My dislike about buy and sell sites

[astro mick]

It happens all too often,you advertise an item for sale,you get an enquirey,saying very interested,could you supply more info or send pictures of the article.There is nothing wrong with this at all,and is what I would expect.

You gather up the info and send to the interested party,then you hear nothing,in the mean time you might get an other enquirey,what do you do,how long do you give the original caller,before you sell to someone else.

I, have had where the original caller left it a day and a half,before getting back to me,and was irate because I had sold it.There was no firm promise to buy,so i did,nt feel obligated,as I thought I had given him enough time.

Please guys/gals if you decide not to buy,please let the seller know,so they can move on.

After all.to me it is good manners,and their is nothing wrong in changing your mind,dont be afraid to let the other party know.

Cheers.

Mick.

[DRT]

I find this frustrating too, Mick.

Perhaps a good solution would be to include a time limit in your reply. "Here is the information you have asked for. Please confirm whether or not you want to buy by ??:?? tomorrow otherwise I might sell to another interested party".

I might start doing that myself to see how it goes, particularly with people I have never dealt with before.

As an aside, I find it bemusing that people get "irate" about missing out on a deal to buy from an informal second hand buy/sell website. Whenever I have missed out (whether through my fault or not) I am at the very worst mildly disappointed.

[smudgeball]

Totally agree Mick

I've had the same thing.

I can't understand why people do this.

My experience went further, where I had someone interested first but "not sure if it was what they wanted" with other people interested.

I hung on and after a week of follow up emails with two days between each one, the person decided they wanted it but wanted me to drop the price by quite a bit.

I sold it to another person !

Neil

[bottletopburly]

First come first served in my book ,an enquiry is just that  if someone in the meantime  says thy`ll buy then it is sale pending .

[bomberbaz]

Totally agreed, I sell to the first person that puts in a firm offer. If I get a 2nd offer I tell them its sale pending but in the past have had to push a sale pending as they have then messed around taking several days to firm things up.

[beamer3.6m]

10 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

First come first served in my book ,an enquiry is just that  if someone in the meantime  says thy`ll buy then it is sale pending .

Agreed.

Asking for more information makes no difference.

Think if your in a shop and you see an item you like but go and ask customer services a question about it and whilst your there someone else takes the item off the shelf and buys it you miss out.

Happened to me the other day. Saw a juicer on special. Looked at it, put it down and went for a short stroll to think about it. Came back to buy it and someone else had it in their hands and bought it.

My problem not the shops.

[alacant]

Hi

I agree totally but don't forget the other way around. I request info from a retail outlet in response to a post on sgl. I get nothing. 'Sorry, it's sold but I can offer you this from our regular store', yes. Fine. But nada. These guys have obviously made their fortune and retired. Amazing!

[kirkster501]

Respectfully, you do not work in sales!

Only a deposit should secure the item from being sold to someone else or, if someone needs to travel, a firm commitment of "I will be there at two today to take a look at it and if I like I will buy it then".  Two o'clock a week next Thursday is no good.  

A firm offer of money from someone else means the others who are dithering lose out - i.e.  "If you snooze you lose".  It is the same in any high street.

Harsh but its the only way to save yourself from utter time wasters.

[laudropb]

I totally agree. You really have to accept the first firm offer you receive.

[xtreemchaos]

when selling, my veiw is who every gives me the money buys it, but saying that if somebody has agreed to buy it and gives me a firm date for payment i would hold it for them. i know what you mean Mick and i agree with you,its a pain when people keep you hanging on and there not really interested.clear skys charl.

[Chris]

Absolutely agree Mick, well said!

[Martin Meredith]

I'm going to speak up for the 'perceived' time wasters.

If I'm in the market for a second hand scope I might request more details from a number of people on an astro buy/sell site, and follow up with further enquiries. So long as I realise that any delay on my part might mean losing out -- which of course I do -- then I don't see what is wrong with that. Buying new is complicated enough decisions-wise, and second-hand unseen even more so. But some here seem to regard this as time wasting (after all, most people are not going to get the deal). Buying and selling is a two-way street; I've on many occasions genuinely wasted my time as a buyer because an item marked as active was sold and the seller hasn't bothered to change the status. And if as a seller you can afford to turn away offers because you prefer not to deal with someone perceived as a time-waster, fine, but that isn't the way a market works. In the end, if somebody makes an offer and it is acceptable, and the kit hasn't been sold, and the money gets transferred, I don't really see what perceived time-wasting (or perhaps genuine indecision -- after all, this person ends up making an offer!) comes into it.

Martin

[Stu]

Totally agree that someone making an enquiry has no right to be irate if the item is sold before they commit to buy. I tend to treat people who make the first enquiry as having an informal 'first refusal' and will ask them for a quick yes or no if someone else wants to buy the item. If I get no answer then I will offer to the next person, it works well.

I have actually just had a seller treat me in exactly the same way. I enquired about an item expressing interest, he replied with information which I thought about. The next day he said someone else was interested, did I want to buy and I decided not to for a number of reasons. It all works fine if people are courteous and reply quickly but that doesn't always seem to be the case unfortunately.

[DRT]

3 minutes ago, Martin Meredith said:

I'm going to speak up for the 'perceived' time wasters.

If I'm in the market for a second hand scope I might request more details from a number of people on an astro buy/sell site, and follow up with further enquiries. So long as I realise that any delay on my part might mean losing out -- which of course I do -- then I don't see what is wrong with that. Buying new is complicated enough decisions-wise, and second-hand unseen even more so. But some here seem to regard this as time wasting (after all, most people are not going to get the deal). Buying and selling is a two-way street; I've on many occasions genuinely wasted my time as a buyer because an item marked as active was sold and the seller hasn't bothered to change the status. And if as a seller you can afford to turn away offers because you prefer not to deal with someone perceived as a time-waster, fine, but that isn't the way a market works. In the end, if somebody makes an offer and it is acceptable, and the kit hasn't been sold, and the money gets transferred, I don't really see what perceived time-wasting (or perhaps genuine indecision -- after all, this person ends up making an offer!) comes into it.

Martin

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that what you describe is time wasting, Martin. Asking for more information is perfectly valid and I am sure we have all done so. The point that is being made is that (1) asking for information does not automatically make you first in the queue to buy, and (2) not responding to emails for an extended period after receiving the info you asked for and then becoming irate because the seller has sold to someone else is actually quite rude.

[Uranium235]

As the old saying goes.... money talks...

But I've no problem with someone asking to me to wait a few days until payday, as i know what a pain it can be to get paid monthly. As long as nobody says "what is your best price?" (the price is the price! its not a flamin' car boot sale mate!)

[alan potts]

I have sold a good deal of stuff both on here and on AB&S and if a person I know, or may have even bought from, is the case in point I am generally happy to give them a bit of space. If this is not the case then it is very much a case of the Frank Zappa ablum for about 1972 "we're only in it for the money". I have to say I always like to see my gear go to known members even though I don't really know them as such.

Alan

[DRT]

3 minutes ago, Uranium235 said:

As the old saying goes.... money talks...

But I've no problem with someone asking to me to wait a few days until payday, as i know what a pain it can be to get paid monthly.

I have done that a few times, Rob, and have no issue with it, especially for people I know. Unfortunately, I have had a couple of instances when I have waited until payday only to be told that the buyer had changed his mind

[Owmuchonomy]

I have been very fortunate and not had much trouble but I go to great lengths to avoid any ambiguity in my pitch.  I guess that is 22 years in Sales and Marketing for you.  The only issue I have had to date was with a time waster on this forum actually.

[Uranium235]

4 minutes ago, DRT said:

I have done that a few times, Rob, and have no issue with it, especially for people I know. Unfortunately, I have had a couple of instances when I have waited until payday only to be told that the buyer had changed his mind

One instance sticks in memory, where one chap started asking for the serial numbers off the CCDs i had up for grabs (didnt really like what that was implying) - and then offered to pay via bankers draft..... erm.... bye! (ended up selling it on SGL instead, quick, no fuss, as it should be).

[brantuk]

If I'm being vague with a seller it's usually cos I'm undecided. But I don't like messing folks around so I ask for details/pics etc and just say something to the effect "I'll let you know but if you get an offer meantime then go for it and don't worry about me". If I'm positive I'll put a deposit down and agree a date for viewing/pickup and balance payment (or pay in full for a posted item). A quick phone call is usually enough to check they're happy with any arrangement.

When I'm selling I'm happy to give a bit of leeway and will hold for someone who wants to come with cash on collection or wait for payday - and I stay in touch with them to be sure they're not messing around. Of course it all depends on the size, cost, demand of the item. I find the secret is to not be in a rush and be polite and friendly with folks. If a sale bombs out I just put it down to experience and re-advertise it - no biggie. If anyone is rude or stroppy when I'm buying or selling I just wish them luck and pull out - another item will come along soon and I prefer dealing with friendly, resonable folks.

Never really had a problem buying or selling - am I too cool? lol

 

 

[Moonshane]

It's generally a lack of communication that creates bad feeling no matter what the situation.  Be clear with what you Intend or expect and If they still have a problem they are not the sort of person that I want to deal with anyway. 

[Grotemobile]

34 minutes ago, brantuk said:

another item will come along soon and I prefer dealing with friendly, resonable folks

Could not agree more with U.

 

Steve

 

 

[DRT]

1 hour ago, brantuk said:

am I too cool? lol

I think those sunglasses and the James Bond looks in your Avatar say it all

[StuartJPP]

I hate adverts on ABS with no photos of the item for sale and/or weak descriptions requiring more information in the first place.

 

Example...For sale: "The item you are really looking for, comes with some scratches and some missing bits".

 

I describe items like I would want to read them, then there is no doubt/ambiguity in people's minds. 

If someone does want more information that I haven't covered, I update the ad so that everyone else can see it but if someone else comes along in the meantime with a firm offer to buy then they get it.

[Saganite]

8 hours ago, astro mick said:

It happens all too often,you advertise an item for sale,you get an enquirey,saying very interested,could you supply more info or send pictures of the article.There is nothing wrong with this at all,and is what I would expect.

You gather up the info and send to the interested party,then you hear nothing,in the mean time you might get an other enquirey,what do you do,how long do you give the original caller,before you sell to someone else.

I, have had where the original caller left it a day and a half,before getting back to me,and was irate because I had sold it.There was no firm promise to buy,so i did,nt feel obligated,as I thought I had given him enough time.

Please guys/gals if you decide not to buy,please let the seller know,so they can move on.

After all.to me it is good manners,and their is nothing wrong in changing your mind,dont be afraid to let the other party know.

Cheers.

Mick.

I think that says it all. If a prospective buyer decides not to proceed after photo's etc, that is fine, but should be followed by thanks but no thanks.

To not reply is just lack of courtesy.