Can asking price be changed after offer is made?

Moto_man: Not that I'm sure it really matters anyway as you say, but is your first sentence still the case as you see it legally if the "OBO" is included?

I think that from a legal standpoint, Sean is correct. "Best Offer" does not necessarily, although usually, refers to offers less than the asking price. But there is no reason "best offer" is limited in that way.

Moto_man: An offer to sell at a certain price and an unqualified acceptance is a contract. But I don't think any court in the US would interpret that to mean that a seller who places an ad is obligated to sell just because someone agrees to the listed price. And that seems to be the issue here.

Sean, Zaikesman, why bother with both auctions and classifieds if OBO is going to turn classifieds into unrestricted, unmonitored auctions? Since there is a place (auctions) that preceed the classifieds I think it is quite clear as to what we are agreeing to up front, and it's not an auction. Unless there are some unforseen changes (the equipment is no longer in the condition it was originally advertised as, etc.) it behooves us all to set some type of standard as to what constitutes a contract. This type of thing could get out of hand and we all could loose out on a good thing.

This item was offered at a fixed non-negotiable price. But it seems like from legal aspects, fixed price or BO is a moot point. Legally the seller can change his mind as many times as he wants. Practically, he can do so until money changes hands.

In the long run, I agree if we accept that it is okay to do what-ever-it-takes, even for a pitiful amount of money, then we end up to loose out on a good thing. For the old timers, do you remember rec.audio.marketplace? How many of you still read that free-for-all unmoderated newsgroup?

My question is not just about a legal issue. It is about whether sticking to one's words is an outdated concept.