly on a recurring basis for something so simple? Well I know I wouldn't do it.

            Maybe there is something everyone is missing here, as you can probably tell from the "not so happy with you" comments. Maybe that client "was" being charged more than he could probably afford. But if he is sitting in Starbucks drinking Starbucks coffee at Starbucks prices and ready to whip out a credit card and pay $5k for a website, then I really don't understand the level of your concern.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Actually, you had no real business butting into some else's sales meeting. Turn it around and tell me how much you would like it. Without knowing the person, I don't really think you can say that he was screwing anyone. It is not unusual for companies to pay those kinds of prices in the offline world for web work.
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    • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      Actually, you had no real business butting into some else's sales meeting. Turn it around and tell me how much you would like it. Without knowing the person, I don't really think you can say that he was screwing anyone. It is not unusual for companies to pay those kinds of prices in the offline world for web work.
      It wasn't a company.

      In fact it was someone I could see was struggling in life and the way they were speaking they were desperate..

      You might disagree with this and I totally understand. But the same goes for if someone is beating up on someone.. I'm not just going to sit around and watch, I'm going to step in and either separate the two or protect that person.

      You can spot a vulture and I'll tell you right now, this was one preying on someone who could barely get by.
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

        It wasn't a company.

        In fact it was someone I could see was struggling in life and the way they were speaking they were desperate..

        You might disagree with this and I totally understand. But the same goes for if someone is beating up on someone.. I'm not just going to sit around and watch, I'm going to step in and either separate the two or protect that person.

        You can spot a vulture and I'll tell you right now, this was one preying on someone who could barely get by.
        I've seen people sell setting up Google Places accounts for offline customers for outrageous prices. Selling someone your services isn't even remotely the same as beating someone up. It was a sales meeting that you were eavesdropping on. It's up to the customer to decide what they can afford and do research on pricing for services. A sales person gets to determine what he is going to charge for services and the customer gets to decide whether or not he can afford it and wants the service.
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  • Profile picture of the author Romeo90
    Sorry Justin, I disagree with what you did.

    Your comparison with somebody getting beaten up is off the mark too - we are talking two completely different things.

    Just let me ask you this. If someone was looking to be mentored by you, and just happened to live in Virginia beach, and decided to meet you for a coffee somewhere, and you were selling them your service, discussing the payment options, client getting near to accepting the mentor program and payment plan, and then somebody leaned in and said 'I can do it for half that price', honestly, how would you feel?
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  • Profile picture of the author onqdirector
    anyone conducting 5K transactions at Starbucks deserves to have their business weaseled out from under them.
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    I'd mind my own damn business.

    There may be extra details of what they were talking about which you don't know about.

    Do you also cock-block guys when they're talking to girls?
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  • Profile picture of the author Des Lau
    Dd you step in before the actual agreement?

    I faced a similar thing with a guy offering social media strategies...he was sussing out how much his client knew (next to nothing) about social media and eventually royally charged him through the roof. I didn't step in because I believe it's not my business but I learnt alot in that one meeting I overheard.
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  • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
    Justin

    I would tell you to mind your own business.. if your that weak of a salesmen.. that the only way you an get sales is this method.. then you might as well go get a job and let the big boys play.

    if you need a job contact me I could always use a few good tech guys..

    if anything learn from this scenario and apply techniques so you one day can actually close $5000 deals.



    just my 2 cents

    Eddie

    ps. there will always be people that undercut you.. so imagine your closing a deal and some shmuck is listening and goes in a undercuts you.

    PPS If i found out someone did that to me I would dedicate a portion of my life in making that persons life miserable as your directly taking food out of my kids mouth.
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    • Profile picture of the author BackLinkiT
      You're lucky you didn't get punched on the nose, matey.
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    • Profile picture of the author MouseandMice
      Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

      Justin

      PPS If i found out someone did that to me I would dedicate a portion of my life in making that persons life miserable as your directly taking food out of my kids mouth.
      BAM. This is the GOLDEN point.
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  • Good Job. I would have gone with Option C on this one too. By the way if you are interested in building a website with the best marketing strategies in place, you can visit my website at.. haha just kidding.
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  • Profile picture of the author muffty
    Difficult one to answer, but I would feel very bad if I had been in that situation and was about to see some poor person hand over 5K for a basic website or any website for that matter so I can see how you came to your decision - really silly doing business in Starbucks anyway so I suppose, in a way he was asking for trouble!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
    Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

    And the guy is talking about building a basic website.. with a few marketing strategies in place.. and charging $5,000+

    But the guy talking has no clue what he's talking about and definitely feels like he's trying to screw over the guy listening.

    If you were in the same situation and just overhearing a conversation.. would you...

    A. Be the nice guy and share your opinion

    B. Just sit there and let the transaction happen

    C. Provide a better solution for much cheaper

    The guy is literally pulling out his credit card and signing up for it right now :

    *cough* I already made my decision and went with C... You can call me a jerkwad for getting in their business, but letting people get screwed over is BS.

    Justin Lewis
    Well, without me knowing what was said from the beginning all the way to the end and the only context I have was that you were eavesdropping at a conversation at Starbucks and I have to take your word that the guy was, indeed, getting ripped off, then I would have gone with B. So I sit in the camp that believes you should have minded your own business.

    It's really none of my business to interfere in someone else's business transaction. I've seen basic 5 pages websites get sold for $10,000, so really, it's all relative. Maybe the guy was getting ripped off and maybe he wasn't, without knowing all the salient facts it's hard to say.

    If someone ever interrupted one of my sales presentations the way you did and accused me of being a scammer or stating that I didn't know what I was talking about, I would have been livid.

    RoD
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  • Profile picture of the author MouseandMice
    (Moderator Edit: Let's keep the discussion civil)

    First off, because it seems like you have little to know real marketing knowledge: marketing is an investment, not an expense. It all comes down to ROI. I charge, literally, about 10x more than what other charge for my services... and clients are more than happy to pay because I deliver probably the best ROI in the industry and I know my stuff.

    So, no, the guy charging $5000 for a website isn't "scamming."

    Your only way of getting the sale was by sniping and undercutting. That along shows your level of skill. (Edited)

    You don't know whether or not that guy needed the sale to pay his bills or not, nor do you know how much better than you he might have been.

    You are what is wrong with the industry and it makes me SO GLAD to know that you will never amount to anything more than sitting at starbucks on a sunday afternoon, trying to steal clients, and selling your run-of-the-mill, piece-of-sh*t, dime-a-dozen "mentoring" services through your equally worthless website.

    Ps- I really hope the website you make them is leagues better than your "Made in 1992" site you have.

    Pps- Wow, you got an extra 100 people to join a bike club. That gives you the skills to take people's money and think you are David Ogilvy.

    This is so damn insane. 99% of people here on the Warrior Forum are good people working hard and making a phenomenal life for themselves. You and the other 1% are a DISEASE here who are never going to amount to anything.

    Enjoy never having success.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Crosbie
      Nice to see we're keeping it professional here Warriors... LOL

      Undercutting someone on price is hardly unethical, the most successful companies in the world do it on a daily basis.

      Everyone is also jumping to conclusions about how the OP approached the person, as long as he didn't walk over mid presentation and start insulting the business man on his quote I really don't see what the problem is.

      I highly doubt million dollar corporations feel bad about stealing the odd client here, heck that's part of the reason they are a million dollar company..
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      • Profile picture of the author MouseandMice
        Originally Posted by Joe Crosbie View Post

        Nice to see we're keeping it professional here Warriors... LOL

        Undercutting someone on price is hardly unethical, the most successful companies in the world do it on a daily basis.

        Everyone is also jumping to conclusions about how the OP approached the person, as long as he didn't walk over mid presentation and start insulting the business man on his quote I really don't see what the problem is.

        I highly doubt million dollar corporations feel bad about stealing the odd client here, heck that's part of the reason they are a million dollar company..
        There is a difference between "undercutting on price" when asked for a quote and being a slimy creep and sniping someone elses client.

        Think about it in terms of girls and maybe then you won't be in Justin's army as hard. But, I mean, he did "give you his endorsement"... so I hope you use that to your advantage.
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        • Profile picture of the author Joe Crosbie
          Originally Posted by MouseandMice View Post

          There is a difference between "undercutting on price" when asked for a quote and being a slimy creep and sniping someone elses client.

          Think about it in terms of girls and maybe then you won't be in Justin's army as hard. But, I mean, he did "give you his endorsement"... so I hope you use that to your advantage.
          Letting some one know that they could get a better deal is hardly being a "slimy creep"..

          I posted to express my opinion, not defend the OP nor anyone else.

          P.S - You do seem like a lovely polite chap, just sayin..
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  • Profile picture of the author Curtis2011
    Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

    And the guy is talking about building a basic website.. with a few marketing strategies in place.. and charging $5,000+

    But the guy talking has no clue what he's talking about and definitely feels like he's trying to screw over the guy listening.
    You may be surprised by this, but non-tech-savvy people regularly pay several thousands of dollars for a basic website. $3000 is basically a bare minimum for anyone who sells websites to small businesses or large businesses, even if it's just something like a custom Wordpress themed website. For larger corporations, I've heard of web designers charging up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    I once heard a relatively wealthy guy say he paid $50,000 for someone to make him a website to sell downloadable videos on. I looked at the website and frankly, I could have outsourced the same exact website to a foreign design team for $3000 or less.

    Selling websites is all about information asymmetry. You want to sell to people who have absolutely no clue what they are doing, and thus just take your word on it. I'm not saying this is ethical but hey, if they're willing to pay the money for it without researching the topic first to find a deal, then it's not really your fault if they throw away their own money.

    Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

    I didn't direct traffic to my business in anyway.. personally I wouldn't have taken on the client. And the one trying to screw them over.. was doing exactly that. Offering a service/program that I've heard of in the past (and you likely have as well) that has scammed more people that I can imagine.

    You might think it's admirable.. but a scammer is a scammer.
    Let me guess, Empower Network?
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    With you briefly listening in on a private conversation that was nunya you came to the conclusion someone was getting scammed? :rolleyes:
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    • Profile picture of the author Herbie Hind
      Banned
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      A sales person gets to determine what he is going to charge for services and the customer gets to decide whether or not he can afford it and wants the service.
      And the person who overhears the scam gets to warn the poor guy who is about to be scammed.


      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      With you briefly listening in on a private conversation that was nunya you came to the conclusion someone was getting scammed? :rolleyes:
      If you're speaking in a public place where people can hear you,it isn't a private conversation.

      Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post
      Justin

      PPS If i found out someone did that to me I would dedicate a portion of my life in making that persons life miserable as your directly taking food out of my kids mouth.
      What about the kids of the poor schmuck you're ripping off for five grand for a worthless service that will most likely never even result in the guy making $100 bucks out of it, let alone making his entire five grand back? This might come as news to some here, but feeding your kids isn't a free pass to lie, con, cheat and rip people off.

      This is why I despise the offline marketing arena. It is filled with the biggest scammers and con artists around.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jacqueline Smith
    I don't get the impression from your post that you were looking to steal a business deal away from anyone. It sounds like your need to 'interfere' was completely based on you feeling uncomfortable sitting back watching someone get ripped off. Good for you! I would have done the same thing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
      Originally Posted by Jacqueline Smith View Post

      I don't get the impression from your post that you were looking to steal a business deal away from anyone. It sounds like your need to 'interfere' was completely based on you feeling uncomfortable sitting back watching someone get ripped off. Good for you! I would have done the same thing.
      Maybe that wasn't his intent, but in his own post he wrote "provide a better solution for much cheaper" while the guy was taking out his wallet. So that may not have been the intent, but ultimately that's what was going on.

      And I can assure you, we are not getting all the facts. None of us were there and the only thing we have to go by is what he wrote here. I wish the other parties were here so we could hear their sides of the story.

      I also find the example of someone getting beat up inaccurate. I think a sales transaction like this versus a violent crime is an apples to oranges comparison. It's not a substantive metaphor because they're aren't alike, not by any stretch of the imagination.

      I stand by what I wrote, I think it was wrong to interfere.

      RoD
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      • Profile picture of the author Jacqueline Smith
        Originally Posted by Rod Cortez View Post

        Maybe that wasn't his intent, but in his own post he wrote "provide a better solution for much cheaper" while the guy was taking out his wallet. So that may not have been the intent, but ultimately that's what was going on.

        And I can assure you, we are not getting all the facts. None of us were there and the only thing we have to go by is what he wrote here. I wish the other parties were here so we could hear their sides of the story.

        I also find the example of someone getting beat up inaccurate. I think a sales transaction like this versus a violent crime is an apples to oranges comparison. It's not a substantive metaphor because they're aren't alike, not by any stretch of the imagination.

        I stand by what I wrote, I think it was wrong to interfere.

        RoD
        You are right....there are always many sides to a story. However, I am amazed by how many people are 'assuming' what the other versions might be.
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        • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
          Originally Posted by Jacqueline Smith View Post

          You are right....there are always many sides to a story. However, I am amazed by how many people are 'assuming' what the other versions might be.
          I completely agree with you. The OP has one assumption and he may very well be right, or he could be terribly wrong. My main point was that we don't have much to go on and in principle I'm not the type of person who would interrupt someone else's business transaction because sometimes you don't get the benefit of the entire context of the conversation, even if you are perceiving it a certain way.

          I'll try to use a more accurate metaphor. When I go to car dealership, I hear sales people rip off car buyers all the time. Is the sales person being unethical? Well, sometimes they are and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are merely trying to sell the car at the highest commission possible. We could debate ethics all day and get nowhere. But my point here is that I'm not going to interrupt the sales person.

          I wouldn't interrupt that sales transaction anymore than I would have at the Starbucks. It's just not my place and I don't think it's as black and white of an issue as the OP is making it out to be.

          RoD
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        • Profile picture of the author palmtrees
          I agree with what you did. I would have sat there wanting to do the same thing but probably not been ballsy enough.

          What actually happened? How did either of them react?

          Damn I should be selling websites and marketing if people are paying that much for basic shit.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vector Graphics
    When it comes down to it 5K was on the table and now that 5K is gone. There are a lot of people that would hurt people or worse for making them lose less money than that. I would watch who you do that to. You may have thought he was screwing the client by over charging, and you may be right. Just realize that YOU have now screwed the web designer over for 5K.
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  • Profile picture of the author tritrain
    I'm seeing good points on all sides. Honestly, I'm not sure what would have been best. But just the same, I don't like seeing someone get screwed over. Whoever that may be..
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      You didn't find the customer - or set the appointment. You don't know if the meeting was a result of an ad the seller paid for. Not sure what "solution" you offered but I would never insert myself into a private conversation - whether in a public place or not.

      The "fight" scenario doesn't work. What if you overheard a writer giving prices on work and quoting $50/pg....do you jump in and tell the customer he can get it for $5?

      I think you meant well - but I think you were wrong to interfere.

      kay


      If you're speaking in a public place where people can hear you,it isn't a private conversation.
      I don't agree. I should be able to talk to someone at a table in a restaurant or coffee shop without people nearby interrupting our conversation with their opinions. Just because other people are around doesn't mean they are included in the conversation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    I honestly wouldn't do anything. There's no way in the hell i'm going to let my latte go cold just to tell the guy that i could offer a better solution than this other guy. It is what it is.

    I'm not sure if option C is the "right" decision... but i wouldn't get into somebody elses business and interfere. For i know... the guy probably could have been in a dire situation, and could have used the $5,000 to take care of his wife/kid/heart/lung/kidney/mortgage (well you get the point)
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    The best thing about this country is free enterprise, there is no reason if that guy can get it to charge 5 K as there is no reason for you to speak up.

    If you have something for sale and you want 200 hundred but have a chance to sell it for a 1,000 will you do it. Heck yeah you will, its called free enterprise.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
      Originally Posted by hustlinsmoke View Post

      The best thing about this country is free enterprise, there is no reason if that guy can get it to charge 5 K as there is no reason for you to speak up.

      If you have something for sale and you want 200 hundred but have a chance to sell it for a 1,000 will you do it. Heck yeah you will, its called free enterprise.
      And how about "his" right to free enterprise?

      To the OP: when I was doing websites, I could easily charge 3K for one of them. They were not WP blogs... they usually needed a big deal of custom work.

      BUT, not all of them were so complex.

      Sometimes, when you are dealing with local clients, the technical side is not the most costly, the education is. Time is money. Start measuring the time you invest in this guy now that you got the account, you might be surprised how little you will end up earning by the hour when the transaction ends...

      And don´t forget to include the other expenses, like gas.

      A last note: You think that 5K for what the guy was offering was a scam, but it was just a business transaction. It might come the day where for you working for less than that will not worth your time.
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    You had every reason to say something man, I would not argue the point with the guy charging 5k either if you weren't there. 5k I could duplicate a walmart.com for that.

    Great going. You may want to follow her around and see who you can steal of hers lol.
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    • Profile picture of the author JennySweets
      I wish the OP would come clarify what exactly it was he heard.

      Everyone is speculating. I'm on the fence until I know the truth.

      If the guy was hawking something like Empower Network, or some network marketing junk that he'd put on Craigslist as a "job opportunity" and the other guy OBVIOUSLY needed a job and was just desperate - and sadly ignorant - enough to shell out the very last of his savings for the chance not to lose everything -

      Then I would have probably had to say something. I can NOT stomach people STEALING based on the hopes and desperate needs of others.

      However.. if it was just some guy selling web build or other marketing services, who was unconfident in his approach - but the other person was going for it -

      I may have been sitting there going "oh. my. gosh. I could save this poor dude thousands, this guy isn't even going to be able to deliver something that will help his business!! I'm sick and tired of people selling shit they can't fulfill in a way that will actually do any good for the business owner!!"

      I would have been sitting there ill over it, and probably thought about it for a week straight. But I wouldn't interfere. Not my place.

      I would take note of who the business man was and what the business name was and I would keep tabs on what was built if possible.. and after an appropriate time had passed, if the marketer had indeed delivered a steaming pile of crap - I would approach the business owner and offer to fix the mess for dirt cheap.

      Not because I undervalue myself but because I would still be feeling horrible for not being able to save him the time and money in the first place.

      Ethics are a touchy thing aren't they?
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
      Originally Posted by hustlinsmoke View Post

      You had every reason to say something man, I would not argue the point with the guy charging 5k either if you weren't there. 5k I could duplicate a walmart.com for that.

      Great going. You may want to follow her around and see who you can steal of hers lol.
      That´s me?

      It´s years I don´t do local.

      Oh times... endless meetings in bizarre places (boats, jiu jitsu gyms...) to collect the information to write the content, I offered a photo shooting and two video interviews and always ended up doing four times that and burning computers rendering, people calling me on Sunday because they forgot the password, others... well, it was interesting and fed my babies.

      Great experience.
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      • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
        Yeah losing five minutes on Sunday is worth 5k right.
        Originally Posted by Sandra Martinez View Post

        That´s me?

        It´s years I don´t do local.

        Oh times... endless meetings in bizarre places (boats, jiu jitsu gyms...) to collect the information to write the content, I offered a photo shooting and two video interviews and always ended up doing four times that and burning computers rendering, people calling me on Sunday because they forgot the password, others... well, it was interesting and fed my babies.

        Great experience.
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        • Profile picture of the author Sandra Martinez
          Originally Posted by hustlinsmoke View Post

          Yeah losing five minutes on Sunday is worth 5k right.
          Nope. 5K was the price for stores including the upload of items, total customization, technical manuals specifically created and training of employees. Big projects.

          For smaller projects, the standard price was $1200. Including total setup, and promotion in place. We are talking about 10 years ago, when economy was very different and technology was very different as well.
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        • Profile picture of the author owenprescott
          I overheard two people talking at starbucks yesterday, a beautiful girl was chatting to a guy who I thought was below her standard, she deserved way better so I jumped in there and gave her my phone number and offered her out on a date. :p
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      • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
        As many have already stated, all of the details have not been made plain, nonetheless, I can emphatically say that I would not have interrupted. I have a tendency to avoid being rude.

        If I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was a scam going down as in I knew the person was a scammer say because he had scammed me, I may have said something after the transaction was done and the meeting was over. A credit card charge can be reversed, you can do a stop payment on a check and please don't tell me it was a cash transaction, as I hardly believe anyone is that gullible.

        I may have done as I just explained, but I never ever would have turned around and offered the same service for a cheaper price. It would make me look just as much of a shark as the the first person.

        You know, it's like seeing a thief rip off a ladies purse and you snatch the purse back but before giving it back to the lady, you say, "He was going to take everything, but I'm only going to take your cash, not your checkbook, credit cards, identification and car keys." :rolleyes:

        Terra
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      • Profile picture of the author Adam X
        No Justin,

        It was wrong for you to interfere in a transaction you had no business in. The guy making the proposition was probably just the sales guy, not the technical staff that was going to actually build the site. You have no idea of what was taking place. Perhaps it would have been better for you to see if you can work with the guy making the sales proposition. It may have led to a good business relationship.
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        • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
          You I nor does the Op I gather now know what transpired and that is the whole thing that is wrong with this post. Op did reply some at first but now has not been back.

          As far as we know they could of been sittng there an hour talking and Op got very detailed information from the conversation or OP is drawing posts to get his sig clicked or OP is bored and just typing.

          I seriously doubt we will ever know.
          Originally Posted by Adam X View Post

          No Justin,

          It was wrong for you to interfere in a transaction you had no business in. The guy making the proposition was probably just the sales guy, not the technical staff that was going to actually build the site. You have no idea of what was taking place. Perhaps it would have been better for you to see if you can work with the guy making the sales proposition. It may have led to a good business relationship.
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        • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
          Originally Posted by Adam X View Post

          It was wrong for you to interfere in a transaction you had no business in. The guy making the proposition was probably just the sales guy, not the technical staff that was going to actually build the site. You have no idea of what was taking place. Perhaps it would have been better for you to see if you can work with the guy making the sales proposition. It may have led to a good business relationship.
          It's not like I was sitting here just listening to a 2 minute conversation. The conversation went on for quite some time. And the guy offering the service was the guy doing the work.

          Again, you would have had to be in the situation to really understand. I'm not saying I just went up to anyone and interfered. I stopped someone from putting down a heavy investment into something that honestly wasn't going to work and was made up of complete lies...

          I know a lie when I hear it.. and there weren't just a few lies, his entire system was a lie.

          You can say what you want, but overhearing the other person saying they were struggling and this was their last chance (and paying with a credit card which they'd be in debt over) wasn't something I could just sit around and not do anything about.

          I completely understand why some might say "this isn't right!".. it just saddens me to hear that people immediately jump to conclusions.

          Justin Lewis
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          • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
            Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

            It's not like I was sitting here just listening to a 2 minute conversation. The conversation went on for quite some time. And the guy offering the service was the guy doing the work.

            Again, you would have had to be in the situation to really understand. I'm not saying I just went up to anyone and interfered. I stopped someone from putting down a heavy investment into something that honestly wasn't going to work and was made up of complete lies...

            I know a lie when I hear it.. and there weren't just a few lies, his entire system was a lie.

            You can say what you want, but overhearing the other person saying they were struggling and this was their last chance (and paying with a credit card which they'd be in debt over) wasn't something I could just sit around and not do anything about.

            I completely understand why some might say "this isn't right!".. it just saddens me to hear that people immediately jump to conclusions.

            Justin Lewis
            Regarding your last paragraph Justin. You can't blame people for doing that, you didn't give us much to go by in your OP.

            RoD
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            • Profile picture of the author Justin Says
              Originally Posted by Rod Cortez View Post

              Regarding your last paragraph Justin. You can't blame people for doing that, you didn't give us much to go by in your OP.

              RoD
              I don't blame people, I know that we all speculate. It's just funny when people immediately jump to conclusions and then blast people without asking. I personally didn't think the post would get as much attention, was moreso just asking what others would have done in a similar situation.
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          • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
            Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post


            Again, you would have had to be in the situation to really understand.
            Then it makes little sense to ask people here what they'd do in this situation (like you did in your original post). You've shared very little information about the situation.


            Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

            it just saddens me to hear that people immediately jump to conclusions.
            But that's effectively what you were asking people to do when you posted the question asking people what they would do in your situation.
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  • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
    My opinion on this is a bit different from most people who have posted.

    I think you did the right thing but for the wrong reason.

    Business is about making money - sure, you have to be ethical about it - but I see nothing unethical about stealing business from competitors. If anyone sees a problem with that, they should go ahead and stop advertising their business right now. It doesn't matter if you're advertising in WSO or a nationwide commercial - you're going to be stealing customers from competitors - that's why you're advertising.

    Who cares if your competitor gets angry? If you're worried about that, you shouldn't be running a business in the first place. If you want to make friends, go to church - if you want to make money, go find customers.

    NOTE: I'm not saying you want to scam people or try to pull a fast one on your actual customers, but there's no problem with stealing customers from competitors.
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  • Profile picture of the author DubDubDubDot
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
      Originally Posted by DubDubDubDot View Post

      99% chance the story posted here is a work of fiction to draw sig views.
      99% chance that most people here will find it difficult to say your username three times in a row really fast.
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      :)

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      • Profile picture of the author DubDubDubDot
        Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

        99% chance that most people here will find it difficult to say your username three times in a row really fast.
        Pot. Kettle. Black.
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      • Profile picture of the author Chri5123
        Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

        99% chance that most people here will find it difficult to say your username three times in a row really fast.
        LOL ^ How many people read this and said the name really fast 3 times? :p

        Ironically, I also see that I am interrupting the flow of the thread and the original subject!
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  • Profile picture of the author mikelmraz
    The thing is had someone posted here about getting a client for $5k with lots of upsells, he would've been considered a really good marketer here. I don't think you can really call it screwing the customer, unless you want in on it and are using this reason to justify screwing the original designer of that client.

    At the end of the day, you're not really stopping people from getting scammed, but really just trying to muscle in on the business yourself, no?
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    I want to know what OP is providing the client and at what price.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gengis
    Justin this is how I feel about you right now



    HAHA! you did the right thing bro..
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  • Profile picture of the author jaegerreynolds
    Definitely C on this one. Taking advantage on someone else's ignorance about such business is really not nice. I would also be choosing A but that would probably make it more difficult and troublesome.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by jaegerreynolds View Post

      Definitely C on this one. Taking advantage on someone else's ignorance about such business is really not nice. I would also be choosing A but that would probably make it more difficult and troublesome.
      Well, he did it for a profit motive, so I suspect his motives aren't as pure as he leads you to believe. I'm all for competition, but barging in uninvited on someone's sales meeting, disparaging them and then offering your own services goes beyond competition ... and there's no evidence that his own services are better for the money or that anyone was being scammed to start with. Two people met to discuss business and a low life bottom scraper interfered with that business meeting, undercutting the guy and screwing him out of lead and sale that he did the work to get.

      Tell me ... who's the shark circling in the water in this picture?
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  • Profile picture of the author Foreigner
    I have not had the chance to be on your shoes in a situation like this since in the first place I refuse to pay $4 for a coffee....but, having said the I would have wait till the "transaction" is over and if I had a chance I would may approach the misinformed person and ask why he/she feel the deal was good.

    Perception is reality, and the person may perceived that the deal was good.....

    Then and only then I may give my input, after getting permission to do so...

    I definitively would not like anyone interfering in my deals, specially if I am paying for an over priced coffee...

    I just think it is reasonable to give an authorized opinion specially if you know in your heart that it is the right think and not mainly motivated by your desire to go after some one
    else s prospect.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Foreigner...
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    • Profile picture of the author raywarrior1978
      This sounds like that abc shows with John Quiñones, "What Would You Do"? LOL
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  • Profile picture of the author darwingerald79
    It wouldn't hurt to choose C, but if it were me at that I would choose B and continue to listen to the conversation till it ended.
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  • Profile picture of the author HumbleGuy
    C is the best option indeed.
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  • Profile picture of the author ser23
    I like to ask warrior members would you pay $5000 for a website? .... my point exactly
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    • Profile picture of the author Adam X
      Ser23, On Flippa they pay that and more every day.

      I know of people that have paid 40-50,000 to get a website developed. Not all websites consists of wordpress and a few templates.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by ser23 View Post

      I like to ask warrior members would you pay $5000 for a website? .... my point exactly
      What difference does that make? Many warriors know how to build their own sites and know SEO, marketing and everything needed to maintain and promote a website. The average offline customer does not, just as most don't know how to do their own plumbing, remodeling, roofing, etc. So they hire people.

      You have no idea what the customer wanted and what the customer would be getting and for how much after the OP nicked the customer right out from the guy's nose. People easily $5K and more for websites in offline world.
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  • Profile picture of the author owenprescott
    If I was was going to intervene I would have actually spoken to the guy selling his services (in private) and suggested that he offers a fairer deal for the clueless buyer. Then it is at the sellers discretion to be an ethical person or not. I would definitely not undercut though, that is like going to a WSO and offering a similar product at a better price. If you think about it the value of anything is only what another person is willing to pay for it, pointing out a scam is cool but using a scam to make business for yourself is also unethical in my opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author lorrainesmithills
    With this kind of approach, you also have no idea about the client. Maybe the project was priced higher because the seller knew the client would require considerable hand holding throughout the whole process. This would take a great deal of time and patience, so would need to be charged accordingly.

    Also, the client may be one of those "I don't know what I want, but it isn't this!" types. These clients can give no real guidelines yet reject work. I personally wouldn't take on this type of client, but many do and charge more for the added stress.
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    • Profile picture of the author raydp
      Forgetting the ethical aspects for the moment, I wonder if cultural and physical differences played a part in reaching your decision?

      In other words if the "scammer" was a 6' 6" bruiser would you still made the same decision?

      Ray
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  • I would definetly be a C guy. I may also follow around the rip-off artist and try stealing more of his business, as it may turn of profitable, ha ha

    I recently learned to drive and my instructor said that she paid about a grand her her website, which consisted of 6-7 HTML pages. I said I would have done it for about $300, but I would have used WordPress that would have been easier for her to update. Not sure if she thought I was a con or not.
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  • Profile picture of the author rodvdobson
    Awesome !!! Good Job.
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    probably another "warrior."

    Try and get his contact details and contact leer on..apart from that STAY OUT!

    If you were in the same situation and just overhearing a conversation.. would you...
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    But seriously if anyone butted in on my sales pitch..i'd sue them and throw them out. It's just not on.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      To me, this event began with eavesdropping.

      The fact that you can hear what two people are saying at another table does not mean you are welcome to join their conversation. It is intrusive and rude and anything after that is tainted. Doesn't matter what the story is.
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      • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
        I think that if your having a conversation and you do not take it to a private place then you deserve to have people listen to your conversation.

        How bout you come sit next to my table, I will even join your conversation lol.


        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        To me, this event began with eavesdropping.

        The fact that you can hear what two people are saying at another table does not mean you are welcome to join their conversation. It is intrusive and rude and anything after that is tainted. Doesn't matter what the story is.
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  • Profile picture of the author malcsimm
    Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

    And the guy is talking about building a basic website.. with a few marketing strategies in place.. and charging $5,000+

    *cough* I already made my decision and went with C... You can call me a jerkwad for getting in their business, but letting people get screwed over is BS.

    Justin Lewis
    Hi Justin - it's a free country. And if somebody is dim enough to let you overhear their conversation by holding a business meeting in a Starbucks then I reckon they are fair game.

    On top of that, you stop someone getting seriously overcharged which is enough to give you a warm feeling inside, too.

    Go tiger!

    ++
    On the topic of coffee shops, I listened to some "coaching audios" by a well-known guy. Let's call him Sean. He had actually recorded one-to-one coaching sessions with clients and then bunched them together and sold them as a "how to do coaching easily" course.

    Anyway, on one of the calls there was a bit of background noise sounding like the guy's family were in the kitchen nearby and I was wondering why he wasn't telling them to be a bit quieter.

    Then there was a really loud fire engine went past on the conversation just had to stop. Then it transpired the guys sitting in a coffee shop talking to this wonderful coach through his laptop microphone.

    Hilarious. The "coach" didn't even edit the audio to take out the fire engine out.

    I've actually copied the guys method - so it was worth the $37 or whatever it was for me.

    However, in my method I do edit my audio and video!

    Malc
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
    To be honest, I don't know what to say and what path I would have taken.

    I'm tempted to say C because I'm greedy and think of other entrepreneurs as always trying to deceive their clients (hey, I'm not perfect), but I also don't know all the details of the story (and I have a history of embarrassing myself this way) and I know I wouldn't like someone else to hijack my transaction if I was in that man's shoes (not that this would stop me from doing it - I have double standards. Nack nack.)

    That being said, with so many variables and a frustration for the resulted uncertainty, I would have just ordered that Caramel Macchiato I was drooling over all day and carry on with my life.

    Oh, and stop trying to explain yourself. We're not in kindergarten anymore.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Smale
    What a rude thing to do. You should be ashamed of yourself. You may well have had "good" intentions, but it's not cool to stick your nose in someone's business. I would imagine any client who decided to go with you over the guy he had arranged to meet and was in the middle of agreeing with will also be a nightmare to deal with as he's shown he also lacks integrity by backing out at the last minute.

    A "smart" marketer (I notice you are a marketing "mentor") would have listened intently and figured out what the guy was doing to get clients willing to pay $5k for what you think was an easy job and too expensive. That way, instead of relying on under-cutting people on price (not a sustainable way to do business, nor a competitive advantage) you would learn how to earn more by the hour than you do now.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Patrick
    Websites often sell for thousands in the real world where developers market web design services to businesses. We may know how to put a site together or outsource one on the cheap, but most small business owners simply wouldn't know where to start.

    And it's not a scam when a buyer pays more than the optimal price for something, anyway. The seller's job is to charge the highest price possible, and the buyer's job is to pay the lowest price possible. When the two parties agree on a number, a sale is made. Sometimes buyers overpay, and sometimes sellers undercharge. But it's not a scam, it's a mutually agreeable transaction in a free market.

    However, the OP later mentioned that the seller was offering a "service/program" that we may have heard of which is known for scamming people. So it doesn't sound like this was for straight up web development services, but perhaps some kind of MLM networking scheme. That makes the situation a little harder to judge. I might be inclined to warn the buyer away from dropping $5,000 on something like that, especially if he or she seemed desperate.
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  • Profile picture of the author zahanega
    sit there and let it happen. it's not really any of your business
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    I was in Starbucks yesterday and I overheard a customer asking the Starbucks employee how much a large coffee costs. The employee told him that a large coffee costs $2.50. So being the good guy that I am, I jumped up from my seat and I told the customer that he was about to get ripped off and that if he came with me I could give him a cup of coffee for only 50 cents if he came back to my RV parked in the parking lot where I had my own coffee brewing. Guys, did I do the right thing? What would you guys have done?
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    • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
      True Story. I was in a 7-11, on the way I passed a small truck with hood up and flashers on. I saw a man ahead of me in line with a gas can he was actually getting his wallet out and up to the cash register. I asked him is that your truck down the street he said yet. I told him not to buy the gas can and I had what he needed. We got in my truck drove to his, he put the 2.5 gallons I had in the back of my truck for my mowers and before he drove off I also told him go down one more block past the 7-11 and save yourself .15 cents a gallon.

      Why he should let 7-11 profit the ten bucks on a 2 dollar gas can and be overcharged .15 cents for gas. The only reason I go there is they have my snuff.


      Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      I was in Starbucks yesterday and I overheard a customer asking the Starbucks employee how much a large coffee costs. The employee told him that a large coffee costs $2.50. So being the good guy that I am, I jumped up from my seat and I told the customer that he was about to get ripped off and that if he came with me I could give him a cup of coffee for only 50 cents if he came back to my RV parked in the parking lot where I had my own coffee brewing. Guys, did I do the right thing? What would you guys have done?
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    • Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      I was in Starbucks yesterday and I overheard a customer asking the Starbucks employee how much a large coffee costs. The employee told him that a large coffee costs $2.50. So being the good guy that I am, I jumped up from my seat and I told the customer that he was about to get ripped off and that if he came with me I could give him a cup of coffee for only 50 cents if he came back to my RV parked in the parking lot where I had my own coffee brewing. Guys, did I do the right thing? What would you guys have done?
      If you looked like your avatar, I would have come with you. But unfortunately you didn't, so I called the cops instead.
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    I read through just about all the responses in this thread and for
    those who disagree with option C, they are missing one element.
    And that is the client's option to say NO to the better deal. The
    client is not a victim of some irrepressible force. He could say
    "No" to the $5K and he could also say "No" to the lesser
    offer.

    So we may question the "etiquette" of butting in, but the fact
    that the client has a right to say "No" to any offer trumps every
    other concern.

    -Ray Edwards
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Prices, service, value is all relative. Some people pay five even ten times the cost of gasoline for coffee. They pay a buck or more for 8 ounces of bottled water. Maybe you should be intervening at the checkout because these folks are certainly not in their right minds and deserve to be protected from scammers charging so much.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    For all those who think the OP is a Dudley Do-Right and helped some poor unsuspecting person from paying a big wad of cash for services, please email me the time and location of your next business meeting. I smell a profitable business model in the making.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jon Patrick
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      For all those who think the OP is a Dudley Do-Right and helped some poor unsuspecting person from paying a big wad of cash for services, please email me the time and location of your next business meeting. I smell a profitable business model in the making.
      What if it was some MLM networking scheme? That seems like a different situation in my mind. The OP did hint later that this was a "program" we might have heard of before.

      It would be nice if the OP would clarify.
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Jon Patrick View Post

        What if it was some MLM networking scheme? That seems like a different situation in my mind. The OP did hint later that this was a "program" we might have heard of before.

        It would be nice if the OP would clarify.
        The OP refuses to clarify what he thought was a scam other than he felt the service was overpriced. The OP has some reputation problems himself as evidenced from a post that was deleted from the thread.
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  • Profile picture of the author imeasysales
    You done the right thing in my opinion, I would have probably done it too. You've also got yourself some more business! I hate it when I see people online charging 200-300% the average price for a service, and trying to scam some unsuspected business. This happens a lot when businesses don't know the next thing about websites.
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  • Profile picture of the author onqdirector
    this is definitely one of those ethical grey areas, but at the end of the day you're in business to make money. If you steal someones client right out from under their nose like that so be it, (just know I wouldn't advise stealing my clients as you would find a world of neg seo and rep management troubles on your hands lol)

    A.) He shouldnt have conducted the meeting at Starbucks
    B.)the guy who had his client stolen wasnt quick enough on his feet to demonstrate value of his service at the current price and dismiss the intruder. In this event, I trust my conversational skill enough to derail OP, If I'm the original salesman, I would ask him to sit down at the table and join the conversation in order to show his incompetence and highlight his weasel ways, (last thing OP was expecting and probably mightve derailed him immediately as he would be caught very off guard by this) If he sits, first compliance test has just taken place it's time to continue to AMOG him with small innocuous validations, shoulder pat dismissals, strong body language and more compliance tests.
    C.) maybe our OP had a truly better offer, sales pitch, skill level after all the final decision is with the client.

    On a side note in the offline world $5K for a website is normal. I can't tell you how many times I went into a business meeting thinking I was going to charge like $2500 for a site and then the biz owner I'm meeting with dictates the budget themselves by saying something like, "I just don't want to spend 10 Grand" or "I only have $7500 in the budget" guess what in my head I just doubled or tripled the cost of your project because you gave me the information that you were willing to pay it. Now I always deliver tremendous service and value, that's still important to me as my real earning comeS from repeat monthly subscribed clientele. First and foremost I want to price you IN at a level that I can you show return at and fairly quickly in order to keep you coming back for more. Here's a great example. I had a client who handles fire restoration, their average take per new client contract is around 5K. So charging 5K for a website, at 1 client generated he's even on the investment. I KNOW I can at least bring him the 1 client so charging him 5K for a website, I might charge a plumber only 2K for, is a no brainer and I can sleep just fine at night.

    When I negotiate a price closing, I use body language to determine customers confidence and comfort level when I introduce different ideas and prices, I can put anyone on a fairly accurate range for max value on a project by interpreting their non verbal communications during key discussions. Getting max value on every project is super important to me as every project at the moment requires my personal time and attention which is something I cannot scale up. In this respect I want to make sure I get the most value out of anytime I use for any project that needs me at the helm (all of them). If you want to "be like Mike" here's some important body language things to learn about: Thumb displays, steepling, eye brow furrowing, eye brow arching, baseline position, neck reveals, distancing, arms crossing in front of abdomen, etc. This will tell you non verbally how your client truly feels about different things you talk about in real time during the conversation.

    Example: If you quote 5K and he steeples his hand, go for add-ons and upsells hes feeling confident. If you quote 5K and he distances himself slightly from the table and crosses his arms in front of his gut, tell him that even though its 5K you are running a special starting (add 2 days to current day to not seem suspect) and You're happy to give him that price early and it will save him $1K and the cost will be only $4k... He may now arch his eyebrows uncross his arms and move closer to the table. Now it's time to get out your contract and a pen and sign that thing.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by onqdirector View Post

      A.) He shouldnt have conducted the meeting at Starbucks

      .....

      C.) maybe our OP had a truly better offer, sales pitch, skill level after all the final decision is with the client.
      Meetings are held at Starbucks and restaurants all the time. I've seen it many times. It's a convenient spot for both parties to meet, they have great coffee and Starbucks is usually quiet enough to talk to people. Apparently, it's also quiet enough to eavesdrop on other people's conversations.

      There's no evidence that the OP had or offers a better service or has a higher skill level or is not a scammer himself.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        I've read the replies so far, and I think the OP is lucky he didn't come away with a fat lip or worse.

        What I'm really curious about is why the OP felt the need to post his "poll", anyway.

        If he's so convinced he should have been fitted for a halo, why does he want/need our approval?

        Or maybe he's collecting all the "attaboy" posts to use as testimonials?:confused::rolleyes:

        I can just see the title - "Starbucks Sniper - Lead Generation on Caffiene!!!" (It isn't a legit IM GRQ title without at least three exclamation points.)
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      • Profile picture of the author onqdirector
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        Meetings are held at Starbucks and restaurants all the time. I've seen it many times. It's a convenient spot for both parties to meet, they have great coffee and Starbucks is usually quiet enough to talk to people. Apparently, it's also quiet enough to eavesdrop on other people's conversations.

        There's no evidence that the OP had or offers a better service or has a higher skill level or is not a scammer himself.
        Agreed, but I never have a meeting at a Starbucks or Cafe if I can avoid it (thats not to say I've never done it, closed a 1500 website in a cafe like 8 weeks ago) Normally I invite them to my office or I go their place of business, if its a deal 5K and up I'm never going to meet in Starbucks though. Presentation is part of the sale. I'd rather have them come into my nice office, see my killer setup, stare at my expensive fish tank, see my employees hard at work and start to feel like its the real deal before we even hit the negotiating table.

        About OP's skill, this is true we know nothing about it, I too wish he would share more of the deal he broke up and what he offered in lieu.
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  • Profile picture of the author summerdayz
    Option C is the best option but doubt anyone has the courage to stand up for it and confront the other parties. You did a great job. Well done.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
    Here's a thought: what if the OP got the person's email and hit him with an offer later? Would that still be considered inappropriate?

    Or what if he waited until the meeting ended and then made the offer, after the 5k service provider left? And what if the person said "he'll think about it" before the 5k provider left, and then when OP made the offer he accepted it on the spot?

    Not trying to start a fight - I'm just curious.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Lucian Lada View Post

      Here's a thought: what if the OP got the person's email and hit him with an offer later? Would that still be considered inappropriate?

      Or what if he waited until the meeting ended and then made the offer, after the 5k service provider left? And what if the person said "he'll think about it" before the 5k provider left, and then when OP made the offer he accepted it on the spot?

      Not trying to start a fight - I'm just curious.
      How did he get the person's email? He didn't know him from Adam. Did he interrupt a business meeting to get his email? If he got it from him after the sales guy left or if the buyer said he'll think about it and the sales guy left, it's an entirely different situation.
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  • Profile picture of the author mrgoe
    Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

    And the guy is talking about building a basic website.. with a few marketing strategies in place.. and charging $5,000+

    But the guy talking has no clue what he's talking about and definitely feels like he's trying to screw over the guy listening.

    If you were in the same situation and just overhearing a conversation.. would you...

    A. Be the nice guy and share your opinion

    B. Just sit there and let the transaction happen

    C. Provide a better solution for much cheaper

    The guy is literally pulling out his credit card and signing up for it right now :

    *cough* I already made my decision and went with C... You can call me a jerkwad for getting in their business, but letting people get screwed over is BS.

    Justin Lewis
    I would have just laughed, told my real thoughts about his offer and offer my own gig only if I was asked to. Just so it doesn`t look like I`m the bigger jerk.
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  • Profile picture of the author onqdirector
    What I want to know is where is the original salesman in this equation, I mean did he just sit there and let himself get railroaded into loosing $5k? Didn't he stick up for himself? too many details missing from this story...
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    • Profile picture of the author owenprescott
      Originally Posted by onqdirector View Post

      What I want to know is where is the original salesman in this equation, I mean did he just sit there and let himself get railroaded into loosing $5k? Didn't he stick up for himself? too many details missing from this story...
      Imagine if the guy was also a warrior forum member, that would be entertaining to find out his version of events.
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      • Profile picture of the author onqdirector
        Originally Posted by owenprescott View Post

        Imagine if the guy was also a warrior forum member, that would be entertaining to find out his version of events.
        haha if only....
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
    Yes, I kind of realized after posting that the first situation is just as if he made the offer by interrupting them (or close to it) because the person is thinking to wait for the other offer until he makes up his mind.

    Now that I think of it, I would have waited for the meeting to end and just hope my guy didn't sign any contract. All that while enjoying a Caramel Macchiato.
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    • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
      So geez..this is like a book series. Give us the next installment.

      WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED NEXT????
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    I've been in a few situations like this.

    And whether you say something or not kind of depends on the dynamics.

    If the "expert" is obviously full of sh!t, I'd always say something.

    If the "expert" is trying his or her best, but is just plain wrong, it might be nice to interrupt and help the poor ******* out. (No, you're not trying to steal the client; just adding some value to the conversation and going back to minding your own business.)

    You have to read the dynamics.

    Will saying something even be "heard?" Or will you just come off as some jack off?

    Personally...

    I work at a lot of coffeehouses. I set up shop, do my writing, make my skype calls... blah blah blah. So I've heard some pretty messed up conversations. 9 times out of 10, I won't say a thing. Not worth my time. But every once in a while, it's obvious you've just gotta intervene and say something - especially when you're seeing a hustle.

    That's my take.

    If your input isn't appreciated, such is life.

    I will say...

    The times I've said something were definitely appreciated.

    mark
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    You know one place where interruption is part of the business model?
    An auction. One person gives a price and then another interrupts
    with a better offer. I guess this model is unethical and should be banned.

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      You know one place where interruption is part of the business model?
      An auction. One person gives a price and then another interrupts
      with a better offer. I guess this model is unethical and should be banned.

      -Ray Edwards
      That's just silly, this wasn't an auction, nor anything resembling one.

      RoD
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      • Profile picture of the author Raydal
        Originally Posted by Rod Cortez View Post

        That's just silly, this wasn't an auction, nor anything resembling one.

        RoD
        My silly point is that an interruption is not a bad thing. It's a part of
        many business models. Infact, almost ALL advertising is an interruption
        to the prospect.

        -Ray Edwards
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        • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
          Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

          My silly point is that an interruption is not a bad thing. It's a part of
          many business models. Infact, almost ALL advertising is an interruption
          to the prospect.

          -Ray Edwards
          An ad is an ad, a business meeting is a business meeting. They are not even remotely the same thing.
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        • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
          Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

          My silly point is that an interruption is not a bad thing. It's a part of
          many business models. Infact, almost ALL advertising is an interruption
          to the prospect.

          -Ray Edwards
          I understand that Ray and I get the point you're trying to make. I disagree with you on this one. I think in this case it was bad thing to interrupt as it was only involving two parties. At least in an auction all parties know what is going on and they are agreeing to the process.

          In this case, that didn't happen.

          Now do I think the OP did something unethical in interrupting the business meeting? No, I don't. Do I think he was out of line and inappropriate? Yes, I do as I don't think it was his place to do that.

          But they were in a public place and both parties have the freedom, to an extent, to say and do what they want. Whether it's right or wrong, ethical or not, is where most people in this thread are not seeing eye to eye on.

          RoD
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          • Profile picture of the author Raydal
            Originally Posted by Rod Cortez View Post

            I understand that Ray and I get the point you're trying to make. I disagree with you on this one. I think in this case it was bad thing to interrupt as it was only involving two parties. At least in an auction all parties know what is going on and they are agreeing to the process.

            In this case, that didn't happen.

            Now do I think the OP did something unethical in interrupting the business meeting? No, I don't. Do I think he was out of line and inappropriate? Yes, I do as I don't think it was his place to do that.

            But they were in a public place and both parties have the freedom, to an extent, to say and do what they want. Whether it's right or wrong, ethical or not, is where most people in this thread are not seeing eye to eye on.

            RoD
            What I see here as the burden of the counter argument is that this
            conversation was private (strange place to have it) and therefore he
            was wrong to interrupt. So the interruption was wrong. Not his
            "better offer" not the overhearing, but the interruption. It's almost
            as if he stole the client from another business owner who had done
            all the work up to this point to get the interview.

            Well, I'm saying that (another analogy) if you came to my
            engagement party and asked my potential bride out and
            she accepted I'm at fault, not the other guy. I may consider
            him out of place. But as far as I'm concerned if this woman
            loves me no other "offer" would attract her. If I need to keep
            my girl from talking to any other man in order to keep her
            then she wasn't mines in the first place.

            -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      You know one place where interruption is part of the business model?
      An auction. One person gives a price and then another interrupts
      with a better offer. I guess this model is unethical and should be banned.

      -Ray Edwards
      Starbucks is not an auction house.

      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      My silly point is that an interruption is not a bad thing. It's a part of
      many business models. Infact, almost ALL advertising is an interruption
      to the prospect.

      -Ray Edwards
      Right, but auction behavior is not a part of coffee house etiquette.
      Signature

      :)

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      • Profile picture of the author Raydal
        Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

        Starbucks is not an auction house.
        Right, but auction behavior is not a part of coffee house etiquette.
        I'm sure it's not against Starbucks policy to say, "Excuse me, but I couldn't
        help overhearing ..."

        -Ray Edwards
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        • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
          Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

          I'm sure it's not against Starbucks policy to say, "Excuse me, but I couldn't
          help overhearing ..."

          -Ray Edwards
          No, it's probably not written in their policy.

          Though if I was a Starbucks customer trying to have a conversation with a client, and stranger who came up to our table after eavesdropping on our conversation tried to interfere with my business, I'd probably bring that customer's behavior to the shop manager's attention. Hopefully, the manager would act a policy that allows them to refuse service to anyone for any reason, in particular those people who disturb other customers.


          BTW, OP's actions would seem a lot less sleazy if he simply gave his opinion and didn't follow up the interruption with a counter-offer to provide his own services for less.


          Originally Posted by Justin Says View Post

          I don't blame people, I know that we all speculate. It's just funny when people immediately jump to conclusions and then blast people without asking.
          You've left a lot of questions unanswered.
          Signature

          :)

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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    ABC has a TV show called What Would You Do.

    They play out various scenarios in public places to see who intervenes/interrupts... and why.

    It's human nature to interrupt a situation - when you KNOW something's off.

    I'm really surpised by the responses here.

    Mark
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