AstroBuySell is getting silly...

[jambouk]

I do love a good rant

[Astro_Baby]

Sorry - practising there ready for a real set to later

[carastro]

 I would always ask if that was the case why bother calling me.  9 times out of 10 they would say because your competitor has no stock to which I would always say 'fine - call me back when I have no stock and I will go 10% cheaper too' 

Great reply.

Carole 

[mcolbert]

Sorry - practising there ready for a real set to later

should I be glad that I'm in a different hemisphere?

michael

[Victoria1410]

Its the same on ebay these days which is why I almost never sell stuff there...people moaning that post and packing adds a fiver.  Where do they imagine I am going to get a jiffy bag from for free I wonder and a mail service to transfer it to them at no cost.  I usually say 'thats ok - tell you what don't pay the postage cost and I will just write your address on the item with a marker pen  and give it to a passing tramp - maybe it will get to you for no cost that way'

Haha!  Great comeback.  I wonder how many people would take you up on that? 

[gooseholla]

I've never had a problem buying from anyone on this site. I've always said I'm interested, tell me more, then either say yey or ney. I don't spend days thinking about it though. I've had a few time wasters selling my telescope 3 years ago - through here, ABS and gumtree where it was listed. Someone said they wanted it and would come and collect it the next day, then a text saying delayed at work they'll come in a couple of days time, then phone calls and texts saying they still wanted it. What was I supposed to do? I had others interested. Guy never showed up and stopped texting. I texted him a few times no response. I assume he reserved a few scopes and chose the best deal for him! The most infuriating was the idiot who turned up and wanted a huge amount of the scope and used "But I've come all this way" Ermmm you chose to come, If you don't like it don't expect me to knock money off for no reason!

I'm afraid it is the way the world is going. When I've sold on here or gumtree or other forums, I've always talked to the first person who makes a genuine commitment to buy. If they pull out then it goes back up for sale. I don't talk to several at once then initiate a panic stricken bidding war.

 

[Rockrae78]

I have just noticed that ABS has put a notice on stating that from 03.10.2015, if you want to respond to an ad, you have to be a registered user. Maybe this will help to weed out the time wasters? 

[nameunknown]

I'm getting a bit frustrated with Astrobuysell - I've emailed/messaged people trying to buy stuff and never had a response (I give both email and phone number) from anyone, despite the ads staying up for long after I offer to buy and collect!

P

[DRT]

I'm getting a bit frustrated with Astrobuysell - I've emailed/messaged people trying to buy stuff and never had a response (I give both email and phone number) from anyone, despite the ads staying up for long after I offer to buy and collect!

P

They have had problems with their hosting company recently which resulted in the email response function not working. They posted a link asking people to use their test site (which was still working) to respond to ads.

You might have been caught by that problem rather than people being unresponsive?

One other thought - is the email address you have registered against your account correct? I have had instances where I have tried to contact somewone and the email goes no where because the address is incorrect.

[Bukko]

I have never sold on ABS, but used to use Ebay.

I have pretty much stopped bothering after selling a spare (In perfect working order) ADSL router...

Sold, despatched and delivered, then nothing for weeks.

I asked if it was OK, no answer, then much later, a request for his money back as it was faulty.

Turned out he bought mine as it was a clone of the one he had, which was not reliable on his connection.

We exchanged a couple of emails, him getting more irate as I try and fault-find for him.

In the end, I just stopped talking to him and he went away.

But I did purchase a frac through the classifieds here a couple of months ago...

One PM exchange and 5 minson the phone did the business, then the rest of the time was spent chatting around Astronomy and everything else.

I agreed his price was more than fair, so no bartering. If it was more expensive, then I would have challenmged him, but under the circumstances, I think it would have been bad form.

He is happy, so am I and I have a super WO 110 FLT in Carbon in my collection!!

Gordon.

[Scott]

I think everyone has the right to ask a seller if they are prepared to drop their price. No one has the right to kick off if they refuse. Ask once and if there is no moving on the price either pay the asking price or bail out. 

I do however think a seller is entitled to be annoyed if a buyer won't take no for an answer. I know this happens on the bay of e's and ab&s but if evidence came to light of it happening here I'd be surprised if the offender didn't lose their right to access the classifieds

[michaelmorris]

AB&S are obviously experiencing some technical difficulties at present and replies aren't getting passed back to seller.

Please can everyone remember SGL's code of conduct and keep it all family friendly.

Thanks

[carastro]

I'm getting a bit frustrated with Astrobuysell - I've emailed/messaged people trying to buy stuff and never had a response

I think a lot of people don't bother to update the status of ads which often means they have got or sold their item and can't be bothered to let any-one know causing a lot of time wasting.

I hate people who try to knock down the price, and in fact having read this thread, in future I shall now put "no offers" next to anything I put up for sale.  If I am open to offers then I'll say so.  

I remember when selling my PST I had two people after it and as usual I give first refusal to the one who had contacted me first.  The first chap came all the way from Oxford to Kent,  to pay and collect it.    He took a look at it and tried to make out there was something not right with it and offered a lower price.   

Well sorry why do you want it at all if there is something wrong with it?  I thought to myself.  

As far as I was concerned there was nothing wrong with it so I refused and sold it to the 2nd in line and have never had any negative feedback.

Carole 

[DRT]

I hate people who try to knock down the price

Do you really hate them, Carole? Isn't that a bit strong?

I can see why a seller could become frustrated by someone doing what you describe in your post but is it really such a crime for someone to politely offer to buy an item at a price they think is reasonable? I have seen items advertised at prices that I think are too high and are unlikely to attract a buyer. If it is an item I would buy at a more reasonable price I would politely make an offer, perhaps briefly explaining why I think the asking price might be too high, and leave the seller to decide whether or not to accept. If they do, everyone is happy. If they don't, I would gracefully withdraw. I would be very sad if any reasonable person went away from that exchange hating me.

[carastro]

Well maybe I mean I hate it when people try to knock down the price, there are too many people around trying to get cheap bargains when the seller has often paid a huge amount for the same item when bought new and often it is the case that the 2nd hand item is as good as new.  

Just about to advertise something I am not willing to negotiate on and will state as such.

Carole 

[Pig]

I don't mind someone offering me less than the advertised asking price, and equally, I hope they don't mind me saying no

If I am buying and I think the item is worth the asking price I will not offer less based on a " you never know" mentality.

[Dazzyt66]

It can be even worse on eBay. I've had people win auctions and then refuse to pay a number of times, despite many chase emails, which means you have to go through the whole lark again...

Just thought I'd add my 2penneth! Lol

Clear skies!

Dazzyt

FirstScope (soon to be upgraded - TBC)

[Skipper Billy]

Over the last 2 years I have bought all-sorts of gear when I was getting set up - a mixture of new stuff from FLO and a few others and a good deal of used stuff from this site and ABS.

The only time I asked for a discount was when buying multiple items and it was graciously accepted.  Eg 6 filters at £70 each - would you take £400 for the lot. Yes. Thank you. If I wasn't prepared to pay the advertised price I didn't make contact.

On every occasion I gave (unprompted) my real name, address, land line and mobile phone numbers, website address and email address. Just to give some comfort - only once was I phoned for a 'chat'.

The purchases unclude a HEQ5 from Paris and an Atik camera so not all cheap items.

Never a hitch and to add complications I always pay cash - not traceable etc and the vendor could just as easily have pocketed the cash and run off. It's never happened. If someone wants to spend the rest of their life looking over their shoulder for a few hundred quid then good luck to them.

Just recently I have had a change of direction and have sold a fair amount of kit.

Now the boot is on the other foot !

Most recently I 'Sold' a high value CCD camera to a guy who confirmed he definitely wanted it and asked me to mark the ad as 'Sold' and I explained I was going on holiday and could either post it that day or in two weeks when I got back. He opted for the latter.

Sent a reminder when I got back and a few further reminders - now he doesn't want it.  (I am guessing as the silence is deafening)

I had already told the other interested parties that it was sold. So now I am faced with advertising it again and people will wonder why its re-advertised and some will have bought elsewhere.

Its maddening but what else can one do ??

Its just a fact of life that in every hobby there are a majority of respectable, trustworthy people, a few trying to sweep up the droppings on the floor to make a living and an even smaller circle of outright thieves.

I cant see a feedback system working - I can hear the libel lawyers circling already !!

I would far rather take my chances buying stuff from this site or ABS than eBay etc - it may not be perfect but then what is ??

Its worth having a read at http://www.astrobuysell.com/fraud_alert.htm

[Skipper Billy]

PS - I always mark my ads £xxx ono or £xxx firm - which is a not so subtle hint as to whether the price is negotiable.

[jambouk]

I think sometimes people have a sense of panic that someone else will but an item of ABS before them, so email a seller expressing interest, even saying they want it, though are using that to buy time to do more research. I recently sold a scope I no longer use (kind of wish I'd kept it now) and declined various "offers" and requests to meet half way due to a long drive... The actual purchaser paid the money via paypal several days in advance of coming to pick it up.

James

[wuthton]

This thread has reminded me of a bizarre email exchange I had with someone on eBay. I was selling a tractor which was in excellent condition as we look after our machines but it had quite high engine hours (the equivalent of mileage for a car). Some chap emailed saying that the tractor had clearly done less hours than stated and wanted to know why I was lying about it? 

My response was along the lines of "errr why would I want to overstate the hours and devalue the machine????"

He then sent me a very long email about how much of an expert on he was on tractors which finished with him pointing out that as my tractor had all it's windows it couldn't have done so many hours.

I sent him the address of a company which sells tractor windows.

[Zakalwe]

Well maybe I mean I hate it when people try to knock down the price, there are too many people around trying to get cheap bargains when the seller has often paid a huge amount for the same item when bought new and often it is the case that the 2nd hand item is as good as new.  

The worth of something is exactly the amount that someone is prepared to offer for it. The main onus on the seller is to advertise it truthfully and get the best possible price for it. The onus on the buyer is to spend the least amount and get the best product and to pay promptly. Clearly contradictory approaches.

This thread has reminded me of a bizarre email exchange I had with someone on eBay. I was selling a tractor which was in excellent condition as we look after our machines but it had quite high engine hours (the equivalent of mileage for a car). Some chap emailed saying that the tractor had clearly done less hours than stated and wanted to know why I was lying about it? 

My response was along the lines of "errr why would I want to overstate the hours and devalue the machine????"

He then sent me a very long email about how much of an expert on he was on tractors which finished with him pointing out that as my tractor had all it's windows it couldn't have done so many hours.

I sent him the address of a company which sells tractor windows.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity. One thing that I've learned in life is to try and not engage with complete plonkers. There's over 6 billion people on the planet...life is much easier if you try and avoid the eejits and try and deal with the more sensible of the 6 billion....

[DRT]

The worth of something is exactly the amount that someone is prepared to offer for it.

That sums it all up in one short sentence

[DRT]

Here is a slightly different perspective on pricing that might explain where I am coming from...

If I really want a particular item I tend to buy new. I do this because I can afford to, because I want it to be perfect and because I like supporting the manufacturers and retailers who bring these wonderful things to market. I have the luxury of being able to do that but recognise that others do not.

When I sell things I start out knowing I am losing money - but I assign that money to the enjoyment I have had from the item whilst I owned it, or against the risk I knowingly took in buying it hoping it would do what I wanted it to. By example, if I buy a TV eyepiece new and use it for a while I would automatically write off at least 33% of the cost when selling it. That money has gone. So a £300 EP would be advertised for £200. If someone then offered me £180 I would consider whether or not I wanted to lose £20 (not £120) for a quick sale. The £100 is the accepted loss of buying new. The £20 is the chosen loss for selling quickly. If I buy something new of a lesser brand I would probably start out knowing I would lose nearer to 50%.

If I buy second hand, which I often do, I normally start out with the objective of recovering 80-90% of what I paid. The difference is assigned to the cost of me enjoying having it.

I have never been offended by an offer, but have often turned them down. I have never turned one down that was reasonable.

As Zakalwe said, the "value" is what buyers are prepared to pay. The "price" is what a buyer thinks they can get away with. If the two do not match it is the seller who loses by being unable to sell.

My parents in law proved this point by holding out for an extra £5k when trying to sell their house after buying and moving to a new house in 2008. They still have two houses and two mortgages

IMHO, it is not a good idea to be too rigid on pricing when selling second hand items unless you are absolutely happy to keep them

[Star Struck]

It seems that the English have an aversion to negotiation/haggling.

It is all about trying to get a fair deal and this usually involves movement by both sides.

I have bought numerous items on ABS where you end up splitting the difference between what the seller asks for and what I (as the buyer) initially offered.

If the item is for sale at a reasonable price and I do not want to lose it, then I always offer the full price to secure it.

You roll the dice and you take your chance.

p.s. I am English