'AITA for getting upset over a sudden price increase from my best friend’s business?'
"AITA for getting upset over a sudden price increase from my best friend’s business?"
So, I (F22) asked my best friend to make me a bouquet. She sells fuzzy wire flowers with another friend. Before, I was told the bouquet would cost 800 (not USD), which I was fine with.
Fast forward to Feb 13, when I was supposed to pick it up, and suddenly the price is 1500. I was shocked but said okay. Then I get another message saying it’s actually 1650 plus shipping. At this point, I told them I’d just pick it up so they could deduct the shipping fee.
But the other friend insisted I pay the full 1650 and got mad because apparently I was “lowballing.” I got frustrated bc it felt unreasonable. They added extra flowers and raised the price without asking me, but expected me to magically have all that money ready immediately.
To avoid more drama, I finally agreed to pay 1650 and will pick it up tomorrow. Originally, I ordered 9 flowers, but they made it 11 without consulting me. Now I’m being made to feel like I’m the bad guy for “lowballing,” when honestly, they added extra flowers and suddenly increased the price. So, AITA here?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Master-Pick-7918 wrote:
NTA. Sounds like a bait and switch, tell you one price then raise it when you're ready to buy. Just how good of a friend is this?
OP responded:
Yeah, it felt like a total bait-and-switch. I’ve known them forever, but this really stung.
JerseyGirl2468 wrote:
NTA, you got scammed. They gave you a lowball offer which you accepted, then they doubled the price and didn’t make what you asked for them too. Demanding you pay for shipping even though you are picking it up is extra rude.
MizZo2 wrote:
Info: OP, did you get it in writing (text, WhatsApp, email, even scribbled on a napkin while at a bar) that the agreement was 9 flowers for 800? If you did, awesome! I would send them a picture of that proof and say that you will be paying the agree-upon price. If they claim you are lowballing them, ask why they would lowball themselves since they offered the price originally.
If you don't have it in writing then, while really crappy of them, it is the right of the business to charge what they want for their goods and services. Here in the US you see terrible people do this in disasters. They will buy up all the water bottles then charge like $20 for a single bottle when they bought a pack of 25 of them for $5.
I know they are your friends, and you are young, but take this as a valuable life lesson to always always always get it in some form of writing so you can refer back to the original agreement and not have this bait and switch happen.
Luckily, it only cost you 850. (Tbh, since you didn't name the currency I am not sure if 850 is actually a small or large amount but since it's a wire flower bouquet I'm assuming we aren't talking about a month's worth of paychecks).
Illustrious-Network5 wrote:
NTA. She quoted you a price and that should've stuck. Maybe she could've asked you if she could increase the price a little if she overestimated costs, but certainly not doubling it.
Also, no professional would've altered the original product without first consulting the customer to check if that's okay (imagine if a florist decided to randomly switch out flowers in a bouquet and got something someone was allergic to).
They would also have to inform the customer of the new price of the product with said alterations to see if that's within their budget. The fact that she did neither makes it feel like she has less of a "business" and more of an extortion scheme. You said you paid it and picked up the flowers, but I would ask for a refund.
The product isn't what you agreed on, and neither is the price. These friends do not sound like friends, and they will only keep taking advantage of you and other people if you let them. Tell them that they need to give you your money back or you will let everyone know about the scam they're pulling.
Trevena_Ice wrote:
NTA. Talk to your friend about the cost increase. Make clear that you were told 800 and if the business would be from anyone else you would have backt out after the price doubled.
Also add, that you liked to support friends business but if they take adventage of you and doing changes without talking to you - it shows that you are not seen as a real customer or they have very low business etiquette, so you will not make business with them again.
A_little_more_left wrote:
NTA and tell your "friends" that if they pull this shit with too many people, they're gonna tank their own business. Because no one is gonna want to buy from them again just to constantly have the price get higher and higher after the sale was already agreed upon at the lower price.
If I were you I wouldn't ever buy anything from them again, and I'd honestly go low contact. I'd definitely need some space from them after this BS.
Heavy-Equipment8389 wrote:
NTA. I would be mad if this was any business, but even more if this was a friend. For an almost doubled original price I think I would have let them keep the item. Note that I assume that you're living in a country with a reasonable inflation rate, not somewhere like Venezuela where inflation runs in the hundreds of % per year.
notrainsaroundhere wrote:
Frankly I'd have said I'll pay the 800 we originally agreed. If they've gone off brief and added extra stuff without agreeing the cost increase with me *in advance* then that's on them.
NTA.
MaxSpringPuma wrote:
ESH. She ripped you off. But you didnt say anything. "Hey we agreed to $800 and thats all I'm willing to pay. I cant pay $1650."