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Tesla is Threatening Cybertruck Buyers to Take Delivery By the End of December; Otherwise, the Company Says They Will “Forfeit” Their $2,500 Deposit

To meet Wall Street’s year-end sales forecast, Tesla appears to be resorting to high-pressure tactics to force Cybertruck buyers to take delivery by December 31. The EV maker is threatening buyers to complete the purchase or forfeit the $2,500 deposit.
Tesla Cybertruck

As the end of the quarter approaches, Tesla appears to be pressuring Cybertruck buyers to complete their purchase by December 30. Otherwise, the company is threatening to confiscate their $2,500 deposit and cancel their order.

For years, Elon Musk has said that Tesla should move away from the end-of-quarter sales rush; however, the EV maker is once again resorting to pressuring buyers in order to meet end-of-year sales targets.

The first person to bring this issue to our attention is Brok Butcher, who is a Cybertruck buyer from Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Brok has already paid Tesla $2,500 to configure a Cybertruck, but due to unforeseen financial difficulties, he says he needs more time before he can complete the Cybertruck purchase.

However, as mentioned above, Tesla is giving him an ultimatum to either take delivery before the end of the year or lose his $2,500 deposit.

The Cybertruck buyer shared his ordeal, writing…

“Crazy how Tesla wouldn’t at least allow me to use my $2,500 deposit for a future Cybertruck.”

Below his post, Brok included a screenshot of a conversation he had with a Tesla sales representative—Josie.

The Tesla representative writes…

“Hello, Brok, you have exceeded your final hold on your Cybertruck and have been assigned a truck that is on island readily available.

Please let us know if you intend on taking delivery by 12/30. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you are no longer interested, and your order will be automatically canceled.”

This is a very cut-and-dry message to receive from a company trying to get you to spend $100,000 on one of the company’s vehicles. The attitude of the Tesla sales representative is as if Brok owes Tesla money rather than someone trying to make a sale.

Given this unprecedented message, Brok responds by saying he can’t finalize the purchase currently and writes back, “I need more time.”

However, the Tesla rep responds in a very cold manner, writing…“Your order will be canceled with your deposit forfeited.”

This is a very rough manner of treating a customer. Brok replies by asking why he couldn’t at least use the $2,500 deposit for a future Cybertruck. Brok writes…

“That doesn't seem fair. Why can't my deposit be for the time I can order my Cybertruck?

It shouldn't be forfeited.”

In response, the Tesla representative wrote back, saying the company has the right to take his $2,500 deposit.

Here is what the Tesla representative wrote…

“When you placed your deposit, you agreed to the terms and conditions of it being non-refundable and to take delivery once the vehicle is available.”

This is technically true; when configuring a vehicle, Tesla makes you sign a contract that says the deposit is non-refundable, and if the buyer no longer wants to go ahead with the purchase, Tesla will take the deposit.

However, in Brok’s case, he is not asking to get the deposit back. He is still interested in purchasing a Cybertruck; however, given his current financial struggle, he needs more time.

At the very least, I believe the Tesla representative should have been understanding of Brok’s situation and approached the issue with empathy rather than acting like he stole money from the company.

Overall, it’s interesting to see Tesla resorting to high-pressure tactics to meet end-of-year sales targets. Please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.

Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

For more information, check out: Tesla Cybertruck Owner in Canada Says the Truck is “Dangerous” After Experiencing First Drive in the Snow; Forced to Slow Down to 25 Mph on the Highway & Stop Multiple Times to Clean the Headlights

Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.

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Comments

andrei (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 4:29PM

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You general conclusion is at least crazy. If I put a deposit on a house, or anything build to my specifications. Then when it is ready, I decline to pay and take possession, I should not expect the builder to say: "Well, you can use your deposit to order some other house later in life." What should the builder do with the house/anything he built for you?
The expectation that Tesla, because it is Tesla, will just build cars to your specifications and then just keep them on the lot is insane.
If you hire a painter to paint your home and give a deposit, how would you react if he said: "You know I am busy now. But I will keep your deposit until a few years later when I might come and paint your home." And you are supposed to smile and understand that, right?

tom (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 4:37PM

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$2500 is a small price to pay to nullify the obligation to buy what automotive historians will surely regard as the ugliest, least useful, and most overpriced vehicle since the Edsel.

DB Johnson (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 7:51PM

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I own a Tesla. Their process is straightforward. You put down a nonrefundable deposit when you are ready to purchase, not before. You enter into a sales agreement. Tesla has already sold you the vehicle at that point. The personal change of circumstances does not void the contract. The terms of sale are clear: when notified the vehicle is rolling off the line and available for pickup, the buyer is to make final payment in full. If the buyer can’t honor the contract, he defaults. Pleading his case in this forum was not helpful to the cause.

Jeppy (not verified)    December 30, 2024 - 8:46PM

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I get the feeling that the author of this article also thinks that college debt forgiveness is ok too!?
He willingly entered into a contract. No one forced him to sign the agreement in anyway.
Now that he can't afford it, he should be given leeway?? Should the taxpayers pay him his deposit back? If he takes delivery of the truck and then defaults on his payments should we feel bad for him too? Sorry but this type of thinking is backwards.

Confused-

Barry (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 9:03AM

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In order to judge this you really need to know how long the buyer has delayed closing this sale. If the truck has been available for 30 days or more it's not unreasonable for Tesla to insist on a closing by year end. In my own situation it was Tesla who refused to honor the terms of sale for a new Model 3, replacing my current one. They quoted a price on their financing app, then after I agreed they increased the price by over $100/month, then corrected it to the original quote, then the day before delivery tried to increase it by $150/month! When I refused to accept these new last minute changes which were contrary to our contract they forfeited my $250 deposit. BTW my credit rating throughout was max.
I will never do business with Tesla again.

Jessie (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 9:33AM

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Sounds like you exceeded the amount of times Tesla can place your order on hold. Which means you might have had plenty of time to figure things out.

Why custom order a product you are not ready for. Own your mistake and move on. Rather than cry and complain. SMH

Shaun Sweeney (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 10:19AM

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This seems fair especially when Tesla already allowed the buyer to postpone the purchase multiple times. Tesla is not forcing anybody to take delivery of the cyber truck by the end of the year. They are simply informing f the customer of their obligation to meet their end of the deal that is to purchase what they wanted in the first place.

Brok is an idiot (not verified)    December 31, 2024 - 5:14PM

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If you can't comfortable afford a ANY vehicle, then you should have never put down a non-refundable deposit. This just like any amusement park rides, you stand in line and wait for your spot on the ride, you forfeit your spot if you choose not to get on the ride when it is your turn. No one is forcing you to stand in line for 2 hrs. In this case, no one forced "Brok" to pay the $2500 non-refundable deposit. This is all on "Brok" for putting in a deposit based on his FOMO for something that he can't literally afford.