Offer Confusion w/ Timeshare Store

[Thumper4me]

I made an offer on a small OKW contract. After phoning back later the same evening, I was informed that I had the first and highest bid on the contract but the owner had not returned their phone call.

Fast forward to the following day. The contact gets included in the mass mailing and by 1:00pm, the contract shows as "sale pending" on The Timeshare Store's website. I call them to find out that someone else put in an offer at the higher original asking price. I was told politely to keep looking for anything else that might interest me.

Is this standard operating procedure? I would have thought since I was the first to offer, I would at least have the option to match the higher bid. Am I asking too much? I understand that The Timeshare Store is trying to make thier money but the commission difference amounted to $30.