Am i obliged to buy when seller refused at first..

Wow, I see a lot of people don't understand how this Audiogon system works at all. I'm not saying that I agree with the system, but there is a BIG difference between refusing an offer and declining an offer.
Do some research, find out how the system works, then work the system. That is what the seller did.

According to Audiogon rules, yes, you are obliged to buy for 48 hours, the offer is declined, or counteroffer made when making an offer. Offline contact with the seller/buyer has no bearing on the official offer. Sort of like things said off the record and on the record.

You should have replied to his e-mail and ask him to decline the offer immediately if he refused it in the email. That's life in the Audiogon jungle.

Dougmc, no, when you click on the "make an offer" button through Audiogon, you are committed to buy for 48 hours, or until the seller declines or makes a counteroffer. Whichever happens first. If you back out, you are charged a $19 fee from Audiogon, and obviously, open to negative feedback.

As to Audiogon's reasoning for their rules, you would have to check with them. Yes, it does tie up the buyer. I think Audiogon wants to make sure buyers are committed to the purchase at the offer they are making an official offer. Trying to prevent buyers from just making official offers on a dozen objects, and just picking out what they really want later. Only Audiogon knows for sure.

Lowrider57, I have been burned. You don't buy and sell on Audiogon for 15 years and NOT have a bad experience. The trick is to learn from your mistakes, and become an enlightened consumer.

Still nothing is totally safe, I got burned about a month ago. However, from previous learning experiences, I used the proper precautions, and recouped all of my investment. The seller was banned from Audiogon, but I still seem the scammers popping up with new monikers all the time.

Buyer beware, read and understand the rules of engagement. There are sharks in the waters, posing as buyers and sellers. That's all I'm saying.

02-01-15: Lse
Under the most basic elements of contract law, a rejection of an offer ends the matter right there.

While this is true, the seller did NOT decline the offer through official Audiogon channels. The buyer made an official offer through the Audiogon system. The seller PM'd the buyer rejecting his offer, off the record. He did not officially decline the offer through the Audiogon system though. That is how he was able to accept the offer. It's like he tried to strong arm a better deal, when the buyer balked, he accepted his original offer.

I assume in the legal world there is a big difference between working with official documents on the record, and working off the record, is there not?

Cheers,
John